Hi-Lo Trailer Co. Closes Shop
 

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This article is from "Trailer Life" @ Trailerlife.com, written by Bob Ashley
Trailer Life, July 13, 2010
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Ohio-based Hi-Lo's unique telescoping trailer
Hi-Lo Trailer Company Inc., Belleville, Ohio, a respected long-term player in the RV industry, has closed its doors.

In a July 6 letter to Hi-Lo dealers, President Jim Beveridge said shareholders ”have voted to liquidate the assets of the corporation and dissolve same, effective immediately.”

”In light of the current economic situation and the downturn in sales of recreational vehicles, Hi-Lo Trailer can no longer continue to operate,” the letter said.

Hi-Lo, the company that originally brought late Thor Industries Inc. chairman Wade F.B. Thompson, into the RV industry, manufactured a unique telescoping travel trailer that used a push button hydraulic system to automatically raise, lower and lock the top that fit over the lower portion of the trailer when in travel mode.

Hi-Low announced late last year that it had streamlined its 2010 product lineup to include four floorplans based on the Hi-Lo Classic.

The company was founded in 1955 as Snyder’s Hi-Lo Trailer Co. by the late Don Snyder, who engineered Hi-Lo’s basic design because he wanted a popup-like trailer that was safer to tow and had hard sides so that it could be used in the winter.

The company later passed to the founder’s son, Jim Snyder, who remained active in the company after selling it to New Zealand native Thompson, who came across Hi-Lo while working in marketing in New York City.

”I thought this was a neat little company with a great little balance sheet,” said Tompson, who had met Peter Orthwein, now Thor chairman, at a New York conference.

”I called him up and asked if he would help me finance this little company called Hi-Lo,” Thompson recalled in a 2002 interview with RVBusiness. ”He said he could get the financing, but he wanted to be a partner as well.

”We did the deal, and Oct. 28, 1977, we bought the company (and) for the next three years I commuted between New York where my family was — literally every week.”

Thompson ran Hi-Lo for three years before he and Orthwein acquired Airstream Inc. from Beatrice Foods, beginning to build Thor Industries into a national power.

Thompson and Orthwein owned Hi-Lo into the middle of this decade, before quietly selling the company in July 2003.

Efforts to reach Beveridge and recent Hi-Lo executives Jim Snyder and Larry Mills were unsuccessful.
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A sad day indeed for all of us Hi-Lo fans.

Jeff

I guess this makes it official now
 

I noticed that there are several of the 2010 units listed on eBay that appear to show up in the "left over" inventory on the Hi-Lo website.

bummer...
 

That's why I couldn't get any help from the parts dept..
OK, we need to all help one another with parts sources, service info and general help. Maybe we could start a special "maintenance, parts and problem" topic area for us dummies that are new to everything about a Hi-Lo.

You experts out there should start writing some tech columns about the Hi-Lo
or if anyone knows an EX-Hilo service guy; get him to join the forum..
thanks.

It Is Critical to Maintain This Site in Future!!!
 

As the recent purchaser of a new Hi-Lo (theoretically still in warranty) this site is now my only lifeline to Hi-Lo data, information and support. I am extremely interested in seeing this site maintained for my own selfish interests as well as the best interests of the Hi-Lo community at large.

May I ask who owns this site? If privately owned, I'm confident of its staying power due to the years of accumulated good will of Hi-Lo and the common interests of all the many Hi-Lo owners out there.

I would like to get involved in getting this site into independent hands if it is not already there. That includes purchasing the site, sponsoring it in some participatory manner, or ???. If you wish, you can reply with a PM and we can discuss further off line.

Best regards,

Ed Clark

Ed,

"Neal and Bev" are the moderators, and I believe that they set up this site.

See the top of this thread for their information.

Ed,

Thank you for your very kind comments.

My wife Bev and I do technically own the website, but it's our opinion that, it belongs to the members of the Hi-Lo community.

Like all of the members in the Hi-Lo community, we love our camper, and we believe in helping and sharing with each other.

The monthly costs of HTF are very small, and the ads at the top and bottom of the page basically cover that, so it is no burden at all. If there ever did come a time that Bev and I could not continue to manage the site (its very little work), then we would pass it to another willing member to manage, because the goal of HTF, is to provide a good resource for the Hi-Lo community, for as long as there is a need for it, and we all hope that is a very long time to come. :)

Neal and Bev

Dear Neal and Bev,

Fabulous news! I knew that you were heavily involved in the site from my readings prior to recently buying my new, albeit 2008 model Hi-Lo (2408T). I am very pleased to learn that you are actually the site owners. Great news for us all! I super appreciate the job you've been doing and am looking forward to many future years of enjoying this site.

To the sponsors: I have already done a significant amount of business with two firms who have advertised on this site. Not to mention names but etrailer.com and Camping World are the initials (plug, plug :D).

By the way, I am totally unconcerned about the (probable) lack of warranty support from Hi-Lo, at least for the immediate future. I did my research. It is unlikely that much can or will go wrong with this proven design. If it does, the information you have provided on this site or can provide in future if needed should be sufficient to keep the rubber on the road.

Best regards,

Ed Clark

Sad indeed, but thankfully they are built to last and last they do! Hold onto em if you got em and if you don't, its time to find one! :D

Hi-Lo totaled
 

Just got info from my insurance company, based on the inability of my RV dealer to get parts from Hi-Lo they have total my camper so much for my Hi-Lo. Looks like we're getting a Keystone maybe their company will last longer.

amckinney

I just put some cash down on a 1993 26 RD.
Should I have some concern about this? It's very well taken care of, and has a new fridge, air, awning, the frame's clean the interior is clean, two years ago just had the main seal between the top and bottom replaced and the guy ruber coats the roof every three years. Caulking looks good windows all work interior is super clean, I love it. How often does the lifting mechanism fail? This thing is 17 years old, is it something that an owner can replace cables or mechanical parts? Is there a shop manual available? Anyone considering starting a "Hi-Lo Garage" if you will, someone maybe from the factory that knows all about these things? Is there someone like that on the forum all ready? Ok, so I guess I have some questions about this purchase.....

I just bought a 1994 this year and love it. I don't think there is much trouble with the lift mechanisms follow the advice on here as to lubing the pulleys and such and they last a long time. Buy it enjoy it and don't worry.


Harry

I was so excited to find your forum! We just purchased a 1985 25' Hi-Lo, in good condition. We had a few questions just last week and tried calling Hi-Low and the phone was disconnected. So far we have resolved our issues. Can you suggest contacts for questions or trouble shooting so we have something to fall back in in the future. We may not always had internet access to use this forum.:)

Thank you,
Tony and Wendy

Hi-Lo Trailer Co. Closes Shop
 

Thanks for the information. I have been out with my Hi-Lo for a couple of months, mostly on trout streams where I don't have internet. Yes, fishing and catching has been great. Those of us with older Hi-Lo trailers are going to be in the market for 'new old stock'. I hope that I can get a couple of parts, I'd like to replace, before that office closes for good.

The Forum
 

We are new members. We feel very fortunate to have the Forum available to us. We love our 2006 Classic so my hope is with the help of fellow members we can keep it in great shape.

I've just discovered (maybe too late) the great advantages of owning a HiLo in terms of towing one and storing one in my own garage, due to the telescopicing feature that I've never seen in any other manufacturer of rvs. I'm thinking of purchasing one in a year or so, but am hesitant because the company has just closed it's doors. How difficult will it be for me and other owners to get parts and service under those circumstances? If that will not be a problem, I would still consider buying one. Any help on this question would be appreciated!
Thanks, Mare Grant

Mare -

Unless you're talking about things like the body parts (end caps, side panels, maybe interior counter tops, and so on - that would be damaged in a crash, there's not a whole lot that's not "generic"). Even things like the lift cables can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes. Maybe the actual lift cylinder and guide rod under the trailer are "specific", but I bet they could be "fabbed".

Personally, I'm not too concerned about our 07 model that we bought new. It's had some "issues", but I think we've finally worked them out (and not through HiLo).

- Jack

Jack, or anyone else, there should be hydraulic cylinder repair places thru out the country. Hydraulic cylinders are used on thousands of pieces of equipment and they need repaired from time to time. There is one a little over a mile from my house, it has been there as long as I can remember. They can repair or make any part of a cylinder as far as I know. As for the guide rod, any small machine shop that does small jobs could easy make one up. Even the repair place could probably make one as they have a machine shop also. Making a one of a kind might be a little pricey.

This really blew for us as our upper suspension took a dump! Luckily, hubby had a friend make a plate & was able to attach the wires...Hi-Lo is up & camping! We have a 1985 LOL!

This link may help since not everyone lives close to JR Repair.

Hi-Lo Trailer RV Dealers

I am not sure how current it is but it may help if you need service and are not a "do-it-yourselfer". I actually talked to a former Hi-Lo dealer/service center and even sent them the link to JR so they can get access to parts.

In case you never made it to the Hi-Lo factory in Belleville, OH, here are a few pictures taken in 2006. The first and last photos were taken in a separate building; frame and sub-floor work in the first photo, QA inspection and systems testing in the last photo. Yes, the place was bustling with craftsmen. Somehow they all missed being in the frame when I snapped the picture.

Enjoy. Jim

Along with the previous post, here is a shot of the outside of the Hi-Lo factory. The building on the right was where they did most of the assembly work.

Jim

Thanks for posting. I was at the Butler factory several times in the Early 90's but never made it to the Belleville plant.

Sad to hear this news. I stumbled upon this site today. I was a very happy owner of a '82 Hi-Lo 22' model for 14 years. I think I paid $8,200 for it and sold it for $5,400. The trailer was kept in great shape due to it being either under cover in a car port or in a garage for its entire life with us.

I remember stopping over at Butler Ohio on a return trip from Cooperstown NY. The plant was closed on vacation but someone there performed an adjustment on my cables to tighten them up since one corner was not sealing tightly. I also showed him my tub which had a crack. He noted that the tub wasn't supported correctly and with that ordered me a new tub to be sent to my local dealer. Now this was after the trailer was 8 years old. No charge to me and I installed it myself quite easily.

I still contend that my Hi-Lo was the best insulated trailer that I have ever owned and the quietest (keeping outside noise out) due to its wall construction.

I currently have an Airstream today and some of you may not know but the axles that were used on the Hi-Lo's are the same Dura-Torque axle used by Airstreams. As a matter of fact in 2002 we stayed overnight at the Airstream Factory in Jackson Center Ohio to have them look at our air conditioner. Parked next to us in the company campground was a Hi-Lo who was there for an axle alignment. Good to remember for those of you may need that service in the future.

Again, glad to see a forum dedicated to Hi-Lo owners. I used to tell people that I could always could make a new friend in every campground, based on the folks who came over to see what it looked like inside and how the Hi-Lo went up and down.

Jack

2011 Hi-Lo models
 

HAH. Surfing the net, and browsing through online trailer dealers, I just saw a Model 2711 listed. Don't think it was a typo, they wrote 2011 twice in the description. In our dreams... I sent them an E-mail suggesting that they check their numbers!

Jim

Here are a few more pics of the Belleville Hi-Lo plant, and a couple of the old Butler plant when it was H & T RV & Trailer Repair / J & R Enterprise. These were all taken in 2006. Wish I could remember the names of the two fellows in the picture. The one on the the left did our main gasket replacement... he said he is the same person who did the original install when the trailer was built in 1969. BTW, for our photo album, if anyone remembers their names, please let me know.

Jim

When the Hi-Lo plant shut down they listed several 2011 models in their remaining inventory. I doubt if they were any different from the 2010's, just the last run in production.

Jim, I emailed the photo to my Hi-Lo dealer friend. He will probably know their names.

Jim,
I can't say for sure but the guy on the left looks like the same guy that is with Rob at JR Repair and his name is Jim. If it is the same guy he has worked at Hi-Lo for years. We were just at JR Repair end of Oct 2010. I swear this is the same guy. Very nice gentelman.

Deb, yes, I remember both guys as being very nice. In fact they really went out of their way to get us back on the road asap. We had prearranged the job before we departed Idaho, and they were literally waiting for us to arrive to get started! I just remembered that the fellow on the right had a mild English/Australian accent.

Rich, thanks for forwarding the photo. I look forward to seeing if your dealer friend knows.

Jim

The man on the left is Jim Seals. He is the "J" in J & R Trailer Repair.

I told Jim-JMDoering That's who I thought it was. Jim of J&R. He is the nicest guy. Very helpful. Don't know who the other fellow is though.

My dealer friend recognized Jim but not the other man.

The great guessing game has started he is " My monkeys uncle "

Just a thought maybe we should get in contact with Jim at J&R repair and find out who this mystery man is standing beside him....lol

While browsing through the thread titled "Factory Hi-Lo parts, I found an older sub-thread called "JR Enterprises." Under that title, one of the Forum members wrote that that JR Enterprises had closed because one of the owners, Greg Stanley, had unexpectedly passed. As you probably know, this business reopened as J & R Repair after Hi-Lo closed down. So...in the photo, perhaps the gent to Jim Seals' left, is Greg Stanley.

Jim

From the info that my dealer friend gave me, he did not recognize the fellow that was with Jim and I am sure he knew Greg quite well. How old is that photo, I assume that it is a number years old. I was at their shop a few years ago but I don't remember anything about the guys we met.

Rich,

The photo was taken in 2006, immediately following the National Rally in Monroe, MI. We travelled directly from Monroe to Butler.

Jim

J&R Trailer
 

We certainly hope J & R will be in the HiLo business for a long time. Maybe they'll restart the business. Jim and Rob are among the best ambassadors for the Hi-Lo trailer - they're there for the customer.