How hard is it to open and close?

[mcgyver210]

Originally Posted by hillbillyhotel

lol really , i do not get my aarp till aug,
i also have had popups over the yrs, the tm is a breeze next to them, most of time from unhooking from tv to first beer is less then 30 min. faster if dw does it

You will be better off than me since I figure by the time I get old enough nothing will be available including my money I am forced to give the KGB to supplement my old age.

[countrygirl]

My husband turns 65 in June and I am 61. We bought a new 2007 TM in June of 2007. In November hia aortic valve spazzed and he had open heart surgery. The next month I found out I had breast cancer. I had surgery and by March we were camping again. We camped during (between) chemo treatments and also the radiation treatments. When we set up I do the tire chocking we pull out the ends and then and he does the jacks and hook ups and I do the inside; bathroom and kitchen cabinets etc. We sometimes think about a convential light weight TT but due to the price of fuel we do nothing but look and admire. TMs are really very nice but i sometimes miss all the overhead storage so to fix that I bought the used, over the sink cabinet advertized on here...and Tom pics that up on Saturday while I am working along with all the curtains. (YEAH)

I love all the windows in the Trail Manors. I am now predujusticed against campers with tiny windows and wood framing.

We love the Chalet campers and sometimes think of going smaller. If they ever build one about 3 feet longer we will get one. We have been in every model of the Chalet XL and when one of us dies...the other will difinitely get a Chalet.

[Brittany Dogs]

Thought for a quick second there the thread title was spam

Thanks for all of your replies. I certainly will try to find a unit nearby to experiment on. The trick being these babies are scarce as hens teeth.

Finding one within my budget will be even harder. I started out looking for used pop ups at $4-5K. Now I could easily triple that amount.

I fiddled around thinking about a 2004 2619 at $7950. It's now gone.

We have several friends with large TTs and everytime they are in our TM, they always have the same comment " I wish ours had half as many large bright windows. Make a setup / takedown checklist and run thru it the first few times. If the TM is close to level and the torsion bars are adjusted properly, you should be able to open / close with one hand.

We first saw a TM at a show. My wife would not buy it until they allowed her to pop the shells open and close them. She was 55 at the time and had very bad knees.

I am right handed. I can open and close the shells with just my left hand.

It is a bit difficult to close one side of the upper front shell. The torsion bars are adjusted a little too tight. I'm too lazy to readjust them.

My daughter (32) at 140 pounds can not bounce hard enough to close that side. But she can close the other size. Closing a TM is one of the few situations in life where weight is an advantage.

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

Closing a TM is one of the few situations in life where weight is an advantage.

Then I should have no problem at all.

Originally Posted by Drews60

Then I should have no problem at all.

I have no trouble because I am a little short for my width.

Originally Posted by countrygirl

We have been in every model of the Chalet XL and when one of us dies...the other will difinitely get a Chalet.

Well, girlfriend, we want you both to be around for a very very long time so just forget that little Chalet!!

Glad you both are going strong and camping TM style!!

Karen

[countrygirl]

Originally Posted by klv5920

Well, girlfriend, we want you both to be around for a very very long time so just forget that little Chalet!!

Glad you both are going strong and camping TM style!!

Karen

Thanks! We will be here I think for a long time! We both are now doing well.