We live along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Our fifth wheel stays parked in a parking lot of my husband's warehouse.
We have tried to fit it in the warehouse, but the garage door is not tall enough, so it has to stay out. I am looking for suggestions for our fifth wheel, to help make it through another hurricane. Any suggestions? We don't worry about trees in the big parking lot, but the wind and blowing rain.
It came through Katrina fine, but we didn't get the high winds like the Mississippi Gulf Coast did.
When storing our fifth wheel, my husband keeps the slide-out out. I tell him that it should stay in. What's the correct way??
Last question, our fifth wheel is 4 years old. The slide-out sometimes(well,this past summer often) needs a hand starting out and going back in. Is this a sign that the motor is going out on slide? Has anyone ever had a slide on a trip that wouldn't go in or out? What do you do then?
Thanks,
Ann and Tom
flyone said
12:17 PM Aug 23, 2006
Ann, let me start by saying I'm not an expert, that being said, may I suggest a cover for your fiver, there are several manufacturers out there that make nice slip on covers that are water/sun resistent. I would not want to put it on or take it off everytime you parked for a week or two but at extended parking times it should help. I would tend to agree with you about the slide in being in during storage times, it will protect the roof and gaskets as well as (possibly) keep rain and weather out. I have had a little rain blow in under the gaskets during a heavy storm. Many if not all slides have a manual override somewhere on them to crank in if all else fails. You need to contact your dealer or manufacturer to find out exactly where it is and how it may work. The sticking problem with your slide could possibly be the motor but it may be due to other things as well, have the rails and or the screw been lubricated? More resistance to overcome because of rusty, gummy slide rails could be the problem. Do you run it in with the battery ? a weak /old battery could also be a problem. It takes more power to start a stationary object moving than it does to keep a moving object moving, so if the battery is weak or low that may be the problem. I hope this helps, if you have any questions about anything I have said please ask. Good luck and may the roads always be smooth and your campsite level.
ken and cindy said
01:44 PM Aug 23, 2006
flyone answered the slide problem, most likely needs grease on the rails, lubricate the seals and clean all the electrical connections from the batteries.
Now about that hurricane problem,
My suggestion would be that next time anything even remotely heads your way like Rita or Katrina, is to hook up and get out ! Head north west, just keep driving till you see mountains !
We live on the Texas gulfcoast and will not be riding anymore storms out EVER !
Linda said
03:13 PM Aug 23, 2006
Ann & Tom,
I am by no means an expert, but Howard says my instincts are pretty good.
It only make sense to me to have the slides in while it is being stored. Your seals and gaskets are being exposed to the elements unnecessarily. I would also think that bugs and other creepy crawly things would be less.
I wouldn't think twice about closing the slides during a hurricane or high winds. Your rig is most stable with the slides closed. That puts all the weight on the central frame and the axles. We have also heard that leaving it hitched to the truck will give it more stability.
Just my
-- Edited by Howard at 17:50, 2006-08-23
Crazygramma said
03:56 PM Aug 23, 2006
Take the slides in for sure. Besides the bugs and degridation to the seals, the slide can act as a sail underneath. With the slides out, the wind has more area underneath to lift and flip the RV.
I also don't know if a cover could make it thru a hurricane. It would need a lot of rope around it to keep it from becoming a sail or parachute in high winds.
Joanne
hogans1947 said
05:17 PM Aug 23, 2006
Is there any chance you can raise the garage door opening so your 5th wheel will fit inside? That's what my husband did to our warehouse. I don't think it was that difficult but, of course, I didn't do it, he did.
mikeway said
09:44 AM Aug 27, 2006
Building on the previous reply. If you can't raise the door, lower the floor. I have seen many RV garages with a lower drive than the neighboring stalls. Some times a slight dip is all that's needed.
Mike
jmayleben said
05:56 PM Aug 30, 2006
Not sure if this will help... If the door is just slightly too short, let some or most of the air out of the tires (either the tow vehicle or the trailer). It might give you 3-6 inches. Just a thought...
I just got back from a business trip to New Orleans and saw what it looks like a year later...I'll take an occassional tornado here in Michigan anyday over a hurricane!
Paul and Bonnie said
07:11 PM Aug 30, 2006
I don't claim to be an expert, but we have rode three major hurricanes out with our fifth wheel. We live in North West FL near Pensacola. First, Put it on the lee side of the building, in our case, it is the North side. All slide outs should be in, fill all tanks (fresh water, black and gray) The added weight will help hold it down in high winds. After the hurricane, you may need the water to live on. (I guess I don't have to tell you not to drink the water from the gray water or black water tank!) We know from experience that it is not fun being without water!. It is the ultimate boondocking experience in your own back yard. I leave our fifth wheel hooked up to the truck. I would definately not put a cover on it during a hurricane or it may end up in Kansas. We lived in our fifth wheel for a month after Hurricane Ivan because we didn't have power. Thank God for generators. It is a good idea to leave, but make sure you do it in plenty of time. It would not be fun to be stuck on a highway in bumper to bumper traffic with a hurricane approaching. (Been there done that!) We have lived in this same house for thirty years and have lived through numerous hurricanes. The most frightened I have been was when we were stuck on the highway trying to leave. (People get stupid when they are trying to outrun a hurricane. Lets all hope we don't have a hurricane season like the last few. I suggest that you read your manual on the slide out, some suggest that you do not use grease. Some say you should use a silicone spray. If you have a hydrolic, it could be the pump, or low on fluid or a restriction (a hose kinked). The manual should tell you what to look for.
Good Luck
Paul
Parrothead said
05:31 PM Sep 26, 2006
Having lived on the Mississippi Gulf coast (Pascagoula) for many years, including Hurricanes Camile and Fredrick(sp?). A cloth cover will not last!!!!
For my wife and I, if we are ever in an area being threatened it's leave the area ASAP. To quote Jimmy Buffett "I don't know where I'm gonna go when she blows" (not exact quote).
Why don't you have a cover built for the RV in the lot, I had one built here in Texas and put it up with a minimun of effort. I keeps the sun off and some of the rain, ours has survived some strong winds. I have seen some with sides but I placed mine beside another building so has some protection on that side.
Roland's
Ken & Sarah said
11:14 AM Jun 6, 2007
My wife and I just bought an older fifth wheel with two slides, no awnings on the slides. We are gradually getting back into Rving after a twenty hiatus. Howard’s journal made me ask the question “At what wind speed do you pull in the slides?” We were camping last weekend and we had 15-20 mph but it was tolerable. I have searched for a reference to a mph in the forum and haven’t found anything. So I want to put the question to all of you full timers who have been there for a while. Is there a magic number or is it a gut feeling? Thanks for your input.
Karon said
01:53 PM Jun 6, 2007
Khoenig, It's gut instinct. We are sitting on top of Raton Pass, NM today with very high winds. We have three slides and they are all in. Also, didn't want to lose any slide toppers. The MH is more stable with slides in and we are still taking a beating. Tomorrow promises to be much better. :)
Luvglass said
10:21 PM Jun 6, 2007
We've never been in a really violent storm, but have been in quite a few good blows, and we've never even thought of bringing in the slides. I expect the darn thing to keep the water out. We don't have any awning toppers, so noise isn't an issue, and we've never had any water entry. Maybe the seals are particularly good.
I can't quite figure out why the trailer would be more stable with them in rather than out. You're only adding a few more square feet of surface area with them out.
I don't believe the coach is any less stable with them out, and if the wind gets somewhere near 80mph it's probably going to go over any way, unless you're lucky and the wind is coming directly at the end.
JMHO,
Fred
Doncat said
03:51 PM Jun 7, 2007
I would vote for getting the heck out of Dodge at the first sign of a hurricane. Is the reason you would ride one out is that there was not enough time to "hitch and git"?......Just curious ..... Don
mikeway said
08:14 AM Jun 8, 2007
Just a note about high winds.
We are at our acres in the Colorado high country. All day Wednesday and Wednesday night the winds were at high tropical storm strength, averaging 40+ and gusting over 60 at times. We stayed in the coach because that is where we live. The only thing I did was lower the Datastorm. 2 wheels covers blew off but they were recovered. Not even much rocking.
Your rigs are designed(?) to travel at highway speeds, think about that. What is your configuration going down the road; slides in or out, awnings and antennas in or out, covers on or off.
I realize that trailers are less stable, we went through a 100 year wind storm in FT Meyers once in a pull trailer. Didn't sleep well but didn't have issues.
React with intelligence to wind warnings, but over reactions can be more dangerous than thoughtful ones.
Mike
Speedhitch said
06:55 PM Jun 8, 2007
Mike is right over reacting can be harmful. I have seen many trailers on the road in high winds and many end up in a ditch! If the blow gets too strong go to Wally World.
Joe and Sherri
We live along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Our fifth wheel stays parked in a parking lot of my husband's warehouse.
We have tried to fit it in the warehouse, but the garage door is not tall enough, so it has to stay out. I am looking for suggestions for our fifth wheel, to help make it through another hurricane. Any suggestions? We don't worry about trees in the big parking lot, but the wind and blowing rain.
It came through Katrina fine, but we didn't get the high winds like the Mississippi Gulf Coast did.
When storing our fifth wheel, my husband keeps the slide-out out. I tell him that it should stay in. What's the correct way??
Last question, our fifth wheel is 4 years old. The slide-out sometimes(well,this past summer often) needs a hand starting out and going back in. Is this a sign that the motor is going out on slide? Has anyone ever had a slide on a trip that wouldn't go in or out? What do you do then?
Thanks,
Ann and Tom
flyone answered the slide problem, most likely needs grease on the rails, lubricate the seals and clean all the electrical connections from the batteries.
Now about that hurricane problem,
My suggestion would be that next time anything even remotely heads your way like Rita or Katrina, is to hook up and get out ! Head north west, just keep driving till you see mountains !
We live on the Texas gulfcoast and will not be riding anymore storms out EVER !
Ann & Tom,
I am by no means an expert, but Howard says my instincts are pretty good.
It only make sense to me to have the slides in while it is being stored. Your seals and gaskets are being exposed to the elements unnecessarily. I would also think that bugs and other creepy crawly things would be less.
I wouldn't think twice about closing the slides during a hurricane or high winds. Your rig is most stable with the slides closed. That puts all the weight on the central frame and the axles. We have also heard that leaving it hitched to the truck will give it more stability.
Just my
-- Edited by Howard at 17:50, 2006-08-23
Take the slides in for sure. Besides the bugs and degridation to the seals, the slide can act as a sail underneath. With the slides out, the wind has more area underneath to lift and flip the RV.
I also don't know if a cover could make it thru a hurricane. It would need a lot of rope around it to keep it from becoming a sail or parachute in high winds.
Joanne
Mike
I just got back from a business trip to New Orleans and saw what it looks like a year later...I'll take an occassional tornado here in Michigan anyday over a hurricane!
It is a good idea to leave, but make sure you do it in plenty of time. It would not be fun to be stuck on a highway in bumper to bumper traffic with a hurricane approaching. (Been there done that!) We have lived in this same house for thirty years and have lived through numerous hurricanes. The most frightened I have been was when we were stuck on the highway trying to leave. (People get stupid when they are trying to outrun a hurricane. Lets all hope we don't have a hurricane season like the last few.
I suggest that you read your manual on the slide out, some suggest that you do not use grease. Some say you should use a silicone spray. If you have a hydrolic, it could be the pump, or low on fluid or a restriction (a hose kinked). The manual should tell you what to look for.
Good Luck
Paul
Having lived on the Mississippi Gulf coast (Pascagoula) for many years, including Hurricanes Camile and Fredrick(sp?). A cloth cover will not last!!!!
For my wife and I, if we are ever in an area being threatened it's leave the area ASAP. To quote Jimmy Buffett "I don't know where I'm gonna go when she blows" (not exact quote).
Why don't you have a cover built for the RV in the lot, I had one built here in Texas and put it up with a minimun of effort. I keeps the sun off and some of the rain, ours has survived some strong winds. I have seen some with sides but I placed mine beside another building so has some protection on that side.
Roland's
My wife and I just bought an older fifth wheel with two slides, no awnings on the slides. We are gradually getting back into Rving after a twenty hiatus. Howard’s journal made me ask the question “At what wind speed do you pull in the slides?” We were camping last weekend and we had 15-20 mph but it was tolerable. I have searched for a reference to a mph in the forum and haven’t found anything. So I want to put the question to all of you full timers who have been there for a while. Is there a magic number or is it a gut feeling? Thanks for your input.
It's gut instinct. We are sitting on top of Raton Pass, NM today with very high winds. We have three slides and they are all in. Also, didn't want to lose any slide toppers. The MH is more stable with slides in and we are still taking a beating. Tomorrow promises to be much better. :)
We are at our acres in the Colorado high country. All day Wednesday and Wednesday night the winds were at high tropical storm strength, averaging 40+ and gusting over 60 at times. We stayed in the coach because that is where we live. The only thing I did was lower the Datastorm. 2 wheels covers blew off but they were recovered. Not even much rocking.
Your rigs are designed(?) to travel at highway speeds, think about that. What is your configuration going down the road; slides in or out, awnings and antennas in or out, covers on or off.
I realize that trailers are less stable, we went through a 100 year wind storm in FT Meyers once in a pull trailer. Didn't sleep well but didn't have issues.
React with intelligence to wind warnings, but over reactions can be more dangerous than thoughtful ones.
Mike