Potential purchase of 1998 TrailManor 3124KS

[emeded]

Hi,
I run into 1998 TrailManor 3124KS in my area and I am debating if I should buy it. They are asking $5000 for it. I looked at it once, just for a short period of time, and not having experience with TM's or any other type of a trailer, do not feel really comfortable buying it. I feel like there are soooo many things that could be broken (fridge, stove, electric, plumbing, bearings etc...) and not sure if I could check all those things. One specific thing that I noticed is that beds do not hing properly. From outside I can see that front left side bed support does not slide all the way out, and same is happening with the rear right side. Does this mean that shells or frame is bend? Is this a big damage?
I plan to go over and do more extensive check using one of the buying checklist I found here on the forum.
I do not think the trailer is worth $5K, but wanted to check with people that know better here at the great TM forum.


Thanks!

 

[gerrym51]

Hi,
I run into 1998 TrailManor 3124KS in my area and I am debating if I should buy it. They are asking $5000 for it. I looked at it once, just for a short period of time, and not having experience with TM's or any other type of a trailer, do not feel really comfortable buying it. I feel like there are soooo many things that could be broken (fridge, stove, electric, plumbing, bearings etc...) and not sure if I could check all those things. One specific thing that I noticed is that beds do not hing properly. From outside I can see that front left side bed support does not slide all the way out, and same is happening with the rear right side. Does this mean that shells or frame is bend? Is this a big damage?
I plan to go over and do more extensive check using one of the buying checklist I found here on the forum.
I do not think the trailer is worth $5K, but wanted to check with people that know better here at the great TM forum.


Thanks!

price a new one then make offer on old one

 

[B_and_D]

If you can find a TM owner in the area to go look at it with you, this would be very helpful. $5K for a 1998 is not a bad price, depending on the condition. The bed support thingeys are not a big deal at all, unless the support arms themselves are bent. When I first bought ours, they regularly popped out until I got them adjusted properly. If you don't know anything about TM's though, the purchase of an older unit can be scary.

Where are you located? Perhaps someone here could help you check it out.

 

[emeded]

If you can find a TM owner in the area to go look at it with you, this would be very helpful. $5K for a 1998 is not a bad price, depending on the condition. The bed support thingeys are not a big deal at all, unless the support arms themselves are bent. When I first bought ours, they regularly popped out until I got them adjusted properly. If you don't know anything about TM's though, the purchase of an older unit can be scary.

Where are you located? Perhaps someone here could help you check it out.

Hi B_and_D,
Thanks for the tip! I am located in Sacramento, CA area. If any Trailmanor owner lives here and would like to help me with looking at it, I would appreciate it. Lunch is on me!
I realize I would not be able to check everything on that trailer, so would like to concentrate on most important/cost intensive repair parts/appliances to check for. What are the most expensive repairs/accessories I should check for proper operations?

Thanks again.

 

[Wavery]

Hi B_and_D,
Thanks for the tip! I am located in Sacramento, CA area. If any Trailmanor owner lives here and would like to help me with looking at it, I would appreciate it. Lunch is on me!
I realize I would not be able to check everything on that trailer, so would like to concentrate on most important/cost intensive repair parts/appliances to check for. What are the most expensive repairs/accessories I should check for proper operations?

Thanks again.

Fridge (on 12v, 110v and propane), water heater, furnace and stove......in that order,

Just face the fact that you will probably have to put on new tires (I recommend installing a lift kit and 15" tires & wheels if it doesn't have them already), have the wheel bearings replaced and battery.....add $1,000 to the $5K and it's still cheap (if it doesn't have wood-rot somewhere).

Ask the owner to set it up and turn the fridge on propane the night before you get there. Ask him to put a bowl of water in the freezer. If it freezes, your good to go on the fridge (on propane)........don't know what to tell you about the 12v and 110v side. If the propane side works, the rest probably does too.

When you get there, have him light the water heater (be sure it is full of water), it either works or it doesn't. You will see the big flame in the chamber, like a rocket taking off.

Have him turn on the furnace. It should work by turning on a switch at the bottom of the thermostat, then turn the thermo up. It will take a few seconds to light. The blower will come on 1st but be sure that it puts out hot air.

Turn on the water pump, run the water and be sure there are no leaks.

Look at the plumbing pipes behind the left front tire and make sure nothing is broken (it will be obvious if it is). Run the water in the sink and let it go down the drain for ~5 minutes. Then look under the trailer, behind the axle to see if the holding tank leaks.

Have the owner show you how to put the trailer up and fold it down several times, until you are comfortable that everything works and fits right (shower walls, entry door etc).

Lastly........don't screw around because if it's a good deal, it will be gone. I just sold a '98 2720 for $8K and could have gotten more. However, the tires, bearings, brakes, batteries ($300 worth) on that trailer was less than a year old. I put down new floors, inverter, converter and A/C all within the last 2 years.

 

[emeded]

Fridge (on 12v, 110v and propane), water heater, furnace and stove......in that order,

Just face the fact that you will probably have to put on new tires (I recommend installing a lift kit and 15" tires & wheels if it doesn't have them already), have the wheel bearings replaced and battery.....add $1,000 to the $5K and it's still cheap (if it doesn't have wood-rot somewhere).

Ask the owner to set it up and turn the fridge on propane the night before you get there. Ask him to put a bowl of water in the freezer. If it freezes, your good to go on the fridge (on propane)........don't know what to tell you about the 12v and 110v side. If the propane side works, the rest probably does too.

When you get there, have him light the water heater (be sure it is full of water), it either works or it doesn't. You will see the big flame in the chamber, like a rocket taking off.

Have him turn on the furnace. It should work by turning on a switch at the bottom of the thermostat, then turn the thermo up. It will take a few seconds to light. The blower will come on 1st but be sure that it puts out hot air.

Turn on the water pump, run the water and be sure there are no leaks.

Look at the plumbing pipes behind the left front tire and make sure nothing is broken (it will be obvious if it is). Run the water in the sink and let it go down the drain for ~5 minutes. Then look under the trailer, behind the axle to see if the holding tank leaks.

Have the owner show you how to put the trailer up and fold it down several times, until you are comfortable that everything works and fits right (shower walls, entry door etc).

Lastly........don't screw around because if it's a good deal, it will be gone.

Thanks for the tips harveyrv. I wish I had a bit more time to get one that you were selling couple of weeks ago.
Anyway, it's not a private seller. It's a dealer. TM was a trade in. He does not know a lot about TM's and did not let us close/open it without his mechanics being on site. Hopefully they will be able to find where to turn all those appliances on.
Now question about wood rot. How can I check for that? Dealer told me that TM was in CA last 6-7 years, and it does have CA license plate, and also seem to be very clean completely rust free on the bottom.

Thanks

 

[Wavery]

Thanks for the tips harveyrv. I wish I had a bit more time to get one that you were selling couple of weeks ago.
Anyway, it's not a private seller. It's a dealer. TM was a trade in. He does not know a lot about TM's and did not let us close/open it without his mechanics being on site. Hopefully they will be able to find where to turn all those appliances on.
Now question about wood rot. How can I check for that? Dealer told me that TM was in CA last 6-7 years, and it does have CA license plate, and also seem to be very clean completely rust free on the bottom.

Thanks

They know how to turn on the appliances.

Check for water stains on the ceilings or walls. Push on the bottom edge of the roofs. They shouldn't give. I doubt they will let you start removing screws...................

If/when you buy it, come back to this forum for help on any issues. There's not much that can't be repaired if you are at all handy.

 

[emeded]

They know how to turn on the appliances.

Check for water stains on the ceilings or walls. Push on the bottom edge of the roofs. They shouldn't give. I doubt they will let you start removing screws...................

If/when you buy it, come back to this forum for help on any issues. There's not much that can't be repaired if you are at all handy.

Thanks harveyrv! I will go today or tomorrow and perform all those test. If I get it I'll post some pics as I go along.

 

[Wavery]

Thanks harveyrv! I will go today or tomorrow and perform all those test. If I get it I'll post some pics as I go along.

The biggest issue that you should take into consideration on that trailer is the tires. If it has a single axle and 14" tires, I would highly recommend installing 15" (load range "D") tires & wheels. If you don't have 15" tires on there now, it will probably require installing a "Lift Kit" between the axle and frame to allow additional clearance for the 15" tires. If it has a dual axle, I'd still install new (load range D) tires (whatever size is recommended) unless the tires are under 3-years-old (check the DOT code on the side of all of the tires).

That's one of the reasons that I recommend checking out the plumbing and holding tank under the trailer. These trailers have a "History" (if you will) of having blow-outs. If a tire blows out, it often takes out the plumbing and damages the holding tank. You may be able to avoid this by being sure of having the highest rated tire that you can put on the trailer.

Many of us have come to the conclusion that the tires that are supplied by the manufacturer may be rated too closely to the actual weight of a fully loaded trailer for camping. Running any piece of equipment, full time, at or above the maximum rating (new) is just asking for trouble.

OH YA!!!! I just thought of another thing that I wanted to mention...............Make sure that the trailer is level when you open it. Being off-level, may be the reason that you were having problems with the bed platforms.

BTW.....I almost hate to ask this but what will you be towing this trailer with? Do you have a Class IV or V hitch with 2" ball? Will your vehicle handle 600# tongue weight? Do you have a 7-pin trailer harness? Do you have a brake controller? (Make sure that the brakes work before you drive away)

 

[emeded]

The trailer is not in such a good shape. It's very worn out, and it seem to me that some work has been done under the trailer, but dealer "does not know anything about it". Also I could not check fridge on gas, and by closer examination, shells seem to be very crooked. Even on level ground, those two bed supports could not be put in place. I passed on it. Will keep looking, but defiantly it will be a TrailManor. Only thing that bugs me is that there are not so many on the West coast. I may be wrong but, it just seem to me that's the case.
Thanks for all good input and tips. I will used them on the next trailer check.

emeded.

 

[emeded]

BTW.....I almost hate to ask this but what will you be towing this trailer with? Do you have a Class IV or V hitch with 2" ball? Will your vehicle handle 600# tongue weight? Do you have a 7-pin trailer harness? Do you have a brake controller? (Make sure that the brakes work before you drive away)

Sorry missed this part before. I plan to use Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's rated on 5000 pounds. It has 4 pin connector, but I have 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 convertors.

 

[Wavery]

Sorry missed this part before. I plan to use Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's rated on 5000 pounds. It has 4 pin connector, but I have 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 convertors.

The FJ Cruiser has a pretty short wheel base for towing that trailer. Check your Owner's Manual to see if you can use a WDH.

You will need to re-wire the FJ Cruiser with a 7-pin wire harness connector. Your 4-pin connector won't work. It doesn't have enough connectors for the brakes Etc..... I can just about guaranty you, if you start messing with converters, you will regret it. They are nothing but problems.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Wiring adaptors

Etrailer,among other places, sells a 7way connector that has a flat four pigtail as one of the inputs. That way you just have to work with the new wires for the brakes, 12v power, and backup lights and you don't have to mess with the four wires you already have.

Search the forum for comments from people who have actually towed a TrailManor with an FJCruiser. I don't recall any members reporting any issues because of the wheelbase. A Weight Distributing Hitch should be considered mandatory for anybody with a wheelbase under 150", in my opinion. It's probably a good idea there, too, because it keeps the trailer from unloading the front wheels, which are real handy for steering and braking.

 

[Wavery]

Etrailer,among other places, sells a 7way connector that has a flat four pigtail as one of the inputs. That way you just have to work with the new wires for the brakes, 12v power, and backup lights and you don't have to mess with the four wires you already have.

Using any kind of adapter in trailer wiring is just inviting problems. Wherever you have a plug in connector (including the trailer harness to TV connector itself) you have a potential for corrosion.

IMHO, all trailer connections are best soldered and heat-shrink tubing used. That way, you only have to be concerned about the trailer connection itself which can be problematic if not cleaned regularly.

If one is going to use butt connectors, these are the best. They have heat shrink right on them and the have a conductive adhesive (like a low-temp solder) in the joint.
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-3M-HEAT-SHRI...365?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5889c8d4fd

 

[Mr. Adventure]

It's hard to argue with better connectors, and soldering is obviously better that any kind of clips or plugs. But I've had excellent results over the last 30 years or so with the connections forward of the trailer hitch as compared with the many problems with the vehicle/trailer connectors and the trailers themselves too, of course.

 

[Wavery]

One more valuable tip.........

Solder the end of the wire before inserting it into the tow vehicle connector...that avoids loose wire strands from touching other connectors. It also makes it a lot easier to finalize connections, helps the screw get a better grip on the wire and avoids corrosion in the connector. Believe it or not, the job will actually go quicker even though the soldering takes a little time. All but eliminates trouble shooting problems with the initial set-up as well as down-the-road issues.

 

[emeded]

Thank you all guys for the valuable tips. I will start prepping my vehicle, so when time comes to buy TM, I will be all set and ready.
Do you think that I would need WDH, for 2619 as well?

 

[Wavery]

Thank you all guys for the valuable tips. I will start prepping my vehicle, so when time comes to buy TM, I will be all set and ready.
Do you think that I would need WDH, for 2619 as well?

The 2619 has over 400# tongue weight as well. The issue is the short WB on your TV. If you tow without a WDH you may have an issue with front wheel lock-up and loss of steering under hard breaking. It could get really ugly on wet roads.

 

[emeded]

The 2619 has over 400# tongue weight as well. The issue is the short WB on your TV. If you tow without a WDH you may have an issue with front wheel lock-up and loss of steering under hard breaking. It could get really ugly on wet roads.

Thanks. Is it necessary to have any trailer sway control as well?

 

[Wavery]

Thanks. Is it necessary to have any trailer sway control as well?

There have been few if any reports on this forum about sway issues with the TM because the axle is mounted so far back and the tongue wt is so high.

If you end up with a 3023 or 3124, a sway bar may not be a bad idea with your short WB. The 2619 or 2720 would be less of an issue. The longer the trailer, the more chance of the possibility of "the tail wagging the dog".