First Time Under My HiLo
 

I have a 2013 1810h that I just purchased last September and have taken out once in May. I know I need to make sure the Hydraulic Arm is lubricated and have watched the HiLo video on YouTube but had some questions.

1. What type of grease I should be using. I am assuming I just take a rag, clean the old stuff off including dirt and then apply the new.

2. Do you clean and apply with the top down first and then raise it to get to the other portion of the bar that was missed when it was in the down position?

3. I saw a post about lubricating the pullies as well but did not see a video on where to find those. Is WD40 the choice for that area

4. While I am under there, I am going to try to limit mouse exposure. We have already had some in there and I want to close up any holes on the bottom or the trailer. Does anyone have any experience on what to use to seal the little holes that may be under there

5. Finally, what else should I be looking for while under the trailer? This weekend is under and next weekend is roof and windows so I will be asking for guidance on those items next.

The full shaft of the rod you lubricate should be visible when the unit is up. I use white silicone grease . It sprays on and you can spread it around if you like.but, you don't want to wipe it OFF the rod.

The pulleys are both below and inside. Below- follow the cables. You will find pulleys in both the center of the trailer and on the sides. Inside you need to remove the screws on the rails of the lower walls and remove the moldings to find the pulleys. There should be four. Two in the front and two in the back. Right side and lest side. Once you see where the cables start heading up the wall from below you will have idea where to locate them inside.

I don't use wd40. I use a chain lube product made by liquid wrench. I lube the cables also by spraying the lube on a rag and running it along the cables. That way I can detect any frayed cables.

Rick

2013???????

Sorry....2010.

Joy
 

This is also a good time to ensure your safety bar is fully functional! In the posts, I've read that "When the top attains full up, you'll hear the safety bar drop in place." Well I never heard that sound. I attempted lowering without pulling the cable, top went down! Further investigation revealed the bar wasn't dropping because a block at the end was missing!! With a block of wood (about 1/2" thick) installed at the non-moving end, everything works perfect. NOW I hear the thud!
If something doesn't seem right, check it out.
Tree

-I was told by my HiLo dealer NOT to lubricate the pulleys, as doing so will mess up the curtains. Most pulleys used are aircraft type, that have ball bearings that are lubricated "for life".

-Re: Greasing the ram-rod. Just smear any good axle grease on the shiny portion of the rod, every couple of months or so. That's where the 'wear' would be. The rest of the rod will be covered in dirty grimy grease; that's ok. It's protected from moisture. "Teeeclimber" above is right! Check that the safety bar is doing it's job. Make sure it moves freely when unlocked.

-Mouse's? Any good silicone outdoor sealer would work in any open holes that you find. Personally I like G.E. clear adhesive/sealant. It may not be LABELLED as adhesive, but is still good at that. In Canada, some RV dealers sell an undercoating called " Mouse Free". I haven't tried it, but others say it works great.

-As you go under there, wear a decent pair of coveralls; I have had mine 'rustproofed' by 'Krown' when new, and it's still pretty gooey under there.

-Also, look for wires, tubes, pipes, 'fouling' each other or structure, that can cause wear. [electrical shorts, hydraulic leaks, propane and water leaks.]
Tie off any lines that are touching or close to each other or structure.
Check brake electrical wires for fouling and corrosion.
I found a lift cable fouling a hydraulic union at the actuator. I used a split rubber fuel hose to separate them and held it in place with locking wire.
Split rubber hose might be needed in a number of areas to separate fouling lines, hoses etc.

-The brake lines may be connected with 'wire nuts' that screw on. Take each wire nut off, put some grease into the spiral spring inside, and screw them back on. Each one! THIS, to prevent corrosion caused by road salt, acting as an electrolyte between two dissimilar metals. [copper wire/steel spring]. (Even in summer, gravel roads can be sprayed with brine to keep the dust down.)
Check that the brake adjuster plugs are in place; they can come off, letting water and 'crap' into the brake. Carry extras.

-Check your water tank mountings for security; try to get some rustproofing on top of the holddown straps to prevent corrosion.

-Sewer drain on my 2308C was recessed about 6" under the side panel, making it difficult to reach the drain handles without getting way down on my knees. I installed a clear plastic extension and glued and locked it in place using a large hose clamp. I also installed handle extensions to bring them more out. Now it's easy to pull the handles. and I can observe what's coming out.

After every trip, crawl under there just to inspect for ' condition and security'.
Once you've done all that, and your mind is clearer, go camping and enjoy.

Mel

I've always heard that keeping the curtains up when lowering the top was a way to minimize fouling them with oil. I still like to shoot some lubricant down the cables from the pulleys from the inside as part of my yearly maintenance. I would also suggest that Joy not attempt the the wire nuts on the brake lines just yet---as this may be a bit beyond her mechanical comfort level at this stage of her experience. A good idea, though.

It's either a ' typo', or it's made of spare parts.

Hilltool;

Do you do it with the top up, or down?

I suppose up would work better. I've never been there, to check the upper cables, only the lower; and they are well lubricated.

Do you lube them with the top up, or down?

Thanks all...I am avoid anything with wiring and breaks this time around but will look for anything loose and try to close up any holes for mice. So far my safety bar is working but where do I look for it so I can see what it looks like. I am going to also check the hydraulic fluid. From what I understand the tank should be about half full with the top down. I will check back in after this weekend but continue to let me know any tips.

Joy, the hydraulic fluid should be within an inch of the top of the tank filler opening. Mine is 1/2" below the top. If the tank were only half full, there would probably not be enough fluid to raise the top.

- Jack

Thanks Jack. I haven't looked at it before but will do so this weekend.

I would avoid WD-40 for use as a 'long term lubricant'. It's great for squeaks and noises on hinges and minor stuff...but use a good silicone or lithium based lube for critical long term applications. I didn't lube any of my pulleys, I think someone mentioned they have internal bearings...but the first time I crawled under mine, I wiped the lift rod clean, only so I could inspect it to see if it was taken care of by the previous owner. It was pretty nice with no pitting (except at the very end that is exposed when retracted. I cleaned that with some steel wool (the rod finish doesn't matter too much on this end since it doesn't go through the wiper seal) and I re-greased the entire rod. I should never have to wipe it clean again.

Also pay attention to the fasteners...I noticed several clamp on mine were being held by rusty screws...which I will replace this summer with ss. I also have been stocking up on undercoat cans when I can, I bought a full paper body suit and plan to undercoat everything sometime this year (not something I look forward too...but just want to get it done!).

Mel- I lube the cables with the top up---and shoot lube down and around the pulleys with the top up, also. iknow somebody used to do it with their significant other working the switch so he was lubing, then raising or lowering, then spraying some more. Maybe I am doing it wrong or maybe I'm wasting my time. I'm certainly open to other approaches.

Rick

Just a note... The WD in WD40 stands for "water displacing". It was not designed as a lubricant, and if used as such, it should be followed up a light oil ie, 3-in-1. However, WD40 can also be used as wasp killer, misquito (sp) repellent, hand cleaner along with many other uses. :) :) :)
Tree

I've been using this WD-40 product on my cables:

WD-40 300014 Specialist Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant Spray, 11 oz. (Pack of 1): Automotive Lubricants: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Lucky,
Perfect product! Much different than the original WD-40. Just bought a "combo" pack of both those products for about $6.00 at orange box. Even showed my DSO how and why we do this and it made sense to her. She's pretty good about learning why I use the products I do. FYI, taught her everything needed to strike camp in case of emergency. She doesn't like hooking up and the WDH, but she's learning.:D

I hear you! I made a very detailed checklist for my DW, just in case. Saves me from making too many mistakes as well. :)

It also wouldn't hurt to wear a pair of gloves and run a rag along the cables as you lubricate them. This is what I did to check for fraying cables.

Bob

How the heck can you reach down to wipe-lube the cables from the top????
I tries it and couldn't reach my arm down there. Underneath, the cables are rustproofed by the KROWN undercoating process. so I just used WD-40, and ran it down the cables.

Having asked that question: I opened up my cable access for the first time, have difficulty in lube-wiping the exposed cables, and just ran some WD-40 down the cables.
I hadn't checked them before, because HiLo told me that they had a lifetime warranty; and I just assumed that they were Stainless Steel cables. Nope.
Two of them had rust at the top end of the run, but still seems to be good.

:How did you get in there to wipe/lube them? I found no room for my hand.
So I just ran a lot of WD-40 down the cables from the top pulley end. The cables underneath are protected by the 'Krown' rustproofing that was done when new.

Mel, most of my time in the Navy, I worked in aviation. One of the hundreds of things to do on ALL aircraft is to periodically open panels and inspect and lube the cables. Just three or four drops (keeping as much as possible ON the cable) was enough, as the light oil will work it's way INTO the cable through capillary action. Repeating the process will eventually saturate the cable. Continued application (3-4 X a year) will keep it that way. Flexible.
Tree

Well, I made it under the Hi Lo on a wet and dripping Sunday. The application of the grease was fairly easy and the rod looked great. It looks like the previous owner took great care of the system. I visibly checked all the cables and they looked great. Also there was calk around many all the holes I could see on the bottom. Unfortunately, the mice got in again so I am going to have to figure that out. I couldn't quite figure out the hydraulic fluid level so I need to fashion some sort of dipstick as I can't really see well at all into the tank.

Now onto sanitizing the fresh water tank and cleaning up after the mice for the second time this season. Yuck!

You can make a simple dipstick by bending a straw. Stuff some steel wool into all the openings. That should stop your mice problem.

I believe it was mentioned here before to use Blaster Garage Door Lube, it is a dry type lube that does not collect dust and dirt. I used it this Spring and I think it will be a winner.

mouse proofing
 

Jack mentioned that you could go under your hilo when it is dark outside. With the help of another person you can shine a flashlight all around. Any places on the inside where the light comes through needs to be pluged up. This is where the mice are able to squeeze through. Hope this helps.

Good product to use for lubing cables
 

Go to Walmart and get this can of spray in the gun dept. It is called Break Free CLP. Cleans lubes and protects. One can should do a smaller trailer. DH uses 1 1/2 cans on our 25ft. trailer. His least favourite job to position the Rv several times. Lots of body twisting laying on cardboard to get it all lubed up. This was recommended by another forum member.

Actually, it was RichR who suggested that in my "mousproofing thread". And, he pointed out that you could do it "solo" by putting a bright light like a quartz light under the trailer and then going inside to look for light in openings. You'd probably want to move the light around a bit to check everything.

- Jack

And if you fill the tank too far, it will spill out and you'll have a real mess to clean up on your driveway. 'Ask me how I know'!

I made a dipstick from the tail of a 'tie wrap'. with a notch at the proper level.

Necessity is the mother of invention....