? for those who cover their Rv/trailer

[AMink]

I am considering getting a cover for my travel trailer. I am concerned that having the material against the gel coat will trap dust and "sand" away on the gel coat when the wind blows. What are you experiences with covers, like the ones available from Camping World? What material do you like best? TIA

 

[JimBob24]

I bought the ADCO cover from Camping World for my 5th wheel. It has a Tyvek top and polypropylene sides. The material is fairly soft and I have not seen any wear or rubbing in over 2 years use. I always wash my rv before covering it, so there isn't any sand or grit to rub.



I have a 33' fifth wheel and I have developed a technique that makes it fairly easy to put on and take off. To remove it I go around the outside using a 10' step ladder and lift the sides and ends up on top and then roll it up from rear to front. To install I just roll it back out from front to rear and pull the sides and ends down. There are several cinch straps that go under the rv to hold the sides down snugly. It takes me about 20 minutes to put on or take off.



The Tyvek top "breaths" but repels water off the top, and the sides also let air flow thru but block dirt particles so the rv stays clean with no mildew problem. I am very satisfied with mine and will definately get another when this one wears out.





Jim

 

[GSchroder]

I also use an ADCO like JIMBOB on my 36' 5 wheeler with noe of the problems you are concerned about.

 

[AMink]

Thanks guys. I am glad you like yours. I'll definately move forward with this purchase, since it rained then started to snow here tonight! Not quite Buffalo yet, but the season is young!

 

[RJOL]

I've considered the ADCO covers, from Camping World, for a couple of years. I decided against them for the following reason. I have a total of three slideouts (two on the driver's side, and one on the passenger side). From everything I could find out about the ADCO covers, they only have the opening seams on the passenger side. How do I open the driver's side slideouts without removing the cover, or at least having to do a lot of work repositioning the cover while opening and closing.



I decided to buy three 9' X 11' heavy duty plastic tarps to cover the top, but not the sides. They cost just over $30 (versus $300+ for the ADCO) and will last at least a couple of years of winter use. They extend just a few inches over the sides and don't get in the way while opening or closing the slides. The only reason I cover the top is to keep all the winter garbage off the top of the trailer. I use bungee cords that run from the roof down the sides of the trailer to secure them. The tarps keep most of the rain off, but I'm not concerned if a little water gets on the roof.



I run a small boat electric heater (about 100W) and a dehumidifier inside the trailer during the winter. All the windows and vents are kept closed. This keeps the humidity down and prevents any mold inside the trailer which is common in our wet Northwest winters... .

 

[TowPro]

I have one by classic car covers Great price and it works great. The trick is to put the cover on a clean camper. the best price I have found is at the link I provided. My cover received some damage in a wind storm, Classic cover said "no problem, we will send you a new one". Its got a 3 year warrantee.

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

ADCO is a good cover, that is what I use. Do yourself a favor and do an internet search to find sellers other than camping world - I saved close to $100 when I bought mine that way.



I've never needed to open my slide out rooms when the cover is on, so that has never been a concern for me. I like the ADCO because it goes all the way down to the bottom of the trailer, giving the sides protection from the sun.

 

[RJOL]

... I've never needed to open my slide out rooms when the cover is on, so that has never been a concern for me... .

I like to be able to get at things like repairs, possible installation of new gear, etc. I do most of these projects in the Fall through Spring when I'm not using the trailer much...

... I like the ADCO because it goes all the way down to the bottom of the trailer, giving the sides protection from the sun.

This is not a big issue here in the Northwest during the Winter months...

 

[JThiessen]

This is not a big issue here in the Northwest during the Winter months...

Thats no joke! I just priced out the ADCO at Camping world yesterday for my 31' 5er and the cheaper of the three comes out to 345. I think I'm going to get it. Even during the summer, the black spots on my roof got really bad.

 

[RJOL]

... Even during the summer, the black spots on my roof got really bad.

Mold (inside and out) can be a significant issue here in the Northwest. I've tried totally covering the trailer (with tarp) leaving the vents open and windows cracked. One year I had to totally go through the trailer and wipe down all the walls and cabinets due to powder mold.



This is how I fixed it. I use a de-humidifier (110V) that cycles on and off each 6 hours, to remove moister from the inside air (vents and windows are all closed). I also put a small 100V (130Watt) heater inside (the kind people use on bigger boats) to put a little heat inside. Since I started doing this I have not had any mold problems.



As for the roof. As I said before, I thought about using an ADCO cover but just thought a $300+ cover wasn't worth it (warranty on the one I looked at was just two years, unless I wanted to spend hundreds of dollars on their top model that carried a 5 year warranty) and would not allow me to open slides while it was on. That's why I went with the 3 tarps (I used three so I could get them in a 9 X 11 size so they would not go down the sides). They are there just to keep all the dirt and winter junk off the rubber top. If a little water gets through it will drain of. Before I put the tarps on I clean the top, using Simple Green) to remove any dirt and gunk. A good cleaning before you cover it, would probably help prevent some of the black spots and I'm pretty sure you will still get some even if you use an ADCO cover.



If I lived in a climate that got tons of sun and heat, I'd probably have a cover, and use it year around to protect the trailer sides and roof from UV. This is not really an issue here in Washington State...

 

[JThiessen]

I ended up buying the one that Towpro posted from Classic Car Covers. @250 shipped. Kinda suprised - they sent me the shipping notice on Tuesday, and it arrived on Wensday. Looked at the box and it came from Kent! Coulda just drove down and saved 30 bucks on the shipping!



Now if the sun would just come out for a day so I can get the roof cleaned... ...