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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / October 2005Getting ready for winter storage
I have never stored a camper for the winter, let alone one outside. I have no choice, so I would like some advice from everyone on what to do to make sure in the spring it isnt destroyed from vermin and rot. Camper is pretty old, 93 coleman rio grande. Bought it from a guy getting a divorce, and have used it 9 times this summer in Michigan. Unit has been completely waterproof all the times i have used it. I am going to wrap the PU in a large tarp and take everything with cloth, including the mattresses out so that mice cant ruin them. I only have a furnace and onboard water storage. Any suggestions would be nice, I want to know what the regulars have been doing with thier campers when they get stored out in the weather, especially Michigan winter weather. Thanks for your input guys. I read the group alot. Ron and Amber 93 Rio Grande 2000 Dodge Ram Off Road 2 dogs from hell For vermin...and bugs: Get under the camper and look for any places mice can get in. It doesn't take much space. If you find a space, staple hardware cloth over it. Also look in the outside fridge mechanism compartment for the same. Then get some good old fashioned moth balls. Get some old socks or the like, and put a few mothballs in the toe of a sock, then tie the sock on itself. Put one such sock in each area of the camper (storage bin, water tank area, under the sink, in the outside fridge mechanism area, etc) plus one on the floor of the camper. Write a list of where you put each one, so you can find them again in the Spring (or you will smell it all summer!). And you all thought there was no use for old socks!! Otherwise: Drain all water out of the water tank, or as much as you can. Get some RV antifreeze, and put some in the water tank and run some through the faucet. It doesn't take much. I am afraid that a tarp over the unit will allow lots of condensation under the tarp. However, I have never done this so I will look to others' advice on this. You might want to keep snow from getting under the unit by putting up some pieces of exterior grade plywood around the base of the unit. I would put the unit up on blocks or jack stands - under solid parts of the frame, near the axle and under the tongue. Then remove the wheels and hang them in the garage. This reduces wear on the bearings. The weight of the camper will not sit on one place in the bearings for 7 months, which might wear them a little flat. Furthermore, this protects the tires from UV light (sunlight) which is a major wear-the-tires-out-even-though-they-still-have-lots-of-tread factor. If the unit will be where strangers can get at it, remove the spare as well. (If not, make sure it is covered, too). "RICO" <RICO@gmail.com> wrote in message >I have never stored a camper for the winter, let alone one outside. I have >no choice, so I would like some advice from everyone on what to do to make [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >doing with thier campers when they get stored out in the weather, >especially Michigan winter weather. >Any suggestions would be nice, I want to know what the regulars have been >doing with thier campers when they get stored out in the weather, especially >Michigan winter weather. Thanks for your input guys. I read the group >alot. We live in Ontario and it gets pretty cold. We store ours outside with every winter with no tarp and it's never been a problem. Cover the wheels so the rubber doesn't crack and the tongue so it doesn't rust, fill any holes with steel wool (mice don't like it - hurts their teeth) and park it. The only problem we've ever had is a hornets nest inside the propane tank cover. David "The Hamster" Malone www.hamstertales.com Dear David: This fall, for the first time, I parked my trailer at the cottage to spend the winter outside. I made sure that the roof slanted to drain water. I didn't put a tarp on it, I filled what holes I could find with steel wool, took the propane tank, battery and all mattresses and curtains and anything cloth home with me, and covered external propane hoses with plastic. BUT... what do you mean about covering the tires to prevent cracking? What is this "cracking" whereof you speak? How would you "cover" the tires? Cheers! Fred Boer P.S. I see on your website that you were a contributor to PC Magazine and BYTE at one point in your life, and that you did database work, and that you live in Scarberia.... Once upon a time I read both magazines religiously (i.e. over and over, in bed at night, in the washroom...), I enjoy working with Access (created a school library application for the school library where I work), and I live in Guelph! I suspect it is quite likely I've read your work in those magazines.. :) >>Any suggestions would be nice, I want to know what the regulars have been >>doing with thier campers when they get stored out in the weather, [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > David "The Hamster" Malone > www.hamstertales.com >BUT... what do you mean about covering the tires to prevent cracking? What >is this "cracking" whereof you speak? How would you "cover" the tires? They tend to deteriorate with exposure to UV rays over time. So when I store it for more than a few weeks, I cover the tires which are still in good condition after 6 years or so. David "The Hamster" Malone www.hamstertales.com > They tend to deteriorate with exposure to UV rays over time. So when I > store it for more than a few weeks, I cover the tires which are still > in good condition after 6 years or so. They may look like they're in good condition, but there's considerable information on the web (judge the veracity for yourself) suggesting tire replacement at 5 years due to belt deterioration. It's within the rubber, so you can't see it. You can determine the age by the DOT code (in the US, at least). >They may look like they're in good condition, but there's considerable >information on the web (judge the veracity for yourself) suggesting tire >replacement at 5 years due to belt deterioration. It's within the rubber, so >you can't see it. You can determine the age by the DOT code (in the US, at >least). Good advice, Chris... thanks. David "The Hamster" Malone www.hamstertales.com >> They tend to deteriorate with exposure to UV rays over time. So when I >> store it for more than a few weeks, I cover the tires which are still [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >you can't see it. You can determine the age by the DOT code (in the US, at >least). amen.... our TT tires were 2 years old and looked great... Had a blowout on the way home (on the freeway) and a 2nd tire was flat by th time we got it parked at home... Put 4 new tires on it and now cover/check pressure religiously... mac Please remove splinters before emailing > How would you "cover" the tires? The easy/cheap way would be to cut a piece of plywood bigger than the tires, and smaller than the wheel-well, then lean it against the tire. This prevents UV from eating up the tire. (google this group for more info on this, it *is* a significant problem esp. for campers/trailers.)  SignatureKarl & Angela `02 Durango `05 Fleetwood Allegiance >> How would you "cover" the tires? > >The easy/cheap way would be to cut a piece of plywood bigger than the tires, >and smaller than the wheel-well, then lean it against the tire. This >prevents UV from eating up the tire. (google this group for more info on >this, it *is* a significant problem esp. for campers/trailers.) Being too cheap to buy plywood, we use these: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38169 We used all 4 on our TT, but with a popup, think of it as $11.00 for 2 sets.. *g* mac Please remove splinters before emailing Good idea. I like to save money.. besides, I ain't handy... it'll save me from hurting myself with a saw.. Fred Coleman Taos >>> How would you "cover" the tires? >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Please remove splinters before emailing My STARCRAFT manual recommends to block the camper up under the frame, to take the weight of the wheels. And then reduce the tire pressure to about 14 PSI. (How did they come up with 14 ???) Tom > Good idea. I like to save money.. besides, I ain't handy... it'll save me > from hurting myself with a saw.. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >> >>Please remove splinters before emailing Hmm.. Well, being a good average consumer I haven't read my manual. Actually, I pretty sure I don't know where the manual is! However I think I might look for it. Blocking up the trailer is more than I imagined I have to do. Not even sure how to go about "blocking" the camper up. (No need to answer that, I can Google for that info..) Cheers! Fred > My STARCRAFT manual recommends to block the camper up under the frame, > to take the weight of the wheels. And then reduce the tire pressure to [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > >> > >>Please remove splinters before emailing > Blocking up the trailer is more than I imagined I have to do. Not even > sure > how to go about "blocking" the camper up. Jack up one side of the camper. Then use a standard "cinder block" on its end under a solid place on the frame near the axle. Repeat on the other side. Place a third block under the tongue. I use jack stands instead of cinder blocks, but outdoors they might rust. >> Blocking up the trailer is more than I imagined I have to do. Not even >> sure [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >side. Place a third block under the tongue. I use jack stands instead of >cinder blocks, but outdoors they might rust. Rust?? nah... my safety stands are way too greasy to rust.. *g* I have no idea why you'd also lower the tire pressure, though? mac Please remove splinters before emailing Thanks to both of you.. I will get my wheels covered asap! Cheers! Fred >> How would you "cover" the tires? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > prevents UV from eating up the tire. (google this group for more info on > this, it *is* a significant problem esp. for campers/trailers.) >>Any suggestions would be nice, I want to know what the regulars have been >>doing with thier campers when they get stored out in the weather, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > every winter with no tarp and it's never been a problem. > David "The > Hamster" Actualley, the humidity in the winter is less than in the summer - when I had a pop-up , once or twice a winter, I would open it up for an inspection and to let in air. ...canvas (with periodic treatments), lasted well over twenty years... john
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