Fine Tuning The Lifting Mechanisim

Saw a topic that mentioned some lifting problems. My 2720sl has become hard to open. Can anyone give me any hints on how to fine tune it. The nearest dealer is 2 1/2 hours away, so hoping to do it myself. ???

[Denny_A]

Saw a topic that mentioned some lifting problems. My 2720sl has become hard to open. Can anyone give me any hints on how to fine tune it. The nearest dealer is 2 1/2 hours away, so hoping to do it myself. ???

CO Cop,

Yes! Here's what I posted about adjustment a while back and ammended for your case:

Look at the underside of the frame. You will see large bolt heads projecting straight down toward the ground. Two front and rear, and 4 in the center. Or, 4 on the left and 4 on the right. Each bolt is on the opposite side of the trailer from the lift bar it assists!

The bolts are cranked in or out, as needed, to adjust the torsion which will develop when the shells are "closing", while being made ready for towing. Adjustments should be made with the shell up (low/no torsion load), and only in small increments.

With the shells raised (min torsion) adjust the bolt "in" to increase torsion and "out" to reduce. The Torsion rods extend all the way across the underside of the frame.

So, let's say the torsion of the aft shell needs to be *increased*. Raise the the rear shell. At the rear most lift bars, look under the trailer and find the 2 bolt heads. Turn the left (or Rt) bolt IN about 1/2 turn. Do the same on the other. Lower the shell and then raise it. Note change, if any to the ease of lifting. If it improved, but still needs more adjustment, then adjust the forward lift torsion bars - of the rear shell. Use the same amount of adjustment - 1/2 turn. Recheck the opening forces.

At this point, all four bolts have been adjusted equally. If further fine tuning is needed, it becomes twist-and-try . Maybe all bolts need another 1/2 turn, or possibly a quarter turn has to be removed from each. Just take it slow, and keep track of how many turns of torsion were added/subtracted to/from each bolt.

If one side of the shell (say center, curb side) becomes cattywampus when closing and is difficult to latch, then the bolt for that one torsion bar should be adjusted individually. When complete, the shell should open easily, as advertised, and when closing, both of the center portions (of each shell) should come to rest so that the shell is level horizontally, ready for final latch engagement.

HTH ==== Denny_A

Originally Posted by Denny_A

CO Cop,

Yes! Here's what I posted about adjustment a while back and ammended for your case:

Look at the underside of the frame. You will see large bolt heads projecting straight down toward the ground. Two front and rear, and 4 in the center. Or, 4 on the left and 4 on the right. Each bolt is on the opposite side of the trailer from the lift bar it assists!

The bolts are cranked in or out, as needed, to adjust the torsion which will develop when the shells are "closing", while being made ready for towing. Adjustments should be made with the shell up (low/no torsion load), and only in small increments.

With the shells raised (min torsion) adjust the bolt "in" to increase torsion and "out" to reduce. The Torsion rods extend all the way across the underside of the frame.

So, let's say the torsion of the aft shell needs to be *increased*. Raise the the rear shell. At the rear most lift bars, look under the trailer and find the 2 bolt heads. Turn the left (or Rt) bolt IN about 1/2 turn. Do the same on the other. Lower the shell and then raise it. Note change, if any to the ease of lifting. If it improved, but still needs more adjustment, then adjust the forward lift torsion bars - of the rear shell. Use the same amount of adjustment - 1/2 turn. Recheck the opening forces.

At this point, all four bolts have been adjusted equally. If further fine tuning is needed, it becomes twist-and-try . Maybe all bolts need another 1/2 turn, or possibly a quarter turn has to be removed from each. Just take it slow, and keep track of how many turns of torsion were added/subtracted to/from each bolt.

If one side of the shell (say center, curb side) becomes cattywampus when closing and is difficult to latch, then the bolt for that one torsion bar should be adjusted individually. When complete, the shell should open easily, as advertised, and when closing, both of the center portions (of each shell) should come to rest so that the shell is level horizontally, ready for final latch engagement.

HTH ==== Denny_A

Denny thanks for this post. It took two people to close and latch my new 2619. After reading your instructions I adjusted the torsion bars and now one person can close it without a lot of strain. This saved me a 5 hour round trip drive to the dealer.

CO Cop,

My TM came from Boston and traveled in snow and ice some before I brought it down here to Alabama. There is some rusting. I liberally sprayed WD-40 in the movement areas of the torsion bars and lift mechanism and mine opens better. At least now I can open and close it by myself.

HTH

Scott

Great tip! I'm hoping that this will work on my 3326. Maybe it is just heavy because of its size ;D. Any comments from 3326 owners.

Chris B.

Hi,

we just picked up our new 2720sl and tried it for the first time.. but we couldn't get one of the little silver bar to go up and fit on the peg of the back end (i am sorry i don't know what it is called.. there are 4 little bars that lift up to fit into the pegs on all four sides?)

is that because the torsion needs adjusted or something else?

thanks, Teresa

[RockyMtnRay]

The silver bars are, IIRC, called "stabilizers" in the TM manual. And the reason they won't fit is probably not because of the torsion bars being out of adjustment, but rather the "pocket stops" being out of adjustment. The pocket stops determine how far the shells can move when put into the upright position. The forum's expert on pocket stops is HappyTrails...he can give detailed instructions on how to adjust them.

[RockyMtnRay]

Yep, you're right...the manual does say "corner latch". My dealer referred to them as "stabilizer bars".

However the manual (2002 edition) no longer refers to stabilizers...they're now referred to as scissor jacks; and the manual clearly states "use the rear scissor jack on the low side to level the trailer side-to-side" (page 12).

Yeah, I know you are in the "these are only stablizers" camp...and I'm just as strongly in the "these are really leveling jacks" camp. But the manual is clearly instructing owners of newer TMs to use them as leveling jacks, leastwise for side to side leveling. And I'm personally assuming the TM engineers either wrote or approved that section of the newer manuals and if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

And where the heck is Happy...we need to get the Pocket Stop Expert in here!

hi,

thanks for the info.. corner latches! I didn't have my manual with me earlier... I will be waiting for the pocket stop expert too... I have heard not to use the jacks as levelers too... but with our new trailer we received a little pamplet explaining how to use 'Le-Sure lift' correctly... use for leveling, as long as not raising trailers extreme heights..so who knows.. seems easier than putting blocks under tires : especially since i am just getting used to driving a trailer. teresa

Ray and Texas Camper, just type in "Pocket stops" in the Search Box and you will bring up a lot of messages about pocket stops. ??? ???