Hi-Lo safety release not working properly and not all the way up - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

Josh · 03-29-2015, 08:07 PM

Hi I have a 1993 hi-Lo camper that I left up this winter . Not good idea but when I go to lower it I can't get it to lower without pulling real hard on the safety release. I see that the top isn't going all the way up because I can't hear the safety bar drop into place and the inner front and rear cabinets are not all the way up , any ideas ? Cable adjustment ? It worked ok at end of last year

garyk52 · 03-29-2015, 08:26 PM

Josh, you should not have to hold the safety release cable after you release the safety bar and started it on its way down. Have you checked to see if you have enough transmission fluid in the reservoir for the pump and cylinder to lift the Hi-Lo all the way. Checked the battery for a full charge. One more thing that happens to mine is, if it is below freezing for a couple of days, mine will not lift till the temps get above freezing.

Josh · 03-29-2015, 08:37 PM

I filled fluid while stuck in up position and over filled . It is only 40 degrees here now. You think all the snow and ice on top of camper may have put down pressure on lock bar and bent it ? Would that make it not go all the way up? I can put it down and up but not all the way because I don't hear it lock in nor do I hear it lock safey bar in.

Josh · 03-29-2015, 08:39 PM

it will make the squeal from pump area like it is all the way up but I can see it is not by the cabniets on ends not able to open properly all the way

garyk52 · 03-29-2015, 08:41 PM

Josh, is it all four corners? The lock bar only keeps it all the way up after it is up all the way

Josh · 03-29-2015, 08:45 PM

Seems like all four corners . Back seems to be lower than the front

Josh · 03-29-2015, 08:48 PM

They red light next to the raise lower switch is not lighting at all this year . It did last year and I could hear the safety bar drop into place last year but never this year

garyk52 · 03-29-2015, 08:54 PM

I have a hard time believing all four corners would need to be adjusted, I think you need to get under it by the hydraulic cylinder and see if something is bent or pulled loose. Look for bent cylinder, bent metal pieces or weld breaks by the cylinder. I'm sure your snow load was way more than ours and you may have bent or broke something.

Josh · 03-29-2015, 09:34 PM

I was already under there . Didn't get to look at the ram in center. Checked battery voltage with power probe and only 12.0 . That seems little low

garyk52 · 03-29-2015, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

I was already under there . Didn't get to look at the ram in center. Checked battery voltage with power probe and only 12.0 . That seems little low

Josh, 12 volts is right around a 40% charge, charge the battery and try it, if that doesn't work try a known good battery even if you have to take it out of one of your vehicles. Don't jump it, in case it is a bad battery. Here's a good site to learn about batteries The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)

Josh · 03-29-2015, 09:56 PM

I had it plugged into my garage electric for 4 days and that is what it read . I am pretty sure battery is no good . It gave me trouble last year with the electric tounge jack

Josh · 03-29-2015, 10:09 PM

Would that make sense that it wont go all the way up? Maybe requires more power toward the top for trailer jack and the hydraulic pump toward top

JackandJanet · 03-30-2015, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh

Would that make sense that it wont go all the way up? Maybe requires more power toward the top for trailer jack and the hydraulic pump toward top

Josh, if your battery is weak to start with, the VERY heavy load put on it by the lifting motor will rapidly deplete its remaining power, and it may well stop raising halfway up.

I had this happen to me before I learned I had a DVD player hotwired to the battery so that it was always on. I went to get my trailer at an RV service place after they'd had it about 3 weeks, and it would only go up part way. And, trying to recharge the battery with the tow vehicle was no help either.

If your battery reads 12 V, to paraphrase Gary, "It's about dead". You may have to pump the top up all the way by hand to get the battery replaced, but I think that's what's needed.

- Jack

RichR · 03-30-2015, 08:21 AM

You are lucky that the top remained in the full up through the winter. That amount of snow weight can do lots of damage to the lift system. Stretched cables, pulley and cable mounts pulled loose, bent lift cylinder, bent safety catch, etc. can all be things to check.
My local dealer, who you may know, had a HiLo come in that wasn't as lucky as yours. Cables had snapped and allowed to top to fall and do damage to the walls. It went to J&R Repair for an expensive rebuild.

JIM L · 03-30-2015, 09:53 AM

Since you left it up all winter the cables have stretched and all need to be adjusted. Any snow load has also caused the cables to stretch even more. If you are going to leave the top up for weeks or months you should support the top on 2x4s at the front, rear and at the outrigger supports if your HiLo has them. All cables stretch over time if under a load. The other possible causes talked about here can cause the top to not completly go up but since you left the top up all winter my mony is on cable stretch. My background besides with the HiLo is as a aircraft mechanic and ski lift mechanic, both controlled by cables. On ski lifts we measured the stretch in feet. If you do not know how to adjust the cables correctly get back here and for help. Its a easy job done correctly but can do a lot of damage if done wrong. Let us know what you find.

Josh · 04-19-2015, 06:32 PM

So I found that the safety release bar is bent and need to straighten, how do I remove it or straighten it in camper