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4Kids2Dogs
02-12-2009, 01:12 PM
Hello to all out there! To begin with, THANK YOU! Your discussions and informational postings have helped us more than you will ever know and we are very grateful! You're a wild and crazy bunch! :D We have been considering buying a TM for a few years now, and have located a 2000 model 3023 that is right in our price range and is actually here in Colorado! Wow. Anyhow, it shows normal wear, but is still a nice unit for the age. We are heading up next week to set it up and test out the plumbing, electric, propane, etc., to make sure all is well. I have researched this on the forum and have found many useful hints. Do any of you have any suggestions for us in this respect?

OK, now the biggie: Since we have 4 kids - aged 10, 6, 4 and 2 - I am definitely into getting the unit as clean as I can (before they add their own dirt :o ) I looked to see how you all suggest inspecting and cleaning the Thetford, but haven't found how to inspect without taking it apart, which I can't do before I buy it. And probably don't want to do after purchase either, if we don't have to. eww. SO...do you have any ideas about inspecting it pre-sale and cleaning the tank post-sale?

Thank you all for your help, it's been fun 'listening' to your discussions. Hope you have some good ideas for us!

Leslie & Nick
02-12-2009, 02:19 PM
OK, now the biggie: Since we have 4 kids - aged 10, 6, 4 and 2 - I am definitely into getting the unit as clean as I can (before they add their own dirt :o ) I looked to see how you all suggest inspecting and cleaning the Thetford, but haven't found how to inspect without taking it apart, which I can't do before I buy it. And probably don't want to do after purchase either, if we don't have to. eww. SO...do you have any ideas about inspecting it pre-sale and cleaning the tank post-sale?

I'd say you're best bet with the recirculating toilet is of course to try flushing it to see if it works. This might not be so easy to do in that for a complete test, the TM will need to be connected to a sewer drain, which not many homeowners have in their driveway, or a "Blue Tote". A "Blue Tote" is a generic name for a plastic container used to hold the contents of a "blackwater" tank, or in your case, the recirculating toilet. I've seen blue and gray colored totes. There is no blackwater tank per se in the Trailmanor - everything is held within the toilet itself - about six gallons worth as I recall.

If you can manage some sort of drain connection (sewer or Tote), charge the toilet with plain water. See if the fill gauge works - the needle should move into the 'green' area when toilet is fully charged (about 2 gallons). Press the flush button and you should see a fairly strong stream of water coming from the underside of the rim. Flush several times to ensure good operations. The 'T' valve must be in the closed position (pushed in towards the bowl).

Next, I'd continue filling the tank with another 2-3 gallons of plain water to simulate normal usage. Now the big test: With the outside slide valve in the closed position, pull the 'T' handle away from the bowl. As soon as you do this, you should hear a "swooshing noise". The noise indicates the toilet contents are being emptied into the large black drain line. If you don't hear the "swooshing noise" the EZ Valve Slide gasket might be deformed or otherwise damaged. This is not necessarily a deal breaker, as the gasket or even the entire valve can be replaced, but you'll have to remove the toilet to do so (I had to do exactly this).

Hope this explanation helps. Good luck with your acqusiition :)

Nick

ShrimpBurrito
02-12-2009, 02:37 PM
I certainly wouldn't let the toilet get in the way of a good deal. The owner may have it charged (full of flush water), and if so and it flushes fine, that's about 90% of it right there.

But there's not a whole lot that can go wrong with the toilet, compared to how Thetford intended it to work. It's basically a motor (the pump) in a bucket. If it's not visually damaged, it's probably fine. Absolute worst case scenario is that you throw the whole thing away -- a replacement is about $600, and if you've never done it before, you can probably do so in less than 1-2 hours if you're drinking beer simultaneously. But I can't think of anything that could go wrong that would require a replacement, so if something is broken, it's easily fixed.

It's a very simple device, and parts are available.

Perhaps others will comment, but I'd focus my attention on more potentially costly issues, like damaged frame, leaks, the fridge, and the A/C.

Dave

4Kids2Dogs
02-12-2009, 06:18 PM
Thanks for the prompt imput! I guess I overthink the toilet issue since it seems yucky to fix or clean. We will focus on the more vital issues you mentioned. The owners left the TM with a friend at a half-way point between our towns, and it will not be set up or charged. We will try to at least charge it to the point of flushing and make sure that works. As far as dumping, we may have to wait until we get her home to do that. I never knew about the tote, and will have to keep that in mind for future reference. If we can secure a sewer connection we will sure try to fill and dump. If we can buy this unit and if the need arises, I will be sure to stock the fridge with beer before I send the man to work on the Thetford :p.

Testing the AC seems fairly forthright, just see if it comes on and gets cool? In regard to testing the fridge, how could I do this in an inspection run through? It seems like it would need time to cool down, and I don't know that we will have time to wait. Or should I just get it lit (I read the propane systems tutorial) and make sure it stays lit?

You guys are great! Thanks again!

PopBeavers
02-12-2009, 06:54 PM
The toilet can be dumped into a bucket and the bucket carried to the toilet in the house.

If it is a clean empty toilet, and you only put in enough water to verify that the pump can recirculate the water, then it is not too yucky to dispose of the waer that way. It only takes about 2 gallons of water to charge it. So a low profile one gallon bucket would mean two or three trips to dump it.

I do not recommend his for normal usage, but for a one time only test it would suffice.

When our gray water tank is getting close to full, and someone wants to take a shower, I tell them that they have to carry a bucket of gray water to dispose of. If they are unwilling to do that then they don't need a shower bad enough.

ShrimpBurrito
02-12-2009, 07:00 PM
Testing the AC seems fairly forthright, just see if it comes on and gets cool?

Yep, although now that I re-read your message, since you are looking at a 2000, it's not a big deal since the A/C is a side mount. Turn it on -- if it's cooling within 5 minutes, it's probably fine. A bit tricky this time of year though unless you are in a warm climate. If you need to replace it, it's $100-$150 and takes about 15 minutes. It's the roof-mounted ones on later models that are $1000+.

In regard to testing the fridge, how could I do this in an inspection run through? It seems like it would need time to cool down, and I don't know that we will have time to wait. Or should I just get it lit (I read the propane systems tutorial) and make sure it stays lit?

Ideally, it would be nice to have it cooled before your arrival. But it sounds like that's not possible. Choice #2 would be to wait around till it gets fairly chilly. Make that the first thing you do as soon as you get it setup. Otherwise, getting it lit isn't a guarantee that it works. If the system has a leak, it will light, appear to work well, but won't get cold, or cold enough. Within about 15 minutes after starting it, the interior walls should start to feel cool to the touch. Go out for lunch after you're done with the walk through, and go back to check on the fridge and finish the deal.

The fridge cools through 3 different heaters, which operate on gas, 110 AC or DC. You use only one at a time, but in a perfect world, you want to test all 3 to guarantee that everything works. But that is very difficult to do if you don't have time, and I doubt most people do that. I didn't.....I took the guy at his word.

The fridge is pricey, and stuff does sometimes go wrong with them. $1,000 to replace with a new one, and you could easily spend a few hundred bucks getting something fixed.

If they say it works, it cools fine on AC after an hour, and the gas lights, I think I'd be fine with that.

Dave

larsdennert
02-12-2009, 07:09 PM
You can feel the fins on the fridge get cold after a short time.

Make sure the toilet doesn't leak. Often the valve at the base (t handle) leaks. You'd have to replace the seal. Sometimes it pops back in place too.

Big thing to check for is rotting in the walls from water damage since that model will have some wood in there. make sure things aren't soft or trim coming loose due to nothing to tie to.

B_and_D
02-12-2009, 08:27 PM
I'd definitely check the refrigerator, on the propane mode. I say this because if it works on propane, it will work anywhere. Ask them to top off the propane tanks for you. It's not that hot this time of the year (I guess in CO it's pretty cold, we're in amazingly-climate-changing CA where it's been 80 degrees in January and yet we have 29 degree nights now), and you should be able to feel it cooling down within 1/2 hour (or less). Bring along a thermometer so that you can measure the drop in temperature, that's more of a sure thing than just using your hand to test it. The refrigerator and the toilet are the most expensive things. Sometimes, if the gas lines are empty, it can take a while to get the refrigerator lit on propane. I always run some gas through the stove first (i.e. light it and the oven), and it also helps to light the water heater too...then there should be gas close to the refrigerator.

Ask them to fill the water tank with at least 5 gallons so you can check the plumbing and the grey water tank.

Check all the corners for weakness, top and bottom. Just look at them closely, inside and out. Separation there would indicate problems. I have a 1997 and I don't think mine has any wood in the roof corners, but you never know. I've never torn mine apart and I don't intend to.

Make sure it's easy to open and close, it should be parked on a level site for testing. Some tilting of the roof is normal (the center will be higher than the front and back). The door gets out of whack sometimes, I think they all do, especially if it's not parked on a level pad. If you can't get it latched, move it around a bit, trying with it open and closed (and in between). TM's are a different kind of RV, they have their quirks, and you get used to them. Do you have the brochure that shows you how to open it up and close it down? I could email it to you if you'd like. I got it from Hal (thanks again Hal!) and would be glad to pass it along.

Upon edit: check my photo albums for the brochure on opening and closing the TM, I just uploaded it.

JOEALAN
02-13-2009, 07:38 AM
May want to test hot water heater to make sure you are getting hot water to the shower or at least ask if it is working?

I think one of the most important items not to miss is the condition of the tires. When were they last changed out?

Joe S.

jhill30
02-13-2009, 08:05 AM
I think one of the most important items not to miss is the condition of the tires. When were they last changed out?

Joe S.

Yes, I will second that. The guy I bought mine from told me the tires were brand new, and they looked it. This was before I knew how to tell the age of them. After a year of pulling it around I found out that they were the age of the TM. (8 years old) guess I was lucky that I didn't have a blow out.
Do not trust everything they are telling you. Some people will lie, just to get rid of it.

4Kids2Dogs
02-13-2009, 09:38 AM
OK! Good ideas from all! I will take my utility bucket with us per Wayne's instructions. I actually may have a 5 gallon bucket -- would that be too tall to fit under the waste dumping pipe?
As for the AC, it is a roof mount, not a side mount. It hasn't been overly cold this month, but not hot either. I will, however, try to test it out. Testing the fridge is going to be more of a job, it sounds like. I do not know how full the propane tanks are and this deal will include them "as-is", but I will try lighting the stove first to try to get the air out of the line before I light the fridge. Good suggestion to do this first.
The only wall damage is a small area over the sink that was browned when the owners put it down before the water heater was cooled. There does not seem to be any water damage or leaks and they assure us they have not had any. We will be sure to look in the corners and around the vents. BTW, how do you turn on the 'fantastic fan'? That sounds like a really desirable feature to have. Is there also a bathroom fan to test?
I will review your opening and closing brochure, B&D, thanks for putting it out there! We can also fire up the water heater and test the shower and sink. The seller said that the kitchen sink faucet usually needs to be tightened after towing as it jiggles loose, so I guess I'd better make sure we have some tools.
As for the tires, interestingly enough, they had a blow-out while towing it down to Pueblo from Denver due to hitting road debris from a Semi blowout in front of them. So, they had to get a new tire on that side. The other tire, I don't know about, but will look closely. Don't know which side blew out, guess I'd better ask them to make sure it wasn't the sewer connection side! I'm going to try insert the pics they sent to me, so you all can see what we are looking at, too.
Again, you guys are just great. We are looking forward to being part of all the fun!:corkysm60

rumbleweed
02-13-2009, 10:15 AM
If this is sitting out in Colorado, odds are that the interior is cool enough that the AC will come on, but without the compressor. Suggest you try the heat first to warm up the inside can even run both at once., then check the ac after the interior has warmed up.
Be sure to fill the hot water with water before turning it on.
I would test the firdge on gas first and if it cools well then shut off Let the outside heat exchanger (vertical cylinder) cool. and switch to electric. If the heat exchanger column gets hot the 110 element is working and should cool fine as well. If you buy it, check my post in the plumbing section re adding a clean out port to the water tank, It makes cleaning a water tank that has been around for a while simple and thorough. Good Luck you will enjoy your TM.

jhill30
02-13-2009, 10:44 AM
BTW, how do you turn on the 'fantastic fan'? That sounds like a really desirable feature to have. Is there also a bathroom fan to test?corkysm60

there is a knob at the fantastic fan that you turn it on. (it is very obvious when you see it) there will also be another knob that you will have to turn to open the cover to it, (again, very obvious when you see it)

as far as the bathroom fan, there is a switch below the sink, (you can actually see it in the bath pic that you posted)

good luck....

ShrimpBurrito
02-13-2009, 10:44 AM
Be sure to check for any damage resulting from the blow out, particularly if it was on the driver's side -- the tire is right under the sink, water heater, and a bunch of plumbing, including the dump pipe, so you'll want to take a good look there to see if there is any remaining damage.

If it was on the passenger side (with the stove) -- not a big deal. There are just cabinets there, and any damage will likely be fairly superficial if there's any left.

The water heater in older models (like mine) don't have an electric element. Gas only.

From the pictures, it appears to be in pretty good shape.

Dave

rumbleweed
02-13-2009, 11:27 AM
If you are concerned about propane level and testing the appliances, if you have a gas grill, take your tank with you and you will be certain tohave sufficient gas to check it out. From the pics, looks like it is in good shape.

PopBeavers
02-13-2009, 12:14 PM
OK! Good ideas from all! I will take my utility bucket with us per Wayne's instructions. I actually may have a 5 gallon bucket -- would that be too tall to fit under the waste dumping pipe?


A 5 gallon bucket is too tall. There is only about 10 to 12 inches of vertical space between the ground and the bottom of the dump valves..

When I want to empty the gray tank in a campground, in order to take more showers, we use two 5 gallon buckets to shuttle back and forth to the campground restroom for dumping and use a shallow bucket to capture the drained water and transfer that to a 5 gallon bucket.

I have considered a blue tote, but we only run into the problem twice a year.

For me, the problem with using a blue tote is how do I dump the water from the blue tote down the campground toilet? The blue tote assumes you have access to an rv dump station. I could put the blue tote in the back of the truck, but then I need 3o feet of sewer host to go from the truck to the campground toilet. I would be better off with a macerator.

4Kids2Dogs
02-13-2009, 03:50 PM
Great! We will stick with the 2 gallon utility bucket for testing the plumbing. We will also check the heat exchanger while we test the fridge. You're right, it may be cooler next week, so testing the AC might be hard. We will try the heating up/cooling down method! Good idea, too, to take the grill propane with us just in case. Let's hope the blow-out was on the passenger side! We'll check carefully under the plumbing lines, anyway.

On another note, do any of you have any ideas about the value of this unit? Oddly enough, the sellers thought it was a 2001 model, but when we saw the title, it was a 2000. We had thought their initial price was fair at 9K, but when we saw that it was a year older, we got to wondering if that would change the value. Checked out NADA, but it was hard to figure because their options list didn't really match the TM stuff. It came up quite a bit lower at $6800, which seems too low, at least from what I've seen from any "for sale" listings I've come across. So I called the dealership and they came in even lower at $5000 (but that is for trade in). Hmmm. I know that actual values are not determined as much from book value but from what the market will actually bear. So I was wondering what you guys who have some experience thought about pricing.

Thanks as always for letting me pick your brains!:o

rumbleweed
02-13-2009, 04:21 PM
Don't want to speculate on pricing, but TM's are similar to autos,in that the manufacture date and model year don't always match. Ie a 2009 model could be manufactured in May 2008. There will be a data plate on the TM which should have the manufacture date.

larsdennert
02-13-2009, 07:22 PM
It looks in better shape than my 2003 though it needs outside cleaning. make sure they have the leaf for the table and cranks for the awning and stabs too. make sure the water heater has water before you start it.
There will likely be loose screws and stuff but they are easy fixes.

Wow are those 14" wheels and tires? Tow it home with empty water tanks.

4Kids2Dogs
02-13-2009, 08:18 PM
That's interesting about the years for cars -- If it is a 2001 model made in 2000, would the title still say 2000? As for the tires, I don't know sizes, it could be 14". Is that good? I do know that the sellers had it reupholstered and got the propane tank cover. It also has two 20 gallon fresh water tanks, and that seems like a plus to me. If this inspection works out well, we are looking forward to getting it spiffed up and hitting the road with the clan. :errrr:

B_and_D
02-13-2009, 08:54 PM
Hmmm....as to the value, I saw a 2001 2720 for sale here for $8500. I thought that was a very good deal. We paid $8900 for our 1997 5 years ago (it was pretty much immaculate), and the TM's have gone up in pricing, not down. The 3023's are worth a bit more than the 2720's, and from the pictures, that one looks pretty clean. Plus, it's fairly difficult to find a clean used TM close by (no matter where you are). That makes them worth more money: the scarcity, the demand, it's just economics. I think the NADA guides, especially lately, are way off. Just try to find a good clean used TM at the values they indicate. It's just about impossible.

You can live with the 14" tires, but check the date code. We're going to try to switch to a load range D tire.

If there was damage from the blowout, you can easily see it. Our first one took a chunk of sheetmetal and foam out from behind the passenger (door) side, but we fixed it with a spray foam patch and some more sheetmetal. The one we had about a month ago took out that sheetmetal, but not much else. If it's on the plumbing side, you'll really need to check to see if anything leaks, and you may not know that without filling up the tanks somewhat. If they've had one blowout, it might be that the tires are older than what is ideal for towing. If you're not sure about the age of the tire, it helps to keep you speed down and the weight light (but this is no guarantee).

Does anyone know if the 2000 models had the rounded wheelwells? From the square shape of the "skirts", the thingeys that cover the wheels, I don't think this one has rounded wheelwells, and you may want to do the retrofit. It helps to prevent damage to the interior when you have a blowout. I just searched for the instructions, but the previous links to them have been removed. Does anyone have the instructions that they can provide?

I just found them on another thread:
http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5432&highlight=wheel+modification&page=2

They are also in the reference library, along with some pictures (thanks Bill!)

http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5439

Bill
02-14-2009, 09:42 AM
Checking out the roof air conditioner may be a bit dicey, since the seller's house probably doesn't have a 30-amp RV outlet. I have managed a couple times to start mine on a 20-amp (not 15-amp) circuit, but sometimes it pops the breaker, either immediately or after a minute or two. This does not mean that the air conditioner is bad.

Bill

larsdennert
02-14-2009, 10:07 AM
Worse yet he's not viewing it at tthe seller's. I think he said it was a third party in between who may not even be an RV person so he's on his own a bit; except for us helping.

4Kids2Dogs
02-14-2009, 12:17 PM
First off, sounds like there are more to tires than just looking at them. I'd better review the tire section on the forum! And, yeah, we are sorta on our own looking at the trailer. The friend that the sellers left it with does have an RV -- a regular TT, and he is an electrician, so has some knowledge of RVs. The seller is about ready to have a baby - due next week, I believe - so doesn't want to be too far from home. We offered to wait until after they have the baby, but they want to get this done now. :o Their friend is going to have them on the cell phone while we go through the 3023 and Mr. Seller is going to walk us through it. We are very grateful for all your help and suggestions. We are compiling a list of checks from the replies you have given us and from the technical section of the forum!!

B_and_D
02-14-2009, 08:07 PM
If you can talk to them on the phone they should be able to help you through everything (unless the DW is in labor at that point ;)).

If the friend has an RV and is an electrician he should be able to help you out too.

Everything on ours worked when we bought it, and is still working now (except the side A/C that we ditched and put in a microwave instead).

Bring along a digital camera and a laptop, and if you have TM questions, maybe you can use the friend's DSL or whatever to connect to the board. No matter when I check the board, there are always people signed in.

GOOD LUCK! I hope you find a good TM. We were so excited when we first saw ours, it was a dream come true.

4Kids2Dogs
02-18-2009, 09:11 AM
WOO HOO!
We had a great inspection! The friend of the seller had it set up and charged with water, hooked up to electric...everything went great. We had the list complied from your suggestions, and after all was done our new (to us) TM came home with us last night.
I have no doubt that there will be bugs to iron out, but we are just so excited to actually have our very own TM. Thanks to all of you for your help and advice. We will be online to work out all the kinks and will look forward to visiting with you more.
Thanks, thanks! :new_uklia

rumbleweed
02-18-2009, 10:02 AM
Don't let this impact your decision, but check the propane tanks expiration date. Usually stamped on the top collar. Once certification expires, you need to have them retested, but usually less expensive to replace them. Most places will not fill expired tanks.

4Kids2Dogs
02-18-2009, 10:32 AM
Ah, yes. Back down to earth. Guess I'd better get over the initial excitement and focus on matters at hand. Good advice. I will check the tanks before I fill them. Especially before we plan a trip and then are unable to fill our tanks. That one goes on the list!

ShrimpBurrito
02-18-2009, 11:31 AM
Also, check the date code on the battery and tires. If either are original, being 9-10 years old, just replace them, especially the tires, even if they look fine. In fact, if the tires are more than 4-5 years old, the group wisdom here (including myself) says to replace them. Otherwise, a blow-out is only a matter of time -- I've had one, and they always seem to happen at the worst possible time....dark, rain, freeway, everyone is hungry, etc.....you get the idea.

Details on how to check the date code of the tires:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11

Dave

B_and_D
02-18-2009, 11:41 AM
Congratulations!

ShrimpBurrito
02-18-2009, 11:52 AM
You guys will have a blast. Every time we go out in the TM, we both always say how much we love it and how happy we are that we pulled the trigger. Every time, and usually more than once per trip. What makes it especially nice is it enables you to camp comfortably during the winter, which is when most other folks stay at home. While staying at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon this winter, we had virtually the entire 90-some site place to ourselves. THE GRAND CANYON!

Dave

larsdennert
02-18-2009, 05:11 PM
Congrats! If the tanks need inspection, just take them to the local drugstore or Home Depot that has a Blue Rhino Propane cage and swap them for full ones. They take care of all that.

This assuming you don't have an SL model TM that has horizontal tanks.

B_and_D
02-18-2009, 08:03 PM
You and your family will have so much fun with your TM. I wish that we'd had ours when the kids were smaller, but we had other rigs that were cool too (but definitely not as cool as the TM ;)).

To me the most fun was when we first brought it home and we got to "make it ours". All the pots and pans, the bins, figuring where you can store stuff, what you need to camp with; and it changes constantly as the kids get older. I look back at our first TM pictures when my son was 12, he was so much smaller, and now he's this big 17 (soon to be 18) year old. They grow up so fast.

I hope you have lots of wonderful family camping trips in your TM and that it serves you well.

If your tires are old, get new ones. This has been our biggest problem so far. And do the wheelwell retrofit. My DH thought I was being a pain in the kazoo when I asked him to help me do ours, but after our first blowout, he was thankful that we did it.

Happy TM trails to you!

ShrimpBurrito
02-18-2009, 09:40 PM
And do the wheelwell retrofit. My DH thought I was being a pain in the kazoo when I asked him to help me do ours, but after our first blowout, he was thankful that we did it.

Just to sidetrack a moment, did you have a blow-out on a retro-fitted wheel? I'm not aware of this happening to anyone here yet, so if so, how did the retrofit do?

Dave

B_and_D
02-18-2009, 11:33 PM
We've had two on that retrofitted wheelwell, and it helped a lot. On the first blowout, the inside of the sheetmetal on the new rounded wheelwell got banged up quite a bit, but there was so much foam and sheetmetal around the wheelwell that there was no damage at all to the interior. There was a bit of damage to the immediate area behind the wheelwell, underneath the trailer. To imagine what I'm talking about, think about your square wheelwell, with no protection around, and then having them banged up by a tire losing it's tread, constantly banging up against the wheelwell. There is virtually nothing between the wheelwells and the cabinetry on either side or on top (on the passenger side). When you do the retrofit, you add another layer of sheetmetal and a lot of foam. It takes the "hit" when you have a blowout. If it happens on the driver's side, damage to the plumbing is another possibility that we, luckily, haven't had to deal with. I've added a sheetmetal cage around the plumbing, in the hope that it would deflect the shredding tire from hitting the pipes and outlet. I've posted pictures in my photo album: http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/album.php?albumid=42

I sincerely hope that we never have to test this, but it would be interesting.

Life is an adventure. Towing the TM is always an adventure.

ShrimpBurrito
02-19-2009, 12:10 AM
Glad to hear the retrofit appeared to have helped. That is very encouraging!

I have been meaning to add some sort of shield around that plumbing also.....

Dave

4Kids2Dogs
02-19-2009, 12:04 PM
Thanks to all of you well wishers! We are so excited to start taking our first trips. I have mentioned the wheel well modifications to the DH and he also thinks I am being a pain and a bit of a worry-wart. How much time and work are involved in the retrofit? I will have to talk him into it! :rolleyes: He is replacing the tires right away, as he does with any used vehicle we have purchased. I have researched the tire section of this forum, and it gets a little murky, doesn't it?
When the sellers had their blowout (not a violent one - caused no damage) when they towed it down to meet us, they got a Marathon B tire, which right now is on the spare rack. We want to replace both tires on the ground now, but what I understand from reading the forum is that the Marathon B is not that great. Hmm. How to get decent tires without mortgaging the house...Any further thoughts about best basic tires?

ShrimpBurrito
02-19-2009, 12:31 PM
There is a plethora of tire info elsewhere on the forum....check those out...but I have had great luck with the Kumhos. They can be a bit hard to find, but you can order them online and have them shipped to a garage of your choosing to install them. I think I paid $350 for tires, balancing, and metal stems on three 205/R14 tires.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?make=Kumho&model=Radial+857

Dave

Bill
02-19-2009, 05:28 PM
When you say "Marathon B", I'm thinking you mean a Marathon tire in Load Range B. Not a good choice - they will be overloaded. You should get a Load Range C tire at a minimum - that is what TM ships on their trailers these day. As you saw in the Tire forum, some of our members have moved to a Load Range D, just to get some extra capacity.

Check out the Goodyear web site for some detailed info.

Bill