New to me 17' 1975 Hi-Lo
 

So I picked it up yesterday and have a few questions.

1. There is no city water hook-up, is there an easy way to add one?

2. I have found that there is no grey/black holding tanks, all the waste water and toilet stuff pipes into a sewer type hook-up. Is this factory or did it used to have tanks and someone change it at some time?

3. There was never an A/C unit installed and I want to put one in. I have the original manual that says how to do so but, the width of the smallest unit i can find is 2" wider than what the manual calls for me to cut out above the rear window. Have any of you installed a window unit to the back before and did you have to cut more than what the book showed to?

4. The top raises just fine but, I can't use the switch to lower. The previous owner told me to lower the top half I had to pull the release cable and open the release valve on the pump. I tried going through the manual to trouble shoot the issue but I can't seem to figure it out. Any help on the issue would be appreciated.

5. While I was driving the hour trip back home I noticed that when people speeding by the air they were pushing seemed to make the camper sway a bit which in return caused to to have to correct the steering to get it to settle down. I wouldn't have figured I would need sway bars for this little/light of a camper. What do you guys suggest?

This is my first ever HI-LO and camper all together so almost everything having to do with towing/ HI-LO is new to me.

Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

I can't answer most of your questions
 

but those that can will first need to know specifically what camper model you have.

My other question (relating to sway) is what are you using to tow it with? You may need a larger/heavier tow vehicle. Q: were ALL tires properly pressured?

Final thought, its nice to have a geographic location with your public profile, you know, so we can stalk you better.

Well from what I can tell there is no model number it's just a 1975 17'. In the manual I have that is what it lists, (1975) which is the 17' model.

The tow vehicle is a 97 land cruiser which is rated for 5k, it was rated this way due to the motor not being able to efficiently pull more at highway speeds from what I have read. I did not have any sag in my rear end, I have heavy springs and the tongue weight on the trailer according to the manual is like 300lb with a total trailer weight of 2400 with a payload capacity of 7xxlb. The trailer was also level while towing.

As far as my location, Kansas. That is all you get.

There should be black and gray tanks, I don't believe they were options. Perhaps the previous owner had it set in a permanent site and didn't want to deal with tanks. Your sway may be from the tongue weight being too light, maybe loading the trailer with weight forward will help, I assume you are using a weight distribution hitch which helps.

Hi
 

kansaslx
Welcome to the site. Good Luck with everything.
Check out the manuals area and see if there is a 1975 manual and go from there.

Later Tim

Welcome to the forum
 

kansaslx, Just wanted to send you a welcome to the forum. Our members are very good answering questions and giving helpful advice.

Thank you for the welcome!. I figured I should have those tanks but, I wasn't positive. Would be nice to have some though, maybe ill fab some up out of aluminum when I get a chance. I also have seen those portable tanks but, don't really like the idea of having to wheel them around after camping.

I have a distributing ball, ill have to see if I can't figure out to get more weight on the tongue.

As far as the manual goes, as stated in my previous posts, I have the original manual and all paperwork that came with the trailer in 1975. The man I bought it from received it from his moms significant other who bought it new in 75.

If anyone has any insite to my other questions I'm all ears. I can't find any info anywhere on the original window ac unit, nor find a current unit that meets the dimension specs for the install sheet.
Thanks!!

thoughts
 

on number 5 it also might be your speed.

#4 the release valve is electrically operated by pushing the raise switch the other way. If you have a meter or a light then check to see if you are getting power to the valve (mounted on top of the pump). If you have power then I've read that the valve sometimes needs to replaced.

#3 I have a rear window ac unit in our hilo. Think that it was added after it came from hilo. Ours is a 1969 hilo. Can take pics if requested.

Later Tim

Tim, I was going about 70. The speed limit was 75 and I decided to go about 70.
On the valve/ switch I have no light. I have figured it out for now I think, I'll have to hope so anyways. I messed with the manual release knob on the pump a bit and it seems to be working fine now.

On your ac unit, pictures and a brand with dimensions would be great. I can't find a unit anywhere that is less than 16" wide and in my manual it says to cut a hole 14" wide and 12" tall. I'm just not sure if I can cut wider than what the manual says. If I knew I could without hitting a support then I could get a unit that is just a touch wider... Thanks in advance.

Brian

In case you don't know trailer tires are only rated at a max of 65 MPG. Also I think your trailer is heavier than 2400 lbs. The older trailers were made for putting an AC in the rear. Newer ones have roof top units. From your description your trailer doesn't sound like a 95. Can you post a picture?

As somebody already suggested, make sure items loaded in the trailer are loaded forward of the axle, if possible. Also, if the propane tanks are on the tongue, fill them.

Another contributor to sway is the wheelbase of the tow vehicle (TV). The shorter the wheelbase, the more prone to sway. This is why it's often a good idea to add a sway control device when towing with a smaller SUV.

You mentioned, "sway bars." Don't confuse load distributing bars/hitches with sway control devices. They are different things. A load or weight distributing hitch works to distribute the hitch weight between the two TV axles. By doing this it helps maintain the TV level. A properly adjusted load distributing hitch will tend to decrease sway, but it may not eliminate it.

A sway control device will dampen the oscillations that occur and/or try to realign the TV and trailer in a straight line. The simple devices are passive in nature and just dampen oscillations. They tend to rely on friction to do this. The more sophisticated devices are active in nature. They apply a centering force to align the TV and trailer. Most of the active devices are built into the load distributing hitch.

I highly recommend that you consider a load distributing hitch. This alone may solve the issue. If not, a friction type sway control device should be added.

Keep in mind that you should not mask instability with external devices. You should still load the trailer to attain 10-15% of its total weight on the tongue.

ac
 

Brian
On our 1969 hilo there were windows in the back. Someone removed a window and installed the ac unit.
Do you have windows?

Later Tim

I believe I have a load distributing hitch, I can raise and lower the ball 8" either up or down. It is a 14000lb load capacity hitch. As for the propane tanks, one was full and the other was half. The camper was dry (no water) and nothing inside. The camper was level as was my tv. Even when I put my rack on the back and hauled a rick of oak firewood it barely sagged. Ill see if I can't pick up a set of equalizer bars or a anti sway setup. I haven't towed it except from where I bought it to home, was a little over an hour.

So I will take it out again with both propane tanks full and *** water and see if this helps. It will be this weekend before I can though, I'm 4 hours from home working during the week.

Tim as for windows, I have one in the rear and its pretty wide, I'd say like 2'. I wish I could find a picture of an original "window" unit that was installed on the 70's 17 footers. Or possibly a newer unit fitted to the original mounting location.

For those curious what it looks like here is the original Craigslist add. Although it is not a 14' but a 17'.
14 ft HI-LOW camper

A ball that is adjustable does not make it a load (weight) distributing hitch. It needs bars that extend back from the hitch partway down the tongue and attach there by chains or brackets. Here's a link to how a common kind works: HowStuffWorks "How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work" Some of them include sway control, but some don't.

I don't think you have a Weight Distributing (WD) hitch, and you should have one.

- Jack

Sorry, I don't know how I got 95 out of 1975, guess my eyes are getting bad, but I just got new glasses, so nothing but an error on my part.

pic
 

Well it looks somewhat like our 1969 hilo. Looked at our AC unit a few minutes ago and it's a carrier. Looks like a window part was removed and small piece of metal was fitted and the AC unit was placed in. Also a shelf was added on the back outside to set the AC unit on.

Later Tim

Tim, as far as the a/c goes if I can't find a unit the size I need I doubt I will remove the window to place one. I'd hate to cut a hole and find a support running from top to bottom that would make the unit i have now un usable. Maybe when I get back home this weekend I will take a strong magnet and see if I find a metal frame support in there. I'd hate to lose the only window there in the rear.

As far as the hitch goes I will look into what you guys are talking about. The one I have is adjustable up and down since my tv is lifted a bit but, simple geometry tells me that when you raise the hitch to a different height it puts more weight on the trailer and less on the hitch and visa versa. According to my manual it suggests towing the camper as level as possible and when I had it towing it was level. Ill go to the trailer shop and see what they have for my application.

I need to figure out my non existent holding tanks and lack of city water hookup also. Has anyone fitted city water to their trailer that didn't have it to begin with?

Here is some video information on weight distribution hitches: Weight Distribution Trailer Hitches Information Video | etrailer.com

else
 

Something else to think about this time towing drive at 60 or whatever a few folks here might suggest and see how that works out for you before you buy a lot of stuff. When I was pulling our boat there were great tow speed and some that just did not work out as well. Speed might be the best and cheapest thing to check out first.
Also check as to where there is power for an AC unit. I think someone had to wire up a special outlet to plug the wall unit into.
Moving items forward and back will also increase and decrease tongue weight.
City water, our hilo has a spot where a hose can be added to supply city water to our hilo.

Later Tim

weight distributing hitch
 

kansaslx, You might consider looking on craigs list,ebay for used towing equipment. Some of the forum members have had good luck this way to save some $.

I thought about slowing down a bit from 70 but, with the speed limit being 75 I was a little worries about somebody not paying attention and slamming into me. There were quite a few people flying by me doing well over 80 and a couple of them were actually texting... I have seen an accident where that has happened. A older couple were towing their camper doing 60ish and a girl not paying attention slammed into them. Ill try slowing down a touch and see if that helps, if not I know there are a few Reese and draw tight hitches I saw locally for sale.

On the a/c there is a plug right there in the back to plug into, it's almost perfect for the length of an ac unit power cord. Almost like it was put there for a reason;). I just wish I could find a decent picture of the factory ac unit in the back wall. There was a 77 17' just like mine for sale a couple weeks ago and I emailed to see if they had a picture of the unit and I was told they didn't have one. So, I don't know. Ill have to figure something out though so I can use it while I'm out here in western ks working.

I thought about the city water hookup today and how I could do it, I was thinking of routing two separate lines and just putting by pass valves on so I could use either city water or the storage tank. I'm not too sure how well this would work though. Does anyone have a picture they could share of the factory city water and onboard water setup I could look at?
On that note I just realized that my tank is a mild steel tank and was wondering how that would be over time considering rust and such. I found a similar tank at tractor supply, it was a blue steel water tank just like I have mounted in the trailer. We're the original ones clear plastic? I looked online for fresh water camper tanks and the ones I looked at were all clear plastic.

Ill try and post detailed pictures of everything im having issues with this coming weekend when I make it back home so you all can see what I see and am talking about.
Sorry for the long posts, I'm new to the game and trying to get all the information I can and describe what I have going on. Pictures to come this weekend.

Here is more information about water systems than you really need to know but it does tell you a lot about how things hook up and work. Water, Water, Everywhere!

ours
 

Here is the blog, info, questions thread that I'm doing with our 1969 Traveler.

https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f17/...78/index2.html

It looks a lot like yours. I started it on page two so you could see a couple of pics of the water supply tank that's in it now. I don't think that it came from hilo that way. Enjoy.

On driving speed I'm planning to take the slow roads on our first hilo trips. I just drove the interstate for 8 hours each way and think that when I take the hilo out that the back roads will be just fine. Had a lot of cars passing me as I was only driving 78 mph. I love cruse control.

Later Tim

Tim, I checked out the link you gave me. Looks like you've been busy with your trailer. Your water setup doesn't look factory to me, I had found a water tank like yours on camping world. The inlet doesn't look factory either, mine has the original surround and fill still. It is just a little trap door that push to fill and has a hose running to the top of the tank, although I doubt my tank is factory either as I saw some by the same manufacturer at tractor supply although not the same dimensions.
I have drawn up a water route for what I will be using to run city water and the tank water. I bought a city water fill today that will mount in the same cubby where the gravity fill is then I will have to make a Y fitting with shut off valves so I can use either or for water supply. Also bought me a new shurflo revolution pump, 55psi and 3gpm. The factory one was a 2.8gpm. So hopefully I can get the water going when I get home Saturday.

As far as the A/C unit goes, I feel like a dummy. I must have mis measured when I was laying out for the unit opening or something. I measured where I would've only had 14.xx" width and after re reading the fine print above the blue print for where to cut I realized that it states that after the hole is cut the opening will be 19.xx" wide and 12 5/8" tall. So it seems that just about any window a/c will fit as long as the height is right. So for any of you that may encounter this, the manual states in the fine print that I over looked and didn't process the 1" steel tubing support that is there for the A/C unit is the dimensions listed above.

So now the A/C and water are settled. Just have to go to the trailer shop when I get back to town and see what they think I may need to settle the sway from passing vehicles that I got on my way home from picking the trailer up.

One more thing that dawned on me that I never asked about, How do I set the heat? There is no thermostat, Just a little copper tube thing under the furnace that has a solid copper wire running into the furnace. Can you not set the temp on the older HI-LO trailers? I'm sure it would not be too hard to put one in if that little copper thing was the thermostat for the furnace, just not too sure if the temp can be adjusted. I don't remember seeing anything about the furnace in the original paperwork I got with it except for how to light it. I'll have to double check when I get home and look through all the papers again. Has anyone retro fitted a modern thermostat?
Thanks for the help so far!!

older furnice
 

If my memory serves me well I remember that older furnices in RVS are defeniately unsafe. The newer ones have safety features and are new and improved. Also more expensive. Just something to consider. Some of the forum members use different types of electric heaters. I just want you to be safe.

I was planning on running everything for awhile before using the trailer to make sure everything is up to par. If it has made it from 1975 to now I'm sure it will be and is alright but, I will have a friend of mine that does hvac check it out and possibly run me a thermostat. I'm just a little unsure of the actual operation since I don't see an adjustable thermostat, just that little brass tube thing under where the heat would come out above the toggle for the roof lift.

I don't believe that old furnace designs are unsafe. The issue with age is corrosion of the burner box/tubes. This may create an unsafe situation by allowing Carbon Monoxide to seep through to the inside of the trailer. Make sure that your friend thoroughly inspects the burner tubes, box, etc.

Also, install a CO detector in the trailer. Use one that's approved for RVs and boats. They are more resistant to vibrations and moisture.

Raul

Not sure if you got your lowering issue corrected. I had a similar issue. It turned out the switch was bad. MIne would go up but not go down. I replaced the switch and now it goes up and down without any issues.