First Time Hi Lo purchase

[whitesands]

Hello Forum,

Just joined this site to learn from everyone's experiences owning Hi Lo's. We are not owners.....yet, but have a tentative deal to purchase a 2005 22T. We have to take a road trip to go see it next week and we are not obligated to purchase yet but its being held with a deposit. We are hopeful that its as nice in person as the photo's and descriptions are. If so, then we will be pulling it back home.
We have owned several camp trailers over the years so I know what to look for when I inspect the trailer but I am not familiar with Hi Lo's so perhaps I could get some feedback to see if there are any problem areas to check, or how to check seals? etc. Thanks.

 

[whitesands]

were these trailers basically the same after going to aluminum frame in 2001 on until they closed? were there any more major changes in following years or just exterior graphics and interior upholstery?

 

[sam-HILO]

Welcome to the forum.

I hope the unit you are looking at works out for you to purchase. Some where is a buyers checklist of what to look for. Do a search as the list is quite extensive and very good. Maybe someone more computer literate can post the list for you.

 

[hilltool]

End caps were more of an issue in later years it seems to me with cracking. Other than that, I think most units remained the same . Are you wondering about the "bulb seals?". I think all you can do is try to get a good look up at them when the unit is up. You have to get down on your knees and sight up the side. underneath you may want to crawl around and check the cables for fraying and rust. Maybe check axle placement. One member had a 17 footer ( single axle) with the axle mounted too far back thus causing excessive tongue weight, though I don't know of any specs out there that would tell you what it should be optimally.

Rick

 

[whitesands]

Didn't pan out :-(

Well, took a long weekend road trip to check out the camper, was advertised as dirty but in good condition, guess that is in the eye of the beholder, I tried to keep realistic expectations but when I saw in person, it was obvious it had set outside uncovered its whole life, there was different colored poorly applied goop caulking on the top of several windows which looked to me like an effort to stop leaks, there was yellow stains on ceiling areas from where side wall meets roof and extending out about 4 or 5 inches. areas of the interior wood trim and wallpaper looking wallboard had deep scrapes and small "junks" of wood trim broken off. end caps had minor damage from backing or pulling into things, the tin exterior bottom hatches for power cord, ect were warped, dented and bent. exterior badly faded with some minor areas of fiberglass damaged from pellet gun hits?? looked up under it to check that "seal gasket" people talk about, looked ok, some areas showed cracking, that normal for a 2005? Perhaps I was too picky, I'm sure everything worked and is a functional trailer but we are older and maybe just a little too picky with our vehicles, etc?? anyway, I passed on purchase, and will wait and try to find a nice, clean, well cared for newer 22t that lived life under a cover or better yet garaged like I would do.