Maiden voyage in our 3023

[clane9]

Well it was a full day learning how to open and close the trailer, drive while pulling a trailer and unhooking upon arrival at our campsite. There was a problem with the hitch and that was by far the most challenging. I am very happy with our trailer and so are my daughters. It's not going to be the easier softer way doing this as a single mom, but hopefully in time this all becomes second nature. Today I was a bit overwhelmed. But I only cried once lol.

I will post pics from my computer when I figure out how :)

Goodnight from Dennis Port Massachusetts!

Courtney

[hillbillyhotel]

congratz ,
made for a long day this time!! it will become much easier as time goes, it;s all down hill now after day one, you a veteran now;)

[Laura FM]

The first time out with a previous trailer, my husband had to ask the hosts for help with the hitch. Our first time out with our current trailer, we met some people who had a trailer similar to our first (a coleman PUP) who had set it up incorrectly, so we went and offered to help them. Then the next day he came by and asked if we could help him figure out how to hitch up the trailer.

The moral to this story is do not be afraid to ask for help. Even guys need help with new trailers. :-)

[mcgyver210]

Sounds like you did well for first time out.

Just remember what we found out early on most seasoned campers really like to help out new campers.

[Northwoods]

congratulations. You'll have a lot of fun with your TM. You will also find campers to be a very helpful sort. They'll loan you sugar, leave you un-used fire wood and fill you in on all the stuff about the campground. My husband has been newly diagnosed with Parkinsons. Last summer, after repeated attempts at backing our 3023 in a site that we have used for many years, a young man came up and very politely said, 'Sir, I'm an over the road trucker, could I help park your rig?' Ken gratefully accepted and he did it in one swing. We will again be using that same site [or 49th year in this park & possibly our last]. We have figured out a way to park it as a pull-through and enjoy our 10 days, celebrating our 58 wedding anniversary and our 80th birhdays at Pulltite campground in the Ozark National Riverways.

[trailbiker]

Congratulations!!! Happy Anniversary & Birthdays.

[fallsrider]

58 years! You guys ought to get a medal or something! Congrats.

[Kidkraz]

Congratulations. As Hillbillyhotel said it's all downhill now. Everyday and trip will teach you and your girls something new about the trailer. Have fun with it and don't sweat the small stuff.

[ChillEDog]

congratulations. You'll have a lot of fun with your TM. You will also find campers to be a very helpful sort. They'll loan you sugar, leave you un-used fire wood and fill you in on all the stuff about the campground. My husband has been newly diagnosed with Parkinsons. Last summer, after repeated attempts at backing our 3023 in a site that we have used for many years, a young man came up and very politely said, 'Sir, I'm an over the road trucker, could I help park your rig?' Ken gratefully accepted and he did it in one swing. We will again be using that same site [or 49th year in this park & possibly our last]. We have figured out a way to park it as a pull-through and enjoy our 10 days, celebrating our 58 wedding anniversary and our 80th birhdays at Pulltite campground in the Ozark National Riverways.

I am sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. And I'm impressed by your 58 years together and the fact that you are still camping and age 80. Thank you for sharing your story.

[JBYRNE7844]

Hi Courtney, we are excited about our maiden voyage in July here in New Hampshire. Glad it worked out good for you. Hope to run into you some time.

Jim and Mary Byrne

[Shadowcats]

Congrats on the first time! We have all been there at some time - you did super...I think there is always something that gives us a little trouble (kind of like life) but we endure and next time it will be easier. After a time everything will seem very routine - teamwork is also a wonderful thing. I can do a lot of things by myself, but when my wife and I work together it goes much smoother and faster...so get the kids involved too. Don't be afraid of asking others, learning on this site, and watching how other people do things at the camp ground. It is a process - amazing how it makes you feel about yourself too. Happy camping in your TM!!

[clane9]

We made it all the way home and all I can say is thank GOD that my yard is large enough for me to do a big circle and pull it around in front of the garage because after 25+ attempts at trying to back it up, one of the weight bearing hitch thingies popping out probably because I was practically jack-knifing the thing, and a lot of frustration, my 12 year old gave me the idea to pull it through the back yard. It worked. Now I get to look at it everyday!! :)

Congrats to Northwoods on your birthdays and anniversary! And to have camped at the same spot 49 years is pretty awesome!! Yes, I have found the fellow campers so far to be more than eager to help me. I got a lot of people asking about the TM who had never seen one, some even came inside and looked around, and brought some chalk for the kids to play with on the concrete.

Here are some pics of our first trip. I hope they are not too big. We already have 4 more long weekend trips planned and the summer has just begun. I'm going to have to work at SOME POINT to pay for all of this!! :)

Courtney

[rvcycleguy]

Nice job Clane9. Take the TM out for a empty parking lot date and back it up for awhile. Get the hang of it. Find the best way to see around it. Sometimes just backing left is easier than backing right. Find the way that works best for you. Or, you'll be camping in pull throughs... lol. Practice, patience , and more of the same. It will come to you eventually.

[Robert's TM]

I just completed a 2000 mile plus trip in my 2004 3023 TM

ALL IN ALL A GREAT TRIP!!!!

Had some minor problems on the way.... Mirror came loose and broke....have a center bracket on smaller shell passenger side that keeps loosing screws. Think I'll have to go next size larger diameter screw. Tried a longer screw.... Lock washers didn't help. Oven grill keeps coming off. Need to put something on top of it to hold it down while in transit.

The trip was great..... Got great gas mileage.... Had the same bed to sleep in each night :-)

Wichita, Ks to Gore, Ok. ( Lake Tenkiller ). (2 nights)

Gore, Ok to Princeton, Tx ( Lake Lavon ). (2 nights)

Princeton, Tx to Houston and on to Galveston island. ( the Gulf ). ( 1 night )

Galveston to Rock Port, Tx. ( Corpus Christi / North Padre island ) ( 2 nights )

Rock Port, Tx to Austin, Tx. (Lake Travis) ( 1 night )

Austin, Tx back to Wichita, Ks


Shame it's over. :-(

[rvcycleguy]

I just completed a 2000 mile plus trip in my 2004 3023 TM

ALL IN ALL A GREAT TRIP!!!!

Had some minor problems on the way.... Mirror came loose and broke....have a center bracket on smaller shell passenger side that keeps loosing screws. Think I'll have to go next size larger diameter screw. Tried a longer screw.... Lock washers didn't help. Oven grill keeps coming off. Need to put something on top of it to hold it down while in transit.

The trip was great..... Got great gas mileage.... Had the same bed to sleep in each night :-)

Wichita, Ks to Gore, Ok. ( Lake Tenkiller ). (2 nights)

Gore, Ok to Princeton, Tx ( Lake Lavon ). (2 nights)

Princeton, Tx to Houston and on to Galveston island. ( the Gulf ). ( 1 night )

Galveston to Rock Port, Tx. ( Corpus Christi / North Padre island ) ( 2 nights )

Rock Port, Tx to Austin, Tx. (Lake Travis) ( 1 night )

Austin, Tx back to Wichita, Ks


Shame it's over. :-(

Robert, TM offers a repair kit for the bracket you mention. I pulled my TM to AZ and back a couple of years ago and had similar trouble with the bracket, I tried larger screws but those pulled out as well and damaged the skin. TM offers a different mounting kit to change the direction of the lag screws and doubles them from two to four ea. Leas than $20 repair ea. I replaced all 4 brackets on the shells. I have had no issues since. As tight today and the day I put them on.

[Robert's TM]

Robert, TM offers a repair kit for the bracket you mention. I pulled my TM to AZ and back a couple of years ago and had similar trouble with the bracket, I tried larger screws but those pulled out as well and damaged the skin. TM offers a different mounting kit to change the direction of the lag screws and doubles them from two to four ea. Leas than $20 repair ea. I replaced all 4 brackets on the shells. I have had no issues since. As tight today and the day I put them on.

Can you post a pic of the new bracket?

[rvcycleguy]

Can you post a pic of the new bracket?

Not really. I store my TM at a hill country river campground for the season from Spring Break to Labor Day. I won't pull it home for another month. There is another TM owner here who recommended the kit to me, so I can try and search for it.

[Robert's TM]

Not really. I store my TM at a hill country river campground for the season from Spring Break to Labor Day. I won't pull it home for another month. There is another TM owner here who recommended the kit to me, so I can try and search for it.



K. Thanx

[mjlaupp]

Is this the bracket you are looking for?
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showpost.php?p=15991&postcount=5