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Old 10-29-2009, 09:33 PM   #1
Jim&Joan
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Default New (to us) owner's of 2720SL

Introducing ourselves to the community.
We just purchased an '04 2720SL, swing hitch, AC, Fiamma.
From original owners that garage stored it.

Tent campers and previous backpackers now living in Missouri.
One daughter in college and one is SR in HS, so we will primarily use DW/DH.

We have found this forum to be very valuable both during our research and our post purchase. We looked at a couple of newer units but the price was too close to just buying a new one which was more than we could decide to do. Got very lucky and found a used but well cared for model local. The swing hitch was a MUST for us. One of the newer ones would have had to be mod'd which didn't help the cost issue.

The owner was cooperative in accompanying us to a local campground with hookups to do a check out. All of the advice and checklists here were put to good use. So, with thermometers, voltmeters, tools and check lists in hand, we spent the better part of a day pulling, leveling, setting up and running the various systems.

Everything checked out well with a couple of exceptions. Couldn't get the frig to burn on propane and there was an external leak at the rear streetside. We and the owner made a couple of calls (TM and dealer) on issues. We were satisfied we understood the risks and negotiate an adjustment to our 'working agreement'.

Since purchase...

Of course substantial cleaning mostly interior and some exterior has taken place. Dry Clean estimate for drapes was extreme plus advice that vinyl strip wouldn't survive, led to gentle cycle wash and sweater rack drying. Removed mattress cover for wash tub and line dry.

Much of the discussion and links for the connection issues related to the thermocouple were key in resolving the frig on propane. We have run it several times in the drive way.

Removed and replace the anode rod. Source of much amusement as DW can not bring herself to pronounce it correctly. (Comes out AN-noid or A-nod-oid.) It was pretty deteriorated, but not totaled, and the tank flushing was needed.

During the water heater maintenance, I convinced myself that the water leak is coming from the external shower hose fitting at the trailer side. I can see it dripping under city water pressure behind the bib cutout. That whole setup seems silly and from the look of the caulking around the bib, it has been out before.

LP smell led to removing, cleaning, and teflon taping hose connection to the LP regulator. Filled tank. (One has lots in it.)

Need to grease bearings and verify brake adjustment.
Need to spot caulk in areas.
Need to attempt to clean some leaf stains from awning 'fabric'.
Need to glue some of the internal velcro back to the wall.
Need to bake some choclate chip cookies in the oven.

TMH (TrailManor Hanger) related -
I have pretty much rebuilt the garage storage. Removing old shelves and installing stud mounted shelves to get the storage up high. Before we had Van, PU, yard tools, blower and 37' mower in the garage along with usual hazmat jugs and cans. Now, TM, PU, and most of the rest of the tools and hazmat. Right now the van and mower are out and I had to move a few scuba tanks to the basement. Got rid of some items being kept just cause we had the space.

We have tried to get out of the driveway two times but to our surprise the local campgrounds have been booked (we didn'[t make reservations.) We had plans for this weekend and were just called by the state park to inform us they were closing due to local river flooding. We did a driveway camp last weekend and cooked and slept in it. I think I have moved it more by hand than I have by TV so far!
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Old 10-29-2009, 10:37 PM   #2
B_and_D
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I'm tired, our garage door hardware is broken & we can't seem to fix it , and we're supposed to go camping tomorrow, so welcome to the board & I'll make it brief (I'm usually more friendly but..)...instead of trying to glue the velcro back onto the walls, you might want to order some of the new round velcro patches from the factory. Tommy from Custom RV gave us some at the Petaluma, CA rally, I haven't had the chance to try them out yet. Ask the factory how to attach them and for the hardware to install them.

Have fun with your TM!

D
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Old 10-29-2009, 11:26 PM   #3
Jim&Joan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B_and_D View Post
I'm tired, our garage door hardware is broken & we can't seem to fix it , and we're supposed to go camping tomorrow, so welcome to the board & I'll make it brief (I'm usually more friendly but..)...instead of trying to glue the velcro back onto the walls, you might want to order some of the new round velcro patches from the factory. Tommy from Custom RV gave us some at the Petaluma, CA rally, I haven't had the chance to try them out yet. Ask the factory how to attach them and for the hardware to install them.

Have fun with your TM!

D
Cheers and good luck with your door. I am about to think we should have bought a boat. It is raining to hard here and our campground is already closed for flooding! I'll probably have to work on my garage tomorrow instead.
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Old 10-30-2009, 06:21 AM   #4
MariaG
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Welcome! We love our TM and this is a very helpful and friendly community!

I have used the new velcro "buttons" and agree they are THE way to go. They work fine and are much less conspicuous, and very reasonably priced. They come with screws (the standard square bit TM screws) and have a peel off backing to reveal a sticky back. I just positioned the button where I wanted it mounted, used the tip of the screw driver through the hole in the middle of the "button" to dimple the spot I wanted, then added the screw, removed the paper backing and screwed them right to the wall.

No more camping for us this year, it's getting too cold - thinking of spring already, though and need to make some reservations early in the new year for next summer!
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Old 10-30-2009, 04:48 PM   #5
P and B
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Jim and Joan- If you ever get out of your driveway, you'll have a blast. When we first got ours a couple of years ago, I never thought I'd get it in the driveway much less out of it. You can see by my avitar that I have kind of a steep and windy driveway.

TMs have their issues but the good things far out way the bad at least for the trips we take. We find it a pretty good home away from home. I think it only falls short if you wanted to do the full time RV thing.

Have a blast and join the board if you haven't already.

Phil
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Old 10-31-2009, 12:20 PM   #6
robertkennel
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Default water leak

If it's leaking near the city water connection it just might be the city water connection. At the rally in Petaluma the dealer had one in the back of his truck and I asked why do you carry those and he informed me that they sometimes leak. I thought it was kind of a lifetime trailer device. It's just a couple screws and then I'm told it's just a hose connection behind that. Hopefully more experienced people will chime in.

Congrats on the purchase. We used to be backpackers too, but with kids that's kind of out. The trailer is a great substitute. It's not the back country but I also didn't meet lots of nice people like we have with the trailer. Trailerite Robert
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Old 10-31-2009, 08:43 PM   #7
Jim&Joan
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Default Not the city

...the leak was where the shower hose connected to the output of the mixing valve. It was not even finger tight. Someone had been in there before, the caulking was heavy and looked like somebody was making a peanut butter sandwich by the way it was applied, so I decided to look around today. There are also two sets of screw holes thru the outer trailer wall. Tow holes in each corner close to each other, but not breaking into each other.

I pulled the shower hose all the way out. It was kinked so bad right at the connection behind the enclosure that no water would have been able to come thru. It was kinked in a couple of other places. I don't see how the hose could be pushed behind the enclosure without kinking it. And there is not enough room in the enclosure to coil it up and store the shower head.

I removed the hose from the elbow on the mixing valve output. I scribed the caulk around the box, removed the four mounting screws and pulled the box out as far as it would scoot. I was able to loosen the supply line nuts from the rear and completely remove the box. I have cleaned all the caulk off the box and outer trailer wall.

I went to the hardware store and got a 1/2"x1/2" elbow to connect to the back of the mixing valve elbow (where the hose use to connect). I put a 2" long 1/2" nipple in that elbow to stick thru the enclosure cutout into the area that the shower wand was stored. I put a 1/2" to 3/4" flat bushing on that. So, now I can connect a regular garden hose fitting to that.

I will look around to see if I can find an adapter that will let me put a hand held shower hose on that, but have no plan to try and store that mess in there. I also may play around with putting a quick connect fitting on which may require a shorter nipple to keep it inside the door area. I'll post a few pictures when I make up my mind.

I also saw that you can reorient the shower head sholding bracket 90 deg. so gravity will hold the shower head the way it was meant (since the shower box in my unit was designed to be mounted primarily horizontal, but is mounted vertical on mine.)

Oh, and we still aren't out of the driveway! Several parks are closed in a 150 mile radius due to rain, some flooded, some with boil water orders. We went to a close park this morning and there was one site, but the host said we had to leave a vehicle (couldn't pay and run home and back with the trailer.) Guess we should have been more optimistic and just towed it on out there with us. We decided to just take advantage of being able to tinker a bit and stow some gear in it for the near future. But, I am getting ansy! The current joke is that I have moved it more by hand than by TV.
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Old 10-31-2009, 10:28 PM   #8
robertkennel
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I pulled the outside shower out once and that was enough for me. Glad you found the leak. Sounds like a good fix for the shower. I'm just going to pretend we have no outside shower and forget about the whole thing. Robert

Hope you get out soon!
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Old 11-01-2009, 07:13 AM   #9
joe&Nance
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Hi,
Congrats!!!!! Wow, we both got the same model within days of each other! We are looking for our first campsite for this weekend! Thankfully this community is has such great info to help us with our purchase and maintenance.
Nance
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