Hello Hi/Lo folks

I think the concept of short/ tall is grand, the missus and I are kinda Mutt and Jeff too.

Wanted a "camper" when I retired but had to bailout early and being cheap decided to build my own, teardrop but hated the thought of 'walking on my bed' every time I got into it so I built a 850 pound 'scamper' first and passed it on, this past year built a Hi-Lo that weights in at 1050 lbs. and drag it with a Prius.

So that being said, are we are going to be the "Red Haired Step Children" in this forum?

NEVER a Red Haired Stepchild! Welcome to the forum. We'd love to see pictures of your homebuilt! Please post them soon!

- Jack

Scribe, Welcome to the forum from south west Fl., sorta in the swamp. As Jack said, lets see some pics! I'm sure you can glean some info from this forum.
Treeclimber

Can't figure how to transfer from phone

Visited Bonita Springs in October

Try this for photos

Geese guyz, the site beats me up trying to post pictures.

I was hoping to let y'all think out if the box.

Treeclimber said:

Scribe, Welcome to the forum from south west Fl., sorta in the swamp. As Jack said, lets see some pics! I'm sure you can glean some info from this forum.
Treeclimber

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Apparently your elavator system is hydraulic or cables which seems prone for malfunction. My system is Linear Actuators, which are pretty simple, perhaps a possible modification to repair the issues of raising the roof.

Scribe, the HiLo lifting system is a hydraulically powered ram that pulls four cables that lift the top, through a series of pulleys mounted in the bottom half. It's actually not a terribly complicated system as long as it's maintained properly. Since the cables run underneath the bottom of the lower half and then up the sides, there's no intrusion into the interior of the trailer.

I'd like to see more of your linear actuator system! Am I missing something, or does your trailer not have windows? Maybe they're just on one side? From the pictures though, you've done some beautiful work!

- Jack

JackandJanet said:

Scribe, the HiLo lifting system is a hydraulically powered ram that pulls four cables that lift the top, through a series of pulleys mounted in the bottom half. It's actually not a terribly complicated system as long as it's maintained properly. Since the cables run underneath the bottom of the lower half and then up the sides, there's no intrusion into the interior of the trailer.

I'd like to see more of your linear actuator system! Am I missing something, or does your trailer not have windows? Maybe they're just on one side? From the pictures though, you've done some beautiful work!

- Jack

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No windows, wifey and I like sleeping in a cave, the actuators are like tent poles that are bolted through the floor and the ceiling they are 30 inch rise so a 80 inch head room is possible. I have painted vignette's of places we have visited. Watching Bob Ross at gym is paying off.

Pictures are not displaying properly

It's OK, just have to turn my head. Those things look pretty slick!

- Jack

Let me just say welcome

DIY people

Scribe said:

Geese guyz, the site beats me up trying to post pictures.

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Hello Scribe:

Being a DIY person I was quite happy you posted your pictures on the Hi Lo forum. I have often wondered about the use of these kinds of devices, but also how you are controlling them to both raise at the same rate. I noticed, that with your peaked roof, you only seem to be using two; one at each end.

Placing an actuator at each of the four corners of a trailer, would free up unrestricted floor space, but it would further complicate having all the separate actuators to lift in unison.

I am familiar with screw actuators and pneumatic ones. I wonder which type you used, what brand of manufacture, and what they are rated as, for a lifting weight. Likewise I was curious how you handled the entry door on your DIY project.

Keep sharing, and posting pictures. (It is not as hard as you might think, and pictures are appreciated. You did after-all, figure out how to build your own trailer.)

Hi Lo owners in general tend to become fixer uppers and creative problem solvers too, since the trailers are no longer being manufactured. The Hi Lo lifting system was designed to be able to lift enormously heavy weights. I don't know if that holds as true for many of the lift actuators, unless they are industrial strength, and in that case they would probably be quite heavy themselves and maybe costly, too.

Thanks again.

Linear Actuators

Thanks all for the kind remarks,
My build started on a 900 lb Dexter torsional axle, using 2x2x3/8 angle salvaged from jobsite dumpster, the frame resembles a boat trailer frame, the floor is (R7.5) 1.5" extruded foam (Owens Corning) between 2x3's on the flats with a 5mm plywood each side. The plywood is sealed with 7oz canvas and elasomeric roof paint on top and bottom, where the bed wall and actuator location was to be, there are steel flitch plates on either side of that 2x3.

The actuators are from Progressive Automations in Vancouver BC as no american companies would give me the time if day, corner actuators would have been nice but the design was well along when I found Progessive Automaton, the 30" rise was an issue as well. The 2 actuators work well as they are "Hall Effect" controlled which limits the speed if one is working harder than the other, PA convinced me that this would solve the unbalanced load issue, not cheaply but solved.

The bottom sides are simular to the floor but used 5/4 preservative treated lumber for flat spars and 1 inch (R-5 OC) and sheathed both sides with 5mm ply with painted canvas to seal it. The upper wall and roof are R-7.5, 1.5 inch foam same as floor but used 1.5 inch steel U channel with wood blocking to hold screws, there is no plywood in the upper section just painted canvas, also known as "Poormans Fiberglass", if damaged cut a piece of cotton cloth, soak in latex paint and cover with several coats of paint until the fabric is smooth.

The interior is basic for a 57 square foot micro camper, 30"x 75" bunkbeds that convert to a couch and a dry galley, wired for 110v, the actuators are 12v and have a power supply . the mattresses seem narrow but its still 1/2 a queen and when the interior width is 60 inches a standard twin is 39 inches. Head room at the peak us 80 inches 74 at the wall.

One of the beautiful things about camping, is the creative ways people approach how they camp. Like how you are thinking. Great you have the creative skills to make it a realty. Welcome to the group.

We just got back from the shakedown campout to give wifey a chance to try out her new upper bunk bed and 32x30 galley.
We share the cooking, though, she chops and I saute.

Welcome to the forum

Thanks for posting your pictures. Very interesting trailer. Homemade..the best.

Thank you, I noticed that a company in PA are making a new Hi-Lo.

Our towling mileage for our little jaunt this week was 30.4 MPG and the overall MPG was 30.7, the sightseeing MPG averaged out to 42.6 with the Foamy in the campground.

HiLo being made in PA

I think they only make one model. It doesn't have a bathroom in it. Not for me when it is pouring down rain in the middle of the night.