newbie here.....

hi everyone! i just joined and have learned a lot of stuff already. this forum is a great resource for me.
i just bought a 1984 21ft Hi-Lo for only $1000. i thought it was a great buy as i have always wanted one and this was certainly in my price range!
all it needed was a fridge and water pump. he also said the heater didn't work. it does come on and blow but no heat.
so i made the 160mi trip and brought her home. towed like it wasn't even back there, no lift or sway bars used. it was better than towing a pop up which would start swaying and scare the crap out of me.
as folding campers go, this is much better! its the smallest camper i have over owned though. its just me and my dogs but i am used to having a bed to hop into at night, not having to make and un-make it everyday. all my previous camper had beds so i guess i am spoiled.
i has more storage space than i can fill, so thats a plus.
i discovered the bad part after i had it home.
the bad is the bottom of the walls behind the papered section only, are soft. the roof and floors are solid and the rest of the walls are good, its just the papered ones behind the kitchen sink and in the bathroom.
i did seal the roof seams and around the vent with Eternabond tape (great stuff it is) but its still coming in a bit behind the kitchen sink. i have no idea where its coming in at. this is a job way beyond my skills, so i will use it as is and maybe someday i can find a bigger one with a bed.
right now its covered with a tarp to keep it from getting any worse (if i can)
and eventually i will get it in the garage.
nice to be here!
Joan

The window behind the sink is probably leaking, use clear caulk around the frame.

Check the outside molding along the bottom edge below the window. Water can get in there and wick up into the wall. That has already happened on our 2310H. A small bead of silicon caulk will take care of that. The tiniest cracks can cause problems. In our case the joint wasn't properly sealed at the factory and wasn't noticed until this fall after we saw the inside wall bubbled under the window. The window itself was sealed very well.

thanks for the tip Rich! my window seal is fine too, so i figured it must be what you said, the outer lower seam.
(its worse inside on the bottom and more solid towards the top.)
i knew we were going to get heavy rain today so i went out last night and taped that bottom seam with duct tape just to see if it made a difference,
(the top is covered with a tarp)
and it did! there is no wetness anywhere inside behind the sink! so now i need to get some good sealant and do it right next time we get some good dry weather.
thank you!! i think with the sealing i did to the roof and after i get the lower outer seams sealed, i will have a nice dry camper for good.
you guys are great

Hi,joan not an expert but have similar problems. What i'm doing is i got some good clear caulk . Caulked every seam - exposed screw-anything everywhere it looked like water might get in and anything i wasn't sure of. Then i took some henry's roll on rubber roof. Goes on with a roller nicely.need's like 6 hrs. To cure.comes in a 5 gal. Bucket so ive applied it a few times to build up thickness of layers.supposed to last like 7 years. So far so good. As far as making the bed each time.with mine .its me & my dog. I put the back bed (couch) down.thats my bed & i leave it down.table stays out up front, dog happily on dog bed on floor .only thing i move thats in the way is the dog bed but thats just down at night. Now my hi-lo (see my album) is a work in progress & has the bed in the back . The bathroom is on the side so i guess if your floor plan is one of those that has the bath in the back & bed in the middle you would have to make your bed,but dont give up on hi-lo theres a model to fit your needs.i'm glad even with the work that it needs that i found the model that seems to be just right for me & ruby...happy trails...fhilo

yeah i wish i had the same set up as you. mine has the booth dinette on the front end with rear bath. across from the sink is a long couch that clicks into a bed.

i'd like to just leave the bed on the end ready but i would loose my table.
i like to spend my evenings reading, playing cards etc. i need the table.

if i make the couch across from the sink into my bed there goes all the floor space and where would my dog dishes be?
i have 4 dogs that go along, but sometimes i just take 2 of them.
they are whippets, looking like greyhounds but much smaller.

i also take my little parrot. her cage can sit on the table or over top the fridge, should be interesting.....