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Old 01-12-2007, 10:57 AM   #1
OrangeKid
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Default Three Years Ownership of TrailManor: Some Observations

We recently sold our 2004 2619 TrailManor and I wanted to summarize our observations after camping in it 300 nights over the last three years at many State and National Parks and Monuments. We have towed the TM around 14,200 miles. Almost all our camping has been dry. We have never had full hookups and rarely had electricity and water hookups. We have many wonderful memories and photos from our travels. It was a great way to start retirement.

Advantages of TrailManor:
-folds and fits in a normal garage
-tows easily with an Explorer sized SUV
-does not sway (we never had any issues with sway even during strong
crosswinds)
-layout was perfect for us (a retired couple)
-scissor jacks makes leveling easy
-lots of interior space
-lots of windows. End louver windows can be kept open in rain.
-all the comforts (shower, hot water, heater, other than packing the
Trailmanor in Vegas, we never used the A/C)
-folding tongue allowed us to walk around our TrailManor in the garage.
-large freshwater capacity (40 gallon with optional tank)
-solar panel
-overhangs for bike storage and hanging out towels to dry

Disadvantages of TrailManor:

-marginal capacity of tires and axle (although we never had a tire failure
the marginal capacity was always on our minds). We were fanatical about
keeping cold tire pressure at 50 PSI. (This was our biggest concern)
-need to carry many things in our tow vehicle because of TrailManor’s
marginal carrying capacity. Every time we broke and made camp we had
to move things from and to the TrailManor to keep the load in the TM
within limits.
-need to unfold and fold
-need to take down and set up bedding, bathroom, overhead cabinets and
wardrobe before folding and setting up
-need to keep fan on when running refrigerator when Trailmanor was
folded. If for some reason one wanted to stay at a motel for the night or
park the TM overnight in a closed position one would have to find a way to
plug the trailer in.
-need to unfold trailer to fill fresh water (I read the thread of owners
modifying TM to fill from drain, but we just want to use the trailer not
spend time working on modifications).
-friction latch on upper door when folded. It would seem very easy for the
factory to install some sort of positive latch. Our door opened several
times while we were traveling and a passing motorists called our attention
to it.
-spring clips that do not positively latch when setting up the door. We
understand some other (newer) models now have a positive latch instead
of a spring clip.
-no screen door.

Many of the disadvantages I have listed are really design “issues” that could easily be addressed by TrailManor. I think I remember someone ordering a TM with a larger axle and tires than are standard. Higher capacity axle/tires should be standard. Things like inadequate or non positive latching latches should easily be remedied by the factory.

One comment about quality. I have noticed a lot of discussions about it. I personally think quality could be greatly improved. Although we never suffered any serious breakdowns in the 300 nights of camping we have had a lot of niggling problems. For example the bathroom mirror fell off while driving through Big Sur. It was only held on the wall by rubber cement and trim with tiny staples (luckily the mirror did not break). While breaking camp on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon our tongue jack broke at its highest setting. Luckily we had already hitched the TM to the TV and were installing the weight distributing bars. We unbolted the tongue jack and threw it away. When we returned home we replaced it with a Bulldog jack with 3000 lbs capacity. The original tongue jack had 1000 lbs capacity, which is totally inadequate when one considers that installing the weight distributing bars requires one to jack up the tongue (ours weighed 720 lbs) and rear of the tow vehicle.

If one needs a camping trailer that fits in a standard garage there is really nothing on the market that compares to a TrailManor. However, requiring that the camping trailer fit in the garage leads to a lot of other design compromises, some of which I have enumerated above.

In summary we really enjoyed out TM in the last three years. We have camped at some very spectacular places in the west. We will miss our TM, but look forward (with some trepidation) to our new Airstream, and plan to take longer and more distant trips in the future.
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Old 01-12-2007, 12:47 PM   #2
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Though we really like our TM, I have to agree with you on most of your "disadvantages". I would add to them, that for the price of a TM, everything should be top-of-the line, which it isn't. That's why we bought a used unit. Things like the Mickey Mouse wall paper, those cheap-junk "fancy" lights in the front, (the newer ones didn't have them) the refrigerator that never works on 12V (our previous trailer's refrigerator worked so well on 12 V that it would freeze everything if you left it on too long.) and especially, as you state, the marginal axle and tires. IMHO the price tag is way out of line with what you get. I understand the folding properties add to the cost, but the fake wood on the inside doesn't make for quality. The corner latches are ridiculous since they rarely stay latched even though I modified them to pull tighter. I'm still trying to find something that is more suitable - maybe something like rubber hood hold-downs. We will keep our TM simply because, for us, it meets the needs and we don't want to go back to canvas sides or a regular travel trailer. In all fairness, I should make it perfectly clear that our trailer is a 2000 model and maybe some of the things have been improved . . . I didn't mean to "vent" about this, but your post really brought up all my feelings about the subject.
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Old 01-12-2007, 06:11 PM   #3
Bill
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Jim -

If the refrig has never worked on 12 volts, how did you manage to avoid getting a warranty repair on it? (Three years, I think.) And to live with it for 4 years after that? The 12 volt heater in the refrigerator is about the simplest mechanism in the entire trailer. Bring it by, and I'll fix it for you! You do realize, I think, that there is a separate fuse behind the refrig ... Maybe it is as simple as that.

With regard to some of the other items, though, I agree with you. I have vented about the tires on more than one occasion, though I am satisfied with the axle. And sadly, I am glad the elegant lights are gone. They sure looked nice in the photos, didn't they?

By the way, I am under the impression that if the corner latches won't stay latched, it is because the shells are bouncing as you travel. And if the shells bounce, it is because the MAIN latches aren't tight enough. To see this, lower the rear shell and latch it. Then go to the front of the rear shell, and look at the edge. Right at the front end, you will see a rubber bumper. (Sorry, it would be easier to visualize with a sketch or photo.) With the shell latched, that rubber bumper should be down firmly against the top of the lower wall. If there is a gap, the shell will bounce, and when it bounces, the corner latches will release. Adjusting the main latches is a maintenance item, not a design defect.

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Old 01-12-2007, 07:55 PM   #4
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Jim:

Our refrigerator worked great on 12V so I think you have a problem as described by Bill. On a recent trip home from CA one of the main latches on the inner shell broke. I discovered it as I was opening the trailer at home. I''m glad it it wasn't a latch for the outer shell, as I don't think the corner latches are strong enough to hold the shell down especially as the trailer bounces on rough roads.
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Old 01-13-2007, 07:39 AM   #5
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We bought our TM used and the refrigerator (Dometic) warranty was depleted. The heater on the 12 V works, but it just doesn't keep the refrigerator cold. I actually replaced the heater, but it still is only marginal and if you travel like we do - 12 to 14 hours a day - it's warm by the time you set up at night. Yes, the power is getting to the heater, and yes, we run the auxiliary fan. We use our 12V cooler for most of the things we would generally put in the refrigerator. Then when we reach our destination we put the stuff in the Refer. It works great on 110V and propane. This problem may be why the newer TMs have a different (Norcold) refrigerator. The latches are adjusted down tight and the shells are down tight against the frame. I have even cut out the corner clamps to hold it tighter and they still come loose. I will be addressing this problem when the TM is no longer hidden under all that snow!
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Old 01-13-2007, 05:12 PM   #6
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Bill

Re rubber bumpers that the rear shell rests on: I am unable to picture or find what you describe the rear shell coming down against.

Rear shell: My rear shell comes down first. The rear end of the rear shell sits on the rear bumper. The front has no bumper that I can see. The shell appears to be sitting on the top of the lower shell all along the length as I see wear marks on the top of the lower shell. Also, the angle covers that are stapled on the lower shell are all loose from this bouncing contact.

Front shell: The front of the front shell sits on two rubber pads located on the tongue. The back of the front shell sits on the top of the rear shell. I find no rubber bumpers for the rear to sit on.

BTW, last summer, the Car Company in Colorado Springs did an outstanding job of adjusting my shells. They were really out of whack with the front one not contacting the bottom one. They also open super easy now and I have to stop them from going too far. Those guys know what they are doing, for sure.

I have a lot of places where the staples pull out of the aluminum. Staples really don't get a grip on aluminum and a better fastener is needed.... This is the quarter rounds, bathroom wall edging, all the edging around the top of the lower shell... All are coming loose. Several I have siliconed back on.

Anybody want to talk about the velcro on the flaps? Wow. Help is needed there. I know they had 3M working on it 3M from discussions last summer, but I haven't heard of any progress. I am really in need of a fix for this and posts have been made on a "super Velcro" that I need to look into. My understanding is that even that is marginal.

My floor has big bubbles from the door to the refrig with another bubble outside the bathroom. The doorway one bubbled one day the door was open while I worked on it or loaded it and the sun shone on the floor. No bubble before, bubble after. The bubble is between the aluminum layer and the wood layer. I would like to know how to repair this.

I also have outside delamination along the bottom of the front lower shell. The lamination process is one of the features described with pride in the TM literature.

My tires are rated for 7400# where I weighed 3900# loaded last summer, so I have ample tire and brake ratings (double axle on the 3326).

I do like my TM a lot and now that I am retired, I hope to fix these annoying issues.

Be aware that "If it doesn't need something fixed, it isn't an RV" seems to be the going bywords.
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Old 01-13-2007, 06:34 PM   #7
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Our shells opened and closed reliably over the three years we had it. Other than the broken main latch we had no issues with the shells. We had no delamination anywhere in our trailer. Our neighbor who owned a 2004 2720 had some delamination of the aluminum on his upper door. He also experienced serious leakage along the roof where the caulking was cracked (The trailer was around one year old when it leaked. The factory gave him two flourescent light fixtures for his troubles). We never had any leaks. We never had any issues with the velcro except around the door where the back of one velcro strip would not stick well. We did have some problems with our cooktop becoming loose from its fittings during travel. We addressed the issue by taping it down with duct tape before traveling. One of the aluminum corner latches was loose. The threads holding the lag bolt were stripped.
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Old 01-13-2007, 07:17 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobRederick View Post
Bill

Re rubber bumpers that the rear shell rests on: I am unable to picture or find what you describe the rear shell coming down against.
They are little gumdrop bumpers, just like the one in the bathroom on the little ledge to the left of the sink - the ledge that the folded wall rests on. I'll take a picture next time the TM is open.
Quote:
I also have outside delamination along the bottom of the front lower shell.
I have this same delamination, except mine is on the front upper shell, below the window and extending across much of the front. The factory blew me off when I asked about it - first time they did that. I was disappointed.

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Old 01-13-2007, 08:53 PM   #9
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The rubber bumpers on my tongue and on the rear bumper supports are flattened out due to the shells riding on them. I should probably replace them, but even replacing them wouldn't stop the latches from coming undone I don't think. Another thing we're having trouble with is the square tubing that holds the shells in place when they're up. The lags that hold them won't stay tight enough so once you walk around in the trailer they all fall down to the position they travel in. I put Lock-Tite on them but that didn't work. I think I'll fill the holes with silicone and then run them back in. Any other suggestions?
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Old 01-14-2007, 12:40 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom View Post
Any other suggestions?
I talked to the factory about my loose lag bolt and they suggested that I either drill out the hole and glue in a dowel and then screw in the lag bolt back in, or that I try a slightly larger lag bolt. They suggested (several times during the conversation) that since the square aluminum corner latch fell down it indicated that the trailer was properly set up and was not putting any stress on the latch.
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