New 2005 2720 ordered

Uneventful but exciting day today. Our new 2005 2720 is home, but not yet in the garage. First time in, I would prefer to back it in during the daylight. Towed nicely. It did bounce a little. I do not have a WD hitch. I don't foresee any problems with sway, but sometimes it felt like a bucking bronco. As if the rear bumper of the truck was going up and down a little more than it should. TV is 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500hd crew cab 4wd. Will a WD hitch help the bouncing? Is it worth the money?

What I learned today...

There is an interlock switch controlling the overhead lights. If the bathroom walls are folded down the lights go out. Makes for an interesting situation when trying to fold it down after dark and I don't have a flashlight. Always have a flashlight!!!

Always fold the step up first when closing. Once one of the shells is down, the step can not be folded up. I learned this trick twice in one day. I’ll probably learn it a few more times on the first trip out next month.

While parked on the city street, leaning slightly curbside, it is just as easy to open as when it is level. However, it is not as easy to close. It took two of us to close it while it was leaning.

Guess what the dealer uses to operate the jacks? A cordless drill with an allen wrench, of course.

I was discussing generators with Clayton, the service technician at Dinuba RV. I was explaining that I had heard that most people prefer dual Honda 2000's instead of a single Honda 3000 because the Honda 3000 is a little heavy for some people to load/unload from the TV solo. Clayton says he has mounted Honda 3000 generators on the tongue of the 2720, even with the swing away hitch. This requires relocating the propane cylinders a little wider apart, but apparently it has been done. Interesting. BTW the front battery tray has room for 3 12-volt batteries, but it only comes with one.

We like the blue interior color scheme.

There is a single switch on the inside by the door. If you go to bed and realize that you left some of the exterior lights on, this one switch will turn them all off. Nice touch. I like that. I have had to go outside before and always grumbled.

It came from the factory with a small plastic step for climbing onto the bed. Another nice touch. I don’t need it, but it was thoughtful.

I had the checklist from the forum with me. After Clayton showed me how to operate everything he left us alone for a couple of hours while we scrutinized everything. We did not find a single item to report. Considering that Dinuba RV had in for not more than 6 hours before we arrived is a tribute to the factory. It is a little dusty inside and could use a good wipe down, but definitely does not require any scrubbing. Others have said that it should be spotless when delivered, but we were unwilling to wait another week just so someone could wipe it down. Being 200 miles away and closed on Sundays it only leaves Saturdays for me to pick it up. BTW I'd like to thank the assembly crew for the extra screws that they left behind in various odd places. I have some matching spares now.

I need/want towing mirrors. Though I wouldn't say it was dangerous to drive it home with the stock mirrors on my 1500hd crew cab, changing lanes required extra care. Wider mirrors would help a lot.

I had a hard time keeping the speed down to the legal limit of 55 mph. If I didn't watch the speedometer, I found I was running as fast as 65 without even realizing it. I think I have more tow vehicle than I need. But it was very comfortable with 4 adults.

In a previous post I believe that I mentioned that I wanted the lift kit but was concerned that it might not clear the garage door. So the plan was to order the trailer without the lift kit and then measure actual clearance as I backed it in. The dealer can add the lift kit afterwards. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men... If it doesn't fit I will have to have the lift kit removed. But I think it will fit, so my backfired plan may work out for the best anyway. I'll find out tomorrow for sure.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

It did bounce a little. I do not have a WD hitch. I don't foresee any problems with sway, but sometimes it felt like a bucking bronco. As if the rear bumper of the truck was going up and down a little more than it should. TV is 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500hd crew cab 4wd. Will a WD hitch help the bouncing? Is it worth the money?

Some (maybe a lot) of the bounce in the rear may be due to fairly worn shocks on the truck (especially at the rear). If they're still the OEM ones, they're likely pretty worn out and probably were not very good to begin with. I suggest you invest in a set of high quality gas shocks like those made by Bilstein that have dampening that's proportional to suspension vertical velocity.

I recently helped a TundraSolutions member with an ill-behaving truck that he was using to pull a 6500 lb trailer. He had the Hensley hitch (with both 1000 lb and 1400 lb bars) but was still getting a lot of pitching motion in the truck. Turned out he had the stock (soft), linear dampening Tokico shocks...once I got him to upgrade to the substantially better (and stiffer) Bilsteins that Toyota included in the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) Suspension options, his problems largely disappeared.

And yes, a WDH will also likely reduce the bounce by quite a bit. Part of the bounce is at the rear but some of it is also from the front of the truck being so unweighted by the tongue weight. The WDH will reweight the truck's front suspension. And simply removing a great deal of the tongue weight (plus transferred weight from the unweighted front suspension) will let the rear suspension return to near-normal loading/ride-height/behavior.

Since you seem to have an aversion to getting/using a WDH, if I were you I'd upgrade the shocks on the truck first. Then, if you still have bounce, get the WDH.

My truck came with the TRD Off Road Suspension (tuned springs and Bilstein shocks), I use a WDH (750 lb bars), and I've never had any noticeable bounce despite having a heavily loaded TM and a shorter wheelbase than your 'burban.

RockyMtnRay, thanks for the tip on the shocks. Hadn't thought of that. More than likely the shocks are still factory and there is 62,000 miles on them. Time for an upgrade I think.

Spent all day cleaning, fussing and stocking a little. Tried to install a radio, but at full volume it barely put out any sound. I don't know if it is the radio, speaker or wiring. I have other radios collecting dust in the garage and some speakers lying around also. I'll do some bench testing and figure it out. The radio I was trying to install came out of my son's truck. I think that the current rating of 10 amps is a little high for something I intend to play off of the TM trailer battery. I may look around and see if I can find a more efficient radio.

Learned how to fold it down in the rain. We had decent weather all day until closing time.

TM fit in the garage, even with the un-anticipated lift kit. I had about an inch of vertical clearance. If the garage were 6 inches deeper I wouldn't need the swing away hitch. I ended up nearly 2 feet from the sidewall. There is a low profile dolly in the JCWhitney catalog that I intend to purchase and give a try. I should be able to back onto the dolly and then push the TM sideways to make a little more room to park a car or the truck next to it.

One thing I'll need to modify is the overhead storage over the front bunk. This has been designated as where our son can keep some of his clothes. At least socks and underwear. The wiring in both corners for the speakers and the lights are not protected. If he overstuffs the cabinet he will be pushing on the wires. I'll need to figure out how to create a barrier. Maybe just a couple of pieces of styrofoam cut to shape will be adequate.

I think I forgot to mention in a post yesterday that Clayton at Dinuba RV claims he can completely engage the jacks by using his electric drill with the allen wrench. He uses a Sears Craftsman dual speed. Use high speed when there is no load and switch to low speed when there is a load. I think he said it was a 19-volt model. I know mine is 16 volts. His looked a little larger than I recalled mine was. Clayton says he never needs to use the hand crank.

There was a lot of black stuff under the stove. My guess is that some of the black paint in a non-visible area cooked off the first time it was fired up. I’ll keep an eye on it and see if any more shows up.

For the trip home, 193 miles, I got 12.2 mpg. I tried real hard to keep my speed at 55, but it crept up as high as 65 if I took my eyes off the speedometer for too long.

My mileage is 13.5 with no cargo at 70 mph. So the penalty for towing an empty TM 2720 is I have to slow down to 55 and my fuel economy drops off 1 mpg.

Wayne:

Sounds like you are having fun with the new 2720. I have read this thread because I would like to order a 2720. Is your configuration: 2720 + 15" wheels + lift + Low-Profile AC ? If so, could you tell me height. My garage door is 82" and I would like to order the above configuration and still get it in garage. Any info you provide will be appreciated.

Bert
TV 2002 TrailBlazer EXT I6

[wesslvm]

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

There was a lot of black stuff under the stove. My guess is that some of the black paint in a non-visible area cooked off the first time it was fired up. I’ll keep an eye on it and see if any more shows up.

PB,

We experienced the black paint peeling off the base of the oven our first several trips out. DW really hated the mess. Finally, we decided to leave the grill off the cook top (we store it in the base of our chair), and we no longer have this problem. I think the grill rack was vibrating.

Good luck!

Vince

Originally Posted by hingarfi

Sounds like you are having fun with the new 2720. I have read this thread because I would like to order a 2720. Is your configuration: 2720 + 15" wheels + lift + Low-Profile AC ? If so, could you tell me height. My garage door is 82" and I would like to order the above configuration and still get it in garage. Any info you provide will be appreciated.

Bert
TV 2002 TrailBlazer EXT I6

Bert,

My garage door vertical height is 83 inches. I have the 2720 with stock wheels, tires and axles. Lift kit is welded in. A/C is roof mount. As far as I know they only offer the low profile A/C. If the TM was an inch taller it would not fit.

FWIW, the closest thing to dragging on the ground going in and out of my driveway, standard city situation, is the battery tray in the front. I clear the ground by about 2.5 inches. I have closer to 6 inches ground clearance at the rear end, bumper with factory welded hitch receiver.

Traler is presently hitched and loaded. I take it to work tomorrow and then leave from their for the first trip out. I should have a bit more to share when I get back.

[B_and_D]

Please share your trip report with us! The weather should be pretty good. I can FINALLY start going on weekend trips again...and can't wait. I hope you really enjoy having your TM.

Take pictures, too, OK!

D'

Wayne:

Thanks for the details. My garage door sounds about the same as yours. Looks like I will have to chose either 15" wheels OR the 2" lift if I want AC.

Thanks for your help and have fun with the new TM.

Bert,

I called the factory before my 2720 was built to inquire about getting 15 inch wheels with the heavier axle.

They have done it before but only a few times. It also requires that the build occur outside the normal fab line. I think I posted a few more details a few weeks ago on this topic.

My limited recomendation is if you need the weight capacity then consider the 15 inch wheels with heavier axle and no lift kit. If you just need the extra ground clearance then go for the lift kit and stay with the standard wheels and axles. This was the factory recommendation and I think it will work out fine for me.

hth

Boy, it sure took a lot longer to pack the first time. At least next time a lot of the stuff will stay onboard, saving time on future trips.

If anyone is around Salinas/Monterray CA this weekend stop by. I will likely be the only TM in the parking lot camping at Laguna Seca. Should be easy to find me.