Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Modifications and Upgrades
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-25-2018, 11:00 AM   #1
BigMac1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Tavares
Posts: 8
Tarp over rear bedroom slide out?

I will be in my Outback for the next 7 months. It has a rear slide out bedroom. Looking for your thoughts if I wrapped a brown tarp tightly around the entire slide out? Thought it might protect the seal with the tarp also. It would cover 2 small side windows but I don't see that as a problem.
BigMac1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 11:17 AM   #2
WNY Bullet
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 590
Why are you thinking about wrapping it?

Leave it off and enjoy the view!
__________________
Mike & Barb
2015 Keystone Bullet Premier 26RBPR
2018 Cedar Creek 36CK2
2017 Chevy Silverado LT Z71

WNY Bullet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 11:23 AM   #3
Ken / Claudia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Fruitland
Posts: 3,357
You need to think about ventilation, do not trap any moisture in the trailer. If the seals are working now I would not put plastic over it. If the seals fail, get new ones.
__________________
2013 24RKSWE (27ft TT) Cougar 1/2 ton series SOLD 10-2021
2013 Ford F350 4x4 CC 6.7 engine, 8 ft bed, 3.55 rear end, lariat package
Retired from Oregon State Police in 2011 than worked another 9.5 years as a small town traffic cop:
As of 05-2020, I am all done with 39 years total police work. No more uniforms for me.
Ken / Claudia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 11:43 AM   #4
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
I agree. If you trap moisture between the tarp and the FILON skin, it'll support mold/algae growth, keep the roof damp and cause the seals to deteriorate faster (as the moisture trapped under the tarp gets heated by the sun every day). There has been some speculation that moisture "superheated by the sun" can cause FILON to delaminate. We've seen several "possible examples" on the forum, so I'd be reluctant to be another "test case".....

I'd spray some seal conditioner (or Aerospace 303) on the seals, leave the slide open to the environment and sweep the leaves/dirt off the roof once a month or so, when you're cleaning the rest of the trailer exterior.

I would suggest tire covers if you're going to be in one place for an extended amount of time. Possibly you might consider jacking the axles to remove weight from the tires, otherwise be sure they are aired to the max sidewall pressure and keep them covered.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 12:12 PM   #5
Steveo57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Lisbon
Posts: 551
I spend the summer months as a campground host, almost six months. I am able to rig up a tarp over the camper that keeps it dry and covered from the weather and the tree sap, pine needles, branches, etc. The tarp is suspended over the trailer by several feet and works well.

Can you just suspend a tarp over the slide instead of wrapping it?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
__________________
2018 Keystone Cougar 22RBS
2020 Ford F-350 XLT SC SRW 6.7l Powerstroke.
Steveo57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:24 PM   #6
BigMac1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Tavares
Posts: 8
My thinking was that it would protect the roof of the slide out. It sounds like the moisture would actually do more harm than good. I appreciate all the input.
BigMac1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:27 PM   #7
Steveo57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Lisbon
Posts: 551
Or you could put a slide topper on it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
__________________
2018 Keystone Cougar 22RBS
2020 Ford F-350 XLT SC SRW 6.7l Powerstroke.
Steveo57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:34 PM   #8
BigMac1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Tavares
Posts: 8
I had considered a slide topper but the Outback has only a few inches to attach anything to. I had a hard time even placing a back up camera in the opening.
BigMac1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:37 PM   #9
rhagfo
Senior Member
 
rhagfo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,180
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steveo57 View Post
Or you could put a slide topper on it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
^^^^ This!
We host also, we have been on the Oregon Coast for the last eight months. We have slide toppers on both of out slides and zero leaks.
The last three months we have been at a site 50' from the Pacific, directly open to storms from the West. We have had heavy rains and winds registering 30 mph from the West, and no leaks.

__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
rhagfo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:41 PM   #10
BigMac1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Tavares
Posts: 8
I am fairly new to camping trailers. How do you jack the axles? Would you put a cement block under them once it was raised? I would assume the tires would have to be lifted off the ground to put on tire covers? My Outback is a 2018. Do you think that there is a jack someplace in the camper?
BigMac1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 01:46 PM   #11
chuckster57
Site Team
 
chuckster57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,237
Jacks for changing tires don’t come with RV’s. You don’t have to get the tires off the ground to put a cover on them.
__________________

2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
chuckster57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 02:06 PM   #12
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
If you are going to be in one place for 7 months, you need to protect the tires from ground moisture by either parking it on 2x8's, plywood or ??? Alternatively, you can "jack and block the trailer" and then jack each axle slightly, place a wooden block under the axle shaft (near the wheel) to keep the tire lifted an inch or so off the ground. Then cover them with tire covers. Or, if you leave them "on 2x8's with full weight on them" then be sure to keep them inflated at maximum pressure and covered.

You don't want to jack the axles and put concrete blocks under the axles with the full weight of the trailer on the concrete blocks. That could (maybe or maybe not) damage the axle shafts with prolonged storage in that condition.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2018, 03:58 PM   #13
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
I would encourage using tire covers. We have been coming to FL for the last 5 years and THIS year I decided to use tire covers on my new Carlisles.

Here rain comes a lot; it covers the tires in beach sand. They are exposed to the sun all day. Every time before my tires looked terrible; covered in sand, a little bleached looking. This time they looked like brand new tires when I pulled the covers off today to get ready to leave Wednesday. The covers were covered in sand and had mildew on them from all the rain etc. but they were easily cleaned. Much better.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2018, 08:07 PM   #14
packnrat
Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: san andreas
Posts: 73
do your wrap. just keep a good two inch gap so air can get in and through protect from rain. but the air will help a lot in keeping things dry.
those cheap "blue" tarps are not water tight. but also not pores to allow drying under them.
packnrat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2018, 06:06 PM   #15
fjr vfr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Mechanicsville
Posts: 473
We camped for 5 months at a time the last 3 years with an Outback 21RS with a rear slide. We never covered it. The roof on the slide is the same material as the trailer roof. It just needed to be cleaned off before closing it after. It never leaked. It's made to be exposed just like the trailer roof. The reason for a topper is to keep debris off it so you don't need to clean it off before closing it after each use.
I always cover the tires exposed to the sun during the day. The opposite side tires I don't cover. I wouldn't block it up. Keep the tires to proper inflation. If the ground is soft pull the trailer onto some 2x8's or patio blocks like others have said.
fjr vfr is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bed, bedroom, slide, slide out

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.