Setting up the TM every couple days

Craigrrr

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Posts
770
Does anyone travel for a couple days and then set up their TM, then take down and then repeat in a couple days?

I am wondering how well the TM will hold up doing that with the every couple of days up and down etc... Seems like the wardrobe and bathroom walls will need repair pretty soon . Or new latches ,hinges etc...

I am going to be doing the rails to trails in every state that I can visit and it will be a lot of one night stays or 2 night stays then drive away to the next location and set up
 
Craig -

I had a 2002 TM, and we did a lot of one-night stands. I replaced it with the 2006 TM which we still have, and we do even more one night stands. Exercising it does not seem to be a problem. Sort of like "working the grease" into my arthritic elbow, exercise seems to do it good.

Just my observation.

Enjoy the rails-to-trails outings. They have always been a lot of fun for us. Will you hike them, or bike?

Bill
 
We did basically that on our 3 week Texas->Vermont->Texas trip last year. I prefer to stay longer in one spot but time constraints and reluctance to drive more than 4 or 5 hours a day meant that was going to be the plan. I have had one of the center hold down latches fail but that is the only failure we've had of the putting up / taking down systems.
 
I am wondering how well the TM will hold up doing that with the every couple of days up and down etc... Seems like the wardrobe and bathroom walls will need repair pretty soon . Or new latches ,hinges etc...

There is an upgrade/mod to the wardrobe hinge: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Liberty-...de-2-Pack-D80618C-ZP-W/202200644#.UBFkO6OWjz0

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showpost.php?p=96694&postcount=14

Excessive bouncing of the TM and overloading of the wardrobe are the primary culprits.
 
We've done that for the last 5 years, spend a few nights up to a week then move on. We do this for 6 to 8 months. No problems with the metal parts but the bathroom wall didn't have washers under the screws and some pulled through the plastic. Added washers to the wardrobe before it became a problem.

A few adjustments to the lift system and latches have been required.
Had one door come apart but wood glue and clamp fixed that.

Biggest failure for us was the swing hitch, gap kept getting larger and frame cracks. That's been welded shut and some additional gussets added.
 
Set Ups

Make a list of necessary steps needed to set up and or tear down the TM. This makes the process less stressful, especially for newbies.
 
We do normally only stay anywhere for 2-3 day and move on. About 2-3 times a year we do one nighters leaving the TV attached. The only thing that we noticed related to the amount of how often the roof is lifted is; On the driverside there develops a curved dark mark as the front shell swings down on the rear shell. I think it is from the the door seals. We need to more often scrub the mark off then if we did longer stays.

Otherwise no issues.
 
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We do normally only stay anywhere for 2-3 day and move on. About 2-3 times a year we do one nighters leaving the TV attached. The only thing that we noticed related to the amount of how often the roof is lifted is; On the driverside there develops a curved dark mark as the front shell swings down on the rear shell. I think it is from the the door seals. We need to more often scrub the mark off then if we did longer stays.

Otherwise no issues.

So you do not have to unhook from the tow vehicle ? interesting, how about with a suburban and say a 3023 or 2720 model? I was under the impression it had to be removed , but if it can stay attached it would make the one nighters much easier. SO if anyone has a suburban and pics of theirs opened up while attached would be appreciated as well.
thanks
 
During our cross country trips, we often stay hooked up overnight. It helps to ask for a level campsite as you check in, and to get the tow vehicle lined up straight with the trailer. It is possible to do some fore-and-aft levelling of the trailer while hooked up. Releasing the WDH springbars will drop the nose an inch or two. Or the tongue jack can raise the nose an inch or two.

We had a 2002 Explorer, and then a 2007 Explorer. With both, we could leave it hooked up, and still open the upper half of the tailgate - the glass, in other words. We now have a 2014 F-150. We can stay hooked up, and can (barely) open the tailgate.

To some extent, it will depend on the length of the shank on your WDH. A short shank makes it less likely that you can open the tailgate or lift gate.

Bill
 
My only problem related to frequent use is the bathroom wall hinge screws keep coming loose. If I remember, I will get some longer than the ¾" screws it was originally assembled with. Bad angles, and not enough bite into material (they mostly are screwed between the inner foam and the outer wall, so no real seating of the threads) have allowed them to come loose way too often.

I can open my TM while still hitched. I back the TM into the driveway for prepping for a trip, and leave the Jeep attached. If the TM is open (normally is, for trip prep), I can only open the liftgate half way, but it is no problem. I can still put things in. I just put a rag between my liftgate and the TM, so there is no paint being swapped.
 
So you do not have to unhook from the tow vehicle ? interesting, how about with a suburban and say a 3023 or 2720 model? I was under the impression it had to be removed , but if it can stay attached it would make the one nighters much easier. SO if anyone has a suburban and pics of theirs opened up while attached would be appreciated as well.
thanks


No we don't have to detach. The front shell does not go past the front of the tongue. The picture on my post, the camper is attached it was a one-nighter. Now if I can not pull in with the TV and camper square to each other i can not leave it attached.

Blocking up the camper can be fun. At times you have to block up the back of the TV, or block up both wheels of the camper to get the camper level front to back with the ball height already define by the hitch ball. You can use the tongue jack or release the WDH springs to rise /lower the front of the camper maybe 2" while attached to the TV. Other wise you need to block up the TV or camper if not level front to back. In the attached picture I put down the tongue jack and raised the camper's tongue and rear of the TV by about an inch.
 
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No we don't have to detach. The front shell does not go past the front of the tongue. The picture on my post, the camper is attached it was a one-nighter. Now if I can not pull in with the TV and camper square to each other i can not leave it attached.

Blocking up the camper can be fun. At times you have to block up the back of the TV, or block up both wheels of the camper to get the camper level front to back with the ball height already define by the hitch ball. You can use the tongue jack or release the WDH springs to rise /lower the front of the camper maybe 2" while attached to the TV. Other wise you need to block up the TV or camper if not level front to back. In the attached picture I put down the tongue jack and raised the camper's tongue and rear of the TV by about an inch.


Thanks, I am so looking forward to owning a TM.
 
We have a Chevrolet Duramax Diesel old in years and youngish in miles for a diesel. We do one night stays every years enroute to Missouri. This truck has a full size Leer Topper on it and we can open the back window of the topper while hooked up to our 3124ks and retrieve our tire chocks and leveling blocks with no problem.

BTW..wbmiller3..........I dream of traveling only 4 to 5 hundred miles a day
 
Glad to hear that the TM can stay attached for the one nighters!!!
 

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