who covers the trailer?

[s10slammed]

Raptor 415 or fuzion 419 44ft trailers. Are any of you putting a cover on them. Yes i know they are big but it is worth it in my opinion. What size cover do you use for these size rigs?

[Canonman]

There has been lots of conversation to cover or not to cover. Personally I cover ours since it is not used from November to April. No problems with any damage caused by the cover. Once we start using the Cougar and the cover is off, I leave it off for the season.
Here is a link you might find interesting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6GOgH8Nt74

[jsb5717]

Many will advocate NOT covering the rig. Full timers can't, RV dealers don't. Some are in high wind area where the covers get damaged or can cause excess rubbing on the RV finish. There are reasons NOT to cover your rig.

Personally, I cover ours. Ours is fairly well protected from too much wind and I just like keeping the winter off of it.

[foldbak]

I cover when not being used. I'm in Sacramento the the heat and sun destroys anything uncovered. There wasn't a decal left on my Prowler after the sun got done with it...

[chunker]

I cover it every time it isn't being used with a metal roofed pole barn. Also hooked up to 50 amp full hookups.

Any cover will protect the roof and sides from sun damage. Doesn't make any difference what a dealer does since they don't plan to keep something that long anyway. As far as full timers, that's the cost of doing business but I'll bet that all would park under a roof if they had that option.

[flybouy]

I do not cover. The covers around here may as well have "mouse house" stamped on them. The cover just gives the field mice a path to the rooftop air conditioner. Seen it many times at different storage lots.

[Camp CA]

. Are any of you putting a cover on them............What size cover do you use for these size rigs?

I put a light weight cover on my fifth wheel while I lived overseas and it shedded in 9 months due to high winds in Benicia, CA. I came home and put the heaviest weight cover from Camping World and it shredded after 2 years. I ceramic coated by new fifth wheel vs. a cover to protect it from the elements. Unfortunately the covers do not take into account the rain spouts at each corner and that is a tear point even if you cover them with foam.

Some links below to fifth wheel covers:

https://www.campingworld.com/adco-all-climate-wind-designer-tyvek-rv-cover-630229.html?cgid=rv-covers#start=2&cgid=covers%2Frv-covers[/url]
https://www.nationalrvcovers.com/s/fifth-wheel-trailer-covers/42.html[/url]

[travelin texans]

Which is the best truck?
What's the best RV tire?
What's the best WDH?
Same with the cover, your money, your choice!
My choice was NO! Always lived where it was TOO windy or was fulltiming, now too old/fat to be wrestling a heavy cover around that high up.

[flybouy]

Which is the best truck?
What's the best RV tire?
What's the best WDH?
Same with the cover, your money, your choice!
My choice was NO! Always lived where it was TOO windy or was fulltiming, now too old/fat to be wrestling a heavy cover around that high up.

What about M&Ms? Plain or Peanut?
What about soft drinks? Pop or Soda? Coke or Pepsi? Mountain Dew or Dr Pepper (if you are from the south)?
Mounds or Almond Joy?

Decisions decisions! :banghead:

[DOWva]

Yes I keep our 35' Cougar 5th wheel covered when at home. I like keeping the leaves, limbs, rain, snow, sun and of coarse the bird droppings of the roof. It does keep my RV looking good. Same cover for over 3 1/2 years now. Where the rain spouts stick out I cut holes in tennis balls and cover each one, works real well no holes yet.

[Danno]

Mine goes in my building when were not using it, we live in Oregon so rain is a issue and is sure keeps the vinyl graphics in better shape and the gelcoat too!

[Ken / Claudia]

I put 1 of the last RV and the decor I put on the roof during the summer maintenance was sticking to the cover when I pulled it off in the spring, about 6 months later. What a mess that was. Now I live with sticker fading and front end oil canning (facing the sun) without a cover.

[JRTJH]

When we first moved up north, I covered our fifth wheel that first winter. In the early spring, when we had planned to head south for a few weeks of warmer weather, I found the cover was frozen to the trailer roof and all of the plastic structure on the roof. There was no way to safely remove the cover and no way to tow with it on the trailer, so we were "effectively grounded at home" until the temperature warmed up enough to remove the cover.

When the "building season began, I built a second pole barn, specifically for the fifth wheel and the boat/toys so they are out of the weather.

So, if you're in an area where the temperature in fall and spring regularly swings above/below freezing, don't expect to get the cover off the trailer easily as long as there's still ice/snow on it.

[flybouy]

Everyone selling covers say you "absolutely positively" should cover your RV. And by the way, you should buy the "best" (read most expensive) one they sell.

Imagine that.....

[JRTJH]

Everyone selling covers say you "absolutely positively" should cover your RV. And by the way, you should buy the "best" (read most expensive) one they sell.

Imagine that.....

Yeap, and they all "smile all the way to the bank" (with your hard earned money)…..

For me, (and only my solution) was to avoid any cloth/vinyl/plastic cover and go strictly with wood and steel. Build a pole barn, back it in and not worry about it all winter long. Now, if I can keep that big sliding door from freezing in the ice so we can open the door when we get ready to leave …...:whistling:

[flybouy]

If I didn't live in a deployment I'd build a pole barn. Around here indoor storage for a 35+' trailer is too expensive. So either cover or don't.

Before RVs we were boaters and live about a mile from the marina. Last money looser was a 30' long 10' beam twin engined Searay. Paid for it to be shrink wrapped and it looked "new" year after year. Boats are like convertible cars with weak tops so you have to cover them to keep ice/snow from collapsing the flimsy canvas tops and supports.

First year of camper ownership (past the pop up) I covered the camper. Wrestled it on, tied it down and went home.. A "Nor'easter" took care of that cover. The whipping cover marked up the fiberglass to the point of it taking 2 days with a buffer to get out the scratches. When I put the cover in the dumpster at the storage lot there were several other covers already there. I asked the resident storage lot manager about all the damaged covers. He said most people only used the covers their first year as they find that the field mice will use the cover like a "rodent high rise".

So that got me thinking why was I covering it?
To protect the roof? Same material used on commercial buildings, they last 15-20 years without being covered. In the 4 months of being parked the sun is at it's shortest duration of exposure. Tree sap/debris is not an issue as it's on a large paved lot.
To protect the sides? I think a good wax or protective finish will accomplish that, and the cover did more harm than good. And yes, I checked the tension on the ropes regularly. The cover was a "deluxe" or most expensive type then sold.

Observing others removing covers with rodent nests in them convinced me to not repeat the first experience. So that's my experience. Other's use them with great success so I don't think anyone can really tell you what's better for you.

[s10slammed]

All great feedback. I covered my attitude trailer and it seems to help alot however is not always fun to install. I plan to ceramic coat along with the cover to be honest the sun just kills these things. What size are you using with the 415 raptor or 419 fuzion? Certain brand recommended? Trailer says 44ft long but what is true?

[Dboland9]

If you are going to cover it, do expect mice to live under the cover. Make sure all openings (heat vents, exhaust vents, electrical inlets etc) are covered well or you will have a mice invasion inside your unit.

[Beachside]

I cover my trailer for the simple reason that the sun does such a number on them. I didn't cover my Montana that I had before the Fuzion and after two years, the side that faced south was markedly faded compared to the north side. Bought an Elements All Climate cover from camping world for the Fuzion. It lasted 8 months before it started ripping where the ladder is. They sent me some patches free of charge, (it came with a two year warranty). Patched it, that lasted another two months and then a strong wind tore it beyond repair. They sent me a new one under warranty. That one lasted about 6 months before small tears at the ladder. I even had put the storage bag between the cover and the ladder for extra protection. Put some left over patches on it and some duct tape. Had one 6 inch tear not patched and then a strong wind (20+mph for a day) destroyed it. Had I patched that tear, I think it would have survived. No more warranty, but I will be buying another cover, as I have no fading. Never had any issues with the cover damaging the camper. Unsure if I will get the same brand.
As far as size, I measured the camper and went with the size they recommended for it. Fit fine.

[xrated]

I keep mine covered........

https://i.imgur.com/Zyzecsh.jpg