1960s hi lo roof gasket

64roadie

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2011
Messages
20
Location
Cortland Ohio
We have a 1964 homemade hi lo type trailer and we are in the process of replacing the cables and the roof gasket. We have the top and bottom sections apart and blocked up but we found that we had gaskets on both the top half and the bottom half. Is that typical of the 60s hi los, or did the gasket only go on the top half?
 
" 1964 homemade hi lo type trailer"

What is that? Got any pictures you can post?? :confused:

Rick
 
64roadie

I have previously posted pics. If you go to the search tab on this forum and type "64roadie" you will see my other posts and pics. Does the gasket go on both halves or just the top?
 
Pictures of 64 HiLo

I again looked at your pictures and see where you may want to replace your door horizontal seal. You are correct that this is a piece of vinyl fabric with a round piece of weather stripping in between. We have had to replace ours. It can be reinstalled with pop rivets or screws. You may have done this repair already.
 
64roadie

Thanks Sam. The screen door repair hasn't been done yet, but is on the list! So far we have replaced leaf springs, tires, seals. And for now she is apart, blocked up and awaiting roof gasket(s) and new cables.
 
64roadie roof gasket

The gaskets that are left on ours is very brittle and worn, but appears to be a flat type black gasket applied with adhesive. The gasket was applied on both the top section as well as the bottom section. I have ordered the bulb seal that seems to be for other hi-los and plan to try to use it on only the top half unless I learn of a better gasket or better method.
 
64 Hi-Lo

Hi, Mine is a 64 and the bottom half has a aluminum trim piece about 3/4 inch wide that protrudes out about 1 1/2 inch at the top(in the open position) and bottom. The seal is stapled to the top and seals at both the closed and open positions.
You haven't done any wall restoration yet, have you? Do you have any photos of how you have top supported? I need to remove my top and do some major wall and stud/frame repair. I'm going to use some warehouse area available to me. Did you basically raise the top support it and pull the lower portion out out?
If the weather clears tomorrow I can try to take some more photos and attach them, to show how the seal is designed on this Hi-Lo. It sounds like the company changed things as they went along in the earlier days.
I hope your project is moving along. Don
 
I have these photos of blocking the upper half. We are now in the process of replacing the gasket and cables.
 

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How do you lower the back park of the camper so you are able to place the 2x4 in. Did you lower the tongue jack to place the 2x4 in the front part of the camper?
 
By raising the tongue jack I was able to insert a 2x4 between the halves in the rear. Then I lowered the jack to place a 2x4 in the front.
 
By raising the tongue jack I was able to insert a 2x4 between the halves in the rear. Then I lowered the jack to place a 2x4 in the front.

Roadie - that's damned clever! As I see it, you can do this with only TWO 4x4s. You raise the top hydraulically, then place the 4x4s under the back, then raise the tongue to create the gap. Insert the 2x4, lower the tongue slightly to take the weight off the 4x4s, then place the 4x4s under the front and continue lowering to repeat. You don't need any kind of "farm jacks" or equivalent to do this.

Seems to me you don't have to disconnect the cables to do this, right? I also don't see much danger of "slippage" between the two halves as long as you firmly chock the trailer wheels so that there can be NO movement.

AND, with the top raised, you have full access to the interior of it from inside the trailer!

- Jack
 
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That didnt make any sense to me until I re-looked at the photo and saw you put the 4x4s between the top and the FLOOR, not the rear frame. :) Yes- quite clever and a good thing to remember.

rick
 
That didnt make any sense to me until I re-looked at the photo and saw you put the 4x4s between the top and the FLOOR, not the rear frame. :) Yes- quite clever and a good thing to remember.

rick

Yup! I've always put the supports between the outriggers and the top, and I think that's the best way to adjust the cables, since it helps make the top parallel to the frame on the lower half.

But, having the supports between the top and the ground lets you lift the top ABOVE the lower half!

As I said, damned clever!

- Jack
 
Terry1221

You mentioned putting some kind of silicone coating on your roof. What kind of a roof do you have? Just don't want you to use the wrong product.
 
Gaco Gr1600 5g Gacoroof Silicone Roof Coating for $293 per 5 gall. The reviews were great and going by YouTube you can put two coats on in one day. Very good for people living up north and is resistance to mildew and staining. You just roll it on and can be applied if it is above freezing. Was going to put it on this weekend but it will not be above 10 deg. Maybe next weekend when it is around 40's outside so I am able to get the heat above 50 deg. in my pole barn. I not for sure what type of roof I have, my Hi-Lo is a 2000 model and it had a leak in the roof the last owner said he try to fix it. I thought I just redo everything from top to bottom.
 
Coating your roof

Five gallons is a lot of material for your HiLo roof. You probably would need only one gallon. HiLo made metal roofs and some were rubber. Externabond tape is good to use for roof leaks. Then seal the roof.
 
Gaco Gr1600 5g Gacoroof Silicone Roof Coating for $293 per 5 gall. The reviews were great and going by YouTube you can put two coats on in one day. Very good for people living up north and is resistance to mildew and staining. You just roll it on and can be applied if it is above freezing. Was going to put it on this weekend but it will not be above 10 deg. Maybe next weekend when it is around 40's outside so I am able to get the heat above 50 deg. in my pole barn. I not for sure what type of roof I have, my Hi-Lo is a 2000 model and it had a leak in the roof the last owner said he try to fix it. I thought I just redo everything from top to bottom.

Be certain that the coating is compatible with your roof or you could have a mess on your hands. Metal roofs have a pebbly look and rolled seams, rubber roofs have a smooth look.
 

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