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Wind!

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Put a cover on the camper bout a month ago and didn’t run any of the straps around it. It’s super sheltered where it’s at and actually watched in yesterday in a wind storm and it was barely moving. Figgered it was pretty skookum after seeing the trees bending sideways in the wind and the cover just looked happy.
Ha! I came home tonight power was out. No lights in the drive. Went back out to my truck after getting the genny fired up and **** camper was sitting there naked!
Cover laid out behind it perfectly straight like it was ready to be rolled up!
Guess all them straps are there for a reason. Lol!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
38 REPLIES 38

mgirardo
Explorer
Explorer
When we first bought our Destination Trailer, we decided to cover it. Our seasonal site gets a lot of wind during the summer, but the winds seemed to shift in the fall, so we took a chance. Our cover had straps that ran from the edge of the roof and hooked onto the bottom edge of the wall about every 6 feet or so and a strap on the front and rear to remove any slack.

We put the cover on in September, when we left for the season. In December, we checked on it right around Christmas. Almost every strap had frayed away part of the cover at the top of the trailer wall. We didn't have the time to really do anything about it other than to make sure the straps were still secure.

Fast forward a month and I got a text, with pictures from the campground owners, of our Trailer with the cover completely off. It actually circled the trailer. So it didn't blow off, it ripped down the middle at the top. Turns out, a tree branch just happened to fall on one of the vent covers. It poked a hole through the cover and the vent cover. During a windy storm, that hole in the cover expanded until it completely failed. Fortunately, the hole in the vent cover was in the half bath and there was no sign of water intrusion in the guest bath.

The sides of the trailer were fine. There was no chafe marks or any signs of damage. The roof, however, did have some damage. Where the straps attached at the roof, there were about 3 inch long slits in the TPO at the edge of the roof on the street side. Our trailer was 40 feet long and the cover had about 6 straps on each side. The curb side did not have any of this damage. There were 5 slits that I repaired with eternabond. There did not seem to be any water damage to the wood under the TPO and the inside was dry as well.

We did not cover it after that.

-Michael
Michael Girardo
2017 Jayco Jayflight Bungalow 40BHQS Destination Trailer
2009 Jayco Greyhawk 31FS Class C Motorhome (previously owned)
2006 Rockwood Roo 233 Hybrid Travel Trailer (previously owned)
1995 Jayco Eagle 12KB pop-up (previously owned)

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
dhull wrote:
Check this out on Amazon
Byers 15-Piece Super Snaps Box
Great for taking up any slack.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SOLELW/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_668DRX34VKVJNB1ESWGA


Yes those are handy, thanks for adding to the feedback here!
I think on thes soft covers though, I would be very hesitant to use these. The tensile strength and puncture resistance of that fabric is not very high.

To this point of the fabric chafing, Have any of you experienced major gelcoat or paint damage from your typical soft RV/car covers?
This stuff is soft and look like it couldn't scratch a thing unless the cover or camper was dirty.
Woven canvas like tarp material is far more abrasive. that's why I NEVER tow our boat with the cover on, unless it's raining. And even then, I'll cover briefly if going through heavy rain then pull the cover asap.
And if it's light rain, or all day rain, I'll just deal with cleaning up the interior after the fact.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
ReneeG wrote:
2112 wrote:
Why is there so much hate on this forum now? Settle down people!


Hate? Hmmm, I must be immune because I don't see any hate here.


Then it worked as intended. I deleted the offending posts.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
pianotuna wrote:
I think covers cause more damage than they protect against.


100% agree! I would never use one. The guy I bought my boat from had a nice CamperCanvas added and covered it for the Winter. Spring time cane and he had LOTS of chafing and was very upset.

Grit, comments are not directed towards you. Just making my opinion known and why.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
dedmiston wrote:
2112 wrote:
Why is there so much hate on this forum now? Settle down people!


Agreed.

Brandon. You wore out your welcome. You're done in this thread.

If you can't play nice, you get the penalty box.

Don't post in this thread again.


Geez, I musta missed something...

Cover back on. Major week long weather system here. Got home, not raining, get the soaked, wet, holding water cover partially roped back up onto the roof, starts pouring, awesome!
Poked one hole in it on a rain gutter...great! Got that "first scratch" out of the way...
Took like 20 minutes to get it all straightened out. A waterlogged 40x30 "tarp" doesn't move around very well....
Highly recommend installing in the dry! LOL
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
2112 wrote:
Why is there so much hate on this forum now? Settle down people!


Hate? Hmmm, I must be immune because I don't see any hate here.
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:

Look at it this way. All you anti cover folks, aren’t supporting the RV cover industry like I am!


Amen! In this economy, we need to help others out as much as possible! :B
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
2112 wrote:
Why is there so much hate on this forum now? Settle down people!


Agreed.

Brandon. You wore out your welcome. You're done in this thread.

If you can't play nice, you get the penalty box.

Don't post in this thread again.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
pianotuna wrote:
I think covers cause more damage than they protect against.


A sailors worst enemy is chafe. That slight bit of rub, rub, rub thousands of times will destroy gelcoat. A seemingly not very sharp corner will cut through a cover in no time.

I cover my boat in storage. A much more difficult job than wrapping a box, which is essentially what a RV is. Any area where there is the slightest chance of chafe I take things like folded bath towels & tape them over corners & sharpish edges, then the tarp over them.

Indoor RV storage for me right now but if outdoors folded towels would be over the four corners & any sharp objects like TV antennas before any cover goes on.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter

2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel

Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995

2112
Explorer II
Explorer II
Why is there so much hate on this forum now? Settle down people!
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost SuperCab Max Tow, 2084# Payload, 11,300# Tow,
Timbrens
2013 KZ Durango 2857

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
PS I wouldn’t pay squat for a sun baked faded crispy lookin camper, but I’d pay a good sum for one that was still shiny and didn’t look like it got left at the beach with no sunscreen for a month!
If you use your camper a lot or year round then a cover probably don’t make sense and the camper getting severely weathered over the years is just the cost of doing business.
For me, we don’t get to use ours a lot, so the 320 days a year it is sittting collecting dust in the driveway are better served if it is also not getting degraded from the elements.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
And it totally makes a difference in your location as to whether a cover lasts a long time or gets tore up or degrades quickly.
In Phoenix AZ I had to park my snomachines outdoors for one summer. I covered the canvas covers with a 2 layer “quality” tarp. From the months of April until October, the sun ate the tarp. It was gone except for a few powdery remnants and the metal eyelets.
The black sled covers were bleached almost white and the straps broke the first time I pulled on them.

Our boat was stored in Vegas outdoors by the previous owner. At 4 years old, he was on his 3rd custom cover. I have that cover over 10 years later, the rubber is all cracked but it’s basically a dust cover indoors so it has not degraded further.

In Casper Wyoming, one winter basically shredded my snomachine cover from the wind. I wouldn’t expect the camper cover I bought there to make it a year without ending up mostly in South Dakota in pieces.

Alaska, 1 big snow melt and the ice cicles tire my TC cover.

Here in Western WA there is a lot of trees and shelter from the wind. UV damage is far less than a lot of areas and snow load is never going to destroy anything. But it sure does fckin rain! Hence the cover.
My snomachine trailer basically turns green on top in about 6 months. I have to wash it twice a year even if it never moves, before the moss takes roots on the roof!

So y’all likely have valid points for where YOU live.
(Headed out to reinstall my cover….lol)
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Alright kids.
I’m as big a sht talker as most anyone on here, but this was supposed to be light hearted, because I sure found it funny last night. (Neither my wife or son noticed either and they were out the driveway trying to get the d@mn generator started after the wind went through! (The one I said doesn’t need exercised and always works, in another thread like yesterday, lol. I thought it was karma making me eat my words when they called me at work and couldn’t get it fired up. Said it ran for like 15sec and died. I asked them if they turned the gas on. Both said yes, however when I got home, the gas valve was off as was the kill switch. Turned both to on and had power with 3 pulls of the cord!
Woulda been 1 pull but the carb ran dry, lol)

@doegeguy, yep imma get my money’s worth out of them straps once I put it back on! There’s a lot of them too, so I got a good deal! Lol.

We can stop bitchjng about whether covers are good or bad. I’d prefer to store under a roof but since I can’t, thislldoo. Look at it this way. All you anti cover folks, aren’t supporting the RV cover industry like I am!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

dhull
Explorer II
Explorer II
Check this out on Amazon
Byers 15-Piece Super Snaps Box
Great for taking up any slack.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SOLELW/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_668DRX34VKVJNB1ESWGA

bgum
Explorer
Explorer
Be sure to lay down or remove any antennas for stereo or backup cameras.