Bringing it home

[bcorbett]

Now that the winter is over, we are finally bringing our new (to us) hi-lo home either tomorrow or Saturday. I just want to be sure that I'm not over looking anything before hitting the road.

Camper: 1987 22' Hi-Lo Fun Chaser
Tow Vehicle: 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (3.7L V6)

I know that the dry weight of the camper is equal to the max rated towing limit of the tow vehicle however I never plan on towing it with any water in it or in any extreme conditions. This is just the temporary tow vehicle until I purchase a truck within the next year.

I've had new tires mounted on the rims, taking up the back of my jeep, that will be bolted on.

I've installed a Tekonsha 90160 Primus IQ brake controller. After reading the differences between proportional and time delayed controllers I've determined that this one would work best for my vehicle.

Bearings are all in good condition and grease is clean.

Lights will be tested before leaving

Brakes will be tested before leaving

The old owners (grandparents) have owned it since 2007 and have taken great care of it. When they first bought it they took it to a few local places before deciding to park it at one for the past 4 years.

The is one thing that worry's me about the trip. For some reason, the ceiling lights come into contact with the counter top when the top is lowered. To prevent this, they've placed pieces of 2x4 under the top on the front and back where it meets the frame to hold it up and allow for the additional clearance. Should I be concerned about towing it with it slightly raised (1.75")?

 

[89Hilo]

Have a safe trip. We have a 1989 22' Funchaser and there is clearance between the lights and counter. I don't think the 1.75" will be a problem, but it is definitely something I would have checked out.

I would send an email or call the former Hi-Lo folks in Ohio that still service Hi-Lo's after Hi-Lo shut down. Tell them about your issue and see what advice they can offer.

 

[miniceptor86-HILO]

Test the trailer brakes to be sure they work. Sitting that long they maybe inoperative due to rust on the magnets/contact disc, rusty brake parts or mouse chewed wires.

 

[Jeff H-HILO]

You did not mention a Weight Distributing Hitch-maybe you already have it and it's adjusted properly?

Jeff

 

[bcorbett]

They purchased the camper from Wratten's RV in Adams, NY where their son works. They replaced the ceiling and wall panels so I'm assuming that they are not the factory lights. I plan on replacing them once we have it home with something more energy efficient. I will also be removing / changing some items to reduce weight, such as the bunk, until we need them.

I will definitely test the brakes before leaving with it. There is a napa not too far from where I'm picking it up so if needed I can run and get parts.

The Weight Distributing Hitch was included as part of the sale so will be good with that. Will have to adjust it to level the jeep properly but don't foresee any issues with that.

 

[PopRichie77]

Pretty sure you wont find any brake parts for a Hi-Lo at Napa, but good luck with the trailer.

 

[Zgpruitt]

Corbett,

In February, my wife and I towed home a 1988 model 22' Funchaser from Grantsville, Utah, to Lubbock, Texas. That was a 950 mile journey home. My tow vehicle was a 1996 Toyota Landcruiser (4.5 Inline 6), rated to pull well above the weight of the trailer.

The two major issues we had included:

Lights. Our trailer had been left out in the elements in Utah (it snows there). Most of the marker light covers were broken or missing. So we went to the big rig parts store, and got new ones for two bucks a piece, and wired them up.

Mountains. We crossed three big ranges getting home, and we ended up sitting on the side of the mountain twice because my poor old Landcruiser overheated. It was NOT up for the drive home with that trailer on the back. So, I must admonish you to consider your vehicle and terrain prior to dragging that sucker home.

The Toyota made it (barely), but I have since upgraded to a 2002 Chevy Avalanche, and it tows like a dream! Our trailer was a gift from my new in-laws. It had all kinds of water damage and other stuff wrong with it. But fixing it sure had been fun for us, and we've got it all working. We're taking it on a two-month odyssey around the US this summer as a late honeymoon.

I would love to talk '80's models with you. Feel free to send me a private message. Having just re-worked one from top to bottom, I might could help some.

Good luck!

 

[bcorbett]

Thanks for the replies. Aside from a few marker lights being out there were no issues getting it home. Didn't worry about replacing the lights as I was towing during the day. The jeep didn't have much trouble pulling it but is definitely underpowered. I didn't take it over 55, which meant taking the long route, but got 13 mpg which is far better than I was expecting.

I've spent the afternoon and evening cleaning it out, mostly trying to remove the smell of the moth balls. Just at first glance, I will need to replace the top half of the interior walls. They appear to have been water damaged over the winter due to snow building up on the sides of the camper. I don't believe the roof is leaking but will check to be sure.

I'm looking to replace the walls with standard paneling from Lowes however I'm concerned that it will not be thick enough. What did you find to be the best wall material?

 

[PopRichie77]

You will find that the paneling is very thin, you will probably have to remove the insulation also as all water damaged stuff has to come out. The roof seams must be leaking , that's how the sides get water damaged.

 

[bcorbett]

Glad to hear that they are thin. What I'm thinking of should work well then. I don't believe the water damage is from the roof as it was dry when we looked at it in the fall and it has been covered since then. Regardless, as long as I'm removing the wall paneling, what is the best material to seal the roof seams from the inside. I'd assume standard silicone caulk but could be wrong.

Also, it looks like the paneling is just held on with screws. Would that assumption be correct or are there other hidden fasteners or glue holding it on? Can the panels be removed without removing the top from the trailer?

 

[RichR]

If you had it covered with a plastic tarp that could have trapped moisture and damaged the walls. Not covering is better than using those.

 

[bcorbett]

Thanks for the tip Rich. They've owned it since 2007 and have always covered it with a tarp for the winter so I didn't think anything of it when helping them cover it up last winter after we gave them a down payment to hold it till spring. Is there something better that we should cover it with? We live in an area of NY that measures a typical snowfall by the foot on a near daily basis so I'd rather not have that much snow lying directly on the roof if I can prevent it.

 

[RichR]

I know how your weather is, I am in NW PA. We may not have as much snow as you but the weather can still be just as crappy.

The most popular covers are Adco which are shown in Camping World catalogs or online. The ones that have breathable material, like Sunbrella, are the best for our area. It keeps the rain and snow out but allows moisture to pass through. They are bit pricey, but are worth it in the long run. Or, if you can shelter the trailer that would be better. I got lucky, my friend has a large shed with some open space where I put ours.

http://www.campingworld.com/order/wizard/index.cfm?skuNum=20637d&cw=1&cord_Group=28

 

[bcorbett]

Looks like I've got my work cut out. I'd say the roof has been leaking for years and has gone unnoticed. The entire right side of the top was soaked when I pulled the wall boards off. Although I was planning on replacing the boards, I was not planning on replacing the foam. I'm thinking the reason it is still wet is that the tarp held the moisture in over the winter. Once I get all the foam out, which is proving to be a challenge, I want to seal the roof to prevent any new materials from damage. To seal the seam from the inside would I use a standard silicone or do I need something special to bond to the aluminum?

 

[RichR]

There are a number of members that have tackled your same type of problem. Someone will step up to give you advice or you can do a search here to see what you can find. There have been many posts and photos all about roof and wall repair and replacement.

 

[Zgpruitt]

We just (yesterday) finished our water damage repair on our 2288. We pulled off all the paneling and ripped out all of the foam in the affected areas. We sprayed it all down with bleach water, and left all the windows open for it to dry. We have zero humidity here, and it was 105 yesterday, so it took about two shakes of a lamb's tail to be ready to fix. We packed the affected areas with styrofoam blocks and "Great Stuff" foam sealer stuff. We used big sheets of Masonite as paneling ('cause I'm too cheap to spend money on real paneling, and I have lots of Masonite sitting around at my shop). We paneled the entire trailer, with breaks every 24 inches, and trimmed it out with shoe molding and flat trim on the joints. We caulked, primered, and painted it. I think it looks like a million bucks.

My trailer had snow blown all around it in Northern Utah, and I think that our water damage came from the snow getting up under the walls when the trailer was down. But we re-sealed every seam, crack, hole, and every other stupid thing we could find with industrial silicone (five tubes on the outside).

We bought new markers at the big rig store for two bucks a piece, put 'em on, and sealed around each of them, too.

If insulation is an issue, you can take the window frames off (from the inside) and foam in the space around the windows.

I'm glad you got your trailer home. I hope you have as much fun fixing it up as we have had with ours.

 

[Zgpruitt]

I might also add that my theory on silicone is that you get what you pay for. And I have an "accuracy by volume" policy.

 

[paulsot]

I also have a 1987 22ft fun chaser..it has the 2x4 on the front frame and back... was that way when I bought it.. seems to have no problems.. has a small piece of 1/4 in rubber on top of the 2x4.. wish you luck with yours.. I pull it with a big 6 ford range and up over the mountains in pocono pa.. no pro
blem..

 

[garyk52]

Looks like I've got my work cut out. I'd say the roof has been leaking for years and has gone unnoticed. The entire right side of the top was soaked when I pulled the wall boards off. Although I was planning on replacing the boards, I was not planning on replacing the foam. I'm thinking the reason it is still wet is that the tarp held the moisture in over the winter. Once I get all the foam out, which is proving to be a challenge, I want to seal the roof to prevent any new materials from damage. To seal the seam from the inside would I use a standard silicone or do I need something special to bond to the aluminum?

You might want to check out this thread with photos. This is my 96 that I more or less rebuilt the top half section including the walls and ceiling. I don't think you want to seal the roof from the inside and don't use silicone caulk because it not going to last, use something like lexel even though it costs much more. Your roof probably has pin holes in it if it is an aluminum roof. To patch and seal you will need a roll of eternabond tape and 2 gallons of KoolSeal 63-600 or equivalent. Good 1/8 inch paneling is anywhere from $30 to $40 a sheet I used five sheets for the walls, the ceiling I used five sheets 1/8 inch painted lauan at around $13 a sheet. I painted my ceiling with the roof coating that I had left over.

http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f17/demolition-begins-1532/

 

[bcorbett]

After two days of gutting we're finally down to the skin on both side walls and the ceiling. i left the foam in the sections that weren't wet on the ceiling but for the most part it came out. Will be caulking around everything. My only question is how to properly seal along the roof line where the top meets the sides. From what I can tell, that is where most of the water came in and was wicked up into the ceiling. I asked at Camping world and the guy recommended a self leveling caulk but i don't see how a self leveling caulk will work on a horizontal surface.

I thought possibly removing the weather strip on the outside, resealing it along the original seal, screwing the strip back on, and replacing the rubber gasket. I'm sure I'm using all the wrong terms but I'll catch on.

I'll be posting pictures to my facebook album is anybody cares to follow along.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151341665871653.1073741826.655581652&type=1&l=f433e6337b

If all goes as planned, we hope to have it back together by the end of next weekend.