So I use Kharjo as my PC's best friend and adventuring buddy (this works out even better since she's a lisbian and he's a Khajiit male who most likely finds her repugnant, so you know how that goes: gossip, gosspip, gossip, and...SHOPPING!)

So I've used the Wabbajack trick to periodically "renew" him alongside with my character's level as soon as I found out about it (I that was during the Summer...right after telling a friend's 13-year-old nephew that the Wabbajack was useless and there was no way that he could convince me otherwise...), and it's worked well (also worked to make Vilkas a non-wuss once he became non-essential...my lord, I went through Ansilvund with him around level 40-50 and he must bit it 5x in 3 minutes...it was almost traumatizing! I reloaded, did the Wabbajack thing, and he turned into this cybernetic killing machine or something...). Lately though, I'll turn him into a chicken or whatever the other animal choices are, keep him alive from Shadowmere, and instead of reappearing then and there, he's GONE, and I then track him down to the caravan.

Does that mean he's maxed out or something? Anyone have this happen too, or know what it means? Thanks in advance.

As of 1.6, the Wabbajack trick is no longer necessary.

Followers do max out, here's a guide with max levels for all followers:http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers

As for him disappearing when you change him, I have no idea.

Too long parenthesis, could not read

I'm serious about this!