Storage Cover?

Ranger Tim wrote:
Hey MorSnow,

Do you have the HDTV antenna? If so, how do you handle it? Does the cover just go over it easily?

I don't have a HDTV antenna, watching TV up here in the boonies would be expensive. There is plenty of room for things on the roof and the cover will still fit. Back in the 70's we used to put clothes baskets over things on the roof like AC unit and roof vents to keep the snow load off.

FWIW, I bought a 2003 truck camper in 2004. Until last winter, I have always stored it outside here in Western NY. Lots of snow, cold, and rain as you can imagine. I always covered it with a silver tarp & lots of bungee cords. In the 12 years I stored it outdoors, I went through 2 tarps. They got a rip here and there every year, but some Gorilla duct tape usually fixed them up.

I never had any problems with moisture in the camper in all those years. In fact, one year I was late getting the tarp on it. It had already snowed, thawed & refrozen (late Nov), and the camper had a couple inches of ice on the roof. I put the tarp & bungees on it,trying to keep any more snow off it. It warmed up a bit a couple weeks later, and I took the tarp off to let it dry out. Man was I surprised when I saw the ice was gone and the camper was completely dry!

I don't believe for a second that a plastic tarp will cause moisture problems. Even bungeed on, there's still plenty of airflow to keep things dry.

I now have a heated pole barn I store the camper in, so no need to cover (or winterize) anymore.

Thanks for your response towpro. I like the pool noodle ideas. Tennis balls are a good trick too for the downspouts. Much to learn about TC's in the winter. Not sure I will be out in it at all since I plow the interstate. Seems like I'm always on duty for storms. We have a bare road policy in Idaho. Maybe I'll park the camper at the maintenance shed when I'm pulling 12 hour shifts!

A metal building is the long term solution but will run me at least $1500 without gravel or concrete floor. A cover will get me by for a while. Just don't want snow sitting on it all winter.

They must be making the covers better now. It was only a few years ago that everywhere I went on this forum people were complaining about how their expensive fitted cover was shot after one or two winters.

I have the Classic Accessories Poly 3. can be found for around $160.
But the major distributor that most mail order RV suppliers uses sent me 2 that were used/damaged before I got a new one :(.

one was ripped where someone pulled it too hard installing it, it was even duct taped back together and thrown back in box like it was a stuff sack.

The other you could see where someone turned on the heat and burnt a hole through a brand new cover, than returned it :).

3rd one was the charm.
I used a pool noodle cut up to fit over the down spouts and the corners of the solar panels.

Just go right over the antenna. But I did have 1 cut piece of pool noodle under each side of the antenna wing, but that was to stop the noise from the antenna moving in wind while camping. it survived the winter.



but I really want a metal roof over it.

X2 on the Calmark cover :)

Calmark cover....expensive but worth every penny.

Hey MorSnow,

Do you have the HDTV antenna? If so, how do you handle it? Does the cover just go over it easily?

Just covered my camper up for the winter, with no signs of wear from the previous 3 winters. I bought an inexpensive ADCO cover from Camping World. I put 6 tennis balls over the rain gutter drains, tighten all the straps snug, then fold up the excess material on the cabover area and run a ratchet strap around it to keep it tight.

I bought a Gold Line 3 yrs. ago ,and am very happy with it. No signs of any wear and I put it off and on 6-8 times a year, a major PITA but it protects my investment. I also put a good silver tarp ( not from Wally) on the day before predicted snow of 3" or more and most of the snow just slides off by itself, I remove it after the snow passes, and repeat the process with each snow. Lots of work but the tarp is easy getting over the cover.