Prospective Hi-Lo purchase concerns

Hi everyone,

I am considering either a Trailmanor or Hi-Lo 17. My criteria is that it has to fit in my garage. I have a 3 car, one double door and one-single door. I am selling my boat that is in there to make room for the trailer.

I am concerned about parts availability of the Hi-Lo, and overall condition, since it seems that the most recent ones are around 2008-2010 but many are much older. I am sure there are a few gems out there, but I am worried I would have to weed through alot of project trailers to find them. I am handy but really want a trailer that I can just take out and not spend weekends fixing one thing after another.

How is parts availability?
Anything in particular to watch out for on the Hi-Lo trailers?

I previously had a 16ft Scamp and a 28ft class C. I loved the Scamp but it wouldn't fit in my garage, and paying $120/mo for outside storage, with the Florida sun beating down on it got old really quick.

Thanks in advance for advice...

HiLo parts availability.

Most of the parts on the HiLo are standard parts that can be sourced From J&R in Ohio. The internet is another good source. Just ask the forum members where they got what you are looking for. Steer clear of Trail Manor. They are hard to set up and are known for leaks. This came to me from a former owner. How wide is your garage and how long? The other factor is what your tow vehicle is?

Also, how high is the garage opening? The top of a HiLo trailer is approx 72" high as I recall, but that does not include the height of the Air Conditioner which adds about another 9" I think. There are other things that stick up on the roof, but the A/C is the major concern.

A HiLo's length is measured from the towing hitch on the tongue to the back bumper. The spare tire, if mounted there adds another 8" or slightly more.

Agree with sam about Trail Manor leaking. If you study the design, you can easily see all the places where leaks could occur.

- Jack

Thanks for the replies....After doing more research on this site, it looks like I would be limited to a 15T based on my tow vehicle (2004 Infiniti FX35 AWD rated at 3500#). Since this is the case, the garage shouldn't be an issue.

I currently have a 19ft boat in my garage, and still fit two other vehicles, a small SUV and the Infiniti FX35.

The garage is 20.5' deep and 82" high at the lowest point.

Guess I should start shopping for a 15T.

What years were the 15' produced? I see them referred to as 15T or 1508/09, etc.

I THINK they started producing them again in 2008. So, you'd see the model number as 1508T. The "T" stands for "Towlite". There MAY have been some shorter ones in the 15ft length class that were produced much earlier, but I don't know if this is a fact.

- Jack

Thank you for the info!

More information

Look in the reference library for the weight of the 15ft. HiLo's. Then you have to add the weight of the water tank,propane and gear. Include passengers also. All this can add up quickly.

Cire; Many of the shorter Hilos came with a removal tongue that allowed for storage in a grarage. This shorten the length about 2 ft. Might allow you to step up to a 17 ft hilo if you find one of these.

Thanks for the reply. The length of the 17' isn't the issue. I originally was focused on the 17' but then started crunching #s. The gross weight for the 17' was 3830 lbs, which is over my tow capacity of 3500#, and I was reading that the tongue weight was pretty significant (400-500+ lbs). I'd love to get a 17', as they are more plentiful in the used market than a 15', but changing tow vehicles isn't an option right now. That is how I concluded that a 15' was my only option.

Typically TV’s (tow vehicle) with a limit of 3500 indicates it doesn’t have a transmission cooler. This isn’t a big issue if you’re only going to tow occasionally and shorter distances. The longer the tow, the more difficulty there will be keeping the transmission fluid cool.

HiLo specs the 1508 at about 2500 empty (empty weights are rarely accurate so I’m guessing it’s more like 2800), and it’s max weight it 3800.

My advice to people new to towing is to have a TV capable of at least the max weight of the trailer (I really prefer a TV that has excess capacity). In this case, you could easily load the TT heavier than your vehicle is designed to tow. It’s far easier to load the trailer to max than most people realize, and few of us take the setup to the scale to verify our weights (guilty!).

If there’s a tow package available for your Infiniti (that includes a transmission cooler), it’s likely worth the investment, especially since that usually includes the proper receiver and wiring for a brake controller. Tow packages for modern AWD vehicles often upgrades the tow capacity because of the cooler and brake controller.

Then again, your TV is 15 years old with a transmission with 150k or more on the clock. Towing puts a heavy load on transmissions, so you may want to consider how much you’re willing to risk towing with a transmission of that vintage. Again, how often/how far is a big part of your comfort level.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I already have a trans cooler and wiring with a 7 pin connector.installed.I have been towing a 16ft Scamp with the TV with no issues.

I checked the brochure in the reference section for the 1509T and the GVWR shows 2990. Is this not accurate?

I suspect the GVWR you found for the 15ft model IS correct. The GVWR of 3800# is what my 17ft trailer is listed at. It hits that weight (weighed on a CAT scale) if I've filled the fresh water tank full and the two 20# propane tanks are filled.

To be fair though, When I weighed it, I'd installed a second battery, it had kitchen utensils and our camping dinnerware aboard, our down filled sleeping bags and pillows, and I'd made 4 wooden drawers for storage. There were also a few hand tools (pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches and the like) on board too.

It was supposed to have an empty water tank weight of about 3000# with all factory installed equipment, but I think it is closer to 3400# in that configuration.

So yes, they tend to run a bit heavier than listed, but I think your "dry weight" should be less than 3000#.

- Jack

You’ve got the correct GVWR - I looked up the 1508, not the T (which, as Jack pointed out, is a Towlite, so weighs less).

Looks like you have 500# to spare in your max for your vehicle, assuming the trailer is fully loaded.

I’d run across the scales once you’re loaded for a trip the first time, just to be sure. It’s really easy to load up a trailer (water at ~9lb/gal eats that up quick!)

Do you know your max payload? Pin weight is part of payload, so you’ll lose upwards of 300lbs of payload to the tongue. Just another bit to keep in mind.

Looks like you’re good to go!

Hi Cire,

We had similar thoughts and did some comparison shopping before buying our 1983 HiLo.

We considered a pristine local 5 yr old Trailmanor and really fell in love with it. Unfortunately, the TM was too big for our garage and my wife had concerns about the counterbalance weight (our driveway is sloped, not level). She also did not like the many extra little steps to set it up... you need to move and lock the exterior walls, outer section floors/beds and the bathroom walls. TM's are very cool and they store in a shorter length space. We just felt the expanded space you gain in a TM is sleeping space, not living space.

We passed on the TM when we discovered the HiLo. My wife loved the idea of pushing a button and it was 99% ready to go in about 10-15 seconds. OK, you may still need to move a cushion, maybe hang a picture on the wall or adjust the curtains. We also found THIS awesome site with many experienced and welcoming HiLo enthusiasts. They have saved us hours (and cash) with simple solutions to most problems that might arise with your HiLo.

Most issues we've had with our 83 have been related to aged materials (simple little stuff like old door seals, some routine maintenance on the metal roof). We finally needed to replace the original water pump ($60 for new pump and an easy screwdriver install under the couch/bed). Most inexpensive materials/parts we have needed were found at Home Depot or on Amazon... not an RV dealership repair shop.

Our Hilo get lots of "wows" at campgrounds - even from airstreamers! They are a very unique and iconic travel trailer brand. HiLos are solid, quality built, well-engineered campers with straight-forward and easy to fix systems... and the smaller ones tow very well with an average sized SUV.

The fact that our HiLo still performs like new after 37+ years is a testament to its original build quality. Take your time and look for one that fits your needs and has been well maintained and you should be OK.

Excellent points. Thanks for sharing. I elected to upgrade my TV to a Jeep Grand Cherokee so my weight issues are no longer. This means I am now looking at 17's in addition to 15's. Wish I could go even bigger but the 19 would be too tight a fit in the garage

I haven't been in a Hi-Lo yet but the inside reminds me of the Scamp I had, nice and cozy for 1 or 2 people.

Make sure you get actual "end of hitch to back of spare tire" measurements to make sure it fits.
The Jeep is a great choice and should handle the lighter smaller HiLo or TM without any issues. You might want to get an adjustable height Hitch (due to the height of the Jeep). Need to tow as "level" as possible to avoid weight distribution problems.

I recently had my 1509 Hi Lo and 2002 4 Runner weighed. I first drove the 4 Runner off the scales then backed up to get weight of both vehicles. My Hi Lo weighed 2,600# with full water, two 30# propane tanks, two batteries, bedding, cook ware, full refrigerator, tools, etc.. I estimate the empty weight around 2,300#. The 4 Runner came in about 4,800# fully loaded with a small raft, accessories and more gear.

When I went in the office to check weights the lady told me I weighed 180# as she weighed with me in the 4 Runner then when I got out. Pretty close.

For accurate weight you should have the camper empty and unhooked but that is not how you go camping. I have seen other references regarding how much additional weight is in your tow vehicle as well as your camper. Excellent point.


My 1509 will not fit in my garage and I could not locate a cover with a rear door entrance so I use a tarp I purchased at Costco then using bungees and adjustable straps cris crossing the top. This survives snow which I mostly remove because of weight and high winds. I do live at 7,600' elevation in Colorado so my situation is different from yours.

Every time I think about a newer camper I return to this forum realizing how lucky I am to have my 1509 for ten years and towed over 50,000 miles. I am anxious to tow with my 'new' 2005 4.0 L engine after towing with my 3.4 L engine through the mountains all these years.

Do keep in mind, when considering weights the one people often miss is the GVWR of the TOW vehicle, not what the vehicle can tow. Maybe that is obvious or I missed it in the thread but just a reminder. Also- listed weights in brochures dont always include add ons like air conditioners and awnings if you have one.

Here is a nice helpful tool I found.

Travel Trailer Weight Calculator