New to Hi-Lo trailers - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

Redcatcher70 · 03-15-2016, 07:56 PM

Just stopped in to say Hi and introduce ourselves. We are retired, in our mid 60's. We have been camping in one form or another for over 35 years.

Me, I am a retired State Employee, disable Vet and have hunted and fished all of my life. The Redcatcher handle comes from my old Army unit from VietNam, the 199th Light Infantry Bde., the "Redcatchers", and I served in 1970. My wife retired after 32 years working with a major cosmetics manufacturer here in Central Arkansas. Like all "old people" we have some health issues, hers is RA. We sold our last travel trailer about six years ago when climbing in and out became an issue for her. We missed traveling and camping a lot and with improvements in medications, we started talking about another unit. A couple of months ago I spotted the 2008 1905 Hi-Lo at a used car lot and the rest is history..... We have not camped in it yet, but later this week I will start stocking the trailer, re-packing wheel bearings, installing a power tongue jack and assorted other things to try and get out the end of the month. We will do most of our travels around Arkansas, mostly State or COE parks. Hope to run into a few of you around here.........

Luckydog671 · 03-15-2016, 10:39 PM

Welcome from California, Redcatcher, and thank you for your service! Quite a few veterans on the forum so you should feel right at home here. I am retired Navy myself. And of course, you won't find a better source for information on your "new" camper. Congrats on your purchase!

sam · 03-15-2016, 11:43 PM

Redcatcher70, Welcome!! We would love to see pictures. Spend some time viewing the operational videos and some of the back posts. What is your tow vehicle? We love to answer questions..so ask away.

Redcatcher70 · 03-16-2016, 03:32 PM

luckydog and sam, thanks for the welcome. I posted the wrong model number yesterday, we have a 19T, I do not know where I got 1905 at, I suffer from CRS. We are the second owners, previous owners put everything in a 3-ring binder and I have all the paperwork and manuals for the trailer. I said "owners" but it may have been someone single because the cooktop has never been used and the pull down bunk still had plastic on it. The fold out couch did not even have the legs attached to it, I put them on when I brought it home.

Our tow vehicle is a 2004 F250 Crew Cab V10 and it currently has 72,000 miles on it. This is leftover from our travel trailer days. I checked out the videos when I brought it home to check out the winterization process and I sit and watched all of the useful videos for everything. It looks like a solid little unit, we were looking for a small easy to set up rig and this fits the bill perfectly for use on three or four day trips.

ltblueblzr · 03-16-2016, 06:07 PM

Welcome Redcatcher, I also am a NAVY veteran.

Treeclimber · 03-17-2016, 07:37 AM

Welcome Red, from SW Fla. Also a Navy vet. Three tours in SEA as a Seal/Corpsman. Worked for me! Retired out of GTMO, Cuba.
Tree

RichR · 03-17-2016, 07:57 AM

Welcome to the Forum!!

Your 19T very well could be a 1905T. Look at the little stamped tag/sticker on the lower left curb side corner. The 19 is the length, 05 the model year, and the T for Towlight. Manufacture month and year should also be the. The new model years usually began in July. So you trailer could have been built as early as 07/2005.

Should you have any questions about your HI-Lo, this forum is your best place to be.

RichR
Moderator

Redcatcher70 · 03-23-2016, 10:19 AM

Finally got to take trailer to get the wheel bearings and brakes checked out yesterday. Mechanic let me stay in the shop area to have a look-see for myself. Pulled the drivers side wheel and drum, brake shoes had very little wear and bearings looked like they had recently been re-packed, full of red grease and smelled new, not black or burnt. The other side looked the same. I got a very good look at the tires, no signs of cracking or splits in the tread area.

We have finished putting essentials in the trailer, still need to buy a coffee maker, but found a home for all items. I have a convention in Tulsa the first weekend of April, but after that we are ready to roll......

sam · 03-23-2016, 04:33 PM

One thing I really like about our Classic is that we have plenty of storage space. After a few trips out you will discover a few more must have items. Best of luck on your maiden voyage.

Redcatcher70 · 03-23-2016, 07:47 PM

Sam, we had a couple of totes full of items leftover from our old Travel Trailer and went through all of the items this last week and decided what we REALLY used before. Did we really use 24 towels on a 3 or 4 day trip? Did we need dinnerware service for 8? Blankets and sheets for a Boy Scout troop? No, we really cut back on what we loaded in the trailer. With our storage space cut in half of what we were used to, pot and pans, bowls and plates were unnecessary stuff. Coffee maker and small electric skillet are necessary items we used every day. We can't wait to hit the road......

My name is Pat · 03-23-2016, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redcatcher70

Sam, we had a couple of totes full of items leftover from our old Travel Trailer and went through all of the items this last week and decided what we REALLY used before. Did we really use 24 towels on a 3 or 4 day trip? Did we need dinnerware service for 8? Blankets and sheets for a Boy Scout troop? No, we really cut back on what we loaded in the trailer. With our storage space cut in half of what we were used to, pot and pans, bowls and plates were unnecessary stuff. Coffee maker and small electric skillet are necessary items we used every day. We can't wait to hit the road......

Hi Redcatcher, I'm new as well.

Exactly, paper plates, paper cups and plastic cutlery is the way we go. Save space and water by not having to carry dish soap. Nobody has to do the dishes what can be better than that? Although we do have a couple of real wine glasses.

Redcatcher70 · 03-24-2016, 11:12 AM

Pat, exactly why I did not stock a China Store into this trailer. We learned over the years that paper plates and cups work fine for 90% of our dining needs. Sometimes she and me like a more sturdy plate for those inch thick T-bones and a few other items. Nothing like cutting into a steak and slicing your plate in half

. We also like a big ceramic mug for coffee, 16 oz. at least. I discovered over the years that most of what went into a travel trailer, stayed in the trailer, so if it ain't put in there we don't haul it and waste storage space. The same goes for packing clothes, bedding, towels, pots and pans, everything seems to grow or multiply in a travel trailer. I told my wife, "its back to the basics" as far as what was stocked in the trailer. We will see after the first trip how well my system works, of course she has not packed her blow dryer, curling iron and other necessities she thinks she needs........

Luckydog671 · 03-24-2016, 11:37 AM

Agreed. My motto is "less is more." Less stuff (weight) is more gas mileage!

My name is Pat · 03-24-2016, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redcatcher70

Pat, exactly why I did not stock a China Store into this trailer. We learned over the years that paper plates and cups work fine for 90% of our dining needs. Sometimes she and me like a more sturdy plate for those inch thick T-bones and a few other items. Nothing like cutting into a steak and slicing your plate in half

. We also like a big ceramic mug for coffee, 16 oz. at least. I discovered over the years that most of what went into a travel trailer, stayed in the trailer, so if it ain't put in there we don't haul it and waste storage space. The same goes for packing clothes, bedding, towels, pots and pans, everything seems to grow or multiply in a travel trailer. I told my wife, "its back to the basics" as far as what was stocked in the trailer. We will see after the first trip how well my system works, of course she has not packed her blow dryer, curling iron and other necessities she thinks she needs........

Yes easy to fall into the pack rat mentality, especially as one gets older if you aren't careful you start preparing for every eventuality possible, it may rain, it may be hot, it might get windy... When I was a teen I would go away for the weekend just with a toothbrush, comb, bar of soap, towel, pillow and the clothes on my back. Planning ahead was bringing the case of beer with me.

Bought a zodiac, with a 5 hp motor, the motor had a small self contained gas tank, you could get about an hour of running time at full throttle. I used to take a single rod and wear a fishing vest that contained all my tackle. Eventually it lead to buying a spare 1 gallon jerry can, then a regular 5 gallon gas tank (crap I could fish for a week on that.) then a spare rod then 2. Then a tackle box, then 2, then a cooler. Pretty soon there was nowhere to sit