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Old 11-12-2015, 09:21 PM   #1
Shane826
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Default Quick general questions

-Does anyone know the tongue coupler height on a 2007 TM3326 (stock, no lift, 215/75r14 tires)?

-Will the marker lights/stop lamps/turn signals still work when hooked to the tow vehicle if I remove the battery from the TrailManor?

-Do I need to run antifreeze through the water heater for winter storage? A buddy has a Keystone Laredo and he says this is critical.

-Any tips to really clean out the fresh water tank?

Thanks!
-Shane
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Old 11-13-2015, 06:06 AM   #2
Padgett
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a) I'd figure around 500 lbs, but TM says mine is 392 lbs and the reality is about 460.
b) Antifreeze is posonous. Alcohol isn't. TM has drains.
c) See the thread on opening an access port to the fresh water tank.
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Old 11-13-2015, 06:16 AM   #3
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Padgett he wants height not weight
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Old 11-13-2015, 06:19 AM   #4
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The lights will work without a battery and hooked to tow vehicle but the required brake system will not in an emergency.
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Old 11-13-2015, 06:26 AM   #5
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tongue height is typically 18 inches. It will be that plus or minus about 1 inch.

Your running lights will all work without the house battery but not your brake break away system....no power.

Drain the water system and blow out the water lines, air to hose fittings are common at RV dealers and some hardware stores. The fresh water tank wil still have about 3/4 inch of water in it.

Unscrew the shower heads and kitchen spray; also leave all faucets open and you should be good to go. Drain the grey water and toilet.
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Old 11-13-2015, 09:12 AM   #6
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Good answers.

The coupler height will run around 18 or 19 inches after it is hooked up and the tongue weight is on the ball. In other words, if you set up the tow vehicle so the ball is at 18 or 19 inches, and then drop the coupler onto the ball, the sag in the rear end of the tow vehicle will change the ball height, upsetting your plan. The best way to answer your question is simply to put your TM, uncoupled and closed, on a level piece of ground, level it, and then measure the coupler height.

As previously noted, all road lights are powered by the tow vehicle through the Bargman connector. This also applies to normal operation of the electric brakes. You lose all of this if the Bargman is pulled out of the socket, at which time the TM's onboard battery is the only source of emergency power for the brakes. And this emergency breakaway capability is required by law in many (all?) states.

In most RVs, you can drain the water heater, but then you need a "bypass" so that you can pump antifreeze through the rest of the plumbing without filling the water heater with expensive (?) antifreeze. That is what your friend with the Laredo is referring to. The TM is different. As noted in your owner's manual, the entire TM water system, including the water heater, will drain by gravity, so no antifreeze is needed. That's what the four drain valves under the TM are for. Just open those valves, turn on all the faucets, and leave it that way for the winter. Result? You don't need antifreeze, or a bypass kit.

Having said that, there are a few exceptions to the "drain by gravity" statement. One is the inside and outside shower heads. Pull the hoses out straight, open the faucets, unscrew each shower head, shake it out, and store it in the TM. Same thing applies to the kitchen sink sprayer if you have one. The fresh water tank will have a bit of water left in it, but the tank is quite flexible so no harm will be done when that water freezes. Unscrew the aerator from the kitchen and bathroom faucets. And finally, after draining the system, run the water pump for a couple seconds to expel any leftover water from the pumping chamber. As noted in previous answers, some people go further, and connect a low-pressure air compressor to the water system, to further ensure that all water is blown out of these devices.

As for cleaning the fresh water tank. The traditional answer is to pour in a few gallons of bleach and water solution, let it sit for a while, and turn on the water pump to send the solution through all the pipes and valves. Drain the remainder of the solution through the underfloor drain. For a real cleaning, you can install a cleanout port in the top or side of the tank. This lets you reach inside with a cloth or sponge.

Use the search tool on the term "winterize" for those first questions, and on the term "cleanout" or "port" for the latter.

Bill
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Old 11-13-2015, 09:28 AM   #7
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If you are talking about cleaning out the fresh water tank as far as water being safe, use about 1/4 cup of bleach and partially fill the fresh water tank, it you are going to fill it all the way up to totally sanitize it, maybe a little more bleach.

This is to be done in the spring. This below not only flushed the anti freeze, if you chose to bypass the water heater and use RV Antifreeze, but also sanitized the complete system including the fresh water tank.

I use a funnely thing that has a bendable section I got at Pepboys and a regular funnel put into the top of that. pour in the bleach than then add the water to the tank.
Using the demand pump, pump the bleach water through all the lines, opening valves one at a time until all the pink is gone and you can smell the bleach.

This will fill your water heater if you do not have a bypass valve on the water heater. because of the drains, most TM owners do not put this valve on.
This means once the system is sanitized be sure to take the anode rod out of the water heater, drain and flush the water heater until you no longer smell bleach. I use city water for this part.
I have also on other trailers, opened the drain to the fresh water tank and flushed that with city water. Made the mistake of NOT doing that on my Cabin A this spring, and when I went to put on a valve on the pump to pump antifreeze through, I had to change the hose and had bleach water all inside the Cabin A. When I leaned on the tank to re-attach a new longer hose, squirted bleach water out again... I am allergic to bleach...good going Paula.

be sure to drain the water heater after each trip unless you are going back to back...I had a new water pump put on a trailer a few years back, they filled the water heater but did not drain it and did not tell me. About 2 months later, after sitting in the summer sun, I went to Acadia...took a shower, that was in early August, by the end of Sept, I was in the hospital with an outer ear infection that eating away at my mastoid bone...damaged my vegas nerve, and almost went into meningitis. Also on infused antibiotics for 5 weeks and had C-Diff twice because of the antibiotics... So now I am super careful to drain the water heater each trip and to make sure the system is total sanitized. hard way to learn a lesson...
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Old 11-13-2015, 10:30 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Padgett View Post
a) I'd figure around 500 lbs, but TM says mine is 392 lbs and the reality is about 460.
b) Antifreeze is posonous. Alcohol isn't. TM has drains.
c) See the thread on opening an access port to the fresh water tank.
This product is made for RV's and is not harmful.

http://www.googleadservices.com/page...68%26veh%3Dsem
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Old 11-13-2015, 12:10 PM   #9
Shane826
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Wow I never thought of the emergency brake. Good catch, guys!

Bill- I didn't get an owner's manual with purchase. I found a generic (covers all models) TM manual online but was confused about the water heater. Sounds like one of the drains underneath is for the water heater?

There is some water in the fresh tank (I assume that's the tank under the sink?) from the previous owner. No idea how long it's been there. I guess I'll leave it till spring and bleach it then. I probably will never use the fresh tank as anywhere we go will have hookups. But I don't want water festering in that tank either!

The reason I ask about the coupler height is the Andersen WDH says to set the ball on the tow vehicle 1-1.5" above the coupler height. It's available in 4" or 8" drop/rise. I think he 4" will be close and I don't want the 8" rise blocking my tailgate if not needed.

Thanks again everyone!
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Old 11-13-2015, 12:13 PM   #10
Shane826
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Default "Blue Book"

What is this mystical "blue binder" I keep reading about? Is that owners manuals for EVERYTHING in the camper? Where can I get one?
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