Doug Allen
Advanced Member
When I was young it seemed important to get things done yesterday! Probably no wiser now, but a lot less energy and urge to complete projects immediately!
After buying a new truck 3 weeks ago, instead of a used one, I didn't expect to have the $$ for a camper until autumn, but a 1999 Hi Low Tow Lite was advertised in the local Craig List, and it was only 4 miles from my home. A friend in Colorado 15 years ago owned a Hi Lo, so I was somewhat familiar with them. I inspected the Tow Lite in a pretty superficial way looking mainly for delamination and other serious damage. For $2800 I didn't expect perfection, but I also realized I'm not handyman material and have subpar mechanical ability. What was i getting myself into?
Before forking over the cash, I studied this forum and saw how friendly and helpful the posters were. Bingo! I bought it! The previous owner was given the camper by parents in their 80's who could no longer use it. I don't think it was ever used much by them, though possibly by earlier owners? I think it had been out in the sun a lot. Lots of evidence of UV damage, but not much evidence of leaks. There are no soft spots in the floor (which looked in good shape from the underside when I greased the guide rod, pulleys and cables today) or the walls, but there must of been water damage as the owners I bought it from replaced the inside walls. There's no evidence of delamination or bulging on the exterior walls.
Anyway, the Tow Lite raised and lowered with the battery alone on the seller's level concrete driveway. On mains power, the A/C and fridge worked. The lights worked including the signal indicator and brake lights when the previous owner towed it to my yard. There was an over-abundance of sealant applied to the top and sides wherever water might ingress. Some spilled onto and stuck to the sides. This makes for ugliness! There was only one gas bottle, and while under the rig today I saw that something, either the fridge or burners were disconnected from the gas line. I'll wait until later to investigate that and buy another gas bottle.
Lots of washing scrubbing, removing drips of caulking. I then painted the front and back panels, which I think are aluminum like the roof, with white Rustoleum 2 X Ultra Cover, and the old rig looks a lot better. I also wire brushed rust and bits of caulk and paint off the most of the front and rear metal sections, and painted with Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel.
QUESTIONS
1) I have not painted or done anything to the rusty Hi Lo hitch receiver which also seems to include weight distributing hardware which I don't plan to use right away. Should I paint those or will it make hitching and unhitching difficult?. The rust is superficial. The chains are also rusty. How do I clean them up or should I replace them.
2) The Tow Lite was raised OK two weeks ago and has been sitting in my yard. No part of my yard is level. I live on the side of a hill. I can not level the trailer here. Is it risky to raise and lower the trailer when it's not level? I'm concerned and a little scared about that. Also, I haven't climbed on the roof to do a thorough inspection while the trailer is raised. Should I only do that when it's lowered?
3) I bought a 2' ball, 6000 lb rating, today and it's mounted on my Frontier. How do I decide whether to mount the hitch ball so its higher or lower than the hitch ball mount? I know the truck, trailer and hitch assembly should all be level, parallel with the ground, but it seems I can't determine that on my unlevel ground?
4) I have the original curtains, but no blinds, if it came with blinds. I need to attach curtain rods flush above the windows and wonder if there's enough wall depth or backing to hold the curtain rods and curtains?
5) I bought an inexpensive brake controller and Nissan cable and plan to lower the rig and attach the hitch ball to the ball mount tomorrow. I guess you have to get the ball almost perfectly under the ball mount. Is that easier than it sounds? When successful, I'll test the brake controller and practice stopping and backing on the level parking lots of the nearby high school. I hope to go camping as a test run at a nearby campground with full hookups next week and possibly drive to Maine, northern NY, and even Quebec in August or September if everything works out OK. Maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew? My wife isn't an RV enthusiast, but some of my hobbies- photography, ham radio, and field biology will be enhanced if the camper works out.
After buying a new truck 3 weeks ago, instead of a used one, I didn't expect to have the $$ for a camper until autumn, but a 1999 Hi Low Tow Lite was advertised in the local Craig List, and it was only 4 miles from my home. A friend in Colorado 15 years ago owned a Hi Lo, so I was somewhat familiar with them. I inspected the Tow Lite in a pretty superficial way looking mainly for delamination and other serious damage. For $2800 I didn't expect perfection, but I also realized I'm not handyman material and have subpar mechanical ability. What was i getting myself into?
Before forking over the cash, I studied this forum and saw how friendly and helpful the posters were. Bingo! I bought it! The previous owner was given the camper by parents in their 80's who could no longer use it. I don't think it was ever used much by them, though possibly by earlier owners? I think it had been out in the sun a lot. Lots of evidence of UV damage, but not much evidence of leaks. There are no soft spots in the floor (which looked in good shape from the underside when I greased the guide rod, pulleys and cables today) or the walls, but there must of been water damage as the owners I bought it from replaced the inside walls. There's no evidence of delamination or bulging on the exterior walls.
Anyway, the Tow Lite raised and lowered with the battery alone on the seller's level concrete driveway. On mains power, the A/C and fridge worked. The lights worked including the signal indicator and brake lights when the previous owner towed it to my yard. There was an over-abundance of sealant applied to the top and sides wherever water might ingress. Some spilled onto and stuck to the sides. This makes for ugliness! There was only one gas bottle, and while under the rig today I saw that something, either the fridge or burners were disconnected from the gas line. I'll wait until later to investigate that and buy another gas bottle.
Lots of washing scrubbing, removing drips of caulking. I then painted the front and back panels, which I think are aluminum like the roof, with white Rustoleum 2 X Ultra Cover, and the old rig looks a lot better. I also wire brushed rust and bits of caulk and paint off the most of the front and rear metal sections, and painted with Rustoleum Gloss Protective Enamel.
QUESTIONS
1) I have not painted or done anything to the rusty Hi Lo hitch receiver which also seems to include weight distributing hardware which I don't plan to use right away. Should I paint those or will it make hitching and unhitching difficult?. The rust is superficial. The chains are also rusty. How do I clean them up or should I replace them.
2) The Tow Lite was raised OK two weeks ago and has been sitting in my yard. No part of my yard is level. I live on the side of a hill. I can not level the trailer here. Is it risky to raise and lower the trailer when it's not level? I'm concerned and a little scared about that. Also, I haven't climbed on the roof to do a thorough inspection while the trailer is raised. Should I only do that when it's lowered?
3) I bought a 2' ball, 6000 lb rating, today and it's mounted on my Frontier. How do I decide whether to mount the hitch ball so its higher or lower than the hitch ball mount? I know the truck, trailer and hitch assembly should all be level, parallel with the ground, but it seems I can't determine that on my unlevel ground?
4) I have the original curtains, but no blinds, if it came with blinds. I need to attach curtain rods flush above the windows and wonder if there's enough wall depth or backing to hold the curtain rods and curtains?
5) I bought an inexpensive brake controller and Nissan cable and plan to lower the rig and attach the hitch ball to the ball mount tomorrow. I guess you have to get the ball almost perfectly under the ball mount. Is that easier than it sounds? When successful, I'll test the brake controller and practice stopping and backing on the level parking lots of the nearby high school. I hope to go camping as a test run at a nearby campground with full hookups next week and possibly drive to Maine, northern NY, and even Quebec in August or September if everything works out OK. Maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew? My wife isn't an RV enthusiast, but some of my hobbies- photography, ham radio, and field biology will be enhanced if the camper works out.
