New 2005 2720 ordered

Just wanted to say thanks for having these forums here. I discovered them after seeing TM's at the Sacramento RV show on 2/20/2005. I don't know how much of the forums I read, but it was a lot. Probably logged 15-20 hours reading forums this week. I found answers to numerous questions.

I thought I would share what we bought and why. The next new comer might find it helpful. I know I did.

TV:
2003 Chevy Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab 4wd LT 6.0 automatic, but I don't know the rear end ratio.

TM:
2005 2720. Wife wants the blue color scheme. Dinuba RV only stocks the beige. So an order is in the works.

I bought the TV, used, two weeks ago. My son races Mountain Bikes. I wanted a vehicle that could carry at least four adults with 4-8 Mountain bikes to races in CA, ID, UT, CO, NM, etc. Was looking at used Suburbans. Never considered a crew cab because I only had seen really big ones that would never fit in my garage. Discovered the 1500HD Crew Cab while looking at Suburbans. Basically a half ton sized truck on a three quarter ton chassis. Bought it with 58k miles on it. Really nice truck. Gas mileage not so great at 13.5 mpg on cruise control at 5 over the limit, no load.

Had an opportunity to tow a 1986 Chevy S10 4wd home on a U-Haul auto transport trailer for 200 miles. Hardly knew it was behind me. Should have no trouble with the 2720, as I expect it will actually weigh less. Gas mileage was 12.5 mpg at 55-60. Almost as good as with no load. Very interesting. In 120 miles using cruise control it only downshifted three times between Atascadero and Salinas. I was impressed.

Started looking at camping trailers a few weeks ago. Wife and I have been thinking about them for years. Rule number one: it must fit in the garage 7 foot door with 19.5 feet of depth. I refuse to pay rent for a parking space.

I knew about tent trailers and recently discovered there are three brands of "off-road" tent trailers, Jayco, StarCraft and Fleetwood. Only dealer around San Jose was Fleetwood. Wife and I both liked the Fleetwood Mojave. Wish I had an off-road tent trailer back when I would go deer hunting with my dad. But the tent trailer just doesn't have enough cabinet space inside. Wrong product for us at this time. If I ever start deer hunting with my brothers again it would be different.

Discovered the Hi-Lo and TrailManor on internet. Looked interesting. Went to the RV and Sport Show in Sacramento. All five were at the show (Jayco, Fleetwood, StarCraft, Hi-Lo and TrailManor), along with the smaller Chalet and ALiner.

The 2720 is the largest trailer of any kind that will fit in my garage. There are some comparably sized tent trailers, but they aren't off-road. If I were to buy a tent trailer to tow behind my 4wd truck, I would be VERY tempted to take it off the beaten path. Besides, the fridge and stove are larger in the TM AND there is a lot more cabinet space inside. Even has a bathroom. Wife and daughter will like that. Son and I don't care.

We have used my in-laws motor home several times at mountain bike races in the past several years. I believe that the 2720 has more usable space than a 30 foot motor home. The TM has no drivers seats to waste living space.

Ordering the roof top a/c. Not sure I will use it very often as we don't expect to be in parks very often. But I was convinced that it would help the resale value. But if I keep it 20 years, why do I care about resale value? Today I researched generators. Looks like Honda dual 2000's is the way to go, but I don't like the price.

Daughter and son are now 24 and 21. Must have done something right over the years. They actually like hanging out with us some of the time. We all go to watch our son race as much as we can. The National Series races are Thurdays through Sundays. It is always nicer to be able to stay "onsite", thus the TM. I'm tired of driving back and forth to motels.

Son is 6 foot 4. Sleeping on the ground or on a camping cot wasn't restful enough. Impacted his win capability. I think he will fit solo in the double bed and store his "body armor" with him. Daughter can use the dinette the few times she will be with us. She is closer to 5 foot 6. Wife and I get the queen. The queen was the only reason we picked the 2720 over the 2619. If the weather gets really nasty I won't be surprised to see a few of our son's friends show up looking to sleep on the dry floor.

Maybe some day we'll get to take some grand children camping, but that isn't likely any time soon. Can't take them if you don't have any.

Besides going to bike races we hope to just get out a little more often, even if it is just to some of the local state and county parks. With the TM in the garage instead of across town that will be easy to do.

This got a little long winded. If you are still reading this then you must be retired! I wish I was.

You might consider the Yamaha EF2800i generator. It is louder than the Hondas but it may be to your liking.

Welcome...awesome writeup

PopBeavers said:

This got a little long winded. If you are still reading this then you must be retired! I wish I was.

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Long but very well written. I've retired once and am now 12 years into a very busy 2nd career so not sure where that puts me. But I will take the time to read good stuff...all the way to the end.

Sounds like you're basically just about all ready to go...if you haven't already done so, be sure to buy a very good quality brake controller like a Tekonsha Prodidgy.

Given the length...and weight of your truck (especially with a cab full of people and a bed full of bikes/bike stuff), you're one of the very few people here who probably doesn't need to use a weight distributing hitch...but you'd find the truck will handle better (and have a greater margin of safety on the front brakes and steering) if you did. Sway control is definitely not needed unless you're planning on hanging any of those bikes off the back of the trailer.

Be sure to periodically share some stories/photos of your son's races. Though certainly no racer, I do enough mountain biking on "interesting" trails here in Colorado to appreciate the incredibly high levels of athletic ability that MB racing demands. Have to admit I got a knowing chuckle out of your mention of his "body armor"...a whole lot of the stuff that accompanies me on my expeditions is best described as "protective gear".

I appreciate the suggestion of the Prodigy. I had already pretty much concluded that from reading the forums here. I will need to get some kind of brak controller. I stopped by my local Camping World this week to look around. Brake controllers aren't all that expensive. Might as well get a good one. Camping World recommended the Prodigy. So did most of the posts on the TM Owners forums.

I think the Jury is still out on the WD hitch for my configuration. I'm still undecided. My hope is that I have enough weight capacity for a few more toys. I'd like to get a quad for my wife that would fit in the back of the truck and a street legal dirt bike for somewhere else, maybe the front bumper. My son is recommending I get a Yamaha 250 four stroke. If I have to, I'm sure he'll volunteer to drive his(my) truck along with the toys in it.

His truck died a few weeks ago. That was the 86 S10 that I towed home. He now has my 97 Dakota extended cab.

Did I mention the 20,000 hammer? I went down to San Luis Obispo to try to fix his truck. Water pump failure. Couldn't get the darn thing off. He didn't have all the right tools. Tried rubber mallet, and then tried prying with a shovel and baseball bat. I thought there was a hidden bolt somewhere. I finally gave up and came home.

Bought the Silverado.

Next trip down, bought a ball peen hammer. Two taps and the water pump fell off. Total cost of the water pump repair was:

water pump
gasket seal
ball peen hammer
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD LT 4wd crew cab long bed

Nice hammer though.

We were in Colorado last year. Race was near Aspen. I think the resort name is Snowmass. On the right a mile or two before the airport.

Son has a good friend in Boulder and spent a few days with him without us. We went to Yellowstone on the way from Idaho (Schweitzer Mountain) to Aspen. If you like mountain bikeing check out http://www.leelikesbikes.com Lee used to be here in San Jose, but moved a couple of years ago to Boulder. He writes well and posts some cool pictures.

I bought my son a website for Christmas a year ago http://www.beaverbiker.com With a last name of Beavers, what else would you name it?

He wants me to redo his website so he asked me to put up an "Under Construction" page. But the photo gallery is still there if you know where to look http://beaverbiker.com/v-web/gallery/ Some are pictures of him (Curtis) and some are of his friends.

Cool pics. Watch your GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR

PopBeavers said:

I think the Jury is still out on the WD hitch for my configuration. I'm still undecided. My hope is that I have enough weight capacity for a few more toys. I'd like to get a quad for my wife that would fit in the back of the truck and a street legal dirt bike for somewhere else, maybe the front bumper. My son is recommending I get a Yamaha 250 four stroke. If I have to, I'm sure he'll volunteer to drive his(my) truck along with the toys in it.

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You'll need to watch the GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR(rear) very closely when you start talking hauling Quads and/or dirt bikes in the truck. After you get the trailer, take the entire rig in going-camping configuration (including all passengers and their gear) to a scale and get your axle weights. Yeah, you've got a HD model but it's still also a 1500 series.

To a degree I'm facing the same thing this coming summer...I picked up a perfect condition 1982 Honda XL250 Street/Trail bike last fall that's going to be part of my going-camping gear on a lot of trips this summer. Along with the kayak and the mountain bike. I like to bring my "toys" when I go out to play.

water pump
gasket seal
ball peen hammer
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD LT 4wd crew cab long bed

Nice hammer though.

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Been there, done that. Frame the hammer.

We were in Colorado last year. Race was near Aspen. I think the resort name is Snowmass. On the right a mile or two before the airport.

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Yep, that would be Snowmass. Great place for skiing!

Son has a good friend in Boulder and spent a few days with him without us. We went to Yellowstone on the way from Idaho (Schweitzer Mountain) to Aspen. If you like mountain bikeing check out http://www.leelikesbikes.com Lee used to be here in San Jose, but moved a couple of years ago to Boulder. He writes well and posts some cool pictures.

Click to expand...

Nice pics. Cool but not my style. I'm a recreational trail rider...and at age 56 I try to keep the spills and thrills dialed down to "safer" levels.

I bought my son a website for Christmas a year ago http://www.beaverbiker.com With a last name of Beavers, what else would you name it?

He wants me to redo his website so he asked me to put up an "Under Construction" page. But the photo gallery is still there if you know where to look http://beaverbiker.com/v-web/gallery/ Some are pictures of him (Curtis) and some are of his friends.

Click to expand...

Great pics. Clearly your son likes air. A LOT of air.

Got a grin out of the shots taken at Big Bear...back in the early 90s before I retired from the US Air Force I was stationed at March AFB (just outside Riverside) and did a lot of skiing at Big Bear (I was training to compete in the USAF World Wide Ski Meet). The runs aren't very long but they do have a few moderately steep pitches and it looks like that race went down some of the steeper ones.

I agree--if not too late get the lift kit. I also had the heavier axle and 15 in. tires put on my 2720 sd. Never dragged bottom (YET)

Texas Camper posted regarding Hi-Lo:

I understand they have a button you can push and it opens automatically. Hopefully, TM will come up with that feature soon.

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Diff'rent strokes, I guess. We met some folks with a Hi-Lo, and it does indeed open with the push of a button. It was truly easy, and they were so proud. It apparently involves a hydraulic pump powered by an electric motor, some hydraulic lift cylinders (4?), an accumulator, hydraulic lines, valves, etc. Of course if any part of the lift mechanism malfunctions, it won't open at all. It's all or nothing. (Or maybe there is a labor-intensive manual crank.) And if your battery is dead, you are in trouble. Maybe the charge line from the tow vehicle will do it, I'm not sure, but an electrical failure could also strand you. Of course, the entire Hi-Lo lift mechanism adds some substantial weight to the trailer - HiLos are notoriously heavy. I think I'll stick with the tried-and-proven torsion lift on my TM.

However, I do understand that not everyone is comfortable or able to grab the shells and make the pull-out-and-up maneuver. For those who choose it, I think a power assist might be a nice option. I just hope it remains an option, and that TM doesn't get sucked into the Hi-Lo all-or-nothing approach. I have faith in the Hulsey boys.

And live2shopnc said

I agree--if not too late, get the lift kit. I also had the heavier axle and 15 in. tires put on my 2720 sd.

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Ooh, I hope this works, and please post since this is my dream configuration for my next TM. But with a 7-foot (84" garage door), it may not fit. My '02 2720SL (14" tires, no lift kit) touches the top of my 82-1/2" garage door opening - not the door, mind you, but the door FRAME at the top of the opening. So an additional 1/2" in tire height, maybe some added axle height, and 2" in lift kit height, may result in a trailer that does not fit. (Hope I'm wrong!)

Bill

I haven't figured out how you do the cute quotes, so here goes the hard way...

Texas Camper said:

"I find it interesting that you think the 2720 will have more useable space than a 30 foot motor home."

This may be more of a floor plan issue. In my in-laws motor home (somewhere around 30 foot) the sink and stove are almost side by side with very little counter space between them. Directly behind them is the table.

The TM 2720 has the stove and sink opposite each other and slightly offset. There is also more counter space alongside both the sink and stove. It appears possible to have three people preparing dinner in the 2720. One at the stove and counter, second at sink and counter, third at table, sitting or standing. In the motor home, there is only room for one person standing. Someone can sit at the table, but it is very tight.

Fortunately, my wife and I have no objection to the beds in the 2720. We don't have any health condition (yet) that would make it difficult to climb in and out. We don't mind the modest climb.

Texas Camper also said:

"If you plan to boondock often, you should consider the lift kit. This raises the TM 2 inches."

Actually, the brochure says 2.5 inches. I am concerned about clearing the header to the garage door. As it is I am planning on removing the present one piece door and replacing it with a roll up. The dealer tells me that they can add the lift kit later, after I have determined exactly what my vertical clearance is. Two weeks to get the parts plus an hour and a half to install. We didn't discuss labor costs. My interest in the lift kit is when pulling into some of the dirt parking areas alongside rivers. Not being paved, they get to be a little lumpy. But, RULE number 1, I won't pay to park it at home. I'll live without the lift kit if I have to. I'm pretty sure that a lift kit *AND* taller wheels are out of the question. It seems to me that the lift kit is the better choice if I can only choose one.

Loan was approved today. Order is being placed. Wait time, they say, is 4 to 6 weeks. I hope to use it April 13. I need to pick it up Saturday 4/9 to make it. That is 6 weeks from tomorrow.

Texas Camper asked: "What was your impression of the Hi-Lo?"

The only Hi-Lo I can get in my garage is the 17 footer. It doesn't sleep four adults very well. We prefer the queen and double beds in the 2720. The dinette can also be used if we have to.

Wayne -

I can't give you definitive advise, but if you have to choose between the lift kit on one hand, and the 5000 pound axle/15" tires on the other, think about it carefully. The 2720 with 14" wheels and 3500 pound axle is not hard to overload, especially if you option it up from the factory as most of us do (air conditioner, awning, etc). When you add water in the tanks for dry camping, propane in those tanks, a microwave, food (for a 24-year old athletic boy!), TV, clothes, etc, it mounts up pretty fast. And you sound like you take a ton of other stuff with you, related to the bikes. If you put most of it in the truck, then your TM is OK - but if you hope to carry a lot of it in the TM, it may be a problem.

Bill

Wayne -

Congratulations on your purchase! I think you'll really enjoy it.

We hope to see you on the road once in a while with your TM. If you're in San Jose we're about 40 or so miles from you.

D

I callad the factory regarding special ordering the 2720 with larger axle and 15 inch wheels. Mike talked me out of it. He confinced me that:

1. he had only heard of this being done once.
2. it requires building the trailer outside of the normal assembly line (I understood that to mean much higher cost and longer build time)

TM 2720 should arrive 3/26

On our way from San Jose to Auburn today we stopped by Dinuba RV in Rio Vista. Our TM 2720 was schedueled to be completed yesterday and should ship this coming week. We have a tentative appointment to pick it up on Saturday.

Only had a little bit of time to visit. We had never been to the shop. We bought the TM at a show and only talked with them at the show and on the phone.

Stan was very polite and helpful, even though he was busy with another customer. We discussed mirrors and he showed me the mirrors that he uses. These are the ones that slip over the stock mirrors. I think I prefer that over the mirrors that strap on to the door. I have a week to decide.

Mostly we walked through the TM's on the lot and salivated.

New roll-up garage doors have been installed. The TM will be easy to get in. The 2002 chevy 1500HD will fit if I park it perfectly straight. The rubber molding on the bottom of the door rubs on the rear bumper, but the door itself clears the bumper. I am seriously considering creating a framed in recess into the wall to give me a couple of extra inches to spare. I'm not sure if the fire code would permit it. Not sure I'm going to look it up either. The wall is probably 3 5/8 inches thick (2x4) plus the 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch sheet rock. Also not sure how much of a load the wall is carrying. Single story home, but the roof is concrete tile.

Odyssey brake controller gets installed tomorrow, by me.

I'm feeling like a little kid in a candy store.

Wayne, before you buy the slip on mirrors, look at this
http://www.tow-n-see.com I have about the same set up as you will. I left the Mckiesh mirrors in the garage on the last trip. They are just a tad small, but can be adjusted with the electric mirrors. Also with a wider truck like yours, they work find. I got the convex one for the curb side, but wish I hadn't.

tow-n-see

The tow-n-see looks interesting. The suction cup attachment makes me nervous. Just how long will the suction last? I would think that they need to be removed and reseated once in awhile. If that is once a day that would be fine.

I will admit that a flat glass surface is pretty much ideal as a suction mount point.

Wayne, I think you box for e-mail is full so I'll post it here:

Hi Wayne,
The mirrors come with a safety cord that goes around you mirror. I put my on Friday night. We got 8" of snow by Saturday when we left. I did not remove them until Sunday night. I had to pry the corner on the cup, even after screwing the knob back in.

Tow-N-See

I have been checking these mirrows out, by looking at the Web Page provided. I called the distributors, but, they would not quote a price. So, called the dealer Recreation World in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They gave me a quote of $47.95 + 15% tax. They didn't know what I was talking about until they found a new booklet by Danzy Distributors Ltd. Says there are convex and regular type mirrors. Before I spend $100+ dollars, I'd sure like to know that these are excellent mirror to buy. I was thinking of the Mckesh, but, after hearing that one TM owner left them in the garage and used the Tow-N-See, it seems they are better. Any more suggestions??

John, Atikokan, Ontario 'the canoeing capital of Canada'
2003 Montana AWD
2004 3023 TM

John -

I have never used the Tow-And-See, but let me offer a couple of random comments.

First, a wide-field convex miror is a good thing, because it will tell you that "something" is back there. But it provides NO depth perception - it gives you no clue how far back that "something" is. To estimate distance, you need a flat mirror. The phrase

"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear"

is an understatement, a gentle warning of that situation. And it will be even more true with a mirror as small as the Tow-And-See. It is possible you would need two Tow-And-Sees on each side - one convex, one flat.

Second, the Tow-And-Sees don't appear to stick out very far beyond the stock mirrors. If you have a wide tow vehicle, it may be enough. I'm not sure that a Montana falls into that category, since it is 72" wide, same as my Explorer - and my Explorer definitely does not fall into that category. Remember, a Trail Manor is 91" wide, and at a very minimum, you need to be able to see straight down both sides of the trailer. This means that your mirrors must be 91" apart at the middle of the glass - the outer edges will be farther apart.

After all, if small mirrors were adequate, 18-wheelers wouldn't use mirrors as big as a kitchen table.

There have been a lot of discussions about mirrors on the board. I'm sure you've seen them. Many people have tried clip-on/slide-on/tie-on mirrors, and been dissatisfied. Most have gone to McKesh, and you will find a lot of really enthusiastic McKesh supporters, both here and on other boards. True, one guy does say that he left his McKeshs in the garage. What was his tow vehicle? Regardless, if you make your decision based on this one guy, vs all the others, let us know what you find. There's more than one mirror in the world!

Bill

Bill, I am the “one guy” you refer to.

You are right, the width of the TV is the key. I have pulled many trailers and used the McKesh mirrors.. In fact, my McKesh mirrors have been with me for a long time. They are chrome plated that tells you they are old. I Always had a mini van, or S-10 at that time.

Now that I have a full size truck I can see down the sides of the TM with the stock mirrors. The Tow N See give me just enough to see behind the TM. Also a plus is that they fit in a shoe box size storage box in the back of the truck when not in use.

We pick it up today

On Thursday around noon our new TM was still in Kansas. There were two drivers. No truth to the rumor that it is Dorothy and Toto. They had expected to be in California by noon Friday. I don't know what part of Kansas they were in, but to get from Topeka to Rio Vista would require an average speed of 65 mph with no stops, driving all night. As of 7 pm Friday they were still somewhere in Nevada. The factory rep kept Stan at Dinuba RV updated with the current location periodically.

Our TM was at the dealer some time this morning. Stan says they will have it preped by noon. We will be there around 1:00. I have a printed copy of the checklist.

Besides my wife and I, her brother and his son are going along for the ride. If it weren't for the detour, the dealer is a 2 hour drive one way.

The first thing I will be able to share is the interior color. My wife did not like the sand color. We ordered the blue interior, based on brochure pictures. Too late to change our mind now. Most people on the forum seem to prefer the sand color because it is bright. Dinuba RV only stocks the sand color. We thought the sand color was a little washed out. The blue looks more elegant, we think.

Stay tuned. More when there is more.