Looking at a 2007 2720

kthayes · 02-25-2015, 09:58 PM

Hello,

I am currently looking at a 2007 Trailmanor 2720 to purchase off of Craigslist. I've been looking for a Trailmanor for quite some time as its lightweight design is exactly what we need. However, I have a few questions that I am hoping someone can answer:

1) I have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with the factory towing package. Do you think I will be okay pulling this trailer? I realize their website says it's okay, but I'd love to hear from real owners.

2) The owner says that the AC only runs on 220v. Is this correct? If so, does that mean I have to carry a generator if I want to run the AC? I was hoping I could run the AC at any RV park with plug-ins.

3) The owner knocked the awning off (I'm assuming when trying to park it). How much should I estimate for a new awning?

4) Are there any known issues with the 2007 models?

5) Does the trailer have electric brakes?

I think those are all my questions for now. Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Kurt

rvcycleguy · 02-26-2015, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kthayes

Hello,

I am currently looking at a 2007 Trailmanor 2720 to purchase off of Craigslist. I've been looking for a Trailmanor for quite some time as its lightweight design is exactly what we need. However, I have a few questions that I am hoping someone can answer:

1) I have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with the factory towing package. Do you think I will be okay pulling this trailer? I realize their website says it's okay, but I'd love to hear from real owners.

2) The owner says that the AC only runs on 220v. Is this correct? If so, does that mean I have to carry a generator if I want to run the AC? I was hoping I could run the AC at any RV park with plug-ins.

3) The owner knocked the awning off (I'm assuming when trying to park it). How much should I estimate for a new awning?

4) Are there any known issues with the 2007 models?

5) Does the trailer have electric brakes?

I think those are all my questions for now. Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Kurt

Welcome and good luck on your purchase.

1. My own opinion is the tow rating should be 5000 lbs or better. That's an opinion.

2. Although the TM power cord looks like 220v, and looks like a common household laundry dryer 220v plug, it is not. It's an RV specific plug and will operate on 110v. What the seller may be suggesting is the AC requires a circuit of at least 30amp to run the AC. You can use an adapter on the TM power plug end to reconfigure it to then plug the TM to your standard house or garage wall plugs using a standard 3 prong extension cord. Most homes wall plugs are 20a breaker fuse. The AC in the TM requires at least 20a to start running and may blow or trip the breaker. It's not safe to operate it that way for many reasons.

When you use a an RV camp site with full hookups, the power pole is 110v with plugs at 30amp breakers or 50amp for larger RV use.

3. Yes, the awning can be replaced. Google the manufacturer Fiamma, http://www.fiammausa.com

4. I'm not aware of any issues with the 2007 model year.

5. Yes, the TM has electric brakes. Most US states require brakes on towed vehicles that weigh more than 2000lbs and the TM will weigh a minimum of 3500lbs or more loaded with extras. The tow vehicle will require a 7 way plug that connects to the TM hitch. The tow vehicle will require an electric brake controller to be installed and located in the drivers compartment area under the dash. When installed correctly and operated correctly, when the driver steps on the tow vehicle brakes, the trailer brakes are actuated in direct proportion to slow the trailer properly.

Padgett · 02-26-2015, 06:10 AM

1) This indicates a Class II with the tow package which would be 350/3500 with the tow package. That would be marginal for a 2720 (my 2720SL has a tongue weight of 460 lbs) and will probably need a Weight Distributing Hitch.
2) Unless something has been changed, the factory AC needs 120 VAC/20A.
3) $1000 for the factory (Fiamma) awning plus installation if there is no other damage to the roof.
4) If it has 14" wheels and tires then it probably does not have the lift kit. If 15" it probably does.
5) Yes

02-26-2015, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kthayes

Hello,

I am currently looking at a 2007 Trailmanor 2720 to purchase off of Craigslist. I've been looking for a Trailmanor for quite some time as its lightweight design is exactly what we need. However, I have a few questions that I am hoping someone can answer:

1) I have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with the factory towing package. Do you think I will be okay pulling this trailer? I realize their website says it's okay, but I'd love to hear from real owners.

2) The owner says that the AC only runs on 220v. Is this correct? If so, does that mean I have to carry a generator if I want to run the AC? I was hoping I could run the AC at any RV park with plug-ins.

3) The owner knocked the awning off (I'm assuming when trying to park it). How much should I estimate for a new awning?

4) Are there any known issues with the 2007 models?

5) Does the trailer have electric brakes?

I think those are all my questions for now. Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Kurt

1. I,m sure that your Toyota will be OK if it has a factory towing package. Unless you are towing in the Rockies a lot.
2.If it has a 220 volt AC it must have been replaced. I don't know of any TM 's that ever had a 220 volt AC.
3. I'm sorry I can't tell you the value of a new awning.
4. I've not heard of any specific issues with the 2007 TM's
5. Yes it does have electric brakes.

Having said all that let me tell you to make sure you actually see the TM before committing to buy it. There are TM scammers on Craigs List. I know, I almost got suckered into sending money for one that was a scam. It too was a 2007 2720. If the seller only wants you to communicate via e mail and to send the money on Green Dot cards run don't walk away from it.
I hope it is a lagitimate offer and that you will enjoy it a lot if you purchase it.

Let us know what you do, and if you do buy it the next thing you need to do is to send in your $ 12 to join this site so you can continue enjoying all the good info on here.

Terry

tentcamper · 02-26-2015, 08:31 AM

I would not be concern with a sienna with a few minor mods to it. The hitchs out there are Class III for the sienna. don't get the class II.

For years we tow with a 2001 sienna that had the 3.0L engine. First a 2,500 LB dry popup and than a 2720 TM with a dry weight around 2,900. The 2006 has the 3.3L with more HP than my sienna. Just this year we went to the highlander. It would have been the new sienna, but the DW could not stand the seat in the new ones.

For these size campers, I really like the sienna with the 60% weight up front and 40% on the rear. Very stable TV, handles well and you get around 18 mpg towing and around 25 mph not towing. It tow great in our area and is OK when we go to the mountains which is about 25% of our trips. It does slow down on 6% or greater grades. Your sienna has about 20% more HP so your slow down grade will be a greater percentage than my 2001. Greatest grad we went up was 14.5 Interstate highways are limited to 7% or maybe it's 7.5%. If I lived in the mountains and did all my camping in the mountains. I would have moved to a V8 with this last TV.

I would check to make sure you have the factory transmission cooler. With a flash light, on the driver side, look through the opening where the fog light would be,or next to the fog light. Straight back in front of the inter fender well, you should see a small radiator (transmission cooler). If you don't have it you will need to have an after market cooler added. No big deal, less than $250 to have someone install it or less than $100 DIY, using an after market cooler. If needed, I would get a B&M supper cooler with the highest BTU rating that you can fit.

Also, have your transmission fluid flushed twice as often as the schedule and change the fluid to syntactic if available. We follow these maintenance changes and have had no issues with the transmission and have over 200K on the sienna, with well over 40K of those miles pulling a camper.

You will need to add air bags or improve the rear springs. $250 to have someone do or less than $100 DIY.

I would also get a 600LB WDH, because the sienna capacity with out a WDH is 350 lbs on the tongue. If you need to add a hitch, get the factory one it has the greatest ground clearance. If you decided to go after market get a curt it has the highest ground clearance of the after market hitch.

PS: If you have no opening around where the fog light is or where it would be? It's a sure sign you do not have an external transmission cooler.

Redtail Cruiser · 02-26-2015, 08:35 AM

Hi Kurt, Many here use mini vans or equal to pull a 2720; however when I load my 2007 2720 with a weeks worth of camping supplies, it weighs close to 4,000 lbs with a tongue weight of 475 lbs. You will be pushing the upper limits of any vehicle that only has a 3,500 lb tow capacity. At the very least you will want to use a WDH and stay out of the mountains. Even with a factory tow package your engine and tranny will have a much shorter lifespan.

**Bill** · 02-26-2015, 09:16 AM

Let me reiterate one of the most important of the comments above.

Do not EVER, for ANY REASON, plug your TM into a 220 Volt outlet, even for a moment. Everything in a TM (and almost any other RV) is designed for 120 volts. Plugging into 220 volts will damage almost everything electrical, almost instantly, including the air conditioner, the converter/charger, quite possibly the furnace and water heater control modules, and so forth. Lots of expensive parts.

Go inside the TM, and look up at the air conditioner grille on the ceiling. It is easy to remove that plastic grille. Inside you will find a label that identifies both the make/model of the air conditioner, and its power requirements. Read it, and post back if you need any assistance interpreting it.

My guess is that RVCycleGuy is right. The previous owners never used the airco, and the TM's big power plug looks to them like the plug for an electric dryer. But to be sure that they didn't plug into 220 at some point, and are now not admitting that "nothing seems to work any more", I would follow RVCycleGuy's advice, and get a 120-volt adapter to let you plug that big cord into a standard household outlet. Once plugged in, you can test everything electrical in the TM except the air conditioner's cooling settings. For example, you can start the air conditioner on one of the fan settings, which should confirm that the airco still works.

You may be able to start the air conditioner compressor (cooling) function. Once the TM is connected to 120 volts via the adapter, set the air conditioner to LOW FAN, wait a few seconds for the fan to come up to speed, then switch to LOW COOL. This works about half the time. The worst that will happen is that one of the house's circuit breakers will pop, and you will have to reset it.

Good luck

Bill

tentcamper · 02-26-2015, 09:21 AM

"AC only runs on 220v"??? I would think this is not correct. The owner is most likely looking at the shore power cord plug, and seeing what looks like a 220 plug used for an electric stove and thinking its 220V. But the shore power cord is a 120V 30 amp plug. Or if the AC is a side mount AC unit, he is looking at a 110V 20A plug and because it is different than a standard 110 plug thinking it's 220V.

Just ask him if the AC runs off the campground camp site power. It is does, it's 120V. I'm am not aware of any campground that has 220V at the camp sites.

PS just read bill's post. we must have been writing at the same time. I like his idea to pull the cover.

Chilean · 02-26-2015, 10:35 AM

AC
I run my AC using a trafo , be carefully, they are 110--120 volts only
The trafo is in put 220 volts and out put 110.
I am in Chile and it is 220 volt country.
Regards

["trafo" = transformer]

rvcycleguy · 02-26-2015, 10:36 AM

If you examine a 220v plug end and the RV plug, they are similar but different. Both are close in size and weight and a 3 prong terminal end but one of the 3 is a slightly different angle and will not fit to each other. Also, there is a small metal tang on one of the 220v prongs that is specific to 220v.

I had an instance camping where my power pole cord end shorted out and melted. We ventured out on a holiday weekend looking for a repair end. I examined a 220v end backwards and forward for a temporary repair and it will not adapt.

Some of what the OP offers for questions related to a conversation with the seller suggests to me that the seller is not an informed seller or owner of the TM. The missing awning is a red flag to me in terms of a quality unit. It's a red flag for other maintenance issues or items. Questions arise to me as whether the original AC is installed, is the original refrigerator still installed, any water leaks, flooring issues, lighting that does not work in some areas of the floorplan that indicate electrical issues. Do your due diligence to answer many questions that you may have and others are asking. If you decide to see the TM in person, take a friend that is reasonably acquainted with RV in general as a second pair of eyes to look for potential issues.