TM length relationship and model nnumber

**rbhtrail** · 06-19-2019, 05:27 PM

Can anyone explain the relationship of the units size and the model number. And how it's measured.
Model # 2720 ,When opened, is the living area 27 ft. ? And when closed is the length from rear bumper to the hitch ball 20 ft.
Thanks for any help.

**Bill** · 06-19-2019, 06:01 PM

You have it right. TM advertising says that the first number (27, in your example) is the equivalent interior length of an upright trailer with the same advertised length.

Some people disagree with this description because a TM interior floor does not go all the way to the back wall. But if you have a bed in an upright trailer, the floor doesn't go all the way back to the wall, either.

Bill

Larryjb · 06-20-2019, 01:04 AM

Just to clarify, I'm pretty sure the 27 is the length of trailer it would be equivalent to. Living space is not actually 27', but the living space would be equivalent to any 27' trailer.

A regular 27' trailer includes the length from the rear bumper to the hitch, so a regular 27' trailer would actually have about 25' of living space or so. The 20' is the actual distance from bumper to hitch when closed.

So, the actual trailer box would actually be about 18' or so (I never actually measured it). The rear shell extends the rear length by about 4' which adds 3 1/2 feet of living space to the rear. The front also extends about 3 1/2 feet forwards. This way the trailer extends a total of 7' when opened.

eddugo · 06-20-2019, 05:20 AM

I thought about this too a while ago so i measured my 2720 with slide out sofa. 20'4" closed overall and a touch over 24' when open overall. In an ad I saw somewhere - may have been the original brochure, it said the TM was 20 feet closed and had the living area of a 27 foot unit when open. This is a good thing for me as we camp in a lot of State Parks and some have smaller sites that will not accommodate a 27' trailer. A 27' trailer can be 30' long with the draw bar.

Shane826 · 06-20-2019, 07:29 AM

Ed is right. The second number is some creative marketing... A 2720 isn’t 27ft long. TM’s line of reasoning is the front shell (and slide if applicable) cover the tongue, which doesn’t happen on a conventional travel trailer. So they add the ~3ft of the average trailer A-frame to the actual open bumper to tongue length. Think about it... If a 2720 was 20ft long closed and 27ft opened, that would mean the rear bed would have to extend 7ft past the bumper. That’s definitely not the case.

Oh, and my 3326 measures 26’2” closed and just shy of 30’ opened.

**Bill** · 06-23-2019, 08:33 AM

OK, let's review here. A TM 3326 has a model name length of 33 feet. By your measurement, its actual interior length is 30 feet, or about 3 feet short of the number in the model name. Is this "cheating" or "marketing hype"?

Take a look at any other upright tow-behind trailer. The manufacturer doesn't spec an actual internal length, just as TM doesn't. But their model name implies a length, and the specs will give you an overall length. For example, a Dutchman 2912 has an implied length of 29 feet, and an overall spec length of 33 feet - a difference of 4 feet.

This difference between overall length and model name implied length is standard practice in the industry, and TM follows this standard practice. In fact, TM usually does about a foot better than the industry standard 4 feet difference. I always hate to see this described as "cheating" or "marketing hype", since TM always says "equivalent living space to a conventional trailer of the same length". They never describe it as interior length, again adhering to industry standards. This makes it possible to compare a TM to a conventional upright trailer.

Not being fussy - just my thoughts ...

Bill

Shane826 · 06-23-2019, 10:33 AM

The <30ft is from the back of the king bed to the coupler, exterior measurement. Not interior living space. That said, I know how TM describes the measurement, and I get it. . But look at any For Sale ad; almost everyone thinks the first number is the open length. The only way for a 3326 to go from 26ft closed to 33ft open (or any other model to do the equivalent) is if the rear bed actually slid out a full 7ft.

And a lot of manufacturers (Keystone, for example) have gone back to using box length in model numbers.

eddugo · 06-23-2019, 02:13 PM

I was, unfortunately, in the camper business in 1973 and had to eat our new Mobile Traveler campers when the gas crisis hit. Back then a trailer was measured overall so a 24' had a living area about 21' long. Things have changed and now some dealers advertise a 24' trailer and the living area is 24' + the draw bar. Someone we know just bought a 29 footer and it's 32' long. When in doubt, whip out a tape measure.

**rbhtrail** · 06-25-2019, 05:02 PM

Thanks all for your valuable input. When we pick up the 2720 I'll take some dimensions and add them to the forum. We're looking forward to bringing the unit home from the dealer. As a cabinet/furniture maker with an engineering background I'm looking forward to making some lightweight modifications that will enhance our camping experience. My wife and I have enjoyed camping from tent to several popups over 30+ years and because of the ease of set up of the Trailmanor we're/ I'm looking forward to the 5 minute as opposed to 4 hour setup at the campsite. This will make short trips more frequent and less of a hassle. Again Thanks for the input... Happy Camping to One and All...