Maiden Voyage in 3124KS

Just wanted to report a good weekend in our new TM named IRIS. Hubby towed her to Kennebunkport, ME on Thursday and we (wife and daughter)arrived on Friday for overnight. Hubby said she towed beautifully and he felt no need to correct like we had with our TT last year. The only issue we had was that the stove top (on each of three trips) comes off as we drive even if we put a towel on top of it -- should there be something gripping it? It badly scraped the burners on this trip. We discovered how long a tank of water lasts even when being very careful -- not too long for dry camping. WIth the memory foam on the mattress, we were quite comfy. Heater worked well for us in the back, but kept daughter awake as she was sleeping right over it on the couch/bed. We enjoyed arranging all the kitchen stuff in bins (basins bought at K-Mart and Walmart so they were easy to grab in the cupboards. Hubby had to pack up in the driving rain, but we loved the ease at which to do that compared to our old PU that we had for so long (no wet canvas, etc.). We continue to have trouble getting the refrigerator setting to the right place -- any idea where you run your fridge to avoid solidly frozen lemons, jugs of iced tea and lettuce? THanks for all of the good info. on this forum. We are very happy we bought a TM! Queeniereads aka Judi

[Frenchy]

If you have not had the TM tires balanced, do so. It might help with the stove top. It did for me but I still remove it while towing.

I also have a 2004 - 3124KS and have about a 60 days logged camping in it last year and this year.
I also have the stove top grill come off so I put it in the bathroom cabinet when the walls are down... I will look for a method to bolt it on with a metal strap.
The gas heater is noisy -- usually I camp at full service campgrounds and take a 1000/1500 electric heater "20 amp breaker will trip when using any higher wattage heater". The electric heater maintains a more constant heat --- " and you are not using your own gas." Stuck with the gas heater when dry camping.

The refrig is set on 3... but it all depends on how cold it is outside.
The only other noticable problem is a few scratch points above the range wall, on the foldable bathroom wall and a few other places. I have put some fiber "plastic" 1" circles with double stick tape on those rub points. Seems to work.
Have fun camping.<img>

We had trouble with the grate coming off our stove, but corrected that by using tiny bungee cords to hold it down to the stove top. We, too, take an electric heater to use in cold weather (always at a campground with hookups). We have found that an electric blanket keeps us warm in bed with a lower thermostat setting. Some of my friends in the South Central Heartland Chapter of TrailManor TrailBlazers keep in warm bed by using a heated mattress pad. Hope that you continue to enjoy your TM. We have had ours 7 years and used it many, many nights.

[G-V_Driver]

Put the throw pillow from the sofa (or any small pillow) on the cooktop before you put the top down. It will fix the problem.

[G-V_Driver]

Anybody have an observation/opinion about the relative noise level from the furnace under the sofa vs the prior installation in the kitchen cabinet?

In the matter of the refrigerator - the colder the weather, the smaller the number setting for the refrigerator. In very cold weather, you may need to be using "1" and in very hot weather you will need "5." In mild weather you may need to set on "2", "3", or "4."

I just had mine out last weekend for the first time this year. Try a bed pillow in the stove top. I, too, had frozen lettuce on "4", so I set the fridge to slightly over "3" and that seemed perfect.

Happy Camping!

We find the furnace very noisy. DW Marie can't stand it, so where possible we use an electic one.
John
3023 TM 2004
2003 Montana AWD

[Harry Womack]

The stove grate has 4 little push on axle washers to hold it on. On our first trip in our 2005 3124KB the grate came loose on all except one corner and put several dents in the ceiling. So make sure you pad it or remove it before traveling!!!
Harry