new owner - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

hilowego · 05-11-2011, 09:49 PM

I just bought a 2000 hi lo we looked at it twice before we bought it and both times it was perfect once we got it home we attempted to level it, not sure if it is perfect, and raised it. There was a little bit if insulation that fell out behind the bathroom and the door is very hard to open and shut. When we looked at it this did not happen and I am scared of breaking it. 5oes anyone know what we did wrong and how to fix it? I juist left it up because I don't want to damage it. Thanks

campthewestcoast · 05-11-2011, 10:40 PM

I am assuming the door that you are having difficulty with is the lower section of the entrance door.

Our trailer door can be too easy to open or too difficult to open at various times. It is all dependent on how level our trailer is. We assume a prior owner jacked the trailer up at the wrong point to change a tire and caused the trailer frame to bend. We first level the trailer up from side to side using a portable 2 foot level and placing it on various sections of the trailer. We then level it front to back by checking the floor, and the rails at various points and getting it as close as we can to level.

Once we are reasonably level, we set the jacks down (the feet at the corners). We adjust the jacks as necessary to loosen or tighten the door opening. On our trailer, if the front jack by the door is down too far causing the trailer to raise up, the lower door will bind making it difficult to open. If the back jack corner jack on that same side is down too far, the door will swing freely and not latch.

I am not sure about the insulation coming loose, maybe someone else can weigh in. Our insulation is a foam core sandwiched between the inside and outside walls.

JackandJanet · 05-12-2011, 12:39 AM

The lower half is easily "wracked" (twisted) if the trailer is not level.

In our trailer, I level it by using a level on the "trim" (seam?) at the bottom of the lower half between the side and the sheet metal that is below the floor of the trailer.

If I get that level, front to back and on the rear of the trailer, from side to side, then I know the floor is level, so the rest has to match that.

Now, if the door does not open or does not stay shut with the trailer leveled, there is a simple adjustment you can make on the latch. It's done with a screwdriver and you move the latch in or out to make it catch properly.

My lower door latches correctly with the top up (and the trailer level). With the top down, the latch does not quite engage and the door does not want to stay shut. Clearly, the weight and stress of the top in the up position effects the opening there. Since it's not important that the lower door latches with the top down, I don't worry about it. The upper door holds everything shut in that configuration.

- Jack

PopRichie77 · 05-12-2011, 08:11 AM

Did you put the rear stabilizing jacks down and then lift the front of the trailer with the tongue jack this will clamp the outside bottom door shut and can cause permanent damage? Put all the stabilizing jacks up and see if the door opens and closes ok.
It's hard to tell what is wrong from your description. Please explain about the door only again and if it is the outside bottom door.
Have no idea about the insulation falling out.

hilowego · 05-12-2011, 05:12 PM

Thanks for the info as soon as I raised the jacks the door opened and closed easily. Does this mean I should level it after it is raised? And the insulation that is falling out is actuallt the gasket between the top and bottom falling part. (Is there something I can do to stop this and to replace the gasket is it a dyi project or do I have to take it in?

RCREYES · 05-12-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hilowego

Thanks for the info as soon as I raised the jacks the door opened and closed easily. Does this mean I should level it after it is raised? And the insulation that is falling out is actuallt the gasket between the top and bottom falling part. (Is there something I can do to stop this and to replace the gasket is it a dyi project or do I have to take it in?

http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f55/...of-gasket-220/

campthewestcoast · 05-12-2011, 06:57 PM

Hilowego,

We level side to side while the trailer is in the lowered position. We also try to get close to level front/back while the trailer is in the lowered position. We then raise the top and do the level fine tuning.

Once we are both happy with the position of the trailer, we put down the jacks continually testing the door.

Pipers Family · 05-12-2011, 09:43 PM

Campthewestcoast- that is exactly how we have always done it- works really great for us.

JackandJanet · 05-12-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campthewestcoast

Hilowego,

We level side to side while the trailer is in the lowered position. We also try to get close to level front/back while the trailer is in the lowered position. We then raise the top and do the level fine tuning.

Once we are both happy with the position of the trailer, we put down the jacks continually testing the door.

I've not had to do this. If I park the trailer where it's pretty nearly level already, the door closes and stays shut and opens normally with the top raised. Then, when I lower the stabilizing jacks, nothing seems to change.

It almost sounds like, if things change drastically from a level park to a final setup, that the bottom half of the trailer is "wracked" (twisted). In my opinion, this is not necessarily bad, but just something you have to deal with in setup.

- Jack

Fireballsocal · 05-12-2011, 10:51 PM

Hilowego: By chance when you lower the jacks, are you really cranking down on them? They are really just designed for stability and proper usage would be to set them down till they touch the ground solidly then maybe one half of a turn more on the jack handle. They are to solidify the floor inside while you are moving around and not to take weight off of the tires.

sam · 05-12-2011, 11:04 PM

Need clarification is there a gasket between the side of the roof and sidewall? Is the problem with the gasket between the upper half and the lower section. Anyway to try and answer your question? I've never had to replace the seal between the top and botton half. If you are handy and want to devote an entire day you can do it your self. The part /seal is available from Jr in Ohio. We "cheated" and stuff grey pipe wrap under the top half to give extra insulation and some sealing properties. Welcome to the forum. We'll answer all your questions. Post often. Sam

JackandJanet · 05-13-2011, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireballsocal

Hilowego: By chance when you lower the jacks, are you really cranking down on them? They are really just designed for stability and proper usage would be to set them down till they touch the ground solidly then maybe one half of a turn more on the jack handle. They are to solidify the floor inside while you are moving around and not to take weight off of the tires.

YES! That is how they are to be used. I have cranked both, on one side, up maybe less than an inch to fine tune the level though. The front to back level is always done with the tongue jack.

- Jack

campthewestcoast · 05-13-2011, 12:44 AM

Jack,

We have a bent frame on the trailer because someone jacked it up to change a tire, and it wasn't adequately supported. Because of the bent frame, we have to use the jacks to finesse the door.

hilowego · 05-13-2011, 07:11 AM

I thinkwe did turn them too far the first time since we raised them the door seems to work fine and we just lowered them to touch the ground, not take any real weight. Thanks for all the help I tried to look up this in the owners guide but didn't get a clear picture of how to level the camperm. Everyone's advise on here has been so much more helpful.

RichR · 05-13-2011, 08:01 AM

The name 'stabilizer jack' means to stabilize, not to jack. It is sort of a misleading term.

JackandJanet · 05-13-2011, 11:13 AM

I wonder though, about some stabilizing jacks I see in the Camping World catalog? They supposedly have a 7500# leveling/stabilizing capacity and are the scissors type jacks that extend up to 24". They're not cheap - On sale right now for 69.99 a pair if you're a member.

Another design extends to 30" and has a 5000# lift capacity per jack. These are $102 per pair.

- Jack

campthewestcoast · 05-13-2011, 01:00 PM

Hilowego,

If we have to level the trailer side to side, we use planks of plywood. Very rarely do we require anything higher than that. We purchased leveling blocks from Camping World, but rarely use them.

JMDoering · 05-13-2011, 02:42 PM

Les,

We always used plywood planks and 2 X 4 blocks... until we traded in the Silverado and started towing with a Suburban... just not as much room to carry that kind of stuff. So we've shifted over to stacking leveling blocks because they take up so little space when were loaded up. Just wish they'd mold the things using a nice discrete color. International orange, eye-popping yellow, and fire-engine red just aren't my style for camping.

Jack,

Those high capacity stabilizers must be for Class C motor homes and such, rigs that have a frame invulnerable to "wracking." Although most of those guys seem to have automatically leveling hydraulic stabilizers.

Jim

JackandJanet · 05-13-2011, 03:01 PM

I think you're right regarding the stabilizers, Jim. You'd have to be VERY careful using them on a Hi-Lo to raise a side for leveling. Probably about a half turn at each end at a time, both up and down.

- Jack

sam · 05-14-2011, 12:41 AM

We use Lynx Levelers to level. One time the campsite at Allegany state park was carved out of a hill we had to use all ten of the Lynx levelers on one side. A young boy kept calling them Legos. The lynx levelers fit in the outside storage area nicely.