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Old 05-08-2013, 08:28 PM   #1
countrygirl
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Default Our trip to the Trailmanor Factory

I had to work on Saturday until about 4 pm. We were hitched and ready to go when I go home from work. Got up about 6 am and headed out shortly afterwards.

We camped in Careyville, Tn. at the Cove Lake State Park which is right next door to Jacksboro, where the factory is located. This is a beautiful campground...and my kind of campgound. I like gravel sites instead of concrete. It was not over crowded in fact only 4 or 5 campers were there.

Word of caution...our GPS and google both gave us wrong directions to the factory. Luckily we decided to find it while still daylight on the day we arrived. So when we went out to dinner we followed the GPS to what we thought was the factory. Turns out there are two McGee Lanes in Jacksboro. The first one was to a dead in cul-de-sac and if we had been towing our camper we would probably still be there. LOL.

We then got directions from a variety of people and happily located the factory.

At the factory I saw two TM's in the parking lot. One was open but I did not go in. Both of the units were the 3124 KS model. They looked so... sparking NEW!

What I liked on the outside of those new 3124s...the gas tanks stand up on the tongue! The battery box/boxes were on the tongue...that right there was enough to get me in trouble. (I am so jealous...and no my TM can not be adapted...I asked.)

I liked the new Jack antenna. I had seen these antennas on RV's but this was the first time I noticed one on a TM. I liked the graphics a lot more in person then I had in photos. The rear bumper was a new color...sort of gray/black instead of the cream color of mine. I LOVE the dark windows and the black window trim. The tint on these windows is a lot darker then our window tint.

We enjoyed meeting Ed and our service tech R.L. Ed is.... well just as NICE as everyone says. Everyone was very courteous, helpful and knowledgeable. R.L. did a FANTASTIC job on our camper. We feel that the money spent for the Tuneup was worth every penny. We can see a huge difference in both ease of set up and the camper coming together exactly as it should. Our TM door opens and closes absolutely perfectly now!

While we waited we drove over to Cumberland Gap and from the Pinnacle you can see where Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia meet.

We returned to the factory around 2:30 and our camper was done and ready to go.

We did pay a little extra for them to look at and correct the wiring for the television and I also got a few parts. TV works great now...unfortunately while in the campground all we could pick up was:

I Dream of Jeanie
Mary Tyler Moore Show
Bewitched
The Bob Newhart Show... OMG!

I am so young I never recognized any of the shows....but my husband said they were from the late 60's. Yeah...I think we are gonna do the mod for the new Jack antenna.

We also spent time with Shadow the owner's black lab. Such a sweetie!!!

I took a lot of photos on my phone and if I can figure how to do it I will post them.

I had to be back at work today. If not I would still be at Cove Lake.

BTW...we had dinner on Monday night at Rickard's Ridge Barbaque and it was delicious and we got a nice surprise. Monday nights they have a free, live (VERY good) blue grass band and it was wonderful!
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2019 FORD 150.
2007 Trailmanor 3124KS...still got it.
Robin 1,000 Lb Weight Distributing Hitch ...still got it.

We replaced the tires on the TM July 2017 I will update when I have time to get the specs

What's new...we went to all LED lighting and love them.

New 3/25/16 two new horizontal propane tanks.
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Old 05-08-2013, 09:53 PM   #2
RejoiceWay
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Nice report - we're scheduled for July and have reservations at Cove. Thanks for the warning about the GPS directions. We'll be sure to get clear directions before heading that way. We'll be driving from WA state, so am looking forward to seeing TN.
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Old 05-08-2013, 10:26 PM   #3
countrygirl
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RejoiceWay View Post
Nice report - we're scheduled for July and have reservations at Cove. Thanks for the warning about the GPS directions. We'll be sure to get clear directions before heading that way. We'll be driving from WA state, so am looking forward to seeing TN.
If it says to go via Queener don't do it!

Turn left out of the campground onto the main road and go about a mile or less. I am pretty sure your that it is the first right turn you come to. Make a right turn at the tiny TrailManor sign...about two feet long and maybe four inches high and low to the ground. There was also ...I think a political sign that said Wood or Woods on it.

Go past the Solutions building Look for another small sign on the right that says Trailmanor. You need to go past the house with the red metal roof and it is shortly after that you will see that next second sign. We did not tour the factory. I thought about it...but I needed to get out of there...before I got more hooked by those standing propane tanks and battery box on the trailer tongue.

BTW the factory is spotless and extremely neat... they have a lot of employees. I saw some other TM's behind the business. Looks like a great place to work.
__________________
2019 FORD 150.
2007 Trailmanor 3124KS...still got it.
Robin 1,000 Lb Weight Distributing Hitch ...still got it.

We replaced the tires on the TM July 2017 I will update when I have time to get the specs

What's new...we went to all LED lighting and love them.

New 3/25/16 two new horizontal propane tanks.
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Old 05-09-2013, 10:10 AM   #4
MisterP
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Are you willing to describe work that was done and price paid? Helps to know what repairs cost nowadays. Thanks.
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Old 05-09-2013, 06:01 PM   #5
countrygirl
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We had the tune up special for $298.00 that runs through the month of July. It is a discounted lift system tune up available to all 2003 and above model years. They only work on TrailManors.

That included:
Inspection of all lift systems components for wear or damage
Adjustment of torsion bars if possible
Clean torsion bars and apply a rust inhibitor
Latch adjustment
Inspection and apply a dry lube on seals
Corner jack lubrication
Brake operational testing
Brake and running lights testing LP system pressure testing

Normal charge us over $400.00 but if you schedule an appointment before the end of July 2013 the service is $298.

I did pay more than that because we asked to have extra work done. Additional work runs 90.00 a hour. Which is pretty much the going rate for this type of thing and we have seen higher rates at the BMW motorcycle shop, it was 110.00 an hour there the last time we checked.

We had them also check the air conditioner seals because in heavy rain we started getting a leak where the air conditioner was slinging water. Guess what...it was our fault...the screws to the air conditioner needed only to be tightened and they tested it for an hour and there were no leaks. So we learned something and will take care of that ourselves next time.

I also had them check the wiring for the television system. They charge for the wire and parts that they needed to use. We would never have know what to do. We also had a friend look at it more then a year ago who used to install cable in homes etc. Our friend told us he would not touch it but he said the same thing members here said that there were too many connectors. There were three now there is ONE connector. Trust me we could not figure out what to do. A lot of local places that work on campers in my area are scared of TrailManors and won't touch anything on a TrailManor.

I was told that they worked on the television wiring for over 2 and 1/2 hours and at one point it was 2 men working on it for an hour and a half. They charged me 142.00 for labor which is 1.58 hours at $90.00. It could have been MORE..maybe I got a break cause my eyes got big as DINNER PLATES. Wire and connector cost 10.20.

They added a new center latch for the entry door. This helps with it staying together but the main reason my door is now correct is because of the Factory Tune Up. Ed did tell me the tune up would fix my door. The latch cost 12.47. My old one was rusty and this one shines line a new dime.

They installed 2 new frame pads on the front for 4.88 each. (I had some at home and did not think those were bad but had not really inspected them carefully so I believe that they were needed.)

I got my trailblazer discount and that saved 19.22 on the parts only. (You do not get the Trailblazer discount on the tune up special because it is already discounted and this is stated in the advertiisement.)

I also bought a 8 foot rub strip with the double sided tape for 17.61.

The bill came to $516.37 total for the tuneup the extra work and the parts and tax and my husband is pleased.

We went back to the camp site and the camper was much easier to set up. The door stays together perfectly. I once again love my TrailManor. It is fun to open and close the door and I have a big grin on my face when I go in and out....sooo it was worth every penny to me.

I also wanted to purchase a couple of those do higgies that hold the bumper cover on and the top of the door closed in transit. They gave me three at no charge

I asked for those white things that you zip tie the electric cord to on the exterior. They gave me four plus they had already replaced not only the two broken ones but all of the ones I arrived with at no additional charge.

What I forgot..........

I meant to buy two of those fenders that go over the tires. I can't find another source for them. One of mine is fine and the other fender has a couple of chips. But hey it is not really all that noticeable any way.

I meant to ask...if they make the curtains themselves or out source them and if they could tell me what kind of presser foot would allow you to stitch along side the curtain track guides for the curtains but I forgot to ask. I could always call or email Ed to see if he knows.

I meant to ask what they think causes a TM to need a tune up. My husband feels it is just from use...and we do use the camper a lot.

I have wondered if going to E rated tires caused it or sped up the process of needing it done. ???

We had started camper shopping and I thought I wanted a Winnebago Mini Travel Trailer...then we had decided to keep what we have and have the tune up instead.

Hope this helps.
__________________
2019 FORD 150.
2007 Trailmanor 3124KS...still got it.
Robin 1,000 Lb Weight Distributing Hitch ...still got it.

We replaced the tires on the TM July 2017 I will update when I have time to get the specs

What's new...we went to all LED lighting and love them.

New 3/25/16 two new horizontal propane tanks.
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Old 05-10-2013, 10:16 AM   #6
moneeleann
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I've been trying to decide if I should take my TM to the factory, or somewhere else... It looks like I should go to the source... It's just a looooong drive from Oklahoma when you're pulling solo with four kids in the car...
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Old 05-10-2013, 02:59 PM   #7
MisterP
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Countrygirl - great summary, thanks.
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Old 05-10-2013, 04:21 PM   #8
rvcycleguy
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I wonder why they only go back to 2003 for lifting mechanisim tuneups? Is it a 10 year thing or the earlier models are not adjustable?
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Old 05-10-2013, 05:35 PM   #9
countrygirl
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I don't know...but that is what it says in the ad.

Hmm I think I have seen on here the directions on how to adjust pocket stops in older models etc. My dh has been having some trouble with his shoulder so we did not attempt it.
__________________
2019 FORD 150.
2007 Trailmanor 3124KS...still got it.
Robin 1,000 Lb Weight Distributing Hitch ...still got it.

We replaced the tires on the TM July 2017 I will update when I have time to get the specs

What's new...we went to all LED lighting and love them.

New 3/25/16 two new horizontal propane tanks.
countrygirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2013, 02:51 AM   #10
RejoiceWay
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Thanks for the detailed directions and a list of what you had done. I think we'll put together a list of all the things we want ahead of time so I won't forget. Great information - THANKS!!!
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