Hi-Lo Trailer Cover - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

Neal and Bev · 03-01-2010, 06:39 PM

Our Hi-Lo has to live in the back yard and it has no shelter

I'm thinking about buying some sort of a cover for it. Currently we store it in the lowered position.

We're thinking about leaving the refridgerator running all the time on it and if we do that perhaps it would be better to store it in the raised position, so that may be a factor in what cover we should use.

Any suggestions on a cover?

RichR · 03-01-2010, 08:17 PM

It's me again.

If you run the refrigerator all the time you will need to keep the trailer in the up position. The manual states that you should not have it on with the top down for more than one hour unless you are moving down the road.

Keeping the top up in the winter may be okay if you do not get snow, but if you do get snow the added weight can be too much for the cables to bear. Hi-Lo recommends storing them in the down position. My dealer had an older Hi-Lo come in that had been set up in the snow and the lift system let go. It was not a very pretty scene.

If you do choose to cover the trailer get a good high quality cover that has breathable fabric, DO NOT use plastic tarps. Trapping moisture under a cover is worse than not covering the trailer at all. I think Hi-Lo frowns on the use of covers, but I don't think it is mentioned in the manual.

Neal and Bev · 03-02-2010, 05:20 PM

I'd really love to have a shed to put it in but for now I'll have to make do. This is the current cover that I'm looking at buying.

RV supply warehouse

I don't know that I'll necessarly order it from this company but the Adco SFS AquaShed sounds pretty good.

My biggest concern is if the trailer ever starts to leak I won't know it until I find water damage. But on the other hand I hate to fool with a cover too. I'll may eventually build a shed for it.

Tony · 03-03-2010, 12:21 PM

Neal & Bev - this is the cover that I've been using. It's OK, they last about
two years. (In the KC area anyway!) I've been tempted to opt for the better
one (CALMARK), they cost more and would probably last alot longer but I
worry about handling it because of the heavier material. The ADCO is fairly
easy to handle and take off and on. Only thing I ordered the wrong size for the one I have on now, but oh well it's well protected anyway. I'm thinking
about building an external garage for the trailer and the F-250 someday but a cover is the next best thing!

Neal and Bev · 03-04-2010, 08:18 AM

Thanks Tony,

I was a bit concerned about the weight of the cover as well and how hard it would be to wrestle on to the camper. Then again it's not like I get to play with it everyday, instead I get my fix by hanging out here with the most awesome people in the world at the Hi-Lo community.

The Adco it is, good tip on the size too, I'll measure it carefully, thanks.

Neal

RichR · 03-04-2010, 11:12 AM

Tony mentioned about the cover wearing out in about two years made me think of a discussion on the RV.Net Forum. Someone was complaining about his cover wearing through on the corners. It was suggested to place foam padding at any point where the cover would have contact at those points. Also, wind causes the cover to move and cause wear on both the cover and the trailer finish. I guess it would be advisable to make the cover as tight as possible to reduce movement.

Neal and Bev · 03-04-2010, 02:48 PM

RichR,
I hadn't thought about that, that's a good idea. Course it makes me want a shed all the more for my Hi-Lo.

I bought a lottery ticket last night, and do you think I won? Lets just say I'm still buying a cover instead of a shed

Neal

RichR · 03-04-2010, 03:20 PM

Well, you just spent your down payment.

I gave up on the lottery a long time ago.

We want to get some kind of shelter also, maybe one of the metal carports with higher sides. I would love to have a Morton steel building with three stalls, but that will have to wait.

Tony · 03-05-2010, 11:55 AM

Pics of ADCO on our 2506C. As I mentioned earlier, ordered the wrong size,
should have been the next size down. But its covered, and as Rich mentioned
protection from the sharp corners helps tremendously. I wouldn't have gone
through them so fast - but the first one while I had it stored at a storage
facility was damaged by someone with a weed eater and tore up the side
getting too close. The second went through a hailstorm and I keep the cover on
as much as I can in the summer because I believe that the sun and heat
do more damage than ice and snow. But I leave it on kinda half way when in the
up position and the sharp corners with the tip-out out and windows open for ventilation
can easily cut into the cover. Sooo - I'm going to have to put something on those
corners or file them and round them off.

skmwalden · 03-14-2010, 08:03 AM

I did a lot of research and finally decided on a CalMark and have been very happy. When I placed the order by phone ... I actually wound up talking to the company's president (Art Miller). I am posting a link that should take you directly to the HiLo portion of their site. As to the cover's weight ... that has not been a problem to me (as long as you don't try and handle it when its wet). Would highly reccommend this cover. I have had two (2) of them for my different HiLo's over the years. The current one is for a 2808T unit.

Calmark Hi Lo Trailer RV Covers

sayhonkmon · 06-14-2010, 10:48 PM

I bought an ADCO cover for my 22T and it lasted 2 years, then fell apart at the seams. I phoned the company and they were real nice. They asked me where I lived and I told them FLORIDA. I was told that the SUN rots the ADCO cover. Well, what are you suppose to do, park the "covered" HiLo in a garage. ADCO sent me a replacement and I'm on the end of the second year and lo and behold; I already have a seam that's coming apart. It's parked under some pine trees in the SHADE! The material is flaking off small bits of the "special" coating that's on the fabric.
I'm now going to build a carport type shed for my HiLo. Buying covers is a waste of money in my opinion. The sales literature oversells this product. I wouldn't be suprised if this product wasn't made in CHINA!

Tony · 06-16-2010, 01:14 PM

OK - starting to show some wear in an area that is up against a corner
and is probably getting whipped around by the wind. Will more than likely
check out the Calmark next time (but they're so expensive!) and need to
figure out some kind of roof system at least. IF I'm not going to get my
free standing garage/shed.

Thankful · 06-17-2010, 09:27 PM

I used a ADCO cover the last three years. It is on the camper from October til April. It showed one wear spot after the first year, so I put bubble wrap on all of the sharp spots on the camper. The last two years there have been no wear spots but one of the tie down straps let go at the threads. Besides the tie down straps that are on the cover I also put on some nylon straps that lumber yards use to tie there lumber loads together. That works great. The wind doesn't bother the cover at all. Once it starts to snow, the cover is weighted down until spring.

I open my roof vents and place a cake of moth balls over the sink. Occasionaly I can smell the moth balls when I get near the camper, so I know that the cover is breathing. I have not had any moisture problems.