Potential purchase of 1998 TrailManor 3124KS

Originally Posted by harveyrv

BTW.....I almost hate to ask this but what will you be towing this trailer with? Do you have a Class IV or V hitch with 2" ball? Will your vehicle handle 600# tongue weight? Do you have a 7-pin trailer harness? Do you have a brake controller? (Make sure that the brakes work before you drive away)

Sorry missed this part before. I plan to use Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's rated on 5000 pounds. It has 4 pin connector, but I have 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 convertors.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by emeded

Sorry missed this part before. I plan to use Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's rated on 5000 pounds. It has 4 pin connector, but I have 4 to 7 and 4 to 6 convertors.

The FJ Cruiser has a pretty short wheel base for towing that trailer. Check your Owner's Manual to see if you can use a WDH.

You will need to re-wire the FJ Cruiser with a 7-pin wire harness connector. Your 4-pin connector won't work. It doesn't have enough connectors for the brakes Etc..... I can just about guaranty you, if you start messing with converters, you will regret it. They are nothing but problems.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

[Mr. Adventure]

Etrailer,among other places, sells a 7way connector that has a flat four pigtail as one of the inputs. That way you just have to work with the new wires for the brakes, 12v power, and backup lights and you don't have to mess with the four wires you already have.

Search the forum for comments from people who have actually towed a TrailManor with an FJCruiser. I don't recall any members reporting any issues because of the wheelbase. A Weight Distributing Hitch should be considered mandatory for anybody with a wheelbase under 150", in my opinion. It's probably a good idea there, too, because it keeps the trailer from unloading the front wheels, which are real handy for steering and braking.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

Etrailer,among other places, sells a 7way connector that has a flat four pigtail as one of the inputs. That way you just have to work with the new wires for the brakes, 12v power, and backup lights and you don't have to mess with the four wires you already have.

Using any kind of adapter in trailer wiring is just inviting problems. Wherever you have a plug in connector (including the trailer harness to TV connector itself) you have a potential for corrosion.

IMHO, all trailer connections are best soldered and heat-shrink tubing used. That way, you only have to be concerned about the trailer connection itself which can be problematic if not cleaned regularly.

If one is going to use butt connectors, these are the best. They have heat shrink right on them and the have a conductive adhesive (like a low-temp solder) in the joint.
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-3M-HEAT-SHRIN...item5889c8d4fd

[Mr. Adventure]

It's hard to argue with better connectors, and soldering is obviously better that any kind of clips or plugs. But I've had excellent results over the last 30 years or so with the connections forward of the trailer hitch as compared with the many problems with the vehicle/trailer connectors and the trailers themselves too, of course.

[Wavery]

One more valuable tip.........

Solder the end of the wire before inserting it into the tow vehicle connector...that avoids loose wire strands from touching other connectors. It also makes it a lot easier to finalize connections, helps the screw get a better grip on the wire and avoids corrosion in the connector. Believe it or not, the job will actually go quicker even though the soldering takes a little time. All but eliminates trouble shooting problems with the initial set-up as well as down-the-road issues.

Thank you all guys for the valuable tips. I will start prepping my vehicle, so when time comes to buy TM, I will be all set and ready.
Do you think that I would need WDH, for 2619 as well?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by emeded

Thank you all guys for the valuable tips. I will start prepping my vehicle, so when time comes to buy TM, I will be all set and ready.
Do you think that I would need WDH, for 2619 as well?

The 2619 has over 400# tongue weight as well. The issue is the short WB on your TV. If you tow without a WDH you may have an issue with front wheel lock-up and loss of steering under hard breaking. It could get really ugly on wet roads.

Originally Posted by harveyrv

The 2619 has over 400# tongue weight as well. The issue is the short WB on your TV. If you tow without a WDH you may have an issue with front wheel lock-up and loss of steering under hard breaking. It could get really ugly on wet roads.

Thanks. Is it necessary to have any trailer sway control as well?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by emeded

Thanks. Is it necessary to have any trailer sway control as well?

There have been few if any reports on this forum about sway issues with the TM because the axle is mounted so far back and the tongue wt is so high.

If you end up with a 3023 or 3124, a sway bar may not be a bad idea with your short WB. The 2619 or 2720 would be less of an issue. The longer the trailer, the more chance of the possibility of "the tail wagging the dog".