Newbie Questions

Am so glad to have found this site and have read some of the Posts. Hope to eventually read all available. Really good info.

In the past I have been strictly a Class A Motorhome owner. Have never towed a trailer for any length of time, with the exception of boat trailers, and towing a small car with MH.

From reading the different posts on the board I am getting a little apprehensive toward the Maintenance Etc. of owning a TM. By the way the Wife and I are Senior Citizens (early 70's), still active and in good health.

I suppose what I want is assurance that we can handle
all that goes with being a TM owner.

I'm contemplating the purchase of a TM (2720SL) 2003.
Approx. Dry weight 0f 2680, tongue weight 378, cargo 1394. Am attempting to tow with 1994 Dodge 350, class
B conversion van. 5.2 litre (318 ci) engine, 3.9 rear axle ratio.

Weight Specs for van are: GVWR 8510 (With all options
and 6 passengers, full gas tank, the payload is 960).

The owners manual states for towing: Max Gross Combined Weight rating (GCWR) of 12500, Max trailer weight 8500 and max tongue weight of 1000.

I have a standard Drawtite Hitch, Frame Mounted, Weight carrying ball, (not equalizer), max ball weight 500, max tow weight 5000. Also have Air ride Springs on rear.

How does this look for towing???? As always Dealer says we won't need Sway Control?????  Considering the info posted do any of you have ANY advice????

The Super Chief

Lol.....I think you have it pretty covered....LOL, probably feel a lot like that car behind the MH....as in hardly there. No, I seriously don't think you'd need sway control. I've seen one on the net (you're model)  for sale that was believe it or not, hitched to a subaru! (lol, of course, that may have been why they were selling it....)  ??? But you should be just fine....Will your dealer let ya take it for a "test tow" to see? Just a thought....

Happytrails...........

[Denny_A]

I'll 2nd HappyTrail's comments. I'm towing the same model (2002) you mentioned, but with a much less robust vehicle. In 6900 miles of towing I have never had a sway problem, and I don't use sway control. It's easy to forget it's even there (when not accelerating or climbing) during normal driving. The combo experienced some hellacious crosswinds in a thunderstorm in Mo, without complaint. Now the hail, that was..ummm............not as bad as I feared.

It's a great little trailer, IMHO. We're over 60 (age, not speed) and find it easy to set-up and takedown. It's cranking those levelers, and water and elec connections, and hunting for just the right site that takes so much time. Not the trailer's fault. 8)


Denny_A

[Bill]

Denny -

Take the hassle out of cranking the leveling jacks. Buy a cheap reversible cordless drill and a 1/4" Allen wrench. Chuck the long end of the Allen wrench in the drill, hook the short end through the center of the jack screw (just as you do with the manual crank). Pull the trigger, and ZOWIE! The jack is down (or up) faster and easier than you can imagine.

This tip was passed to me by my dealer, MCD on Cape Cod, Mass. Great crew!

Bill

[Denny_A]

Denny -

Take the hassle out of cranking the leveling jacks. Buy a cheap reversible cordless drill and a 1/4" Allen wrench. Chuck the long end of the Allen wrench in the drill, hook the short end through the center of the jack screw (just as you do with the manual crank). Pull the trigger, and ZOWIE! The jack is down (or up) faster and easier than you can imagine.

Bill

Bill,

Actually I knew that from another post (maybe yours) which I read in March (I think). Just never got around to it, for some reason. When the weather was cool the effort did not bother me. But setting up in humid, hot weather is really a pain. I'm a profuse pespirer - a crabby one too.  >

Dumb part is that I have a cordless drill and a complete set of Allen wrenches. Thanks for jogglin' my memory. Diety knows I can use it these daze   ;D.


Denny_A

My experience with a "cheap" drill is that it may not provide enough torque to turn the jack. You need one with sufficient torque. Keep this in mind if you are considering this option. My Makita works great for this!  ;D

Wade

I'm having a little problem understanding why the stated apprehension over owning a TM and then explaining in great detail the vehicle for towing it.
It should be stated that we are happy with our TM 2619 for two adults, used for weekends and an occasional week long trip. It tows like a dream without sway controls behind our Suburban. That is no issue.
However, we have never been MH owners. It seems to me that the culture shock of having to raise and lower a trailer, easy as it might be, every time you went somewhere would be too much different from what you are used to. Have you considered a Travel Trailer? If not, take a look at SunnyBrook which we will probably go to after our TM days are over. With it you might want a sway control and the Hensley Arrow is probably the best.
Dick_B

I have to echo Dick's comments.  RVers often move up and down from various types of units over time, however, we seldom make what I see as a very dramatic move from a Class A motorhome to something that requires a bit extra time and effort such as a TM of other unit that needs to be set up.  Have you considered downsizing to something like a Winnebago Rialta?  

To answer your other questions more directly, I think you have covered the important aspects of the TM in terms of towing, etc., and space wise,  a 2720SL is a good size for two people.    I can set up our unit (once leveled) in about four minutes by myself.  The real question is probably what you will be comfortable living in for a few days or longer at a time.  If you can possibly borrow someone's that would probably be a good idea.  Maybe you can even rent or borrow a Hi-Lo somewhere, which might give you some idea of what's involved in a convertible unit.

Good luck!

Thanks too all for the informative replies!!!

The Super Chief

I got a great "cheap" cordless drill at "Big lots" for 35 bucks......24 Volt, 8 clutch settings, never failed me yet as a screw driver getting my project going, and I have a Dewalt screw gun 110v....never used it once. I set at two or one for driving, 8 for removing...........aluminum isn't the same as wood as I found out rather quickly going from 1.5" of wood to 1/8th inches of "bite" on the aluminum tubing........ :

Happytrails............