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Old 10-21-2018, 05:46 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Siesta
State: California
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THOR #3975
RV cover without climbing on top?

We don't have an RV cover yet, but I know I should get one. But I am not excited about climbing on top to cover and uncover the RV. Seems like a lot of trip and fall hazards up there...


Anyway, I remember seeing a cover, or maybe just straps you could use with any (or some) covers - and you can use these straps to pull the RV cover from the ground on one side, over the roof, and then down on the other side. The straps had weights - like small sandbags, or the weights you use to get straps UNDER the RV - so you could toss them up and over to start the process...


So some questions:
- anyone seen this or doing this?
- any significant risk of friction from the straps damaging the finish or roof or the stuff on the roof?
- any other issues I should be aware of?
- any recommendations for a cover for sunny, mostly dry, sometimes hot, occasionally wet southern California?



Thanks in advance
Dan Kronstadt


Thor Siesta 24SA - Class C, 24' long, just under 11' high

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Old 10-21-2018, 06:06 PM   #2
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why cover it at all??
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Old 10-21-2018, 06:31 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by TurnerFam View Post
why cover it at all??
Now understand I ask this question out of respect, because while I know little I know enough to know that you know a lot if that make sense. But your question baffles me; so I must probe.

I presume to buy a cover for below reasons...

1. I don't expect to have full body paint
2. I expect to store at my home under a very large Cedar Elm Tree. Lots of leaves in fall
3. In Dallas during Spring the pollen takes over, everything outside gets a thin coat of what look like yellowish green dust. When it stops; I wash the cover that is on my boat. My boat inside still looks brand new and it is 3 years old.
4. Hail storms come out of nowhere in Dallas area. Most covers if they are average anyway will help protect against hail.
5. While I expect to wax at least once a year, it will protect from UV and the surface gelcoat.
6. On this site, I keep reading horror stories from Thor owners that after a few years they say their RV finish looks like it is 10 years old?

But I am here to learn not teach (that would be Bob , so why should I not be worried about the above? I can save about $400 and a lot of work. I will be honest, I was up on the roof of a ACE yesterday, and the thought of putting on a cover & then taking it off with regularity made me tremble.

Tents are lot less complicated
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Old 10-21-2018, 06:42 PM   #4
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while I understand your initial reasoning, as a new RV owner, I've always rested my own understandings on good reasoning, not simply what I've 'heard' other people say, or what some may 'report' as factual - it's just not that simple. Experience is the best teacher.

yes, a cover itself is not a bad preventative measure, but it's NOT the end-all to every problem an RV may have... but those who feel it has positives will buy one.
Many of our RVs are used, parked, and stored outside 24/7 365 and still look like the day they were purchased.

if, though, you don't want to take the risk of being on the roof to apply the cover, you might have to think about what 'risk' you are willing to accept: death, or fading. : /


fun! travel, park, enjoy!
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Old 10-21-2018, 08:03 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam View Post
while I understand your initial reasoning, as a new RV owner, I've always rested my own understandings on good reasoning, not simply what I've 'heard' other people say, or what some may 'report' as factual - it's just not that simple. Experience is the best teacher.

yes, a cover itself is not a bad preventative measure, but it's NOT the end-all to every problem an RV may have... but those who feel it has positives will buy one.
Many of our RVs are used, parked, and stored outside 24/7 365 and still look like the day they were purchased.

if, though, you don't want to take the risk of being on the roof to apply the cover, you might have to think about what 'risk' you are willing to accept: death, or fading. : /


fun! travel, park, enjoy!
I bit the bullet a couple of years ago and found a place to park mine underneath a metal shed cover. It's on a military base nearby so it is secure, no sun, no rain, no hail and hopefully no wind damage from a tornado. Well, 4 out of 5 is about as good as it gets.
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Old 10-21-2018, 09:38 PM   #6
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Well, let's see. A few responses...

- I do see some fading already - mostly on the curved bubble part over the cab (that's a perfectly clear description, right?), and on one part (20% maybe) of one side. And I saw some discussion recently of the cost of a full new paint job - if (maybe a big if) a cover can make the existing finish last a couple of years longer, maybe it's worth it.

- we live in Santa Barbara - definitely IN town - with a small house and limited space. I can park my RV on the street for a day or two or three (have to get a $5/day permit in downtown SB, open M-F) - but hard to work on it on the street. I have it in a storage place about 10-15 minutes north, but no place to work on it there. And no covered spots (canopy, shed, etc) available there.

- I recently found someone thru the local Elks Lodge who sent a team to wash and wax - they did a good job, but they said they don't do polishing - I have to go to a body shop to do that. And hard to find ANY transportation-related business in SB that has space to work on an RV.

- I wonder now if I should have gone for the full paint job when we bought this about 2 1/2 years ago, instead of the decals - would that wear better? But I can't go back in time (working on it!)

- I will definitely go for fading over death :-) But that's why I asked about the no climbing cover option!

Thanks, all
Dan
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Old 10-21-2018, 10:08 PM   #7
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If you stretch it out alongside your rig, and tie some light pull ropes along one side of it: you might be able to pul l it up over the side...
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Old 10-21-2018, 10:39 PM   #8
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If you stretch it out alongside your rig, and tie some light pull ropes along one side of it: you might be able to pul l it up over the side...
Lots of things up there to snag it on.
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Old 10-21-2018, 11:45 PM   #9
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Yeah that wouldn't work (pulling the cover from one side to the other).

Having covered ours a few times it can get a little dicey up there while you're in process.

The worst part is walking on the cover as you're trying to get down after covering it.

Having said that I've covered our coach every winter since we've had it. There is another Axis in the lot that is a year newer than ours (that they don't cover) and that unit looks like its at least 5 years older than ours.
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Old 10-22-2018, 12:03 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
Yeah that wouldn't work (pulling the cover from one side to the other).

Having covered ours a few times it can get a little dicey up there while you're in process.

The worst part is walking on the cover as you're trying to get down after covering it.

Having said that I've covered our coach every winter since we've had it. There is another Axis in the lot that is a year newer than ours (that they don't cover) and that unit looks like its at least 5 years older than ours.
George just Lucky I guess. Got a military base nearby and they have RV storage there. There are maybe 15 spaces that have a shed which is about 35 ft deep. It's covered on top and has three sides covered so the sun doesn't get to the roof or tires. It's about 90 a month but I figure it's worth it with the weather here changing all the time. About the only thing bad is that on the other side of the fence is a swamp maybe 6 ft away.
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Old 10-22-2018, 02:26 AM   #11
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Having said that I've covered our coach every winter since we've had it. There is another Axis in the lot that is a year newer than ours (that they don't cover) and that unit looks like its at least 5 years older than ours.
I have covers for every vehicle, boats and motorcycles. When you see the damage done to a good quality cover ever 3 or 4 years, you will immediately see the benefit if you used it at least half time on RV. The time you are not, you should have it waxed. Most folks don't buy RVs to work; so I can get why they do not bother for covers or wax. To each his own, but they should not complain about Thor's finish if it is not protected from the elements.

I have gone to RV storage facilities. The ones that are not covered are the ones that make me wish to keep at home with a cover. Some of those RVs are in storage for years and look abandoned.
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Old 10-22-2018, 02:36 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lspotho View Post

- I will definitely go for fading over death :-) But that's why I asked about the no climbing cover option!

Thanks, all
Dan
Here is what I plan to do. While it does involve climbing, it does have a weight to throw but it is across bottom not the top. I have not seen anything to throw across the top. This does not look too bad as you stay on the center of the roof. It is one man job in video, but if you had any help I would think it to be a breeze.

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Old 10-22-2018, 11:19 AM   #13
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Yup that video is exactly how I put the cover on with the exception that I "X" the front and rear straps.
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Old 10-23-2018, 06:45 PM   #14
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Done camping for this season

Having just done this (using the method in that video) it is pretty easy. If you get nervous walking around on the roof you can always crawl (what I usually do on top of the cover anyway).

Nonetheless, we're done for the season LOL:
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If your cover doesn't have any sort of weight to throw the straps underneath, just get one of these clamps:
Click image for larger version

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Then clamp it on the end for a weight--works like a charm.
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Old 10-23-2018, 06:56 PM   #15
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Here's a question: Do the "all-painted" graphics last longer, and survive the sunlight; better than the vinyl graphics?
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Old 10-23-2018, 07:33 PM   #16
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Here's a question: Do the "all-painted" graphics last longer, and survive the sunlight; better than the vinyl graphics?
Yes paint is better than decal (just check: how much does each cost?).
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Old 10-23-2018, 07:48 PM   #17
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Thanks: the Tiffin is a full-on painted RV...

I can tell the Missus that she can relax: the Sun isn't going to damage it as quickly!
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Old 10-23-2018, 08:03 PM   #18
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At least all the mice will have a nice, dark, comfy, warm, waterproof home to live out the winter. Maybe just leave the door open since it's covered anyway and they won't have to chew their way in destroying your wiring and insulation.
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Old 10-23-2018, 08:19 PM   #19
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My issue is not covering but uncovering for a ski trip or heading to Fla. in the winter. Snow, Ice buildup, Cold, Wind, Locusts?
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Old 10-23-2018, 09:04 PM   #20
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At least all the mice will have a nice, dark, comfy, warm, waterproof home to live out the winter. Maybe just leave the door open since it's covered anyway and they won't have to chew their way in destroying your wiring and insulation.
Nope: Haven't had any mice or other critters get in our coach over the years. This will be the 4th winter for this cover (and likely the last as it is getting pretty tattered).

The only real critters wandering around this lot are dogs, cats and the occasional rabbit.

Been at this lot now for a good 20 years or so and none of our RV's (covered or not) have had critters of any kind... knock on wood.
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