Need More Info On Pocket Stop Adjustments.

[Steppy]

Since I came back from a trip this weekend, I’m having a tough time closing the door. I noticed that the front shell lift arms are not exactly perpendicular and need to come forward. If I can find the pocket stop adjustment for the front shell, I assume I'd need to turn it counter clockwise to make it move forward? I had adjusted the front 2 torsion bars last week because it was hard to open. So the pocket stop adjustment can only be accessed with the TM closed? Does anyone have a picture of where I can find the pocket stop adjustment or point me to the Forum URL that has one. I've been searching for a day now and not finding what I need. TIA!

[Bill]

Steppy -

The pocket stops do not determine how far the shells DO open, only how far they CAN open. In other words, the shell comes up until it hits the pocket stop, and halts. Then you adjust the shell position a small amount, until the square aluminum latch bar (on the TM body) will engage pin on the shell.

As near as I can tell (and Larryjb check me), if the pocket stop is adjusted too far one way, the shell will not open far enough to engage the latch and pin. If the pocket stop is adjusted too far the other way, then the shell comes up and overshoots, and you have to pull the shell back until the latch and pin will engage. Either way, the final position is the same.

The position of the latch bar is not really adjustable, though you can shim it out a bit with a few washers. But I don't think that is going to have any effect on your problem.

As near as I can tell (Larryjb again), the purpose of the pocket stop is simply to stop the motion of the shell as it rises, so it doesn't slam into the internal structure of the wall and damage it.

Bill

[Larryjb]

Bill, that is entirely correct. I also think that if the pocket stop is adjusted just right, there can be a slight tension between the aluminum bar that rotates up into position, and the pin that it fits into. A slight tension keeps the bar from falling out.

Steppy may be correct in his assessment, however. If the lift arms are not perpendicular, the pocket stop may have been adjusted too much preventing the shell from fully opening. Are you able to connect the short aluminum bars to the pins of the upper shell? Has some one moved the position of the pin? Inspect the structure of underneath the trailer. At least one person here had the large metal bracket holding the torsion bars underneath the trailer pull out from the floor.

Can you take some pictures of the lift arms, the aluminum bars that secure the shell in the open position, and the structure underneath?

[Larryjb]

I'm sorry, I can't visualize your solution if we are talking about being off the vertical in the plane of rotation of the lift arm.

If we're talking about off vertical leaning toward or away from the box that would be a different matter. Moving the hole in the aluminum bar may pull the lift arm back to vertical, but I am finding that the torsion bar defines how vertical in or out the lift arm will sit. Drilling a hole in the aluminum bar as you suggest is likely to bend the upper shell wall in or out more. This is the case with mine, the left arm is pulling the shell out.

[Steppy]

In the first picture, the aluminum bar is canted to the left and not perpendicular to the TM as it should be because the front shell needs to come forward more.

The second picture shows how much out of perpendicular the forward right lift arm is because the top needs to go more to the right.

It seems to me I need to back off the pocket stop (counter clockwise) to allow the shell to move forward?

TIA, as I've never done this before. I did increase the torque on the two front torsion bars by 1/2 turn as the front was a bear to open. However, I camped this weekend, and didn't have a problem. Now back home, the front shell needs to come forward at least an inch.

I'm befuddled.

[commodor47]

Check the lag bolt holding the aluminum bar in place. Sometimes the bolt shaft gets bent which could be causing your issue. Are you leveling the TM side-to-side using the stabilizer jacks? Or are you using spacers under the wheels? Using the stabilizers can cause alignment problems between the box and the shells and with the door halves.

Dick

[Larryjb]

The aluminum bar should be engaged with the pin to hold the lift arm vertical.This is out far enough that I would like to see a picture of underneath.

[Steppy]

I’m using wheel spacers and bring the stabs down just enough to keep the TM from rocking.
The bolt holding the pin isn’t bent, I had to push it that far to engage the pin as the front shell needs to come forward

[Larryjb]

In order to bring the shell forwards enough so that the lift arm is vertical, the aluminum bar will be interfering with the plastic shield covering the pocket stop.

At the moment, I see two possibilities:

1) TM goofed when they attached the torsion bars to the frame of the TM and didn't mount them forward enough.

2) The bracket for the torsion bar (see the picture I attached in my previous post) has torn away from the frame. This scenario did happen to some one else here and he did have a repair for it.

If underneath is solid, you may have to insert a whole pile of washers as Bill suggested earlier to move the aluminum bar forwards. This would be far easier than remounting the torsion bar underneath.

[commodor47]

Steppy,

There is a long lag bolt holding the aluminum bar in place which allows the bar to swivel. I had an issue where the bar would swing out before opening the outer shell lodging against the bottom of the shell wall. The result is I couldn't open the shell until I reached in and swung the bar back to vertical. The cause was traced to a bent lag bolt which was not obvious until it was removed. Try removing the lag bolt holding the aluminum bar and verify it is straight.

Larryjb,

I am the one who had the torsion bar bracket pull away from the bottom of the box. It was repaired by our dealer per instructions from TM engineers before the company was sold to Bob Eickhoff.

Dick