T@B© Tear Drop Trailer

T@B Overview

After seeing an article about the T@B in Sunset Magazine, we spent a year researching and dreaming about owning one. T@Bs originated in Europe and only in recent years have been marketed in North America. They feature Sleek European design with German engineering concepts throughout. They are produced by Thor Industries in the United States, who also produce high-quality Airstream™ trailers. Airstream parts and accessories can be found throughout the T@B. The T@B is one of the lightest trailers on the market weighing in around 1600 lbs., and is easily pulled by our 4-cylinder vehicle. It is also one of the smallest trailers with an overall length less than 16-feet and width of 6'7". It easily fits into a tent-only spot or a car parking spot.

Special Features
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Unlike the tear drop trailers that originated back in the '50s that only had a bed and an outdoor kitchenette, the T@B's have many conveniences liken to larger luxury trailers. First of all, they're taller at a 5'9" center height. At the time of this writing in 2008, there were 4 different models to choose from including the classic Clam Shell model, which features the outdoor kitchenette of the classic tear drops.

Following are features included or available in the T@B:

Where to Get One
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Currently, only a handful of dealerships carry the T@B in stock. Prices range from $15,000 to near $20,000 MSRP depending on model. Use the T@B Dealer Locator to find a dealer nearest you.

WEBSITES:

• T@B
• T@B Dealer Locator

Campgrounds
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You're going to need to know where to take your T@B in California. Use our CAMPING pages to locate a campground that suits your interests. We list just about every campground in the state that includes conveniences like flush toilets and showers. Easily find details, websites and maps to any of the campgrounds.

T@B Owner's Resource
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This is a resource center for current T@B owners. Here you'll find tips on using the T@B, enhancements and problems you may encounter.

ENHANCEMENTS

• Locking Hinges
  T@Bs do not come with locking hinges. It's sometimes difficult to hold upper cabinet doors up while trying to find something in the cabinet. We installed locking straight hinges which make it much more convenient. Be sure to install 'straight hinges' and not 'curved hinges'. They're much easier to install and fit better.

• Cutoff Switch
  A cutoff switch is a good thing to install to keep electronics from draining the battery when not in use. The clock on the DVD player, CO² alarms and thermostat continually draw energy from the battery. To prevent this you could either disconnect the negative lead at the battery, or install a cutoff switch that can easily be turned off and on.

• Towel Bars
  Install towel bars above the windows for drying clothes, towels, etc. We found perfect sizes of stainless steel bars in the kitchen department at IKEA^® for low cost. They also come with hooks for attaching accessories like a utensil bucket and wall shelf.

• Step Stool
  Avoid twisted ankles and twisted backs by purchasing a step stool to shorten the distance of stepping in and out. We found a folding plastic step stool at WalMart^® that easily folds and stores in the cabinet underneath the refrigerator.

• Voltmeter
  Install a voltmeter to easily monitor battery usage. This is especially useful for power rationing on longer trips.

• 3-Way Propane
  Attach a 3-way connector to your propane tank to use an outdoor portable barbeque. This way you don't have to carry additional camp fuel canisters. You'll also need to purchase a hose to attach the 3-way connector to your barbeque. This is also a great way to avoid the scent of food in your T@B while visiting bear country.

• 12-Volt Accessory Plug
  Install a 12-Volt Accessory Plug (cigarette lighter socket) to be able to use battery power for other uses. Things you can plug in include power converters, cell phones, specialty hair dryers, solar panel and much more.

• Folding Cup Holders
  We found wall-mount, folding cup holders at Camping World^® and installed them toward the rear of the T@B between the windows and rear cabinet. They're great for securely holding drinks while playing games, building puzzles, etc. on the table. Be sure not to install them too close to the cabinets to where the cabinet won't open fully.

• Solar Panel
  We recently spent a week in Yosemite with the T@B and used a portable solar panel to keep the battery power up. We only used an average of 0.15 volts per day. This is very low usage since we only used interior lights, the water pump for doing dishes and the heater a couple mornings. Our power cutoff switch saved power while we were away during the day. The solar panel put back 0.3 volts per day, even with limited exposure due to tree coverage. Surprisingly, we gained even more power at higher altitude campgrounds, which we later found out was common due to thinner atmosphere. We put twice as much back than we used per day. Our average gain at sea level with full sun exposure is 0.3 per day. The panel is a Sunforce 15-watt.

PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

• Fan Knob is Loose
  PROBLEM: Ceiling fan knob seems out of place and crooked. It's difficult sometimes to get it to open and close properly.
  SOLUTION: From inside the T@B, remove fan housing surrounding the fan (many screws). Remove knob (1 screw up the middle). Remove bottom portion of fan (two screws). Pay attention to how the wiring is tucked along side as you remove the bottom. You will now see a solid metal fastener that is floating loose. Reapply the metal fastener with the two screws you will probably find somewhere in the bottom fan section. Follow directions backwards to reassemble the fan.

• Stove Stopped Working
  PROBLEM: Stove was working fine and suddenly doesn't light anymore.
  SOLUTION: Verify propane tank is on. Run heater to see if it still heats to verify the problem is not isolated to the stove alone. If heater also does not heat follow these directions: Remove hose that connects the propane tank to the fuel regulator attached to the T@B. Verify that no plumbers tape is blocking the air passage. If not, replace the hose. If possible, with a little longer 18-inch hose to prevent binding. Be sure to use plumbers tape on the regulator end and make sure it doesn't cover the hole. Everything should work afterwards.

• Moisture is Getting In
  PROBLEM: Moisture is getting in to the very back cargo area. Wind blows rain in around the rear brake lights, which runs down the interior body and soaks the cargo area. This solution is for the non-clamshell models.
  SOLUTION: Remove rear brake light covers (two screws each). Apply exterior silicon between the light housing and body until gap is completely filled. Be sure to account for the space needed to reapply the red light covers by forming a groove all the way around the silicon with your fingertip. Re-apply brake light covers when dry.

TIPS

• Charging While Driving
  If you've installed a power cutoff switch, you may need to enable all power within the T@B while towing in order to receive a charge from the tow vehicle.

• Securing the Table
  The table that comes with the T@B is secured for travel at the rear with a velcro strap. This strap is difficult to reach since it's at the rear and forces us to contort under and around the table to affix. We removed the strap and instead use rubber door stoppers under the front table leg. Placing the grey waste tank in front of the table between it and the cabinet, gives extra assurance that the table will not cause damage during travel.

• Clearing Propane
  After each trip, be sure to clear all propane out of the lines. Do this by closing the valve at the propane tank. Light a burner on the stove and let burn until it goes out on its own.

• Clear Water Lines
  After each trip, be sure to clear all water lines by removing the drain cap and the grey drain plug next to it. Wait until all water drains out and replace both cap and plug when complete.

• Defrost Refrigerator
  After each trip where the refrigerator was used, leave the refrigerator door cracked for storage. This will ensure that any residual moisture evaporates instead of developing into mold.

• Jockey Wheel
  To disconnect from the tow vehicle, apply wheel chocks. Lower the jockey wheel to within 2-inches of the ground and lock in place. Then begin cranking the wheel down to raise the trailer while holding the hitch-release handle up. Once the trailer is released, disconnect safety chains and power. To reconnect to the tow vehicle, crank the wheel up to lower the trailer onto the tow ball. Continue cranking the jockey wheel up until the side supports slip all the way up into the slots in the shaft. Release the side locking lever and lift the entire jockey assembly up to the trailer height and lock in place. Use a bungie cord around the wheel and trailer for additional assurance the wheel will not fall while traveling. Connect safety chains and power and remove wheel chocks.

• Wheel Chocks
  NEVER disconnect safety chains from the tow vehicle until wheel chocks are in place. This is additional insurance incase the brakes fail to grab.

• Plug Heater Exhaust Port
  To prevent small creatures from entering the T@B through the heater exhaust port on the side, use a rubber bathtub drain plug to block the opening during storage. Inch and three eights diameter works well. Be sure to remove it before travel or running the heater - it launches pretty far if you forget and run the heater.

• Wheel Lugs
  Check wheel lug tightness often. The wheels are of European design and are known to loosen over time. At the very least, check tightness before each trip. The wheel lugs do not fit standard crossbars and lug wrenches. You'll need a deep-well socket and socket wrench to remove the T@B wheels. Our lugs take a 17mm socket.

• Trailer Lock
  If using the factory trailer lock to prevent theft, be sure to remove it before travel. Traveling with the lock in place can cause it to break and jam in the hitch socket. This may lead to the inability to remove the trailer from the tow vehicle.

• Release T@B Brakes
  After releasing the brake on the T@B, roll backwards a few feet to assure that the rear brakes have fully released.

MORE INFO

Looking for more from other T@B owners. If you have a Yahoo account, access the T@B Forum at this address http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/tabtrailers and research topics or submit questions to knowledgeable T@Bonauts.