Closing 2720 (front)

[jilljay123456]

For the most part my husband and I have little trouble opening and closing our 2720. This is where we have trouble and we would like some advice. When we return home from a camping trip, I back it into the driveway to clean it out and "decamp". It is leveleled and because the driveway has a slight grade to it, the jacks are much higher in the front than the back. I'm short and my husband has Parkinson's and is a bit weak. The front of the trailer is fairly high up at the end of the driveway, because of that and the tongue up front it's hard to get our hands on it and the control needed to push it in. It is getting harder and harder to shut it at an uphill angle. Is it o.k. To lower the jacks up front all the way and then close it?
I thought everything had to be level. We had it for a tune up a year ago, so everything is aligned correctly. I don't want to sell our TM, but we need to figure out a way to close the front and not strain to do it.

[scrubjaysnest]

Seems to me what you propose, lowering the front has been suggested and done in other threads here without problem. You will be pushing up hill so to speak, but leverage should be better since the shell will be easier to reach.

[tentcamper]

I don't think you want to lower the front? Maybe a little higher front will help closing the front???

I know one time I opened the camper when it was not level front to rear. Very hard to close on the shell that was lower. I was working against gravity. But the higher side shell talks no effort and I had to work at keeping it from closing to fast.

I know gravity does help to open and close the shells.

- I would level or make the front a little lower than the rear. The rear will close in a snap, but the front will be very heavy.

- Than rise the front past level, so it is higher and that will help in pushing back the front shell, but the rear will be very hard.



If you have issues opening it you could do the opposite on the leveling to have gravity help. But play with it, it does not take much off level to get help. So do a little off level and see how it is, than add a little more if need until it works for you.

I know with my camper the front is not bad to close when I push the front center when it's level. So maybe you can get another TM owner in the area to take a look at how hard it is to close?? Maybe the front shell needs to be adjusted a little.

[Bill]

I don't know. The front shell is very heavy - I'm guessing several hundred pounds. If the front end is low, you will be pushing all that weight uphill, and on mine, at least, that is nearly impossible. (My driveway slopes just like yours.)

What has been suggested here on the board is just the opposite - raise the front end above level. Now you are pushing the weight of the front shell downhill, and it is a lot easier. I realize that this is an even higher reach, but for me it is easier.

I can think of a few suggestions, none of them wonderful. But all of them should work, especially if you start with the front end above level.

o Back up the tow vehicle to the front of the trailer. Stand on the bumper to get some height, and push the shell. Once it starts to move, it will carry itself back and down if the tongue is high.
o A low stool (like the white one that came with the TM) would give you a few inches of added height. Obviously the stool needs to be sturdy and stable. But again, if the front is high, you just have to get it started, and it will lower itself from there.
o If you have two people, they can each push from the corners - no need to climb over the tongue to to reach the center. If your husband isn't up to it, you can probably find a friend or neighbor to help, especially since you don't need help very often. Again, it is not a chore if the front is high.
o A "push stick" - a 1-foot length of 2x4 covered with carpet, and screwed across the end of a 6-foot length of 2x4. Be sure to push on the lower edge of the front shell (not on the sheet metal), right in the center - just where you would push with your hands.
o A "pull strap" - a 30-foot length of nylon strap with a padded hook on one end. Throw the strap lengthwise onto the roof, with the hook end hanging down in front, and the straight end hanging down in back. While you stand behind the trailer and get ready to pull the straight end, your husband places the hook over the lower front edge of the front shell, and yells "Go!" The strap with the hook is easy to find and quite cheap. Think "ratchet strap".

o And finally, I hesitate to suggest this one. Hook up the trailer to the tow vehicle, and very very carefully move the trailer into the street, which is presumably level. Emphasis on CAREFULLY! The shell really isn't built for that, and if it flops around as you cross the swale at the end of the driveway, you can do some damage. To avoid flopping, ease straight out of the driveway into the street - don't try to make the turn. Yes, you will be blocking the street, but only for a minute or so. Once in the street, just lower the shell and back straight up into the driveway again to finish the job.

Bill

[Kidkraz]

Bill, your the idea of using a strap to pull the front end closed would make better sense and allow for better leverage.
Suction cup handles was suggested by some one else on this forum. If you used two of these handles secured to the front of the front end say about a third way up, looped a long strap thru the handles. This should give you enough leverage to get the front moving to the point where it's own weight would let you close the end on your own. These handles can be purchased online or at a store.

[Bill]

Well, I hadn't considered suction cup handles. I'll be honest, they make me nervous because they grab onto the thin aluminum skin, and pull it. If the skin delaminates from the foam core, everyone will be unhappy.

As an alternative, how about screwing a grab handle onto the bottom outside surface of the front shell? If the screws go into the shell's frame, it should be plenty strong. The hook could then be applied to the grab handle without fear of damage.

It occurs to me that a pull strap probably should NOT be routed across the front window's rock guard. It isn't real sturdy. But the strap could probably be routed inside the rock guard, or even close to the side of it.

Bill

[jilljay123456]

Thanks for all the ideas. I guess what I was thinking about lowering the front was just to be able reach it. I hadn't thought about pushing up hill. I did think about using a stool that we have that is big and wide that would give me a bit more leverage and would help get it going. We have an angled curb on the driveway so moving it out in the street carefully isn't an option. Also getting a neighbor in our neighborhood isn't too easy. We are a small HOA of townhomes (duplex style) with mostly seniors and mostly women! Even though we are in our mid 60's many come to us for help! We'll have our first practice within the next month, so I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for all the ideas.

I've ben pondering on this. Maybe that isn't good!
How about making a rope with a loop in both ends. Loop one end around the frame of the couch in the camper and using the other loop pulling it closed from inside?