Learned a few things

We just got back from a seven week trip in our 2307C. This was the first sizable trip since we got it 3 yrs ago and we learned a few things. So I thought I'd pass them along before I forgot.

The bathroom door failed at the top joint next to the wall hinge. This is a folding door made of solid oak in a frame and panel style. The joint is a miter joint (a very weak joint) reinforced with a thin metal spline. The spline broke and the joint opened up. No abnormally rough roads. I did a temporary fix with a screw across the miter joint. We also braced the door with shims to support it while we were pulling the TT. Oddly, all the other doors in the 2307C are cabinet doors and they have mortise and tenon joints (a very strong joint). HiLo put the weakest joint in the highest stress service! I will be reinforcing the miter joints with dowels.

A mouse got into the trailer. When I checked the underside of the trailer I found all the openings had been well sealed. But I found that there was an opening from the power cord compartment into the trailer where the power cord goes in. I sealed it with some spray foam insulation. Maybe just a miss on mine, but I thought I'd give a heads-up.

The gaps around the top and bottom halves of the door definitely let in mosquitoes at night in buggy areas. Our easy and effective fix was to stuff the gaps using a towel.

The hook-up brackets on our weight distribution hitch got bent twice. Both times were during tight turns. But with our previous trailer of 15 yrs, I have made similar turns without a problem. I suspect the additional 1000 lbs of the 2307C vs. the old trailer is overloading the bracket on tight turns. I have upgraded to heavy duty brackets that have gussets welded unto them to greatly increase the strength against bending.

Overall, we are very pleased with our HiLo. Just a few relatively minor and fixable issues. We really like all the light and cross ventilation from all the windows on the side. And it is a dream to tow.

CamperD

camperD said:

The hook-up brackets on our weight distribution hitch got bent twice. Both times were during tight turns. But with our previous trailer of 15 yrs, I have made similar turns without a problem. I suspect the additional 1000 lbs of the 2307C vs. the old trailer is overloading the bracket on tight turns. I have upgraded to heavy duty brackets that have gussets welded unto them to greatly increase the strength against bending.

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How many links did you have from the bars to the brackets and are the brackets directly above the chain attachments on the bars? You should have at least five links and the chains should be vertical which would allow for maximum movement of the chains when turning.

I had same problem with the bathroom door. See the "busted door" thread under "interiors".

rick

RichR, I have 5 links on the chain (same as the old trailer) and it hangs vertical. The hitch is the same I used on the old trailer. The only change I've really made is the move to a heavier TT.

Hilltool, thanks for the referal to the other thread. I think it is the bouncing around during moving that is stressing the door. I like the eyescrew support idea. A lot easier than our current approach of shimming up from the bottom.

CamperD

I don't know what brand hitch you have but you quite possibly do need heavier brackets. Reese only offers one type of bracket that I am aware of and it is heavy duty forged steel.

"The hook-up brackets on our weight distribution hitch got bent twice. Both times were during tight turns. But with our previous trailer of 15 yrs, I have made similar turns without a problem. I suspect the additional 1000 lbs of the 2307C vs. the old trailer is overloading the bracket on tight turns. I have upgraded to heavy duty brackets that have gussets welded unto them to greatly increase the strength against bending."

We are on our 3rd Hi Lo since the early 80's. This has always been an area of concern for me when backing the trailer into an RV spot or parking it in our driveway. Some driveways have a fairly high rise which adds additional stress on the hitch and rods. At some point, a very sharp turn may be required. Like most on this post, I use [5] links when traveling. Prior to positioning the Hi Lo, I have always made it a point to simply go back and re-set the chain to the 1st link or even remove the rods before I begin maneuvering. While traveling I am careful not to get myself into a position where an extreme turn is required which sometimes happens when refueling in crimped quarters. This was especially a concern when we had the 31 foot Hi Lo. Taking these simple precautions has proven worthwhile ensuring I am not going to cause undue damage to the hitch or rods.

Jerry Curtis
2406 T

RichR, when I looked into the replacement, Reese had a model 21501 which was exactly the same as my original bracket and also a heavy duty version model 58392. The 58392 looks like the 21501 with the extra gussets welded on. On other RV forums, several people with the same problem (bent brackets) said that Reese replaced their original (21501) with the heavy duty brackets at no cost. At 15 yrs old free replacement was not in the cards for me, but it was helpful to know that Reese had recognized the problem and came up with design improvements.

jcurtis95, thanks for your simple but effective precaution. Why didn't I think of that! This is why I love this forum. The collective experience and thinking is a wonderful aid!

CamperD