You have a 2004 TM, and that is the year that several things changed including the back bumper configuration. I don't know which configuration you have.
Earlier TMs had a steel diamond-plate cover over the rear bumper compartment, and a square steel bumper. The hose was stored inside that bumper. There are a few screws that penetrate the bumper, and the sharp screw points tend to snag the hose and rip it. This is easily fixed by unscrewing each screw, snipping or filing off the point, and screwing it back in.
Newer TMs have a plastic cover over the rear compartment, and no hose-storage tube. Instead, the hose can be stored inside the compartment - I keep my hose, along with an extension hose, manual crank for the jacks, and a couple other things in the big center section of the compartment.
As for a donut (aka foam ring). Whenever I have been in a campground that demanded a donut, they actually had a picture of a hard plastic elbow. The red ones from Valterra are common, and most campground stores sell them in case you don't have one. At any rate, the campground owners have explained to me that many campers just stick the bare floppy end of the hose into the campground's sewer riser, and because it is so flexible, it often pops out. Understandably, they don't care for that. With a rigid angle fitting on the end, and a rock set on the lip of the fitting, it doesn't happen. I think WalMart carries these. Certainly every RV store, on-line and physical, has them. About $10-12 if I recall.
Note regarding the picture. It looks like there are two pieces - the elbow, and the cap hanging from the cord. Actually there are three pieces - the elbow separates into two. The upper half of the elbow is permanently attached to the end of the hose. It separates from the lower half at the big flange, and the tapered part of the flange serves as a donut. The ability to separate the halves makes it a bit easier to store.
Bill
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