interior trim removal - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

keystone · 09-22-2017, 10:29 PM

inside the trailer at the bottom of the upper half of the trailer ..in the pic right behind the pulley....i'm trying to remove the trim without breaking it..lol...anyone ever do this successfully?..if so what is the procedure?...also has anyone found a replacement source for the trim?...thanks in advance

JackandJanet · 09-23-2017, 12:09 AM

I may be totally wrong, but from the picture it appears to me that the rail in the upper half is already broken. If that's the case, the rail needs to be replaced, not just trim.

I haven't done this, but others have. I'm sure someone with better advice will be along soon with help. However, I THINK it can be done without separating the halves.

- Jack

keystone · 09-23-2017, 01:52 AM

the part that is broke is just plastic..thats why i figured it was trim

JackandJanet · 09-23-2017, 10:39 AM

Sorry, keystone - it looked like the rail. If it's broken already, why not just rip it off? I replaced one of the interior trim pieces in my trailer with a strip of 1/4" walnut wood that I bought at Home Depot. I treated it with tung oil and it matches the fake wood plastic trim in the trailer almost perfectly. I've thought about doing the same with all the other trim strips, but haven't gotten around to it.

However, that trim strip was not on the upper half, it was on the top of the end of the lower half (and was held on by screws). Yours may be glued on, but if it's trim, it should be able to be pried off?

- Jack

keystone · 09-23-2017, 10:56 AM

from looking at pics of other hilos...it looks like the newer hilos have wood trim on the top rail of the lower half....mine is all plastic and very stubborn to remove....its hard to see how it is attached

Treeclimber · 09-23-2017, 11:45 AM

keystone, as Jack said, yours may be glued on. A putty knife may do the trick. We painted all our trim a gloss white after treating it with TSP (paint dept-Home Depot). Several pieces had been broken in the past (HOW??), so I bought a couple of vinyl boards, 3/4" X 3 1/8", cut them to match the old piece and screwed in place. Lasted years so far. I'm sure the top rail could be done the same.

Treeclimber · 09-23-2017, 11:55 AM

keystone, is that pulley damaged? After enlarging the photo, I see what looks like a metal sheath protecting the pulley has been bent away causing it to catch the top trim, possible?
Tree

Treeclimber · 09-23-2017, 12:00 PM

key, just checked my pulleys and mine are screwed to the frame, your pulley is set ON the trim. Don't know which is correct, unless you have yet another trim piece on top of that one, I don't.
Tree

keystone · 09-23-2017, 12:45 PM

yes..i wondered about that....all 4 are on top of the trim...maybe they did it that way on older ones....i dont think the pulley is damaged but i'll have a closer look...that corner is also an inch higher than the other corners when fully raised....what is used for stops to keep the top from going higher?

Treeclimber · 09-23-2017, 05:16 PM

key, in the "search" header look for top creep or cable adjustment. Cable adjustments are done with 4 bolts on the street side, near the tires. I can't guarantee your '85 model, but as you look at the bolt pattern, the top bolt on the left adjusts the right front, lower left adjusts the left front. Top bolt on the right adjusts the right rear, and, of course the lower right adjusts the left rear. Adjusting requires 2-- 9/16" wrenches and a vise grip pliers. Vise grips (or the proper wrench) is used to hold the back-side of the bolt from spinning (the proper wrench requires a third hand, I don't have one of those). Use the 9/16" wrenches to separate the nuts (locking nuts or JAM nuts). Then 1 wrench is used to tighten (to RAISE) or loosen (to LOWER) that corner. I do this when the top is down to put a little slack in the cable, when I've taken a turn or two, I run up the top to see where I'm at, and continue from there. Takes a bit of time but worth the effort. Any questions, just ask.
Tree

keystone · 09-23-2017, 05:37 PM

i was just looking at the adjustment bolts....the right rear bolt is longer than the rest (tighter)...and that is the corner that is going up too high
so to adjust them i let the top all the way down...back off the adjuster bolts until i have slack and then snug them up to get rid of the slack?

Treeclimber · 09-23-2017, 05:49 PM

You CAN"T go by the other cables or bolt length! If your too high in that corner, then loosen about two full turns, raise it up and you should be pretty close. If needed, loosen or tighten in 1/2 turn increments to get it right on. Rubber bulb seal mates to the upper METAL trim on the lower half. (Make sense?). You can see where it should be by looking at your door frame. Also, you can shine a light, if it's sealed, you won't see the light. ENSURE it's not too high!
Tree
PS: if you want, bring it over to my house in SW Fla, we'll do it together.

JackandJanet · 09-23-2017, 06:11 PM

Right rear - curbside rear? Another way to see if the bulb seal is meeting is to take the trim strip off of the inside lower half in that area. You'll be able to see the entire bulb seal from the inside of the trailer this way and you can tell if it's meeting.

Follow Tree's advice. You'd loosen the cable on the corner that's too high.

keystone · 09-23-2017, 07:14 PM

yes..curbside