TrailManor Rubber LP Gas Line!

This morning when I was taking my LP tanks off for refilling, I noticed the LP line from the regulator was rubbing against the metal brackets.

I inspected the line for chaffing and found none. Since my TM is brand new, I didn't expect to find any damage.

However, this situation could be potentially dangerous in the future if something isn't done about it.

Now, this probably doesn't apply to everyone, so please hold the FLAME Comments to yourself.

This only applies to those TM's that have the side mounted tanks, usually for the slide out units. It may apply to upright mounted tanks too, but you'll have to check that on your own.

I simply took a piece of old Foam backed carpeting I had in the garage (a piece of foam or other soft material will work fine) and duck taped it over the metal frame, creating a soft surface for the hose to lay on. Thereby preventing any chaffing in the future.

I'm sure there are other materials available to fix this problem, but this one works for me.

I have pictures on our website, should anyone care to look at what I'm talking about.

http://groups.msn.com/JeffBrendasTra...msnw?Page=Last

You all take care.

Jeff & Brenda

Thanks for the heads up

ColoradoCop 8)

Jeff, I checked mine and the hose goes under the metal brace instead of on top. It does not touch anything!



Rocky

Hi Rocky:

I'm wonder though, is that safe that way? I mean could the hose possibly get snagged on something?

Just a thought!

Jeff

[Bill]

Jeff -

It looks like your propane hose comes out of the regulator and is immediately routed rearward, between the tanks. Then, once it gets aft of the tanks, it is routed over toward the curb side of the frame. The first thing I would do is reroute the hose. When it comes out of the bottom of the regulator, it should head immediately to the side (the top of your photos), not aft. This would get it away from the chafing points on the cross-members.

My TM came from the factory with the gas regulator mounted fairly high up on that long threaded rod. The hose came straight down out of the bottom of the regulator, and was looped directly sideways to the curbside A-frame member, where it was captured in rubber-padded clamps. This was perfectly safe, but the regulator was so high up that it interfered with almost eveything I did in the hitch area.

I loosened the nuts on the threaded rod, dropped the regulator down until it was out of the way, and cut off the top 6-8" of the threaded rod. Much better! But now the loop in the hose was the lowest thing under the frame, and I did worry about it snagging on something on the roadway. To solve this, I unscrewed the hose from the bottom of the regulator, screwed in a brass 90 degree fitting (L-bend), and screwed the hose into that. Now the hose comes out of the regulator directly to the side, and does not loop down toward the road. It is protected all the way along, is there is no danger of snagging or chafing anywhere.

And I sure like that hitch area better with the regulator down and out of the way.

By the way, at one point, I DID snag the rear cross-member under the horizontal propane tanks. Snapped the weld on one side, which left the tanks riding kinda sagging and wobbly. Fortunately I discovered it before long, and found a farmer with a welding setup in his tractor shed in the middle of Oklahoma. He came in from the fields when his wife called him, did a real nice job of reattaching the cross-member, and asked only $5. I was sufficiently relieved that I gave him $20, and considered it cheap.

Bill

Thanks Bill:

Would be nice if you could post a picture or 2 of your setup.

Good information though!

I think TM needs to develop a different procedure or setup for this situation and then have their quality control folks make sure things like this are caught at the factory before leaving for the new owner!

Thanks again.

Jeff

[Bill]

[quote author=JTorsrud link=board=2;threadid=1961;start=msg13900#msg13900 date=1085968473]Would be nice if you could post a picture or 2 of your setup.[/quote]Here ya go.

In the left photo, I pulled the regulator assembly off the threaded rod so you can see the ell at the bottom hose fitting. Because the hose comes off the regulator sideways, it is just barely below the mounting bracket.

In the right photo, I put the regulator assembly back in its normal position on the threaded rod. You can see several things.

• When the hose comes out of the regulator, it is immediately routed to the side (rather than the rear as in your photos). It does not come near any of the frame members or cross members until it is clamped in the rubber-lined clamp in the upper left corner of the pic.
• Although it is not clear in the photo, the bottom of the regulator's mounting bracket is about an inch above front cross-member. Thus nothing projects below the cross member, and nothing can get snagged. It also gets the regulator down and out of the way.
• By the time the hose crosses over the front cross member, it is several inches above it.
• The top of the threaded rod is several inches lower than the highest part of the tanks. It looks like the hose to the right-hand tank is lying on the top of the threaded rod, but that's a trick of the camera - it is at least an inch above it.

HTH

Bill