Breathable 5th wheel cover for winter

dcotton4 · 10-06-2014, 04:00 PM

So I purchased a cover to go over my 5th wheel for the winter because I couldn't stand the thought of just letting it set out in the elements all winter unprotected as the camper was always sheded before I bought it. The cover I bought for it is supposed to breath to keep moisture from building up in the camper. I had a guy tell me today that a camper dealer told him that putting a cover over the camper is one of the worst things you can do. Is there any truth to this? What are some of your opinions on this? Thanks, Dave

Festus2 · 10-06-2014, 05:01 PM

The jury is out on whether to cover or not to cover. You will hear pros and cons from both sides and there are real advantages and disadvantages involved in the debate.

Some will say that covering keeps the RV cleaner and "protects" it against UV rays and the elements. Others claim that it will rub against the RV and cause abrasions in the rubber roof and the sides. In addition, any wind will eventually end up rendering the cover full of tears and holes and perhaps lasting only a year or two.

When you consider the number of uncovered RV's sitting in dealers' lots and elsewhere, it would seem that it really isn't necessary.

Perhaps regular and thorough cleaning and maintenance - caulking, etc - is enough to ensure that your RV is kept as clean and dry as possible.

Ideally, storing it indoors or under a solid cover is best but that option isn't available to everyone.

poncho62 · 10-07-2014, 02:44 AM

We get lots of ice here, so I cover just the top of mine. Makes it easier to pull off ice/snow with a roof rake. I figure the walls and windows of these things leak enough that it "breathes" just fine

SkiSmuggs · 10-07-2014, 03:48 AM

My wife bought an ADCO cover for her baby. It took us over an hour to get it on with the wind blowing and wasn't fun to remove in the spring as water had settled, then froze it to the fiver in places. We stored it in a barn with moth balls and it was still all chewed up in the fall. What a relief to not deal with it any more.

jsmith948 · 10-07-2014, 04:18 AM

The hot valley sun rotted our ADCO cover in about 18 mos. Waste of money.
JMHO

TDF5G · 10-07-2014, 11:24 AM

I agree. The covers are not worth the cost. I bought a used one for $75 several years ago. It was like new condition, the owner had sold his RV and found the cover in his garage later and advertised it for sale.

It takes a lot of effort to install and remove. Especially on a windy day. It was very thin and it ripped and tore on every sharp corner of parts of the RV. Then it's a big item to store somewhere in the garage when not in use.

Not worth it IMO.

bmach · 10-07-2014, 05:43 PM

We will always cover ours. Clean it before covering and when uncovered it looks like it did before covering it. No worry about ice or a freeze/thaw cycle.

As for dealers leaving then uncovered, think about how much would it cost them to have a cover for every camper on their lot. Plus they do not keep them for years. They have no vested interest in them and if they get any damage they get to fix them.

I have never had any damage caused buy the cover. My first cover lasted 4years and I sold the trailer. I am going on the second year with the cover for this trailer.

I use ADCO covers.

**chuckster57** · 10-07-2014, 08:34 PM

I will never waste the $$ I did on a cover again. I too bought an ADCO for my Jayco and it turned to dust in a few years.

dcotton4 · 10-08-2014, 03:41 AM

I believe the one I purchased is a Poly Pro I

sptddog · 10-08-2014, 10:04 AM

I used one on my old outback and will again on the Fuzion. From November to May it sits - in the sun, in the elements, and in the early spring the trees drop sap all over it. Honestly, the sap is the primary reason I cover it. I read the instruction carefully, and I use pool noodles and other 'gadgets' I found out about online to protect the corners and put the cover on. I put 3-4 tubs of Damp Rid inside around the camper. I wash before covering and I cover in 'ideal' weather. I had an ADCO cover that I bought and used for 3 seasons. It did get a few small holes in it - one from a sharp edge that I didn't put foam on, and one from a spot where the birds got it after I left it on my outside porch for a few nights the first year. I used a tyvek tape, reminded me of duct tape to patch the hole, both inside and out and the tape held the next two seasons. I'm in southeast PA and last winter was brutal - I was happy to have it covered.

matandjen · 10-08-2014, 12:30 PM

I went back and forth on this for a very long time. What helped me ultimately decide against them was seeing the condition of the ones used where I store my RV now. I spoke to a few owners and they ended up spending a fortune on replacing them every year or two.

I regularly wash and wax my RV (Sometimes I just pay for someone else to do a pro job on it) and that seems to be good enough.

MISailor · 10-09-2014, 09:29 AM

I cover mine with a PermaPro cover from Classic Accessories. It is light weight and has a 4 year warrantee that I know they honor from personal experience. I've had 3 of these covers but only paid for the first one. The first one began to deteriorate after a couple of years. After sending CA a few pictures they replaced it for free. The replacement also deteriorated before the 4 yr warrantee was up and they replaced it too!

I've devised a process for putting the cover on and taking it off by myself without having to get on the roof. Takes about 20 minutes or so and well worth the effort IMHO considering how nice the TT looks each time I take the cover off. Is it necessary? Probably not, but I really disliked how many of the plastic parts on my old TT yellowed in the sun because it was never covered.

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