Snow, driving with slide out...

[Second_Chance]

We're in Las Cruces, NM, spending the holidays with family (staying in an RV "resort"). It started snowing a little after noon yesterday and we've received 4 - 6" in the Mesilla Valley as of 11:00 this morning. Late last night, a large class A DP pulled in across from us, apparently getting off of I-10 in the bad weather. This morning we've watched him spend a couple of hours trying to clear the snow off the slide toppers. He pulled his tow'd - a full-size pickup - around to one side to stand in the bed to try to clear the slide topper on the street side. Not being able to clear the heavy, wet snow off the topper (which was sagging to the point of laying on the top of the slide), he just hitched up the pickup and pulled out with the street side slide a little more than half way out... my wife watched the slide wobble as they pulled out of the park. I hope whatever he's in such a hurry to get to is that important!

[Second_Chance]

Alan_Hepburn wrote:
All the comments about carrying a ladder have me questioning: what's wrong with using the ladder installed on the back of most RVs? I've never done a real census on the matter, but it seems like most of the rigs I see in my travels have a ladder, sometimes loaded with bikes, chairs, blue tanks, other ladders, etc....

I'll confess to having a 6' step ladder strapped to the rear ladder on my RV. I'm not very fond of climbing on top of the rig when everything is dry (ever meet an acrophobic pilot?...) - much less with several inches of snow on top. I would be more likely to get down the step ladder, dry the steps, and see what I could do.

Rob

[Alan_Hepburn]

All the comments about carrying a ladder have me questioning: what's wrong with using the ladder installed on the back of most RVs? I've never done a real census on the matter, but it seems like most of the rigs I see in my travels have a ladder, sometimes loaded with bikes, chairs, blue tanks, other ladders, etc....

[Johno02]

Your choice, we like ours. Keep stuff off top of slide, snow, ice, water come off as topper is rolled during retraction. DO NOT STAND AT END OF SLIDE when retracting after a rain! Unless you have shampoo handy!

[Paul_Clancy]

Keeps sun off slide - lowers interior temps. Keeps needles cones and leaves twigs off slide so they are not pulled inside. Keeps water off slide so it is not pulled in. For me benefits far outweigh drawbacks. Don't snow camp or camp on ocean.

[12thgenusa]

Can someone list some positive reasons for having slide toppers? I can only think of reasons not to.

Extra cost
Extra weight
Something else to break
Flap in the wind
Leaves, needles, debris cause retract jamming
Snow and ice cause retract jamming
Properly adjusted slide doesn't extra help sealing out leaks

[Dennis_M_M]

Seamutt wrote:
Had snow on my topper numerous times, no issue retracting. The DW watches, hollers stop the odd time to clear sticky, snow or ice with a broom.

Same here. One time in Denver I let the snow sit there for a day or two in the sun and the topper froze to the top of the slide. Had to spray water under the topper to get it loose.

Now I close the slides if heavy snow is expected overnight. Any snow that does start to accumulate is immediately pushed off by pulling the slides.

[rhagfo]

RV daytrader wrote:
That's why you keep a nice telescoping ladder in your closet!

That or a regular extension ladder in the bed of the truck.

[dapperdan]

Just talked to my buddy today about this very subject, they got caught in Northern GA this last March with snow over night. He couldn't get his slides in either, they have slide toppers too and they couldn't physically get the slides in! Ended up borrowing a ladder form somebody (Luckily) and brushed off the snow and continued on. Now they carry a ladder at all times.

Glad that's never happened to me.

Dan

[Canadian_Rainbi]

We did about 3 miles on the Alaska Highway in Whitehorse with the slides out. Intentially. The tech could not get them to retract in the RV Park and we had a new hydraulic pump motor waiting at the shop 3 miles down the road. I drove on the shoulder with DW in the toad behind me close to the center line so I would know that there was no one else creeping up on me. Drove at about 10 mph!

[Tripalot]

bigred1cav wrote:
why put slides out in snow

X2

[accsys]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
All he needed to do was stand there ans sweep snow away as slide out was retracted especially with slide toppers

Since it was a DP, the slide covers probably retract into a metal can. This causes the snow to compress between the can and the side of the coach which will prevent the slide from coming all the way in. It happened to us once on the north rim of the Grand Canyon and we were lucky enough to get some help from the campground host to get then cleaned off so the slide would go all the way in. We found our extendable wash brush was the best way to get it off.

These same cans also collect all the pine needles and leaves that are on the cover when it comes in - quite a hassle. They look better than the bare awning covers but sometime we wonder if they are worth the trouble.

[bigred1cav]

why put slides out in snow

[slickest1]

And to think we have to share the road with these types!Really nice to meet that guy in the dark.

[AmericalVette]

One thing that always goes with me (besides grain based beverages) is my little giant ladder and a combination broom/squeegee. Easy for removing whatever has blown on to the top of the slide, be it leaves, pine needles, snow, water, etc.

Driving with a slide even partially extended is bad ju-ju!