Torsion Bar Losing strength-2010 3326

[ZekenSpider]

CAUTION This thread has been revised in a major way. See my 4/28/2013 post.

I recently inspected my 2010 3326 (Purchased new in July of 2009) TM a few days ago in preparation for up coming summer usage and found the front shell very hard to lift. The RF (curb side) was heavy and pressing down hard on the RF frame rubber bumper. The RF side latch also was found latched but hanging loose from the shell clete. The LF shell popped up normally off the rubber bumper about 3/8" when I released the LF side latch.

My wife and I struggled to raise the shell and it worked, although it tried to settle back down until we got the lock bars in place. I just figured I would need to adjust the RF torsion bar again like I did last year. Our inspection found all things OK in the TM.

After lowering the top shells and latching them down I found the RF side latch would not engage without shortening the adjustment nearly 3/8". I paid closer attention to the RF lift arm and torsion bar to see what might be wrong. I checked the adjustment bolt for the RF torsion bar (over at the LF anchor point) and found that it had not moved from where I set it last year.

Over the years that I have owned this TM I have found it necessary to increase the tension of this RF torsion bar several times. Last year I assumed that the adjustment bolt was loosening from road vibration so I painted some yellow indicator on each bolt just to see if that was the case. This year, upon inspection, there was no movement of any of the eight bolts but I still lost lift on the RF side. This time I noticed the RF strut/bar end was up closer to the bottom of the top shell. The torsion bar 90 degree end appeared to have bent under the load of being down all winter. It looks like it may have a soft temper. Perhaps the entire torsion bar has a soft temper.

Attached are a few of pictures of that RF torsion bar/strut assembly. All of the other seven strut/bar attachments have the bar centered in the strut end. This RF torsion bar end is bent down inside the strut end and is distorting the strut end.

I e-mailed the pictures and this discussion to TM and received a call from Bob Eickhoff. He is not certain the torsion bar end is bent and wonders if it may be a strut end failure. Regardless, he is sending me a new torsion bar and a strut. I am now faced with replacing them myself or finding a qualified service center to do it. My nearest service center is in Covina, CA so I think I will try it myself.....one question though.

Has any one on this forum had experience with removing the strut pivot pin on the late model TM? It has a round button on both the inside and outside of the shell. The earlier models have an Allen head bolt with an elastic stop nut. There is a picture attached showing that pivot pin head on my TM.

I have yet to ask TM how to do this so do not worry unless you have experience with this detail. I will keep this post open until I have the repair completed.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

We do have a new TM dealer here in the valley, http://www.tomscamperland.com/ it is a little distance from us, this is the place I got my TM from a couple of years ago. I am not sure what kind of knowledge they have on repairs ‘yet’ on the TM since they are new dealers. I called them yesterday to investigate if they had any new TM’s on the lot and they do have 2. So I think they are serious about the TM business. They are in Surprise on Bell Rd. but it is closer then CO.

I would give them a call and start with them, since they are dealers now they could get help information from TM direct. Hope this helps.

If you are in the Show Low area stop in and see us site #141 we bought a ‘used’ park model last year, for the summer months this place is very nice, lots of trailers come in for little stays you will like it. We still have our TM for the off months. Here is the website http://www.waltnersresort.com/

Dave

[Bill]

The pictures suggest (and it is always hard to be sure) that the clamping bolts in the bottom of the lift arms have loosened. The bottom of each white lift arm (that's the white verical bar in the 4th picture) must clamp onto the stub of the torsion bar TIGHTLY, and the bar and the arm must be perpendicular. In the second and third pictures, it appears that the torsion bars are exiting the lift arms at an angle.

I suggest -
Raise the shell
Pull the shell forward beyond the stop (this may be tough to do)
Get a hefty socket wrench on the 4 bolts on each lift arm, where the torsion bar enters the arm.
Tighten those 4 bolts hard

You need to correct that angle.

Sadly, if the bolts are indeed loose, the shell may have moved up or down on the torsion bar stub. This won't affect opening or closing, but will affect how the shells seal together.

One thing at a time.

Bill

[ZekenSpider]

Thanks Dave and Bill;

Bob Eickhoff suggested I contact Tom's Camperland which I did. Unfortunately they are not yet set up to repair TMs. Working on mine would be a learning experience for them. They do not yet have a TM service department. Bob even suggested I might contact my original dealer AZ Campers and Trailers. I have yet to make that contact to find out if they have had any experience with the TM lift system and torsion bars. They stopped dealing with TM for financial reasons back when TM was owned by others but I have had some service work done by them recently (wheel bearing and brake service).

I have already looked at the four bottom strut bolts with the TM shell up. They are all as tight as I can make them with a 12" wrench. The torsion bar bend appears to start just below the bottom set of bolts. It appears to be straight as it passes between the top and bottom bolt sets. I can't be sure until I lift the shell and strut up off the torsion bar stub. I'll wait until I have the new parts before I undertake that part of the investigation.

Jerry

I was told the little six inch arms that help keep the shell secure when fully set up should be parallel with the ground when the shell height is correct. Because the six inch arms are only on the end of the shells you can only tell if the ends are at the correct height. But the shells both slope down from the center of the trailer, I guess for water run off. If your little secure arms are parallel to the ground I would look for some sloping down in the shell from the center of the trailer to the shell ends. At least you could get an idea if the shell height has changed.

I would guess the shell height has changed making the shell hang up on the trailer lower box. The torsion spring just can't over come the bind. It seems the arm securing to the torsion bar is the weakest link and easiest to correct. Just use a jack and a piece of 2 by 4 and jack under the shell.

The torsion bar may have a defect, hopefully not. They use the same support for the big shells like yours as they do for the smaller shells and I think the support design of the shell is maxed out.

I would also give Custom RV a call in Anaheim, they are knowledgeable and I'm sure would help you with some things to look for.

That's my two cents, keep us informed, good luck Jerry. Regards, Robert

Bill,
Are the bolts you talk about here are they prone to come loose? In other words based on your experience, how common of a problem has this been?

Thanks.

[ZekenSpider]

I have received the torsion bar and strut for TM and now that I see the parts I have a much better understanding of the lift system and what is wrong with the one on my 3326.

In my 4/20/2013 post I indicated that I thought my torsion bar 90 degree end had bent and believed it had a soft temper(heat treatment hardening). I now am certain that is not the case. My problem is caused by my strut being too high above the torsion bar and the torsion bar has twisted in the strut.

The attached pictures illustrate what happened. I will drop the strut down about 3/8" and it will then position the TB end into the space between the two upper bolts. I suspect the front shell got lifted in a storm last winter. It pulled the strut up to where it could twist below the top bolts. The left front strut is very close to the same condition.

I will be returning the parts to TM and especially thank Ed and Bob for the great product support. Before I return them to TM I will perform a test on the TB spring rate just to have that knowledge. Note also the threaded end on the TB. This is the end that goes inside the strut to improve the strut grip(I think this is a recent modification). The other end is not threaded and goes into the adjustment cage.

I will write more about this and what I am learning about the Lift System.

Jerry

P.S. Bill...I screwed up when I started this thread under FRAME. It should have been under EXTERIOR. Is it possible for you to fix the location? I will have a lot more to say on this subject as I progress through the study.

[LoveToCamp]

Thanks for the pics and the explanation! That may come in handy for many of us, down the road.

[Bill]

Jerry -

Yes, that is exactly the "perpendicular" issue I tried to refer to in post #3 above. Sorry I wasn't clearer - I should have made a sketch.

Glad you have found the answer, though.

By the way, Bob Eickhoff showed me a trick for determining whether the shells are at the right height. A simple measurment does the trick, and it would have identified the problem you experienced right away. But I have forgotten the measurement! Next time I talk to Bob, I will have him remind me, and will post it with a photo.

Meanwhile, you have control of the problem, and it is nice to see that.

Bill