Aquired a 1974? Hi-Lo from father in law-need help
Hello, all! Im completely new to the Hi-Lo scene(i didnt even know such a thing existed)and i have a couple of questions. First, the pump seems to work just fine, however, it seems to be stuck in the up position. I cant get it to raise in order to unlock it and lower it. I under stand theres a manual method to operate it, but its not completely obvious and i cant figure it out. Secondly, i had to add about 2 1/2 qts of ATF(i work for a Mobil distributor so fluids aren't an issue), so i was wondering if maybe there is some air in the system and if so, is there a way to bleed it out? And lastly, is there a better fluid that can be used? AW 32? AW 46? Maybe universal tractor fluid? I wouldnt think there would be an issue seeing as how theyre all hydraulic fluids and the only real differance i can see is viscosity and the additive package each fluid contains. I greatly appreciate any help. I cant get this thing to go down!
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Usually, the pump is a little low on fluid and the top can't lift high enough to unbind the safety release. How did you know 2 1/2 guarts of ATF was enough? What I'm getting at is that you still may not have enough fluid in there but if you have added that much, there is definitely a leak somewhere. You are pulling the safety release cable while trying to lower the unit right?
Also, by adding that much fluid, you may have overfilled the resevoir and it will come gushing out when you get thing to lower finally. |
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The hydraulic system should work fine with ATF.The newer trailers use Dextron. Can you take a pic of the screw that you adjusted? Was the top up when you got the trailer? Or did it go up after you added fluid? You can't lower the top by any method unless you can get the safety bar to release. The hydraulic cylinder is near the axle under the trailer, the safety bar is above the cylinder ram and blocks it from returning to the in position. After the safety bar is released the the top goes down by gravity, when the hydraulic lock valve is opened, it is mounted on the pump.
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The fluid should be an inch from the top when the camper is in the DOWN position
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No. You pull the release cable which pulls back the release block. You then push down on the switch (Up lifts, down dropps) which opens a valve and allows the hydraulic fluid back into the resevoir.
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You best check the hydraulic cylinder, see if it looks ok and also look for leaks. Not sure about that screw that you adjusted. If the manual release valve on the pump is open it won't go up. There are a couple different kinds, without knowing which one you have, can't tell you what to do to check it.
A couple pictures of the pump would help. |
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HiLo won't go down
Welcome to the forum. We love questions -so just ask.
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On page 4, item #2 the manual release valve has to be turned all the way in snug for the top to go up when you push the up button, if this valve is open the fluid just by passes and nothing will happen.
You must also have a fully charged battery, the pump is ran by an auto starter motor and takes a lot of amps to run. |
Poprichie has the best suggestion, make sure to turn that manual release valve completely clockwise to close it (Item 2 on page 4 of manual). Also you may have a bad solenoid or losing 12v to the lowering valve on the pump. If you Press the down switch and test to see if 12v is on the the lowering valve should tell you if your good there.
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If I understand his problem correctly, he can't get the top to raise off the safety bar as he can't pull the cable to release it. The solenoid valve has to work also but first he has to be able to pull the cable to release the safety bar.
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Yep, I was being proactive, if the safety is released and then the top still didn't go down it might help knowing the next steps.:D
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I found the owners manuals after some snooping! According to the manual, the pump SHOULD run in the 'down' position. Am i reading this right?
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Don't know what you are reading but your reading something out of context. Yes, the pump will run when the top is in the down position, it runs to lift the top but it does not run when lowering the top. When the top is up you must run the pump to lift the top a very small amount to get the weight off the safety bar so that you can pull the release cable at the same time. You must pull the safety release cable and hold it in the released position before pushing the down button or turning the hydraulic manual release valve. Doing it backwards puts the full weight of the top on the safety bar and makes it impossible to pull the cable to release the safety bar. It seems that for some reason you are only making things worse. You had best stop changing things. I have nothing left to offer you, sorry.
Post you location and maybe someone with a Hi-Lo may live near you and come help. |
Rich is right in describing how the pump works, I used to own an automotive repair shop and I had 6 automotive lifts, 4 were 9000 lb and 2 12000 lb, they work exactly like the system on the Hi-Lo, the pump only works in lifting up position, in the down position all that the pump does is release the hydraulic fluid back to the reservoir tank and the safety lock has to be pulled to get it down, we used to think it was designed that way so you use 2 hands, one on the safety lock and one on the down switch so as one's hand does not get caught in lift arms, or cables resulting in major injury, of course in the hi-lo trailers I don't believe there is a chance of arms get caught in cables. but the concept is identical.
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Lifting the top off the safety bar seems to be the issue. The top is up. It was up when we got it. Father in law says to lift the top up just a little, then pull the release cable, and push the toggle down to lower. But the top wont budge. It seems like its maxed out in the up position. The pump runs when you put the toggle up, but the top doesnt move. Any ideas?
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if the pump going up is working, you may have a lock that is stuck or jammed, and you may have to give it manually a little lift, in my shop I had a couple of times where the lift will not go down and there is a vehicle stuck on it, use a floor jack with some 2x4 to lift it.
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Shoof the way you have qouted above it sounds as if your turning the manual release valve all the way to the left and you think that will release the safety? If that is what your thinking that is the wrong way and we have explained that you need to turn that manual release valve all the way closed, which is too your right, like righty tighty, NOT lefty loosey. Once the manual release valve is closed you should then try to raise the top using the up position while pulling out on the safety release cable. The top should make a somewhat of a grinding noise when it reaches the top limit. Then while holding the safety release cable still in the pulled out position you can press the top down button and lower the top normally. If it still doesn't lower then it is possible as we have explained that the safety release may be caught on something and not being allowed to release, you would need to crawl under the trailer and take a look at the safety release, possibly have someone pull it out while your watching to see if it is making the correct action to release. Hope this helps to explain? |
It could also be that the cable is the original cable and its stretched a little and in the up position the hydraulic ram is maxed out but the cable still has a little slack in it, enough not to lift it off the locks. if it was mine I would check to see if the tension in the cables can be adjusted, or for now I would use a floor jack and 2x4 to lift each corner to max and support it with 2x4 then see if the lock release can be pulled then lower it all the way down, finally adjust the tension in cables .
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Rich, I am not sure what the adjustment relief valve is for other than manually letting fluid back into reservoir, but is it possible if Shooff82 added that much fluid in the system, then there might be some worn seals, losing fluid and letting air trapped in hydraulic lines, like if air is trapped in brake lines in cars, then pedal feels spongy and air needs to be bled out. either the pump is bad or the seal in the ram is bad, I guess a process of elimination should be done to determine where the lost fluid is gone, there might be multiple problems? just a thought
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I imagine he added that much fluid because all of the fluid was in the ram because the top was already up. The manual says add fluid till it's so high from the top however it needs to be in the down position. In the up position, he'll get a false reading and the resevoir will appear low.
Shoof, where are you located? |
Hutchinson, ks. The camper is in the street in front of my house so there isnt much room to work on it and I definately am not going to crawl under it. If the weather clears up, im going to pull it to work and do what was suggested and use a floor jack and some 2x4's to try and lift the top enough to drop the top. I'll also crawl under it to take a look at the ram and cables. A relative of my wifes was staying in the camper and my FIL says she was in it for about 3 years. Is it possible something is a little stuck from being up that long?
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When you pull the safety lock cable, is there any give at all or does it feel like the cable is tied off to something at the other end? On mine, I can feel a slight tension and when I pull past that, I can hear the thunk of the cable lock disengaging underneath. |
I checked mine the other day from underneath, and with the top resting on the locks there is tension in the cable and the adjustment for the 2 cables are on the road side (left side). similar to adjustment on car's parking brake, couple of wrenches and some WD40.
I noticed on mine one of the cables was touching the hydraulic hard line, so I moved the line about an inch away from the cable, if I left it touching I am sure it would have eventually punctured the line. |
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i had to crawel under my trailer and tap lighty on the release bar and then pulled the cable after making sure the upper half was all the way up (when the pump squeals)
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