Preserving/Protecting new TC without a garage?

[joe_julie81]

I'm fixing to take delivery of a new NorthStar 950sc in a week or so. We're very excited about it and special ordered it. We do not have a garage to keep it in when not in use. So what are some measures we can take to keep it looking good and shielded from the elements? Would you recommend trapping it? What about wax, maybe spray on wax, and how often? How do you keep the rubber corner molding from mildewing?

[TxGearhead]

You can find a Classic Accessories camper cover on Amazon for less than $200. It takes about 30 minutes to put on, 10 minutes to take off, and 8 hours to stuff back in the storage bag.
Might last 2-3 years. The fabric will start to disintegrate the 2nd year, so be careful pulling on it.
Still cheaper than a carport.
Wash the camper and allow to dry before covering it. Your choice of wax spring and fall.
I leave the "pass through" window open an inch or two and the cabover vent cracked open for some circulation.

[Tizi]

I cover mine in the winter (cover from Camping World). We have a lot of trees around our house. Last year was the one year I did not cover it. I will never do that again. Took me 6 hours to clean it after that winter.

[SugarHillCTD]

It's in there- a Rhino Shelter.



Tractor pulled in front of it.

[theoldwizard1]

If it has some type of "rubber" roof, the sun is very harsh on it.

Wash it and treat it with some type of UV protectant (like 303) several times a year. At the same time, check all of the caulking.

[work2much]

Ours is on the road 9+ months a year so no covering other than shade at camping spots and random rotation of sun exposure.

Prior to this camper we had both a bigfoot and arctic fox parked in the sun. The arctic fox had decal damage after a couple years. The bigfoot faired much better and after 13 years has some decal fading but still looked nice where the AF had complete decal failure and looked terrible. The roof on the bigfoot was also superior in how it was flashed and sealed. I hate to admit this but I never serviced the roof on the bigfoot and after zero maintenance it never leaked after more than 10 years. Very well made camper. The AF leaked after 6 months old due to poor caulking around the shower skylight. One of the major disappointments we had with Northwoods...

If you are going to be leaving the camper parked into the elements and want to keep it looking nice a cover would be a good idea or if budget allows a covered canopy. The canopy has the advantage of being able to easily access the camper to clean it as well as not having a cloth flapping against the camper in the wind.

[SidecarFlip]

Farm-Tek makes dome very affordable shelters, their Clearspan line comes in manby sizes and are fairly easy to erect, my wife and I erected a 45 wide x 18 foot high x 75 foot long one ourselves (I did use my front end loader to erect the arches) and it's been up at leas 15 years now with no issues.

I put my TC on a boat trailer and roll it in the garage when not in use. I expect it to last a long time.

[Kayteg1]

I've been keeping eye on This carport hoping the price will drop down eventually.
It is too low for TC, but somebody in reviews show how to make it taller with longer posts, or rolling TC under it on a cart can be option too.
Where I live we have bout 4 rains a year and my older TC sits in 90% shade, so it is not my priority, but considering how much money people spend on new TC, the cost of carport to protect the "investment" seems to be pennies.
If you live in area with low winds - you can buy cheap tent carports.
Back in California I put 2 of them in a row, where on extended pipes they cover my 40' bus conversion.

[HMS_Beagle]

Diligent covering with any cover will keep it newer looking for much longer in my experience. I'm not sure of the weather in your area, in mine the sun does more damage than the rain - but given the penchant for leaks over time with most RVs, long term in helps with water damage too.

The Calmark cover will outlast the cheaper disposables by many times, but it is a heavy thing to put on and take off, leading to less usage perhaps.

[jimh406]

It may sound strange, but the biggest danger is sun damage of the decals. Otherwise, wax should be enough. Expect to replace the inserts in a few years.

I forgot to mention that you can also use a cover like the Calmark from the cover thread.