Lars' Guide to Leveling the TrailManor Shells

Originally Posted by cali camping

I'm confused. I've never used anything other than the scissor jacks installed on the TM to raise and level. Am I missing something?

That's just what I was thingking. But I have never camped other than a full hook up campground. And then only about 5 times.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

Dexter says not to jack up the camper using the axle because you can damage the rubber "springs" in the axle.

I think the idea is that if you jack up under the axle, you could bend the axle housing, which is a metal tube. Once the housing is bent, the metal torsion bar in the center of the housing can no longer twist to soak up shock. When it tries to twist, it will probably destroy the rubber cords.

Diagram on page 2 of this brochure http://i.b5z.net/i/u/1080235/f/Torfl...ation_4-04.pdf

Bill

[Padgett]

There is a video on the TrailManor site (at bottom of this page) that shows one handed opening. I used that video as a guide for how high the shells should pop up when released.

BTW I suspect that if an end becomes overloaded (doubt it, my two solar panels does not seem to have materially affected the rear shell) I can think of a few ways the bracket could be modified to account for a "set" of the torsion bar(s). Have not tried but is a possibility

[LoveToCamp]

Mike, for ease of reference, let's start with standard terminology - "door side" is "curb side", and the "not door side" is "street side".

Your comment that the front portion of the back half being too high to lock down is the first item to address. Since assumptions, well, you know, I won't assume anything. Once you have pushed the rear shell forward, are you standing in the stirrup to try to get it to latch? If so, are you over 125 lbs? Some lighter people are not heavy enough to latch a properly-adjusted shell.

If you are standing in the stirrup, and it won't latch, you may have something blocking the shell from dropping all the way - bedding, something on the bed or counter, or whatever. Even over-adjusted to make lifting easier, you should be able to latch the shell by standing in the stirrup. Is it making contact with the latch, but the latch is not closing? May need a helper to put pressure on the handle to close the latch.

If you are doing all of that, and it still doesn't latch, collapse the rear shell, then look at where the back of the shell is in relation to the bumper. It should be resting on the rubber stops on the bumper, or within half an inch. If it is higher, pull down on the rear of the shell, and see if it will settle onto the stops. If it is on the stops, but is not closing, try latching the opposite side (than what you were initially trying to latch) first. I close my curb-side latch first, since it is easier to grab the top of the rear shell through the open top of the door. Then, the street-side closes easily.

I don't want to go too far down this path, if you have already tried all I have suggested. But, this is a start.

[mmayville]

Originally Posted by larsdennert

After struggling with shells that don't seem to operate very well, I decided to do some reading in the forum. There are several threads describing various adjustment points on the shells but no real How-to Guide. Here are the tips I've come up with.

There are three basic adjustments for the shells.

1. Height and tilt adjustment of the shells.
2. Torsion bar tension.
3. Pocket stop adjusters.

In order to adjust the shells, or even open them for that matter, the TM should be sitting level in both directions. Failure to do so will cause the shells to be unbalanced.

1. Now open the TM. The first adjustment should consist of leveling the shells. Both shells must be parallel to each other and the bottom box. In other words, the overhanging portion should not be tilted towards the ground or uneven side to side. The height of the shells can be adjusted by lengthening or shortening each of the four arms that hold up each shell. This done by supporting the shell using jacks or some similar method and then loosening the four bolts on an arm where it ties to the torsion bar. It is important that the arms are all the same overall length. Leveling the shells will do that. If the arms are of unequal length, the shell will bind as it is lowered and the arms become parallel but unequal length. Take note of the distance between the two shells when erected so that the seals in the roof have an appropriate tension. Too much doesn't aid in closing the inside shell.

2. Just as each shell has four suspension arms, it has four torsion bars beneath the chassis that apply twisting force to the arm, counterbalancing the weight of the shell. Again, this adjustment is done with the TM open. The obvious conclusion to their adjustment is that by tighening the large screws beneath the chassis, more tension can be applied to the torsion bars and thereby aid lifting. If closing is a problem, loosening the screws will reduce tension. Unlatching the outside shell can make closing the inside shell easier too. It is important that the amount of tension on each bar left and right is equal so that the shell does not descend crooked and then jam. The adjuster for the right bar is on the left side of the trailer and vice versa. Also important is that the shell raises and lowers in a relatively level manor. This involves adjusting the forward and rear set of bars for the shell in relation to each other. A misadjustment here can make opening difficult. The outside shell must be latched before opening the inside one.

3. Late model TM's (sometime early 2000's) have adjustable pocket stops. The pockets stops limit how far the shells can open. Ideally you want them to open exactly to the point where side latches will enguage the pins to hold the shells safely open. Earlier TM's also have pocket stops but they are adjusted by shimming more or less washers into the stop. Close the TM but no need to latch it shut. You will notice that where the top of each shell support arm attaches to the shell, there is a plastic trim piece. Behind this trim is an adjusting screw on the end of the arm. Do not loosen the pivot allen screw that protrudes from the shell above the plastic trim. You want to find the screw in the arm itself. Loosening this screw will reduce the amount that the shell can open. All four arms have these adjusters. Adjust both screws on each side until the shell opens so the pins center over the latches on both sides.

Always try to lift and push the shells from the center so that they do not twist and jam. I hope this helps someone like it has helped me. Please feel free to make suggestions.

In the spring I am going to need to adjust the torsion bars and quite possible the spring arms on my TM. Is the best place to start putting the unit up and level, then turning the torsion bar bolts all the way in and adjusting out from there? Right now the rear shell when I push to close it the end by the front shell is a good 9-10" up from the latches. Which in turn makes it difficult to close pushing on the handle to get it to latch. The front shell closes fairly easy however it is heavy to lift to get it open. After looking at the spring arm on the door side of the front shell at the end closest to the hitch it almost looks like the spring arm is pointing outward when the unit is closed. Sort of like the torsion bar is too far over outside of the frame.

Mike

[shebantam]

For right way or wrong way, what I have found is to step on the stirrup and put my hands between the shells when trying to latch the back. between the stirrup and the pressure on the top of the back, I can get this latched by myself.
The front is slightly different as I have a broken spring on the door side, so either I have 2 people and one latches the latch when the pin in there, or when closing alone, I use a broom to hold open the latch until the pin is in the hook. And on rare occasion, it latches on it's own.

My back goes up easy and the front takes 2 people to pull up, but goes down easy. Yes guys I know I need to adjust the torsion, just have not had the umph to get on the ground and make these turn. Hubby is just not able.

[Bill]

In the spring I am going to need to adjust the torsion bars and quite possible the spring arms on my TM.

MMayville -

I'm not sure what you mean when you refer to "spring arms". By chance are you talking about the "lift arms" - LarsDennert simply refers to them as "arms" in his initial post. There are four lift arms per shell. They are white, rectangular (about 2" x 1") and about 4 feet long. One end of each lift arm houses the end of a torsion bar, anchored by 4 hex bolts. As Lars described, if you loosen the four bolts you can slide the lift arm up or down on the torsion bar. Be sure to support the shell when you do so - it is heavy!

Lars' guide at the beginning of his post is quite good. I would follow his directions just as they are written.

Bill

[mmayville]

I am trying to figure out if tightening the torsion bars (not the arms) makes lifting easier, or if loosening the the 1 1/8" bolts makes it easier to lift. The front side of the rear shell by the latches is way too high and needs more tension to bring them lower. This is what I am trying to figure out. The Torsion spring bars (4 bolt white ones already need to be adjusted. They are off by at least a 1/2 inch on at least 3 of the bars). I am trying to increase the torsion on the front side of the back shell to come down lower to make it easier to close. If I can figure out which way the bolts turn to increase the tension to pull the front side of the rear shell down lower I will be in good shape. This will not happen until spring anyway. But the more information I get the better. I have printed Lar's directions and will put them to use in the spring.

Thanks for all the advice this is my first TM.

Mike

[LoveToCamp]

To make the shells easier to lift open, you must screw the bolts in (the bolts under the trailer). This increases the lift on the bars.

Conversely, if you loosen the bolts, there is less lift, and the shells don't pop up as far when you release the catches holding them snug for travel.

All adjustments need to be done with the shells open, as there is too much tension on the bolts when the shells are lowered. Only move them about ¼ turn each adjustment, and adjust all four for the same shell the same amount.

[mmayville]

Thank you so much!!!

Mike