TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

**G-V_Driver** · 11-04-2003, 07:20 PM

Went to pick up my new--to me-- 1997 3124KS yesterday. Came home empty-handed (hate it when that happens, especially after driving 750 miles each way). Long sad story. Now trying to figure out what went wrong and how wrong it went.

The dealer--not a TM dealer--had "detailed" it and the tech said he had "adjusted" torsion system because of gap between shells when trailer was folded. From what I could tell, he had loosened the four bolts that hold the lift arms to the torsion bar and adjusted the lower shell upward to get a good fit.

When came time to put it down, rear shell (the big one that goes down first with the a/c on roof) would not go all the way down. Latches were maybe 6" away from each other. By "messing" with it a number of times back and forth around the trailer he was finally able to get it down, but each time I put it back up and started over the process over, I had the same problem.

The tech wrenched on the side bolts that connect the arms to the torsion bar (which I now see from this site maybe isn't the proper thing to wrench on). The wrench team pushed and shoved and pulled and stepped until it finally went down a few times, but in the process I noticed that the torsion arm had somehow gone crooked in between the four bolts in the lift arms, which they tried to fix by tightening the bolts real tight and bending the lift arm back to somewhat rectangular shape with the vice grips. One of them even got into the trailer when the slide was in and pushed down on the rear shell to try to make it latch.

I also noticed that when they were able to make the latches mate up, the rear corner on the opposite side would raise several inches, indicating to me that something was awry.

They finally concluded that "both sides have to go down at the same time" which was the final straw, as it seems unlikely that even with my girth I could be on both sides of the trailer at the same time.

I should have checked this site to see all the stuff you guys have written, but was too immersed with the proximity of the alligators to think about the available drain plug for the swamp. We tried to call Jimmy, but it was too late by the time we thought about it.

Now I'm trying to decide if it is worth another go at it. I didn't see anything else break, but DW noticed some new marks on the lower sides where something was rubbing in an arc pattern as the rears shell went up and down. For you crystal-ballers,

How bad is it hurt?

How much stress will those tops take?

Do I gotta take it to Tennessee to fix it?

If I need new rear roof, arms and bars, whassa dinero?

It was a trailer that Ron Deem in Denver owned since new, and I found his phone number. Great guy, wish I had bought it from him. He said it was a good one. when he had it.

I just didn't know enough to make an intelligent decision so I drove 11 hours home kicking myself.

Other than the obvious answer of "well, that's what happens when business majors start messing with machinery" does anybody have any ideas?

11-04-2003, 07:20 PM	#1
G-V_Driver Site Sponsor Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dallas Posts: 249	Torsion bars or something wrong Went to pick up my new--to me-- 1997 3124KS yesterday. Came home empty-handed (hate it when that happens, especially after driving 750 miles each way). Long sad story. Now trying to figure out what went wrong and how wrong it went. The dealer--not a TM dealer--had "detailed" it and the tech said he had "adjusted" torsion system because of gap between shells when trailer was folded. From what I could tell, he had loosened the four bolts that hold the lift arms to the torsion bar and adjusted the lower shell upward to get a good fit. When came time to put it down, rear shell (the big one that goes down first with the a/c on roof) would not go all the way down. Latches were maybe 6" away from each other. By "messing" with it a number of times back and forth around the trailer he was finally able to get it down, but each time I put it back up and started over the process over, I had the same problem. The tech wrenched on the side bolts that connect the arms to the torsion bar (which I now see from this site maybe isn't the proper thing to wrench on). The wrench team pushed and shoved and pulled and stepped until it finally went down a few times, but in the process I noticed that the torsion arm had somehow gone crooked in between the four bolts in the lift arms, which they tried to fix by tightening the bolts real tight and bending the lift arm back to somewhat rectangular shape with the vice grips. One of them even got into the trailer when the slide was in and pushed down on the rear shell to try to make it latch. I also noticed that when they were able to make the latches mate up, the rear corner on the opposite side would raise several inches, indicating to me that something was awry. They finally concluded that "both sides have to go down at the same time" which was the final straw, as it seems unlikely that even with my girth I could be on both sides of the trailer at the same time. I should have checked this site to see all the stuff you guys have written, but was too immersed with the proximity of the alligators to think about the available drain plug for the swamp. We tried to call Jimmy, but it was too late by the time we thought about it. Now I'm trying to decide if it is worth another go at it. I didn't see anything else break, but DW noticed some new marks on the lower sides where something was rubbing in an arc pattern as the rears shell went up and down. For you crystal-ballers, How bad is it hurt? How much stress will those tops take? Do I gotta take it to Tennessee to fix it? If I need new rear roof, arms and bars, whassa dinero? It was a trailer that Ron Deem in Denver owned since new, and I found his phone number. Great guy, wish I had bought it from him. He said it was a good one. when he had it. I just didn't know enough to make an intelligent decision so I drove 11 hours home kicking myself. Other than the obvious answer of "well, that's what happens when business majors start messing with machinery" does anybody have any ideas?