Just started looking - Couple dumb questions

We are currently pop-up owners (currently on our third Jayco having upgraded every 5 years). I started looking at the TrailManor as our next upgrade. I like the ability to store it indoors without having to build a polebarn. I have been reading the company website and postings on various reference sites, but have not seen answers to these few basic questions.

1. Can you access the interior of the unit without totally opening it up? We keep our current camper indoors and find it handy to store things inside when not in use. Not being able to access it easily would limit our use of this approach to storage.

2. Do you have any problem with dirt and road grime getting on the inside walls when hauling the unit. Everything I have seen show that when the front section is lowered there is a gap between the exterior of the bottom of the unit and the interior of the top. Doesn't dirt and other stuff (i.e. wasp nests and spider webs) gather in this space? Is there some type of seal to close this space off when the unit is totally closed.

More experienced owners will chime in, no doubt, but:

1. When it's closed you basically can't get in to it. This turns into more of a planning issue ,since you can certainly leave stuff in the TM when closed, you just can't access it. Of course, you can open it (5 minutes) without setting up the interior (wardrobe, velcro flaps, etc.) if all you need to do is put stuff in and out. I am a new TM owner, but we've already realized that the routine will be to open it a day or two before departure for loading, then closing before departure.

I guess the thing to emphasize here is that opening it is trivial, just not a problem.

2. The front section and rear section are sealed by a flexible tubular deal - don't know what's in it, but the bottom line is that not only does it protect you from pests but even serious driving rain won't get in. The unit is secure and water tight, open and shut.

Hope that helps.

This is my third season with the TM. I keep it in the garage. Needless to say, if I want to get something out of it then it is a real hassle to open it up because I have to pull it out of the garage first.

So far only once did I want to get something out of it.

We keep things like the camping chairs and tables out, just in case we want to use them around the house. Every thing else is stuff we would never use at home.

The one thing that is in the TM right now that I sorta wish was outside is the propane stove that we use on the picnic table when we go camping. Son wants to borrow it. I told him if he wants it then he has to get it. So he will use one of my other 3 camping stoves, but those all use white gas.

He could just go buy one.

Ditto to the previous reply.
We purchased our 1st RV -a TrailManor 2720 last Fall. We had the same questions. No problem with leakage, etc.
It's just a matter of pre-planning. It takes 2-3 minutes to open up.
We sometimes open it the day or night before to load up and turn on the frig.
Other times we just put things in the tow vehicle. Because our driveway is flat and the trailer is relatively light, I usually roll the trailer in and out of the garage by hand, without hooking up. We believe the advantages of easy towing, garage storage, good options and quality features offset any inconveniences. We love the TrailManor, but realized that the 2720SL better suits our needs, so we replaced the 2720 with the 2720SL. Our like new 2720 is posted on this site ('06 2720 in Virginia with swing hitch). Be sure to check it out. Price and delivery are negotiable.

Best of luck,

Allen

One caveat to what the others have said. You CAN access the rear bumper stowage while the unit is closed. If what you want to store and get access to, say jack handle, or WDH hardware, or even a small battery charger you could stow them in the bumber. anything bigger will have to be inside and all of the above applies.

Maybe I miss-interpreted your question, so I offer my procedure in an effort to perhaps clarify some issues.

Our camping is mostly weekend trips. I am always looking for ways to minimize the amount of time between when I get home from work on Friday and when we depart. I want to get ahead of as much traffic as possible.

The weekend before the trip I pull the TM out of the garage and park in on the street in front of the house, usually keeping it connected to the truck. I fill fresh water, charge toilet, restock non perishable food, load the clothing, etc.

I fill the fridge with beverages and other things that don't need to be cold, but I want them to be cold when I get there.

Last thing I do is load the floor up with the extra stuff, chairs, outdoor tables, generator (if I even take it), etc. Then I set the fridge to 12 volts, turn the fridge fan on, close the TM and park it in the garage. I disconnect the batteries.

On Wednesday I reconnect the batteries and plug in to shore power. This gets the fridge cold and tops off the batteries.

On Thursday night the perishable food (milk, lettuce, etc.) is loaded into a Coleman 12 volt cooler, plugged into 120 volts in the house.

When I get home Friday I disconnect from shore power and pull the TM out of the garage. The cooler is placed in the back seat of the truck and plugged into the cigarette lighter.

Any other last minute items are loaded and off we go. From the time I get home until we leave is between 30 and 45 minutes.

In camp, the cold beverages are moved to an ice chest (we got ice on the way) and the food in the 12 volt cooler is moved to the TM fridge.

Coming home any items I want access to at home, like the chairs, tables and generator, are loaded into the back of the truck.

So, going to the campground I have as much stuff in the TM as possible. This is secured storage. Anything in the back of the truck could be stolen because the truck stays outside.

Coming home I leave a lot of stuff out because when I get home the TM goes into the garage immediately.

The stuff that went into the truck, like chairs, table, generator, are all stacked in front of the TM where I have access at home.

1. This item is well covered above. I agree you've got to get it out of the garage (unless your garage is taller and longer than normal) in order to open it up, but a little preplanning takes care of that. My 2720SL fits under the 7 foot door, even with the low profile air conditioner, with about 2" of clearance. You CAN get rather limited access to the front part of the interior by opening only the front shell (units with a front slide out bed may not give you that access), but that's not likely to work in a garage.

2. This one is, too, but I'll add that the most I've seen get inside my 2720SL from traveling is a very slight amount of dust, and that's even after negotiating muddy dirt roads, driving in the rain at normal highway speeds, etc. In other words, the sealing for travel is better than it might appear.

I'll add, too, that maneuvering the TM by hand in my driveway at home is quite easy, though there's only a slight incline. DW helps me get it moving (if going the slight uphill direction), then stands by for just in case and to place the chocks. If on a level portion or going (slightly) downhill, I get it moving and she stands by to help stop it, if needed, and to place the chocks. Moving it by hand is, most ways, easier than moving a Cessna 182 around on the airport ramp (I normally do that alone), even though the TM is a bit heavier than the 182.

We also looked at the Chalet trailer which is smaller and lighter but also hardwall. It allows access to the inside without setting it up entirely.

I can attest to what Leon states. We had a Aliner (which is almost identical to a Chalet) and it was very cramped inside with the wife and I. It was nice not to have canvas and to be able to get it set up in a minute. We were extremely happy with the Aliner and had a lot of fun with it, but having a bathroom and more room in the TM is, to us, worth the cost.
We did see a larger Chalet at the dealer that sold us our TM, and it has a bath and some more room, but still, compared to a TM it is tiny.
One advantage to the Aliner or the Chalet is that you can pull them with just about anything. I saw a Corvette pulling the small Aliner once. Amazing!

Mike Anderson