Purchasing new 2720SL - Recomendations for additions at the dealer

[Compac Camper]

Hello - We are going to take delivery of our new TM in 2 weeks. I have some of the standard options (air, cabinets, awning) however, would you current owners recommend a deep cycle marine battery (dealership could install before we get the TM) and what about any others, such as electric jack, or others we could request prior to taking delivery. In other words, if you were buying a new one, what would you request in addition to the standard option list?

Also - I was looking for the check list for the walk-thru that has been mentioned on the site. I have not been able to see it yet. Can someone provide that thread. And - I have really appreciated this site, many helpful owners. Very similar to the Compac Yacht owners site for the small light sail boats that can be garaged, towed, etc. similar to the TM's. They will make a good pair at the lake for us and can both fit in the garage!

Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[Compac Camper]

Thanks a bunch Texas Camper. The Manual is very detailed, and a must for those about to go get one of these for the first time, and the list doesn't alarm me, but the dealer should be ready to spend some time with us on delivery day!

Thanks again.

 

[MarknMaqhi]

We just purchased a 2007 2720SL a li'l over a month ago.

Go with the power jack... you will not be sorry. We also got the overhead cabinets... love those for light stuff and food items we do not store when we close down after a trip.

Also have the 17" LCD and DVD player... though we weren't looking for such at the time, it really has been nice to have for cold/rainy evenings when we have to stay in... it is nice to pop in a movie and relax. Perhaps not worth the $1.4k they ask... but we were lucky and it was not an issue in our price, we definitely like it.

 

[meriflower]

We don't have a TM but ordered our Hi-Lo with a power jack. It is a little bit more money but after years of cranking by hand it is a nice option to have and one we would recommend.

 

[Bill & Lisa]

If you use an equalizer Weight distributing hitch you will appreciate the electric tongue jack - and continue to appreciate it every time you hook up.

Bill

 

[mtnguy]

OK, I am apparently not following something here.

Why does an electric tongue jack help if you have a WDH?? I have a WDH, but don't use it when hooking up.

My current tongue jack is super easy to use. I spin it with my finger to lower it until it touches ground, and then it spins easy with just a little arm power. Same with raising it....once it is off the ground, a finger spin will do raise it to the stop. Each step takes less than a minute.....unless I am fine tuning to level the TM.

Maybe the newer jacks that TM uses are harder to work???

mtnguy

 

[mjlaupp]

mtnguy,
The 'Equalizer' WDH hookup requires that you use the trailer jack to lift the rear of the TV with the trailer attached so you can put the spring/sway bars into the brackets on the trailer. The suggested trial height is 5 inches or more as needed. At this point you are probably lifting 1500 lbs or more with the jack. If I had this brand, I would want the electric jack also.
Mike

 

[mtnguy]

OK, now I understand. I didn't know that some other WDHs required you to lift the TV and TM to install the chain. I have a Reese system, and it has a bar that you use to lift the chains into place.

If I were lifting 1500 lbs. or so, I believe that I would want the electric jack also. There is a big difference between that and the 350 lbs or so that I max out lifting.

Thanks for the replies,
mtnguy

 

[Compac Camper]

Thanks for the info but now another WDH and Pilot story

Thanks to all for your very helpfull information regarding my "additions at the dealer" question for our new 2720SL, which is now less than 2 weeks away - I will upgrade the battery (I like the thread Bill provided regarding the dual golfcart batteries) and all of the rest of them, and including the WDH. Now, here's where I have to confess I too have "the Pilot" (06). And that leads to the WDH, which I have done some resarch with using one on this vehicle. My owners manual says "Not recommended for use with this vehicle...." and the implication is that if you do not adjust it properly, you can experience handling, braking problems. Now - we all know that the whole purpose of the WDH is to achieve the opposite - that is to stablize the vehicle by putting energy latterly into the frame of the trailer and into the "frame" of the TV and ultimately put a downward force on the front axle of the TV. There's the kicker - with my Pilot, I really don't have a "frame". The body is sitting on essentially rails, that are built WITH the body (Unit body). I've known this before I bought it. It is the reason for good gas mileage, great ride, etc. I can pull my boats all day long, because of Low Tounge Weights. But with the TM and other TT's you have higher tounge weights and thus the problem and the need for a WDH. Now I called my dealer and finally American Honda and they told me that I will VOID my warranty if I use one (if it is determined that caused any damage). My question for all out there - Since I'm using a TV with a Unibody structure, and not a body mounted to a frame, and if I use the WDH, where is that weight being transferred - that is some may be moving down the sub-frames of the Vehicle, but isn't some being transferred into the body itself, and how much downword force is finally being applied to the front axle of the Pilot to really do any good? - Sorry for the long thread

 

[Freedom]

We bought an electric jack at the last RV show we went to. It was a "Show Special" a 3000 lb jack for less than I was considering paying for a 2000 lb, so we came home with a jack. . . I haven't installed it yet because there's no need for it to sit out in the cold until next year. I have wanted an electric jack ever since we got the TM because the original is kind of bent and hard to crank when lifting the back end of the Jimmy to flip the chain hooks up. I guess I'm getting old, but after two hernia surgeries and a herniated disk and knee surgery I don't want to put any more pressure on the old bod than necessary.

 

[mac_falls]

Timbren SES

Added Timbren SES to my 1998 Windstar before last years towing season, made ALL the difference in the world on how it tows & handles. Check it out at www.timbren.com, could not be happier!!!!

 

[Bill]

And that leads to the WDH. I have done some research with using one on this vehicle. My owners manual says "Not recommended for use with this vehicle...." and the implication is that if you do not adjust it properly, you can experience handling, braking problems.

If you DON'T have a WDH, you can experience handling and braking problems, because the tongue weight of the trailer takes weight off the front wheels of the tow vehicle. Since the front end of the tow vehicle does all of the steering and most of the braking, unweighting it can indeed cause the problems described. A WDH can only help this situation, not make it worse.

There's the kicker - with my Pilot, I really don't have a "frame". The body is sitting on essentially rails, that are built WITH the body (Unit body).

Yup, that's the problem with unibody vehicles. The WDH exerts a torque (twisting force) on the body, which put a downward twist into the "frame". In other words, it tries to bend the middle of the vehicle down toward the ground. Imagine that you put a pair of wheelbarrow handles on the rear of the tow vehicle, and lifted them. Does the lifting force bend the "frame" between the rear and front wheels, dropping the belly of the vehicc toward the ground? Or is the "frame" rigid enough that the lifting force shifts weight directly to the front wheels? A true frame is rigid enough to do the latter. A unibody may bend, which would put wrinkles in the sheet metal since the sheet metal is part of the load bearing structure. This is a force that was not planned in the design of the unibody.

Does that make sense? Hope so.

Bill

 

[Compac Camper]

WDH - Pilot

Thanks Bill and others for the replys - and yes that does make sense. The new 2720SL I just purchased this past weekend will be towed on weekends and for shorter distances - but I think will be looking next year for a new TV for the TM. We will keep the Pilot for my wife and kidos for safety and all the rest, and for pulling the boats. But I do think that a larger TV with a frame is the way to go with TT towing. But for this summer - we will watch it with the Pilot.

Thanks for the input.