Maiden Voyage-now questions?

[Padgett]

and don't forget to use the stirrups to help latch. Sometime I need to push in a bit while latching. I usually close in stages, almost all of the way down on both sides first, then the rest of the way to latch. If one side is high then the other may not latch properly.

Also if adjusted to be easy to open, sometime that makes it harder to close, it is a trade.

[Bailey'sMom]

Also make sure the main latches (the ones with the stirrups) are in the correct position and open. If the latch is in the closed position, it can be difficult to latch. I had read about this from someone else, and then experienced myself. It really does make a difference.

[rvcycleguy]

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Also make sure the main latches (the ones with the stirrups) are in the correct position and open. If the latch is in the closed position, it can be difficult to latch. I had read about this from someone else, and then experienced myself. It really does make a difference.

Very true. The main latches are located in an area that is prone to road grime and the spring loaded latch can get stuck and may not spring open when the latch bar comes down on it when closing the roofs. There are 2 bolts there that allow for some adjustment as well.

[LoveToCamp]

"4 silver looking latches you put into a little notch on all four corners"

Are you talking about the slide-latches on the inside of the TM? One on each near corner of the beds? Those keep the beds in place, and prevent someone from sliding the beds "closed", or lifting the ends of the beds. Good idea to have those latches latched if you leave the TM, and you are in a public campground.

[tlindstrand]

Thanks again, I think I will have to adjust torsion bars. The latches though, I'm talkin about the ones when its open. They are silver and you swing them up into a little notch, I could only get 3 of the 4 into the notch, I didn't want to force those, any advice on getting those secured?

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by tlindstrand

Thanks again, I think I will have to adjust torsion bars. The latches though, I'm talkin about the ones when its open. They are silver and you swing them up into a little notch, I could only get 3 of the 4 into the notch, I didn't want to force those, any advice on getting those secured?

Ok, I understand now. Sometimes you have to move the shell a bit, push/pull on the lifting arm closest to the silver bar to align the pin with the hole. You may have to push in/pull out on the shell a little. If it is to far off, this will be in the fore/aft direction there is an adjustment behind the plastic cover on the lifting arm closest to the bar giving you the problem. It is called a pocket stop and is used to limit the lift arm travel in the vertical position. There is a procedure for adjusting this in the tech section; from what I remember you make the adjustment with the shell in the closed position. Only make small adjustments. You will be moving a bolt in or out and it has a locking or jam nut to keep the bolt from turning. TM has a name for the bar also.

[tentcamper]

Originally Posted by tlindstrand

Thanks again, I think I will have to adjust torsion bars. The latches though, I'm talkin about the ones when its open. They are silver and you swing them up into a little notch, I could only get 3 of the 4 into the notch, I didn't want to force those, any advice on getting those secured?

Our Tm did required a little fwd aft pushing to get all these latches in the right place when we got it. All of mine were off, with one by about 1/2 inch. I now have it so 3 are dead on and only one is off by 1/8" and some day I will re-adjust that one.

Ideally all 4 latches should come up and hole is right on the pins without pushing the shell fwd/aft and just pushing in on the side a little. In the pocket of the raised shell there is an adjustment bolt on each side of the shell. It's on the end on the arms closest to the rear for the rear shell, and closest to the front on the front shell. You can only see the adjustment bolt when you lower the shell and you look from underneath.

I used a 7/16 wrench to tightened the bolt if that side of the shell went to far. You loosen if it did not travel far enough. I needed to spray the bolts with WD40 and let it sit about an hour before I could adjust.

You should be able to pull up the shell and pull it all the way back or forward and then go to these latch and move them up onto the pins with out pushing the shell fwd/aft. You will need to push in on the shell a little.

The door side is the most important to have the latch and pin alignment with out pushing fwd/aft to get the latch on the pin. This is because it maintains good door aliment. It's okay push in a little on the side. So do the door side first.

The ratio with the play to bolt depth for me was about 1:1. What I would do is move the bolt until you went to far then back it off until you are right on. It is a lot of up and down with the shell to get it right.

I found that after I adjust the shell, it needed minor readjustment after it was used a few times. It stabilized with the same alignment every time, after the second adjustment.

I us a self-storing sewer hose available from Camco. It stores in brackets mounted to the bed side of my F150.

I've learned that usually if my TM won't close properly there is a good reason-I just have to find it. So I do not " force" it. The only exception is when I know I have too much bedding and I really have to build up some "momentum" or as Padgett suggests "in stages" to get the closure to catch properly. But this is due to the bedding hitting the ceiling, so it is understandable.