Newbie progress after 2 weeks AND QUESTIONS

When I was young it seemed important to get things done yesterday! Probably no wiser now, but a lot less energy and urge to complete projects immediately!
After buying a new truck 3 weeks ago, instead of a used one, I didn't expect to have the $$ for a camper until autumn, but a 1999 Hi Low Tow Lite was advertised in the local Craig List, and it was only 4 miles from my home. A friend in Colorado 15 years ago owned a Hi Lo, so I was somewhat familiar with them. I inspected the Tow Lite in a pretty superficial way looking mainly for delamination and other serious damage. For $2800 I didn't expect perfection, but I also realized I'm not handyman material and have subpar mechanical ability. What was i getting myself into?
Before forking over the cash, I studied this forum and saw how friendly and helpful the posters were. Bingo! I bought it! The previous owner was given the camper by parents in their 80's who could no longer use it. I don't think it was ever used much by them, though possibly by earlier owners? I think it had been out in the sun a lot. Lots of evidence of UV damage, but not much evidence of leaks. There are no soft spots in the floor (which looked in good shape from the underside when I greased the guide rod, pulleys and cables today) or the walls, but there must of been water damage as the owners I bought it from replaced the inside walls. There's no evidence of delamination or bulging on the exterior walls.
Anyway, the Tow Lite raised and lowered with the battery alone on the seller's level concrete driveway. On mains power, the A/C and fridge worked. The lights worked including the signal indicator and brake lights when the previous owner towed it to my yard. There was an over-abundance of sealant applied to the top and sides wherever water might ingress. Some spilled onto and stuck to the sides. This makes for ugliness! There was only one gas bottle, and while under the rig today I saw that something, either the fridge or burners were disconnected from the gas line. I'll wait until later to investigate that and buy another gas bottle.
Lots of washing scrubbing, removing drips of caulking. I then painted the front and back panels, which I think are aluminum like the roof, with white Rustoleum 2 X Ultra Cover, and the old rig looks a lot better. I also wire brushed rust and bits of caulk and paint off the most of the front and rear metal sections, and painted with Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel.
QUESTIONS
1) I have not painted or done anything to the rusty Hi Lo hitch receiver which also seems to include weight distributing hardware which I don't plan to use right away. Should I paint those or will it make hitching and unhitching difficult?. The rust is superficial. The chains are also rusty. How do I clean them up or should I replace them.
2) The Tow Lite was raised OK two weeks ago and has been sitting in my yard. No part of my yard is level. I live on the side of a hill. I can not level the trailer here. Is it risky to raise and lower the trailer when it's not level? I'm concerned and a little scared about that. Also, I haven't climbed on the roof to do a thorough inspection while the trailer is raised. Should I only do that when it's lowered?
3) I bought a 2' ball, 6000 lb rating, today and it's mounted on my Frontier. How do I decide whether to mount the hitch ball so its higher or lower than the hitch ball mount? I know the truck, trailer and hitch assembly should all be level, parallel with the ground, but it seems I can't determine that on my unlevel ground?
4) I have the original curtains, but no blinds, if it came with blinds. I need to attach curtain rods flush above the windows and wonder if there's enough wall depth or backing to hold the curtain rods and curtains?
5) I bought an inexpensive brake controller and Nissan cable and plan to lower the rig and attach the hitch ball to the ball mount tomorrow. I guess you have to get the ball almost perfectly under the ball mount. Is that easier than it sounds? When successful, I'll test the brake controller and practice stopping and backing on the level parking lots of the nearby high school. I hope to go camping as a test run at a nearby campground with full hookups next week and possibly drive to Maine, northern NY, and even Quebec in August or September if everything works out OK. Maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew? My wife isn't an RV enthusiast, but some of my hobbies- photography, ham radio, and field biology will be enhanced if the camper works out.

Good questions, Doug!

1. I'd try cleaning any loose rust off the hitch and chains and then paint them with a rust "arresting/converting" paint. I've talked about this somewhere else in the forum, but I can't recall the brand I've used as I type this. The kind I like forms a primer coat that can then be painted with regular metal paint.

2. I would not try to raise the top if the trailer is not close to level. A tilted trailer puts a lot of stress on the guide blocks that follow the tracks on the sides and this can break them. Don't get on the roof with the top raised. Do the climbing only with the top down.

Is there any way you could do a little "landscaping" to create a level parking area? That's really what you need to do, so you can run the refrigerator for a day prior to any trip and also to disinfect and purge the water tanks.

3. Are you sure of the hitch ball size? I suspect the tongue receiver MAY be 2 5/16". You must NOT use a hitch ball that is too small! It will not reliably stay connected during towing!

Once you determine you have the right ball, you can just connect it to your truck the best way possible and tow it to a level place where you can adjust things properly. You SHOULD be using a Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH) and you can find Owner's Manuals for them online. The manual will explain how to set up YOUR hitch and the weight distributing bars/chains.

4. I've never had to remove or replace my blinds. I think there may have been a thread on this somewhere in the forum.

5. Yup, you have to get the ball almost EXACTLY under the receiver. Your Wife can help guide you. It's possible to do it on your own without any help but it will take a lot of time. There are "guides" (poles on magnets) or other tools you can buy that will help a lot. A backup camera is best.

You'll have to set up the gain on the brake controller in a level place. An empty parking lot is ideal. Yes, DO practice braking and backing. Backing is tricky. You have to learn when to stop forcing the trailer into a turn (when to straighten your TV's wheels to just follow it) to avoid jack knifing the thing.

Good plan to test camp at a nearby full service campground.

- Jack

Thanks Jack. It sure is good to have the benefit of experienced Hi-Lo-ers. I hope my questions and experiences (and of course the answers!) might be helpful to other Hi Lo newbies.
Yes, the 2' ball is the correct one. I just scraped and spray painted the platform where the gas bottles sit and forward to the tongue receiver. I didn't spay paint any of the movable parts, but have rubbed most of the rust off with a wire brush and will lubricate them. Need to brush the rust off the chains next.
Yes, I need to study the Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH) manual. I thought using it was optional?
I do have a rear camera on the Nissan frontier so maybe I can learn to use it for getting the ball under the tongue. I expect it will take dozens of trips from the driver's seat to the rear of the truck and back. In the mean time I'll have my wife help me.
I have one fairly level area about 60' from where the raised camper is sitting. It's right in front of the two car garage, so not a permanent place by any means. Should I lower the camper where it is (it went up OK) or pull it raised the 60' to where it is almost level and lower it there?

This afternoon I'll try to hang the curtains- see if the curtain hanger screws set in the new walling. If not, I'll try some cheap Cordless Paper Pleated Shades temporarily.

Onward!

Doug Allen said:

Thanks Jack. It sure is good to have the benefit of experienced Hi-Lo-ers. I hope my questions and experiences (and of course the answers!) might be helpful to other Hi Lo newbies.
Yes, the 2' ball is the correct one. I just scraped and spray painted the platform where the gas bottles sit and forward to the tongue receiver. I didn't spay paint any of the movable parts, but have rubbed most of the rust off with a wire brush and will lubricate them. Need to brush the rust off the chains next.
Yes, I need to study the Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH) manual. I thought using it was optional?
I do have a rear camera on the Nissan frontier so maybe I can learn to use it for getting the ball under the tongue. I expect it will take dozens of trips from the driver's seat to the rear of the truck and back. In the mean time I'll have my wife help me.
I have one fairly level area about 60' from where the raised camper is sitting. It's right in front of the two car garage, so not a permanent place by any means. Should I lower the camper where it is (it went up OK) or pull it raised the 60' to where it is almost level and lower it there?

This afternoon I'll try to hang the curtains- see if the curtain hanger screws set in the new walling. If not, I'll try some cheap Cordless Paper Pleated Shades temporarily.

Onward!

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Hi there, welcome to the Hi lo family. Sure you will enjoy it as i have so far for the most part.
I guess because of the way the top raises and lowers they talk about not putting much extra weight on top of the thing while raised and its only fully supported when lowered all the way down.
make sure you have nothing inside or out in the way when you lower it. the sink facet has to be turned right and nothing on the counters or anything.

you say your not very handy so do u own a drill? you can get one of those wire brush that goes into the end of the drill and clean the chains and tongue and everything with it before you spray paint it to remove the rust that is what i do they work nice for that.

Trust me you will be happy you have that back up camera as you need to be directly under it with the ball to hook up. get close, lower the camper some if u see it need go back or forward get in and move truck in direction it needs to go and should fall right on. be sure your wheel chucks are in place before you hook up or unhook.
Sounds like this might be the first thing you ever towed so you will need to practice some.. i'm sure there u tube videos to teach you how to. unless your a natural it might take u some time to learn i guess i am lucky and been backing trailers since i was about 10 and i was taught on a lawn tractor pulling a small trailer around the yard.

I ave never used a weight distribution system and never even heard about them till i joined this site. guess depends on your truck if you really need one.. i towed my 20 foot hi lo with a 98 s10 blazer with a 4.3V6 auto 80 miles and it did fine. it hardly even squat the rear of my blazer


good luck to you

I would not consider the WDH optional at all. I think you need to use it. If you don't, ALL the tongue weight of your trailer will be on the rear axle of your truck. As I posted elsewhere, this lifts weight off the front wheels, where you do your steering and where most of your TV's braking takes place. It can overload your rear axle and tires if you add any cargo in the truck bed. It will also effect your front end alignment to have the front lifted and will aim your headlights high. The first three problems are serious and can lead to an accident (with a trailer behind you)!

DO lower the top before you move the trailer at all. Don't move it with the top up.

The camera will solve all your hitching problems. I still have to get out and look, but I get within 6" of the tongue hitch just using the camera. And, I'm lined up correctly.

Have fun!

- Jack

Thanks Epoweredrc,
Yes, I do have two drills and a wire brush that goes on the end of it, and hadn't thought of using it! It will make the job much easier. Should have been using it to scrape rust off other metal parts.

Jack, the WDH is now near the top of my study list! Thanks.

Success in hanging one of the original curtains. Five to go.
Onward............................... to my afternoon nap!

You may be able to find a used one on Craigslist for about 1/2 of new ( or less)
Most never wear out. Just be sure it has heavy enough spring bars for your tongue weight. My 26' came with a hitch that had 800# bars and the actual weight is over 600#.
Find an old brochure that has your model and use that as a reference for the proper hitch for your trailer.

When you set it up your goal is to have your trailer level and your tow vehicle level. That way you will have the best and smartest looking rig going down the road. Level your trailer, then measure the height if the coupler off the ground. Use that number to start with to set your ball height. Then fine tune from there.

One tip I picked up from a big Airstream dealer in Ontario (?) Canada is to tip the ball back 2-3*. Today I don't remember the reason why they recommend it.

It's all about safety.

This dealer had set up a Dodge Intrepid to tow a 33' Airstream. The car was stock ( possibly had a tranny cooler)! Crazy I know. The last I heard was that car has over 50,000 trouble free miles towing that trailer. They really knew their stuff.

Bravada said:

You may be able to find a used one on Craigslist for about 1/2 of new ( or less)
Most never wear out. Just be sure it has heavy enough spring bars for your tongue weight. My 26' came with a hitch that had 800# bars and the actual weight is over 600#.
Find an old brochure that has your model and use that as a reference for the proper hitch for your trailer.

When you set it up your goal is to have your trailer level and your tow vehicle level. That way you will have the best and smartest looking rig going down the road. Level your trailer, then measure the height if the coupler off the ground. Use that number to start with to set your ball height. Then fine tune from there.

One tip I picked up from a big Airstream dealer in Ontario (?) Canada is to tip the ball back 2-3*. Today I don't remember the reason why they recommend it.

It's all about safety.

This dealer had set up a Dodge Intrepid to tow a 33' Airstream. The car was stock ( possibly had a tranny cooler)! Crazy I know. The last I heard was that car has over 50,000 trouble free miles towing that trailer. They really knew their stuff.

Click to expand...

wow thats crazy

The reason the ball is tipped back is to lower the spring bars. That gives you more chain to work with, or, if the bars fit into L-brackets like mine do, it lifts the rear of the truck and the front of the trailer when you slide them into place.

In my case, the angle of the ball (and bars) is critical to the proper adjustment of the WDH. If you have chains, it doesn't matter as much as long as you have a few links left over once you get the trailer and TV to the proper height.

- Jack

Thanks Jack! I will have to tilt mine. Possibly lift the ball one inch. Then all should be fine.

Don't tilt it TOO much. You want to see the spring bars angled down a bit from horizontal, but not excessively. If you have chains, I think I'd want the spring bars to be very close to horizontal when the trailer and tow vehicle are set up properly.

- Jack

From numerous sources I have read the desired adjustment is to have the bars near parallel with the ground and to have three loose links hanging on the chains. The adjustment is supposed to be done with both the trailer and the tow vehicle loaded. The desired end result is to have both units sitting straight and level. This calls for the adjustment procedure to be done on a flat level hard surface.

Hmm! on my old '76, with that old set [Rather than a WDH, always called an equalizer hitch?], even when on with other trailers (for which I've also mounted an additional 2" Ball to turn upside down for quick height adjustment, reversing the bars), I just counted up from the bar either 7 or 8 links, and one or the other leveled them out. That as also the ONLY Angle adjustment. The Equalizer Hitch Height is adjusted at the front of the Equalizer.

IF I''m correct, the ones on the '00 are more like Jack's & probably yours Rich? Instead of chains, it's an "L" Bracket Bar with an adjustable height Bar Leg & with the Ball already Tipped back. I've Lowered the Bracket with two lower mounting holes left thus far, but with the "low" Hitch on my TV, I may have to go to the lowest position, raising the Bars as high as posible. Lot's of changes this year! Already placed the "receiver portion in the lowest position.

Bruce from Kansas said:

Hmm! on my old '76, with that old set [Rather than a WDH, always called an equalizer hitch?], even when on with other trailers (for which I've also mounted an additional 2" Ball to turn upside down for quick height adjustment, reversing the bars), I just counted up from the bar either 7 or 8 links, and one or the other leveled them out. That as also the ONLY Angle adjustment. The Equalizer Hitch Height is adjusted at the front of the Equalizer.

IF I''m correct, the ones on the '00 are more like Jack's & probably yours Rich? Instead of chains, it's an "L" Bracket Bar with an adjustable height Bar Leg & with the Ball already Tipped back. I've Lowered the Bracket with two lower mounting holes left thus far, but with the "low" Hitch on my TV, I may have to go to the lowest position, raising the Bars as high as posible. Lot's of changes this year! Already placed the "receiver portion in the lowest position.

Click to expand...

The bottom line is to set up the hitch according to what the particular manufacture says in their instructions. I know real men don't need instructions.

What brand is your hitch, Bruce? Mine's an Equal-I-Zer. There are good videos on their website that help you in your hitch setup.

My ball height on the TV is just slightly higher (about 1/4 - 1/2" as I recall) than the inside of the trailer receiver when both are level and unhitched. You don't want there to be a huge difference, because they end up being the same height when they are hitched and a big difference would force the trailer or the TV into an unnatural angle or would make the spring bars do too much work.

When I got this new truck, I had the ball too low to begin with and I had to place the L-brackets too high, using the spring bars to level the trailer and truck. It made hitching and unhitching difficult. It also effected my truck's steering.

- Jack

I know real men don't need instructions.

Rich - Possibly, but, personally, I always read the instructions. I've NEVER seen a set of instructions for either set? Just [as a Farm Boy] had to figure them out! [And Jack -] THEN, I found the site on from this Forum, to finally see IF I knew anything about it!


What brand is your hitch, Bruce? Mine's an Equal-I-Zer.

Jack - I really didn't know, but IF yours "says" Equal-iI-Zer, mine must be one too! Have No Idea what these new ones are, but know they are Heavier and work differently. Had to add an Anti-Sway Bar to the Equal-iI-Zer. That's built in on the "new" one.

As for the height difference, I suppose the Trailer Hitch is slightly higher on both. There's an 11" difference between the new connections. I have to park it/them on a slope, and with the '76, would just back the hitch (2" Ball) into the TV Receiver, then adjust the bars. With the angle on the "new" WDH, I'll probably have to put the WDH into the TV Receiver, then back the 2-5/16" Ball under the trailer hitch.

WDH - Equal-I-Zer HItch

Jack - Went out to look, and the "new" one still has enough Decal left that it states it is an "Equal-I-Zer". Major difference between the two.

And, while looking, in tilting the Ball, there are 5 washers.

Bruce from Kansas said:

Jack - Went out to look, and the "new" one still has enough Decal left that it states it is an "Equal-I-Zer". Major difference between the two.

And, while looking, in tilting the Ball, there are 5 washers.

Click to expand...

The 5 washers is a fairly standard tilt i think. I'm pretty sure that's what mine has.

If you have an Equal-I-Zer, you DO NOT need sway control! It's built in (the friction between the spring bars and the L-Brackets.

Adjust your ball so that it's just a tad bit higher than the inside of the hitch receiver on level ground with the trailer level.

To hitch your TV, you lower the tongue onto the ball, and slide the hitch lock forward to lock them together. Then, use the tongue jack to raise the front of the trailer AND the back of your truck enough so that the spring bars are easily placed on the L-brackets (you have a "lever" to help if needed, I rarely use it). Then, retract your tongue jack and you're ready to connect the chains, breakaway cable and electrical plug.

To unhitch, you use the tongue jack to lift the assembly enough that the bars can be slipped off the L-brackets. Then retract the jack so you can unlock the tongue. Finally, use the jack to lift the tongue off the ball.

- Jack

Definitely an Upgraded system, but takes considerably longer to get ready to travel.

You'll get used to it and find it's a pretty quick process.

- Jack