What's wrong with TrailManor?

[Bill & Lisa]

One more thing to add to what the others have said. The bed with the most restrictive access is the rear bed, where you have basically the width of the hallway as an opening to the bed. If you get a 3124 or 3326 that bed is a king size bed which is large enough for the occupants to sleep with their heads against the rear wall instead of to one side or the other. This would (theoretically leave the center open for either one to get out or in without climbing over the other. Now if one of the sleepers tends to sprall and take all available space, well, all bets are off.

During the day both the front and back beds remain beds and can be used to stow gear. only the couchs or the dinette pull double duty as a bed and something else.

The bathroom is about as private as you can get and with the exhaust fan running provides enough noise to mask any sounds made while conducting buisness, even if DH is in the bed next to it. It is bigger than the one I currently have in my 5th wheel although my shower is outside the throne room it has no privacy from the main bedroom occupant (only from the guests in the living room

Besides the weight issue I did not care for the Hi-Lo as you had to be in the largest floor plans to get a full time bed (that didn't do double duty as something else).

Hope this helps.

 

[ng2951]

The king bed is actually quite nice. It is almost like having a second room. There is a privacy curtain that blocks view of the bed.

We have two small dogs (dacshund and a 20# mutt) and they sleep with us in the bed, with room left over.

One of the nice things about the 3124 and 3326 is storage under the king bed. Its big. It makes a nice club house for tikes if you are hauling any along.

The outside storage is just as deep as the internal storage, though not quite as wide. It is large I am able to stow my Yamaha 2400IS in the bay, along with all the other necessary trailer support gear.

Also these larger TMs have more storage space in the counters than other TMs.

One two other things we discovered about the TM:

1. The older easy chair has storage under the chair. We use that for additional blankets and shoes.

2. Let the couch down into it bed mode, and put pillows on for back support. This makes the couch much larger and comfortable and still does not cramp floor space. This is also a plus when I decide to nap on the couch because the dacshund insists on napping with me. If is purely in couch mode, its a tight fit for me!

 

[robertkennel]

toilet

There are four of us camping, we change the toilet water every night so odor is never an issue. (We do add sanitizer) The recirc toilet shouldn't be an issue to anyone not to buy a TM. The A/C noise isn't that bad, it's just fan noise. We have the low profile unit. Before the TM we stayed at Marriot hotels and my wife is fine with the TM, no more hoteling it for us. Robert

 

[ED-n-KEL]

One comment I picked up somewhere is that some people might have a difficult time opening it up if they are not strong enough. My wife is 5' 2" and
is not known for toughness or strength. I'm wondering if she would be able
to open up a TM trailer. How much energy or muscle does it actually take?
I know this is a subjective question; but can you give some idea. How would
it compare with lifting a garage door that is on springs?

My wife is also 5'2" and has had major back surgery, and can easily open the TM by herself, with no help from anyone.

 

[PopBeavers]

When we looked at TMs at a show, my wife would not by it unless she was able to pop it open and close it. The dealer had one there for just that purpose and she did fine.

I had the support system adjusted while under warranty, and it is a little too tight I think. It is now easier to open than it is to close. My 28 year old daughter can open it but can not close it. She is 5 foot 4 and weighs about 115 pounds. That is not heavy enough to stand in the stirrup and bounce it closed, at least on mine. At 220 pounds I have no trouble closing it.

 

[ng2951]

I will add on the bathroom issue potty toddies help quite a bit. Also the seal at the bottom of the bowl does not always seal well, and that can be a problem too.

With two people you can expect the toilet to get pretty full by day 4 or 5.

As far as opening or closing, I certainly need to get mine adjusted. However, I cannot find a dealer anywhere close. The last dealer in Louisiana just dropped TM earlier this year, but they at least have mechanics that can do the adjustment (about $75 they think). I have no problem opening and closing the rear shell. The front shell with the A/C mounted on top is the issue.

The other problem is the front slideout. One of the locks grabbed the floor, so I have a tile to replace now. The front slideout is always difficult, but a few TM owners have told me they remove them since they are more trouble than they are worth. What is needed are two marks on the front guide when the slideout is in position.

The fridge is always problematic. It can cool OK, but on the road its performance is abysmal. On hot days it warms to nearly 50 and then can go back to freezing after the sun drops low enough. Oddly the freezer thens to keep things frozen but the cold section will swing wildly between near freezing to 50. If it were safe enough to run on propane while on the road, I would do that rather than run it on battery, but no one who can be held accountable for problems will say it is safe to do so.

The a/c has got to be the noisiest critter in creation. Even on low it is charitable to say it is only a little less loud. The thermostat has a mind of its own (yes had it checked) and I suspect the compressor thermostat is probably the culprit (whole system was checked).

What TM should do is put two smaller units on the TM fore and aft. This would allow for quieter a/cs and maybe less power draw at night. Also the weight on the shells would be less and easier to lift.

How noisy is the a/c? We had someone running a contractor grade 4500W generator about 10 feet away. While we could still hear the generator over the din of the a/c, no one had trouble sleeping through the night. You never could hear the Yamaha 2400IS (super quiet) sitting under the trailer over the racket of the a/c and the 4500W genset!

 

[AstroBruce]

I always like Happy Hour. All my friends are sitting outside sipping their favorite beverage. I am picking up loose screws off the floor, fixing broken cabinet hinges, and replacing fallen pieces of trim. I guess it is all part of the TM setup time.

 

[robertkennel]

The refrigerator to me is the weakest link on the trailer. Even with the refrig fan on all day it doesn't perform well. I would like to just put a good 110volt only electric refrigerator in and use an ice chest while traveling. Robert

 

[PopBeavers]

There are only two problems with the fridge:

1. it is small
2. it does not work well when the sun is beating on the back side of the fridge and the outside temperature is in the 90s.

Otherwise the fridge performs flawlessly.

 

[B_and_D]

I love our frig; we've never had any problems with it , even in 95 degree + heat in the middle of an asphalt RV park. It's one of my favorite things in the TM, although sometimes I wish it was bigger. Maybe the older ones work better than the new ones.

 

[rumbleweed]

I added a small computer fan in the top fridge vent and can freeze lettuce in the fridge when it is 95 outside on #4. As far as all the other comments, my thoughts are the TM is not perfect you are making a trade off which should be part of your decision. It does not have the advantages of a $350K motor home but it can be pulled with a reasonably equipped vehicle and will fit in your garage. Your options for camping/traveling go from a one man backpacking tent to a 50Ft Motorhome. Your decision needs to be based on what meets your requirements and resources.

 

[Al-n-Sue]

And it should be pointed out that the fridge in the TM is the same fridge that is found on most folding trailers, and runs on the same principle (absorption) as those in large TT and MH. So it is not an issue with the TM - it is an issue with RVs in general.

 

[robertkennel]

With the drapes closed, 85 temp outside, refrig fan on all day, setting on 5, 110 volt selected, the inside frig temp stays at about 50. At night the refrig works well. I know TM doesn't make the refrig, but I also know a conventional refrig will probably give better results. For me I don't need 3 different ways to make cold because I like staying with full hookups. Maybe using the gas setting might give better results. I also realize opening the door during the day doesn't help. An extra cooling fan on the top refrig vent sounds like what I need. Thanks for the idea Bob. Robert

 

[ED-n-KEL]

I also realize opening the door during the day doesn't help.

In all the years of tent camping we never had a refrigerator, so this seems like a great luxury. We usually used at least two ice chests; one for drinks and the other for groceries (meat, eggs, milk, etc).
I would assume that you would now use the TM's frig as the 2nd ice chest..for meat, eggs, etc. If so, it seems ideally you would only open the frig in the TM twice a day... once to cook breakfast and again to cook dinner. Even if you're staying in camp all day, I can't imagine not using an ice chest for drinks since you're grabbing them all day long, especially with kids. Am I assuming too much?

 

[ng2951]

…TM is the same fridge that is found on most folding trailers, and runs on the same principle (absorption) as those in large TT and MH. So it is not an issue with the TM - it is an issue with RVs in general…

I do not know enough either way about this fridge. I have two issues with it:

1. It will stay cool during the day, not cold. If adding a 12-volt fan would do the job, I will add one.

2. When running the fridge on 12 volts it sucks the life out of the battery in a 3326 (this might not happen on smaller TMs due to battery location). I have read all the stuff about dc-dc power conditioners, powering the fridge with 120 VAC, and the occasional suggestions of running the unit with gas (which sounds like the best suggestion, though no one has stuck their neck out yet).

Still if you contemplating a TM you should know about this issue in advance of making a purchase. I haven’t read a lot of comments in other forums about this. That certainly does not mean it is only a TM issue, it may just mean other trailers have much more important issues.

The rooftop air conditioner remains one of my top issues with the trailer. Low speed ain’t low enough, it is noisy beyond belief, does not seem to dry out the trailer’s interior, and the thermostat seems to shutoff early.

I still think that smaller dual HVACs, one on the rear shell (bedroom) and one on the front shell would cure the problem of a noisy HVAC. It would also allow you to use zone control, where you could keep the rear bedroom cooler than the rest of the trailer.

It is still a nice trailer and seems to hold up well. It also is fairly fuel efficient which could be hugely important now that Congress seems hell bent on passing Cap & Tax again...

 

[4Kids2Dogs]

FWIW, we need two coolers in addition to the refrigerator due to all our kids. We use refreezeable gel ice packs in our coolers from DH's office which his nurses save for him from vaccine shipments. We take the ice packs from the coolers and freeze the softer ones in the TM fridge, and by cycling them can keep lots of food and soda, etc. perfectly cold. I don't use ice cubes, though, so the freezer is pretty much exclusively for ice packs. I agree that the TM fridge doesn't cool down as quickly (or hold as much) as I would like, but our system works for us.

 

[PopBeavers]

The only reason to run the fridge on 12 volts is when towing. When parked I use 120 volts if I have shore power. Otherwise I use propane. Sometimes I cheat. If I close the TM down at home before a trip I set it on 12 volts and plug in to shore power. That way I do not need to pop it open to switch from 120 volts to 12 volts.

We open our fridge often. At least twice for each meal. Once to take stuff out and again later to put it back.

I keep my beverages on ice. I like them very cold.

If there is any space left in the freezer compartment I fill it with Otter Pops. Sometimes I eat them on hot days. Sometimes they just sit there filling the void and helping to keep the temperature stable. If they melt it does not make a mess. A big box from Costco lasts a year. If there are young children around then I am their friend.

I run the TM fridge fan on very hot days (85+), but only during the heat of the day.

I have a battery operated fridge fan inside the fridge to keep the air moving around.

 

[rumbleweed]

running the fridge on 12 volts it sucks the life out of the battery in a 3326 (this might not happen on smaller TMs due to battery location)

The fridge draws 10-12 amps on 12V DC and a little over 1 amp at 120V. In other words it needs about 130 watts of heat energy to work, This is the case no matter what source of energy you are running on or what the firdge is mounted in. This is not a TM issue, but the physics of a gas absorption fridge. If you have a single standard deep cycle battery you have about 75 amp hours (recommended you charge after using approx 40) of power until you have killed the battery. Doing the math, you will kill the battery in less than 8 hrs if nothing else is running. This doesn't matter what type or make of RV the fridge is installed in. This is not a negative for TM. Bottom line running the Fridge on 12V should only be done when there is a regenerative source of 12v ( ie connected to good TV system, large solar panel or even shore power.

 

[ng2951]

The fridge draws 10-12 amps on 12V DC and a little over 1 amp at 120V...This is not a TM issue, but the physics of a gas absorption fridge...This is not a negative for TM. Bottom line running the Fridge on 12V should only be done when there is a regenerative source of 12v ( ie connected to good TV system, large solar panel or even shore power.

It is connected to a Tacoma with tow package (bigger alternator). It is a TM issue, or rather, it is at least a 3326 issue. If you do the math, it is the voltage drop due to the length of the copper power lines from the alternator to battery (because the battery is located in the back of the TM).

One untested solution is to install much larger copper cables to lower the resistance of the power cables. Another is to install a dc-dc converter that increases voltage to overcome the wiring's internal resistance.

The TMs with batteries located near the front of the trailer apparently do not have this issue. But my 3326 does. This also ages the battery since it does not recharge or balance properly unless it is on shore power.

If someone has a solution other than replacing the battery annually, I am open to listen. But again this is a TM 3326 issue regarding the location of the battery and physics of internal resistance of the power lines from the TV alternator to the TM.

 

[rumbleweed]

The longer run will also impact the effeciency of the Fridge as the operating voltage will be lower. As you suggest, one solution is to upgrade the line from the TV to the battery. Don't forget to check the Gnd side because if that is a high resistance fixing the other side will not help. Another thing to check is the wire from the Battery/ fuse block to the TV connector. Many owners have found they have a HD alternator only to find out that the wire to the 12V pin on the TV connector is too small and causing a large voltage drop.