Hello - I'm Bill

Hello,

I'm Bill and I'm new here but not to RVing. We started camping as a family in 1980 in a 1978 Terry Taurus TT with our two small sons. Since then we've had a 24' Prowler TT and a 28' Southwind motor home. We stopped camping in about 1995 when our sons were grown, gone, and I still had a full-time job.

Since then, we've retired and traveled overseas a good bit but in 2010 my wife was diagnosed with DLCBC Lymphoma. Sadly, after a 4 year battle she passed way in 2014. So now I'm here in Maryland and my sons and their families are in New Mexico and Wyoming.

So, I've decided an RV might be a good means of my visiting my family without breaking the bank or inconveniencing they too much. I'm considering really small travel trailers, Class B motorhomes, and truck campers.

I had looked at HiLo trailers years ago but dropped the search in favor of motel travel while my wife, Carolyn, was battling. We thought we'd win and look at RVs then.

Now I'm considering a newer 23' HiLo Classic and wanted to know if my current 2013 4Runner could tow it and who made the 2010 HiLo?

Hello,

Bill

Hi Bill! Don't worry, it's a holiday weekend. Someone will pipe up soon about your 4runner. I can't answer that without knowing weights of both the TT and TV. There has been some chatter about that in the index. Hi Lo was made for many years in Ohio, but left the business in 2010. Most replacements parts are readily available from common sources with the exception of the Hydraulic system. Even these can be purchased else where with some hunting. With Hi Lo's, maintenance is the key. "If you take care of it, it will take care of you!"
Tree

Tree,

Thanks! I kind of thought Thanksgiving and Black Friday had folks otherwise occupied.

Best regards,

Bill

Bill

There are a number of threads on here about the 4 runner and towing hi-los. A 23 footer will runaround 4500 to 5000 lbs with a tongue weight likely around 800lb. So- depending on engine size and packages you will be close to maxing out. People have done it but I believe the general consensus is a full size 1/2 ton truck or better is what most prefer to tow with especially if you are doing longer trips and mountains. Run a search on 4 runners and tacomas. Your owners manual should be able to give you your parameters. Hi- los look small when down but they are heavy little buggers!

Rick

As Rick, said - the weight is either close to, or over your limit, and it's due to the tongue weight. Your engine will probably "pull" the 5000# weight of the trailer, but the tongue weight is going to overload your tow vehicle's axles.

You'll need a Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH) too, and its weight must be added to the tongue weight of the trailer. You'll even be close in most 1/2 ton trucks. I'd recommend a 3/4 ton pickup for that trailer.

- Jack

Thanks all.

I'll either get a bigger TV or drop the HiLo from consideration.

Best regards,

Bill

Bill, they ARE heavy for their size, but the reduction in cross-sectional area gives you a BIG reduction in wind drag. You will definitely save on fuel towing a HiLo compared to a standard shaped trailer.

AND, having a tow vehicle that's a pickup truck gives you so much more capability when it comes to hauling things. I would not be without one. I also have a Honda for daily driving, but if I had to give up one, it would have to be the Honda.

- Jack

Towing your HiLo

Don't give up on owning a HiLo so easily. Just get a smaller HiLo. Look in the HiLo library for sizes and layouts.

Bill

If I ever backed away from a hi-lo I think I'd look at the some of the two piece fiberglass trailers out there. Realatively aerodynamic and the delamination/ rot issues are Eliminated for the most part due to their molded construction. The " hot" one out there right now is the " Escape", made n Canada and relatively expensive , but well made, though I still love the " quirky" factor of my high low and the performance towing in high winds.

Rick

hilltool said:

Bill

If I ever backed away from a hi-lo I think I'd look at the some of the two piece fiberglass trailers out there. Realatively aerodynamic and the delamination/ rot issues are Eliminated for the most part due to their molded construction. The " hot" one out there right now is the " Escape", made n Canada and relatively expensive , but well made, though I still love the " quirky" factor of my high low and the performance towing in high winds.

Rick

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That's a nice trailer, Rick. I notice in the 19ft model, the sleeping means one person has to climb over the other to get up and back in bed at night, which is a big turn-off for us. It certainly is lightweight though.

Like you, I remain a fan of the HiLo.

- Jack

Well it's a bit of a hassle for us , also, but it IS what we already have in our 22 ft hi-lo. Is it different in your 17? In many tts, except for fifth wheels, an annoyance I have are the fixed beds. I prefer layouts with the variety of space afforded by convertible couch/ beds. Of course that escape is no different and our hi- lo is a pain to convert as we put a thick mattress cover on it and, of course , one of us needs to climb over the other. In recent years I have only seen one small trailer that had a true queen size hide-a-bed arrangement . I assume weight is one o f the issues. .

Rick

If interested in a small fiberglass trailer, you should consider the Casita's. They do make a model that has twin beds to avoid climbing over one another. We almost purchased one but opted for the Hi-Lo instead:

http://casitatraveltrailers.com/independence-17/

I believe Bill said he is traveling solo so that may not be important to him. I think his 4-Runner could easily tow a Casita, though.

Class B's are nice if you are looking for small but they are the priciest RV's on a square-foot basis.

Hi Rick -

In our 17T, the dinette/couch area converts into a king-sized sleeping platform. It is just long enough that we can sleep side by side along the long axis of the trailer, or, if we chose, we could sleep "across". We use lightweight down sleeping bags, so there's no real bed "making" (which would be a total pain).

That's a nice little trailer too, Greg. The only thing I see it lacks is a dinette, but that's a small price to pay. We eat outside as much as possible and if we had to eat inside, sitting on a couch/bed would not be too bad.

OOPS! I see, in looking at the interior pictures there are two small tables that can be placed between the two beds, so that becomes the dining area when needed. Clever!

- Jack

Yes, it's amazing how much they can cram into some of these smaller trailers, Jack. One model even has a bunk bed option!

But I would probably miss the roominess of the 24 ft. Hi-Lo!

I only have eyes for Hi Lo trailers. Others are nice but Hi Los seem personable.
Tree

Popcorn said:

Now I'm considering a newer 23' HiLo Classic and wanted to know if my current 2013 4Runner could tow it and who made the 2010 HiLo?

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Hi Bill,

I did a bit of checking for you, your 4Runner has a tow rating of 5000 pounds. A Hi-Lo 2310H has an unloaded weight of almost 4000 pounds plus the weight of options, and a gross weight of 7000pounds. If you go to a 2009 2209T you can cut about 600 pounds off from the 2310H weight and has a gross weight of 5500 pounds. Both trailers are essentially the same size and layout wise.

Here is the Trailer Life Magazine Towing Guide:Trailer Towing Guides | Trailer Life Magazine

This is the 2010 Hi-Lo brochure:http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f52/brochure-2010-hi-lo-12/

and the 2009 Hi-Lo brochure:http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f52/brochure-2009-hi-lo-11/

Since we just finished shopping, I noticed there were more on the market on the websites and prices were better with winter nearly upon us, so anyone that can shop now, may find a bargain. There was a nice variety of sizes available too! On ours, the asking price online was $11,900 and without a trade, we were quoted $9150 for a like-new 2310 and we signed the contract!

I toured a Scamp 5th wheel, similar to the Casita/Escape, 2 nights ago and it redefined "small" (cramped), did not look like the brochure or video! Hi Lo seems to use all available space wisely. The craftsmanship far outdid the competition, IF you can consider some of the other units competition at all. This will be RV #9 for us.

I was in a 17' years ago and was amazed that everything one needed was there in a small package.