2002 Hi-Lo

[Mark2cars]

We have been looking at Hi-Lo trailers and just found a 2002 19'. It is extremely clean. My question is what happened in the 2002 ! This 2002 looks like it was built by a different company. Your info appreciated !

 

[retiredcamper47]

Don’t know what you mean by your remark, but they were built by the same company. Are you referring to the “ripple side” vs the “flat side”?

Bob

 

[Mark2cars]

Bob
Yes I am I just did not know if perhaps the company had problems around then that caused a change in quality etc. Whatever....we closed the deal while I was away so will travel to pick it up on Monday !!!

 

[retiredcamper47]

Welcome to the HiLo family!

Bob

 

[sam-HILO]

Some times suppliers change material

Some times material goes out of stock. HiLo probably went with the smooth sides to give the RV a more modern look.

 

[hilltool]

my 2001 is smooth. Pretty much standard these days and easier to work with is my guess. You will likely notice that the bench seats in the dinette are made from the same stock as the sides including the sandwiched styrofoam. More efficient and , in some cases, the cutouts from the windows. Less waste.

rick

 

[Mark2cars]

Pick Up Complete...Help Please

OK...these campers (at least this one) tow like a dream. I came back home (Sanderson Texas) from Peoria Az. in really windy conditions on I-10. Never a complaint from the Hi-lo ! The overall condition of the trailer is very good, however there are a few issues...as always. The biggest is this. I got to my overnight camping spot (Wal-Mart in Las Cruces NM) and the top would not raise all the way. Now the seller demonstrated to me the top raising and lowering at his home so I saw it work. I hemmed and hawed about what to do in the morning and decided to get two new batteries from Was-Mart. To do this I had to lower the top, which I did...finally. Got ready to go around the store to service and realized the top will now not raise and my battery compartment is completely inaccessible with the top down. So....I came home and here I am. My question is .....WILL THE HYDRAULIC MOTOR RUN OFF SHORE POWER ? I am with out manuals so will find them here and print them. Also why would HI-lo put the battery box in a place where the top covers it when down ??

 

[JackandJanet]

Mark, I suspect the reason HiLo put the batteries there is because there is room for them there and it's better to have batteries (with their sulfuric acid) "outside" the trailer rather than inside the trailer.

How the heck did you get the batteries OUT with the top down?

Do you have the manual raising feature on your trailer? If not, can you reach in to the front of the battery door (you might have a small section there that lifts up), and pull out the battery cables? If you can, you can connect them to a battery (may have to use jumper cables to reach it) and then you can raise the top electrically. No, the top will not raise on shore power - it doesn't have the needed Amperage.

If none of this applies, you'll have to raise the top with jacks, or the help of some strong friends and then prop it on 2x4s cut to length while you connect the battery(s).

Consider this an introductory lesson in HiLos. We've all had to learn, sometimes the hard way.

Added note: Your tow vehicle may not be charging the trailer batteries when you are underway. If you have the refrigerator on, it will rapidly deplete the batteries. Check that you have charging voltage at the trailer plug on your tow vehicle. That circuit may not be "live".

- Jack

 

[JIM L-HILO]

HiLo problems

Welcom to the forum Mark2; NO the top will not raise on shore power. My pump on my 28' HiLo pulls around 115 amps when raising. Yours maybe around 100 amps as you are shorter and the top weighs less. Your converter puts out at best 30 amps so you must have a good battery/batteries to provide the majority of the power. At this point plug in the shore power and hope that the batteries take a charge. Leave it plugged in for 24hrs. When you try to then raise the top leave it plugged in to shore power also. Before replacing your batteries take them to a auto parts store and have them do a load test to see if they are good. Do you know if you have a manual hand pump on your hyd pump. It was an extra that you could purchase when new. If you do you should see a slot in the front of the Battery/pump box. The slot would be about 20" wide by 3" high. Takes a pump handle simular to a bottle jack. Mark2, there is too much info you need to know to type here on the forum. If you would like to talk on the phone, I will send you a private message here on the forum with my Ph#. Check your private messages.

 

[JIM L-HILO]

HiLo problems

Mark2; If you did not get a private message from me let me know here on the forum. I may be having a problem sending a message here in the mountains today.

 

[Mark2cars]

Thanks

Thanks to all and especially Jim and Jack. Had a great conversation with Jim and will be following up on his suggestions on maintenance !

 

[JackandJanet]

Oh, think I misunderstood your post, Mark! I guess you lowered the top with the old batteries installed! You MAY be able to recharge them enough to get the top up if you plug the shore power in for 24 hours. Then leave the shore power plugged in when you try to raise the top as Jim suggested.

I suspect your tow vehicle charging circuit is not "live". This happened to me when I bought my trailer. One thing that can kill it is to try raising the top while plugged in to the tow vehicle with the engine running. If the batteries in your trailer are low (or perhaps even if they're not), the lift motor will pull too much current from the tow vehicle and will blow the 30 Amp fuse that's probably in that circuit.

I ALWAYS disconnect the trailer's electrical plug before raising the top now.

- Jack

 

[Mark2cars]

Success !

By golly !!!! After I discovered that the pump bleeder valve was in the open position I was able to get the top up !!! Lots of work and I had to add about 1/2 quart of ATF fluid to get it to raise all the way......not to much though Jim ! . So my local auto repair shop is sourcing two batteries for me tomorrow. I did discover that one battery was completely dry !! Yea:!!! I will post any further question or accomplishments in the proper thread rather than here. THANK YOU all for being so supportive !!

 

[hilltool]

How did you get it up to get to the valve? Remember- you want deep cycle batteries.

 

[Mark2cars]

2"

I had a 2" opening !!! I will try to post pics.

 

[Mark2cars]

OK Top Up !!

Two new 24 series deep cycle marine batteries later and all is well in the battery compartment ! Now we are going for our first trip this weekend. I still have a couple of questions....

First.. there is a cloth sleeve in the bathroom that looks like it is to cover a "sewer vent" to the roof. However there is no pipe running from the sink top in the bathroom to the connector at the ceiling. What is suppose to go here? Nothing in the manual about this. It looks like it is supposed to be a hard pipe that treads at the ceiling and the counter top. If so this has to be removed every cycle of the roof.

Second...the rear awning support has pulled out of it's screw holes. As far as I can tell it only screws into the fiberglass shell with no backer of any sort in the wall. There is no access that I can see to allow placing any backer to hold these four screws.

Third...there is a plastic cap in the cabinet over the kitchen sink that looks to allow the top to lower w/o removing the faucet neck. Is that indeed what it is for?

Oh Yea ! also is the bleeder valve for the roof pump suppose to be open when lowering or does it stay closed ?

 

[hilltool]

Bathroom sleeve should have telescoping pipe for vent . It’s either not there or it has fallen into wardrobe.

A picture would help on awning. I believe mine is connected with heavy duty self tapping screws.

Not sur anout bleeder valve. Never messed with mine.

Yes regarding the plastic whatever over the sink. You position the faucet so it is under there while lowering.

Rick

 

[JackandJanet]

I'll give your questions a try, Mark.

The "bleeder valve" you speak of is probably the manual lowering valve - it should be closed, or the top will not raise.

The plastic cap under the cabinet in the kitchen is indeed for the kitchen faucet. If you study things, you'll see the faucet probably sits higher than the underside of the cabinets when the top is lowered. Make sure your faucet is rotated so it will be inside that cup when the top comes down.

It sounds like you could be missing a section of what is fondly called the "stink pipe". I've not actually studied mine, since I'm having no trouble with it, but I suspect you need a section of pipe that will fit into the pipe at the ceiling or into the black tank at the bottom. When set up, I THINK the two sections of pipe slip into each other so that nothing has to be removed when the top is put down. I'd think the pipe at the top would be the larger diameter one. You may have had one or both "sawed" off. If so, they can be replaced with suitably sized ABS piping. You can probably fit new sections on the stubs that are probably still there using appropriate couplings.

I'd consider trying to fill the screw holes with epoxy (use the strongest stuff you can find), and then, after it's cured, pilot drill those holes and try reinserting the screws.

- Jack

 

[Mark2cars]

Got It !

I looked closer and found the other "stinky pipe" down in the bottom portion. It does not seem to slide up and down very easily.....so I will probably disconnect whenever we lower the top. Got it on the bleeder valve. I am going to plate the spot where the awning attaches with 1/8" aluminum plate. Use 5200 adhesive and four lag screws. Then I will both the awning support to that. Thanks for the kitchenfaucet info !

 

[sam-HILO]

Reataching awning bracket Bt Sam Shields HILo service advisor

The awning screws go into a strip of wood. If the wood is to damaged to bad for the screws to reatach the bracket.Try bolting the bracket to a flat piece of metal long enough to reach past the bad wood on each side and screw to good wood. I have used this procedure many times and you end up with a working repair that doesn't look to bad. I sugest you paint the metal white so it does not rust. Dh has done this repair and it worked very well.