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Old 06-14-2021, 02:32 PM   #1
thibchamp
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Default front and rear shell lifting

lifting and closing the front and rear shell. rear ok, lift and knock down ok. Front is getting heavier to open, closing it goes down fast. Is there an adjustment that can be made. I don't think it would take much adjustment just don't where to look. I see the torsion bars going across. Any advice. Thanks
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Old 06-14-2021, 04:58 PM   #2
Bill
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As you have seen, the front shell has two pairs of torsion bars going across, under the trailer. One pair lifts the front of the front shell, the other pair lifts the rear of the front shell. Be sure you identify them properly, since at the center of the trailer, the bars for the front shell are kind of intermixed with the bars for the rear shell.

One end of each torsion bar is bent at a right angle, and goes up into the white lifting arm outside the wall of the shell. The other end of each bar is also bent in a right angle, and the short stub is captured in a steel cage under the trailer. The cage has a BIG BOLT going up into it, the end of which is pressed against the stub in the cage. To get more lift, you turn that BIG BOLT inward, to make it press harder on the stub. You will need a BIG SOCKET WRENCH to so this.

You will make small adjustments - a quarter turn at a time. Be sure to do the adjustment in pairs - adjust the front pair of torsion bars, see where it gets you, then adjust the rear pair of torsion bars, and again see where it gets you.

You will probably not adjust the front and rear pairs by the same amount. Try this. Close the TM entirely. Make sure the corner latches on the front shell are unlatched, then pull the big center latches that hold the front shell down. Does the rear end of the front shell bound upward quite a number of inches, or is it a little less energetic? If it bounds up, you probably have enough force on the rear pair of torsion bars. Make the next adjustment on the front pair.

By the way, at the adjustment end of all of the torsion bars, the stub end pokes out of the cage, and is retained in place with a stainless steel worm clamp. Do not do anything to these clamps except to be sure they are present and tight!

Our resident expert on this issue is Larryjb, not me. If I have said anything that is wrong or needs explanation, he will chime in.

Let us know.

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Old 06-14-2021, 10:50 PM   #3
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That's pretty much it, as Bill put it. I believe the socket you need is 1-1/8". I'd also recommend getting some penetrating fluid and antiseize for the bolts.

It's probably the forward most torsion bars that need adjustment. They support the weight near the middle of the shell, so they take most of the weight,

Also pay attention to how the shell raises and falls. If it tips to one side consistently, one side may need more adjustment. If it falls more to the left, give the torsion bar bolt on the right (opposite side) on extra 1/4 turn.

If you do need to adjust the torsion bars at the centre, be very careful to adjust the correct bars. It is easy to accidently adjust the bolts for the rear shell instead.
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Old 06-15-2021, 06:45 PM   #4
Shane826
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I put this diagram together over on the TMF Facebook page, it shows which adjuster bolt adjusts which torsion bar and arm.
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Old 06-15-2021, 07:37 PM   #5
thibchamp
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Thanks for the quick reply. I worked on it today. Much better. Did more than 1/4 turn, possible did more than a full turn or more. Will try this out. Did not want to over-do it. But was trying to get it easy enough my wife could do it herself (joking). Thanks again everyone for getting the solution. Thanks
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Old 11-15-2021, 01:46 PM   #6
MrGallegos
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When making an adjustment, does all the latches need to be secured? (white corner latches and the center black latches)

I opened my TM for the first time and the front was too heavy for me to open by myself, the TM appeared to be leveled front to back but was slightly leaning on the door side, so I do not know if that little bit of lean was enough to make the front too heavy for me to lift.

I also noticed that the front arm on the opposite side was bulged between the four arm bolts. This was there when I bought it. The TM has an awning, so I wonder if the previous owner added the awning and the extra wait stressed the arm on the opposite side, but the arm on the awning side is fine.

Either way, I am sure that the torsion bar needs to be adjusted. Is there any thing I should be aware of to make sure that the bolts have not been adjusted to their limit?
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Old 11-15-2021, 02:43 PM   #7
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Quote:
When making an adjustment, does all the latches need to be secured? (white corner latches and the center black latches)
You adjust the torsion bars with the trailer open/shell lifted. Hence all latches are open.

Quote:
I also noticed that the front arm on the opposite side was bulged between the four arm bolts. This was there when I bought it. The TM has an awning, so I wonder if the previous owner added the awning and the extra wait stressed the arm on the opposite side, but the arm on the awning side is fine.
The bulge is intentional. It helps the lift arm grip the end of the torsion bar, which is a high-stress area. Don't mess with it, or try to flatten it! If you look carefully, every lift arm should have a bulge at this location.

Quote:
Either way, I am sure that the torsion bar needs to be adjusted. Is there any thing I should be aware of to make sure that the bolts have not been adjusted to their limit?
If you look under the trailer, at the end of the bolt, you will see that tightening the bolt (which increases the torsion bar's lift force) pushes the stub end of the torsion bar upward. When the end of the torsion bar runs into the top of the adjustment cage, the bolt is at the limit.

While you are doing it, you should confirm one thing. The stub end of each torsion bar is secured in the adjustment cage with a stainless steel screw clamp. The clamp prevents the end of the bar from backing its way out of the cage as a result of road vibration or whatever. Make sure every bar is securely clamped.

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Old 11-19-2021, 07:04 AM   #8
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Yesterday I looked under the TM and noticed that the two front torsion bars overlap each other in the center, is that they way it is supposed to be?
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Old 11-19-2021, 07:16 AM   #9
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That is correct. It is extremely easy to mix up the center adjustment bolts. It is best to verify which shell/lift arm visually.
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Old 11-19-2021, 09:42 AM   #10
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Here’s a layout diagram of torsion bar/lift arm vs adjustment bolt. It gets really wonky in the middle… Note the diagram is shown as viewed from the top.

Edit: Haha! Apparently I posted that diagram earlier in this same thread! Oops!
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