Front shell hanging crooked

[bkncd]

My front shell hangs crooked when the latches are released for expansion. The curb side is higher than the street side. I've also noticed that it's also slightly raised when folded and locked down. Once it's raised and the back shell is raised, it mates fine.

Why does this happen and how to I resolve it? Any help is appreciated.

Kevin

 

[Bill]

The torsion bar that raises the curb side rear corner (on the right on your first photo) is adjusted more or less correctly. The torsion bar that raises the road side rear corner needs to be tightened up. The adjustment is a big bolt, facing upward, under the trailer at the rear edge of the shell and ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE of the trailer from the side you are trying to raise. You will need a big socket wrench to turn the bolt, clockwise to raise the shell. Make each adjustment with the shell fully up, to take the tension off the torsion bar. Work 1/4 turn at a time, checking the result between steps.

 

[rickst29]

Bill's instructions are perfect for raising the amount of pop-up rise on the "street side". A trailer hitch wrench has two ends, one end does fit that bolt - but you might need to extend the handle (by taping it up with a long bar of some kind) in order to turn it. I would do less than 1/4 turn, maybe 1/8. Also check the the bolt and bar are not fully locked against the side of the box enclosure, that would need a more complicated fix. (Maybe stronger replacement bars from the factory, or adding other "lifting struts" as I did. My solution works, but it's ugly and the parts were expensive.)

I would also raise and lower the shell twice after each adjustment before attempting to judge whether the amount of pop-up height is correct (Just one time up and down might not show all of the effects.)

5-7 inches is a good amount. But when you improve the amount of rise on the "street side", the "curb side" rear strut (now around 7 inches) will be doing a smaller share of the work - and that torsion bar might push a bit too high after the opposing bar is made stronger. If it goes past about 7 inches, you should probably loosen it's bolt a tiny bit.

Are the front corners level and roughly the same as the "good" back corner? When closed, the shell's rain seal across the top should be level, without any gaps.

 

[bkncd]

Thanks Bill! Thanks Rick!

I'm current camping at Pedernales Falls State Park in the TM, so I'll try to adjust the shell when I get home on Friday. We had significant Tstorms for about 4 hours overnight and we were without shore power for 12 hours from 2:30am-ish to 2:45pm. The shells were water tight for that deluge.

The front edge also hangs crooked, it's just more exaggerated on the back edge. I did notice when I picked it up from storage that, when folded, there is a gap on the curb side corner where the bag seal meets the back shell. So I was concerned about bug or moisture access through that gap.

The TM stays in covered storage, so I shouldn't have to worry about moisture, but clearly I need to close that gap. I'll post a picture after I shut down for the trip home.

Thanks again!

Kevin

 

[bkncd]

Here's what the shells look like when folded. There's a small gap on the curb side when collapsed




And after release of lock down:

 

[Bill]

Good news! The front shell appears to still have its upward arch! Next step might be to back off a bit on the torsion bar adjustments that lift the high side, and see if that moves things in the correct directions. Remember that the adjusters for the RIGHT side are on the LEFT side of the trailer.

The other possibility is that on one side, the lower end of the lift arms are attached higher on the torsion bar stub ends than on the other side. A quick visual inspection is warranted.

 

[rickst29]

Looking at that 3rd photo "after the release", I suspect that that the weight being added to the street-side rear corner by that solar panel might still need a bit more lifting power added (at the curb side adjustment screw). But it's getting pretty close.

But I'm not sure where a "level" reference is in that 3rd photo "after the release", because the rear shell might also have bit of side to side tilt.

 

[bkncd]

I haven't adjusted it yet, but just realized that the side hanging lower is the side on which the previous owner mounted two 100w solar panels. I am going to mount at least one, and possibly two, 200w panels on the right side and front center of the shell in the next month or so.

I think I'll wait on the adjustment until after the new solar is installed. Any reason I should adjust it before I add the new panels?

 

[Kidkraz]

I defer to others thoughts, but weather was my first thought to your question. If you leave it closed, pitch the front a couple inches higher. That way rain; depending on where ya live; rolls off towards the back bumper and not into the shell seams.

 

[bkncd]

Thanks for the suggestion. It makes sense.

I can fit my TM into my garage, so it isn't an issue when closed. I sprayed a little water on it when it was expanded in the driveway and have camped in two thunderstorms without it leaking, so that's why I've considered waiting on the adjustment. Outside of hanging crooked when the lockdown latches are released, the only gap I see is a slight one on curbside when fully closed.