Did Trailmanor buy Hi-Lo ?

Padgett · 05-15-2014, 12:02 PM

Looking at the new RISE series, it sounds a lot like a lightweight Hi-Lo and that company went out of business in 2010. Did Trailmanor acquire the designs ? YWTK.

hillbillyhotel · 05-15-2014, 02:22 PM

Padgett '
I see what you are saying, sure kinda looks like a hi-lo
this is the link off face book page of trailmanor's new updated web page
http://trailmanor.com/wordpress/

tgpmd1 · 05-15-2014, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgett

Looking at the new RISE series, it sounds a lot like a lightweight Hi-Lo and that company went out of business in 2010. Did Trailmanor acquire the designs ? YWTK.

Padgett, wow, it does look that way from the new models and prototypes. May be interesting.

**Bill** · 05-16-2014, 07:19 AM

A quick Internet search suggests that the Hi-Lo company was owned by a man named Jim Snyder. After a long history, he closed the company in 2010, during and because of the recesssion. Sometime within the next couple years, the assets were bought by Bill Kerola, who also owns Serro Scotty. As of May 2012, he was still trying to get the company restarted. I don't know where that stands today.

I can't find any indication that Trail Manor was part of any of this, and given TM's problems surviving the same recession, and going through its own change of ownership, I doubt that they had time or funds to buy Hi-Lo.

If anyone knows more about Hi-Lo in the post-2012 time frame, I would be glad to hear it.

Bill

Padgett · 05-16-2014, 08:22 AM

It is entirely possible that this is a consortium of some sort. One way to find out what this (from the TM newsletter March 2014) "Named RISE because their roofs raise via our patented hydraulic lift system." - if we had the patent number(s) that would tell a lot about the evolution since many of the foundational ones (e.g. BUNGE 3,200,545) have expired.

Another would be where they will be manufactured, if in Ohio, weeel.

There were things to like about the Hi-Lo, longitudinal bed and a side slide were some but they were typically 1,000 lbs heavier than a similar size TM.

Must say this seems ambitious and have to wonder why the expansion when TM is still a T9 company unless close to a freebie.

There is the issue that an aging population will have more difficulty setting up a TM since the TM (trunk monkey) population is so low.

That said, it seems that properly adjusting the torque arms seems to be an art form (have gotten mine pretty good but is a fine line between "easy to pop up" and "cannot latch when folding down" & imagine some have problems lifting the wardrobe.

Have had some idle thoughts about some telescopic arms you could attach to each end and raise the end by pulling down on a level. Then weight would be more important than strength.

However I suspect some kind of arrangement was made with Bill Kerola. This kinda indicates he may have been open to offers.

05-16-2014, 08:06 PM

I don't think so. There would have been significant legal and financial issues that would have complicated and encumbered the transaction with the new TM owners. What the staus is now only the owner, and their lawyers and bankers know for sure, but my guess is towards the negative side for these and the reasons Bill cites.

TrailManorMan · 05-16-2014, 08:18 PM

Bill Kerola lives about 20 miles from me. His shop is the size of a triple car garage. I drive by weekly and see nothing happening. He sells a few small campers annually but does not appear to be a player in either HiLo or any other manufacturing at this time.
Doubt he is involved with TM folks but not sure.

**Bailey'sMom** · 05-16-2014, 08:50 PM

I seem to recall reading something from trailmanor indicating their lift system is a new and different way of doing it. I too doubt that they bought HiLo.

Will be interesting to see once it's manufactured.

Padgett · 05-16-2014, 08:58 PM

Could be nada but if you look at the RISE floor plan, the lav in the driver rear is just like a HiLo and they are being kinda cagey about it. OTOH a JV between the two families could be just a handshake apart. In a lot of ways it just makes sense OTOH a Murphy bed ? Right.

And on the gripping hand if you took a 3124KD and add a side slide sofa bed like the HiLo 27T Expand-a-room you could have the features of a 3326 in a smaller package. Would need to relo the fridge to the door side under the stove & move the microwave to the side over the wheel well but not a problem. Have noodled the rails and swing arcs & should work in both the 2922 and 3124 though I'd prefer a 2922KS with a 2 place dinette in the side slide. 2922KSD ?

ps a few of the patent numbers and a little research would reveal all.

pps sounds like I have more garage/shop space than he does 8*).

**Bailey'sMom** · 05-16-2014, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padgett

I'd prefer a 2922KS with a 2 place dinette in the side slide. 2922KSD ?

.

I have wondered if it would be possible to put in a sideways dinette on one side of the slide and a sofa on the other. That would be a perfect model.

The TM is wider than my old popup where I had a side dinette on one side and a cabinet on the other side, aisle in the middle. The dinette was wider than a two sweater but not as wide as the TM dinette. Plus the table was freestanding which I prefer. I would be okay with a two sweater dinette to make that KSD OR QSD floorplan work.