Finding our feet in the world of camping we are faced with the question of "Indoor v Outdoor" winter storage for our folding camper!!
Obviously there a similiar security aspects for both, but from a weather point of view is it worth paying the extra money for Indoor storage or will an adequately wrapped up camper outdoors suffice?
Ours lives outside with a winter storage cover over it. Under this is a 10 inch high piece of wood so that the cover has more of a ridge to it so that the rain and leaves run and fall off it. It has been fine like this outside. (Touch wood)
I have done both- inside and outside. I am thinking of leaving mine outside again this year as long as it is properly left. Just make sure that the rain can run off the unit easily. In fact, I had more damage to mine the one one year that I did put it in the garage! I do put it up though about every 2 months just to air it and check that all is well!
Hi,
when we had our Comanche Montana we always left it outdoors(that was our only option tbh)We had a big heavy pvc winter storage cover custom made for it.In the 7 years we had it we never had any problems,it was always dry as a bone inside come spring time.
------------- Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed
When we bought ours we still had 8 months left on our caravan storage. We have kept it on as it takes away any worries about coming home wet or damp as we can just open the camper up to air in the barn. (I know the new pennines say damp is not an issue in the same way). I also like the fact that it is not so obvious to all and sundry that we are away because the drive is empty.
I think if they are under a winter cover and you have the space they are fine outside.
------------- Good friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget.
OK, winter cover is on, winter wheels are on & hitchlock is on. The nose is up high & the corner steadies are down.
Question is, can I take the jockey wheel off?
(I actually already have - for security reasons - & the front is propped up with various bits of wood, but are they really necessary as they look kind of sketchy?)
Quote: Originally posted by Mountain Runner on 11/10/2009
OK, winter cover is on, winter wheels are on & hitchlock is on. The nose is up high & the corner steadies are down.
Question is, can I take the jockey wheel off?
(I actually already have - for security reasons - & the front is propped up with various bits of wood, but are they really necessary as they look kind of sketchy?)
Many thanks.
I know that one of you knows the answer . Do I need to support the nose or is my camper okay sat on the steadies?
Hi I think it would be best to leave on the jockey wheel. The corner stadies are designed to do what they say they do that is to stadey the camper, the axel and the jockey wheel are used to take the main weight of the camper. so unless you have something to replace the jockey wheel I would leave it on other wise you could be putting to much strain on the stadies. I don't think that anyone will take a jockey wheel. Just tape a bag over it to keep it dry.
We have had ours stored outside for the past two years through all weathers with no problems at all. I do ensure that there is an air gap between the travel cover and the winter storage cover. The canvas stays on too. The nose is raised up so the rain runs off the rear. I like to open the unit every 6 weeks or so when there's a reasonable day and just let the canvas flap in the breeze to give it an airing.
Mountain Runner I would personally leave the front end chocked with something if you have removed the jockey wheel. Keep in mind that the nose weight of the unit will be somewhere between 50kgs and 90kgs (depending on your towing vehicle), so this is quite a large dead weight that you are shifting over the front corner steadies.
We stored our conway cruiser on the drive outside for the year or so we owned it, with a breathable winter cover over it for security and protection. Only trouble we had was condensation inside the unit when we had heavy snowfall followed by warm bright sunshine (condensation formed on underside of transit cover, dripped on canvass and made it amazingly wet). Luckily we opened her up in the warm sunshine, noticed the wet canvas and dried it out with no damage at all. But i hate to think what would of happened if we had not opened her up....
We have now opted for a tin top monster so that we can go camping in comfort all year round - but we still miss the sound of rain on canvas when we go away ;-)
------------- Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!