Cannot fully open lower shell

dmmerritt · 05-01-2020, 02:06 PM

If the torsion bars are not correctly adjusted could this cause the under shell to not open fully? Our 2015 2134 rear shell will not open up the last 4 inches. We thought it was a problem with leveling and have tried to level it better - but that did not do the trick. I know we have opened it up in some pretty un-level sights and never had this problem. It seems like the upper shell has a little more room over the lower shell on the driver side but this doesn't seem to change much with our leveling activities. The lift bar for the back is not actually becoming perpendicular to the ground - can't figure out why not. Have not had any problems like this in past and just set it up about 4 weeks ago. We are setting it up in our driveway (thank goodness not at a park) to do some maintenance. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Missy Merritt

**Bill** · 05-02-2020, 11:00 AM

MIssy -

I see you haven't gotten an answer yet, so let me toss something into the thread. Larry, let us know if I am mis-interpreting your post.

The photo below is from one of Larry's albums. In the middle of the photo, you see one of the torsion bars rising up from the bottom of the photo toward the middle. The bar bends to the right in the photo, then the end pokes through the "cage" and out the other side. (The "cage" is actually a short section of square steel tube.) On both sides of the cage, there is a big flat washer, then a shiny stainless steel screw clamp. The washer and clamp keep the end of the torsion bar properly placed in the cage, keeping it from slipping too far into or out of the cage. (The big hexagonal bolt head is the tension adjusting bolt. Don't worry about it for now.)

I think Larry's post says that on his TM, the stainless steel clamp had slipped off the end of one of the bars, and the bar slipped back halfway out of the cage. This is a big problem, since it allows the bar to twist out of line. It gets to be a real problem if the bar slips all the way out of the cage, as it can then slam around uncontrolled.

It is possible that this same thing has happened on your TM, causing the rear shell to get crooked enough that it won't close properly. To see if that is the case, all you have to do is get down on your knees and look under the TM, at all the cages. There are 8 of them, four in front and four in the back. Incidentally, from under the camper, the torsion bars (8 of them) look like long metal rods, approx 1/2 inch diameter, running across the entire width of the trailer. They are painted black, and probably kind of rusty. One end of each is bent, inserted into and through a cage, and washered and clamped on both sides of the cage. Check all 8 - if the stainless clamp is missing on any of them, it will be obvious.

Finally, if all 8 bars are properly clamped in their cages, I doubt that mis-adjustment of the big hexagonal bolt would be enough to cause the problem you are seeing. The shell might be difficult to lift (or lower) but it wouldn't be out of position.

Let us know what you find.

Bill

dmmerritt · 05-02-2020, 12:55 PM

Bill,

Thanks for the reply. We looked at all the cages - I will try posting a picture. they are a little different than Larry's post, as they have washer and clamp which all seem to be intact. We are wondering about the rear torsion bar, as that is the lift that really seems like it just won't go the last bit to become perpendicular. After we lubricated where the torsion bars cross we got another inch or so further out with the back shell. But, should these tension bars actually touch like they are? I wonder if one of them is bent. I am trying to attach photo of the back tension bars. We are clearly in over heads, if that is the case.

Thanks for any insight you have,
Missy

**Bill** · 05-02-2020, 03:00 PM

Missy -

I don't think that having a pair of torsion bars touch as they cross is a problem.

In your first picture (_9547) it looks like the bar is bent a few degrees, down at the bottom of the picture, in the shiny area. Or is this a trick of the camera angle? Or is it the beginning of the right angle bend at one of the ends of the torsion bar? Can't quite tell.

Torsion bars are enormously hard to bend. It could be done, I suppose, if the TM was moving over a woods road and the bar caught on a rock. But I'm inclined to think we are looking in the wrong area.

Something, somewhere is dragging or binding as the shell goes up. You have pretty well examined the sides of the rear shell, inside and out, as it goes up and down. It is OK to grab one of the sidewalls and pull it outward a bit as the shell goes up. If anything is binding in that area, moving the sidewall should uncover it. Similarly, it is OK to grab one of the white vertical lift arms and move it toward or away from the trailer body as you slowly raise the shell. BE CAREFUL - THERE ARE SOME HORRIBLE PINCH POINTS IN THIS AREA !

I think you have said that the outside of the rear roof isn't impacting or scraping the inside of the front roof. In the overlap area, the bag seals should touch, and be compressed a bit. But there should be no solid contact.

I can't think of any way the rear bed supports could interfere with opening the rear shell.

If you get inside and push the rear shell toward the rear, does that help at all?

Your post says

Quote:

Our 2015 2134 rear shell will not open up the last 4 inches.

Is this 4 vertical inches, or 4 horizontal inches?

I'm running out of ideas. Wish I could examine it.

BTW, you did a good job getting the pictures posted as PDFs. You should be able to do exactly the same thing with the pictures in jpeg format, which is probably how they come out of the camera. As you have probably discovered, there is a how-to-do-it tutorial in the Technical Library forum here.
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...ad.php?t=16117

Bill

**Larryjb** · 05-02-2020, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmmerritt

If the torsion bars are not correctly adjusted could this cause the under shell to not open fully? Our 2015 2134 rear shell will not open up the last 4 inches. We thought it was a problem with leveling and have tried to level it better - but that did not do the trick. I know we have opened it up in some pretty un-level sights and never had this problem. It seems like the upper shell has a little more room over the lower shell on the driver side but this doesn't seem to change much with our leveling activities. The lift bar for the back is not actually becoming perpendicular to the ground - can't figure out why not. Have not had any problems like this in past and just set it up about 4 weeks ago. We are setting it up in our driveway (thank goodness not at a park) to do some maintenance. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Missy Merritt

Hi Missy, sorry I haven't been on for a couple of days.

If everything opened up normally in the past, I'd look for something binding. I'd probably look inside the pocket stops when the shells closed. Do you know that the pocket stops are? I'll try to find a picture of mine later, or you can look in my album for the pocket stops and take a picture of yours so we can see them. There may have been something that got inside there to prevent it from opening the last 4 inches.

I just saw this just before my lunch so I've gotta eat now, but I thought I'd leave this for you to consider.

At this time, I wouldn't suspect anything with the torsion bars themselves.

dmmerritt · 05-02-2020, 05:09 PM

Bill,

Thanks again for the advice. I think you are right about the torsion bars - I can actually move them so they are not binding somehow. We tried putting silicone on the "pillows" where the front meets the back - as we thought maybe that was where the binding was occurring (this was a suggestion from a FB post). I think you are right that something is binding and not letting the rear shell travel the last 3 - 4 horizontal inches. In the pictures I attached, ( I'll try to leave them in jpg) this is as far as the rear shell will go. You can see how the lever arm is just not quite perpendicular (or parallel to the front lever arm - in the other picture). We will try your suggestions and let you know.

Appreciate you sharing your expertise,
Missy

**Larryjb** · 05-02-2020, 05:19 PM

Missy, something is blocking your shell from opening. I know my rear shell seems to bind ever so slightly just at the end. I've not figured out why, but I know something is binding in mine as well.

Here's a picture of the pocket stop, looking from underneath the trailer. This is where the lift arm goes into the upper shell:
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...pictureid=1908

Take pictures the the pocket 4 pocket stops for the shell that does not open fully and post them here. Maybe we will be able to see something. Also, is it possible some one tinkered around with the pocket stop bolt for one of the lift arms? They are exposed when the trailer is closed.

**Larryjb** · 05-02-2020, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmmerritt

Bill,

Thanks again for the advice. I think you are right about the torsion bars - I can actually move them so they are not binding somehow. We tried putting silicone on the "pillows" where the front meets the back - as we thought maybe that was where the binding was occurring (this was a suggestion from a FB post). I think you are right that something is binding and not letting the rear shell travel the last 3 - 4 horizontal inches. In the pictures I attached, ( I'll try to leave them in jpg) this is as far as the rear shell will go. You can see how the lever arm is just not quite perpendicular (or parallel to the front lever arm - in the other picture). We will try your suggestions and let you know.

Appreciate you sharing your expertise,
Missy

Also, go inside your trailer and look for anything that's binding between the rear and front shell. Look especially by the door side. Something has gotten caught somewhere. Don't force it open though!

rmHaar · 05-03-2020, 08:45 AM

Stupid question, but your shower curtain isn't caught under the wall panel is it?

dmmerritt · 05-03-2020, 03:15 PM

Larry and Bill,

Thank you a million times!!!! It seems this large bolt (or whatever it is) was jammed in the pocket on the front door side rear pocket. Does it look like something that belongs to something internal to the TM? or should we just chalk it up to something that wedged in there from some random highway debris? It took some pliers to get it out of there as it was really wedged in there. But, after removal the rear shell pulled out easily to full length. Now, we can get to the maintenance we planned to do! Thank you again. We would not have figured that out without you guys!

Missy