Any problems leaving roof up during winter?

[morpheus-HILO]

I was just wondering if there was any reason not to leave the roof up during winter. With an expected snow of an average of 12-18 inches, I was thinking, if I left the roof up, I could fire up the furnace once a month or so and let it run for the day to keep the moisture/thaw the trailer.

If I leave the roof down, you obviously can't run the furnace.

Any thoughts? The roof will be sitting on the locks, so there should be no stress on the cables..

 

[boater454]

The locks don't actually take stress off the cables so too much snow and cold could cause a cable failure. It's my understanding that they just lock the hydraulic ram in place. You'd be better off storing it down or making wooden supports to take the weight off the cables while storing. You could put an electric heater in it to dry it out. You can get those boat dehumidifier heaters too.

 

[RichR]

Leaving the trailer up is a bad idea. If you were to calculate the weight of snow on a trailer roof you would be amazed at what it is. I have seen a HiLo that that was left up for the winter that had a cable break because of snow, there was lots of damage.

 

[morpheus-HILO]

10-4

thought the locks would take the weight.

I've got an oil filled radiator style heater, I'll just put it in the middle of the trailer plugged in and then just plug the trailer in every once and a while then.

Thanks.

 

[sting32]

Ok, Couple things I think are escaping me at the moment.

1, Why do you need to "heat it up" from time to time? I think you know what you mean, but I dont know. if your not going to winterize it, then heating it for a couple hours a day will NOT DO ANYTHING, camper loses heat tens or hundreds of times faster than anything, well maybe less fast than a garden tin shed. Drain as much as you can, and hope I guess? I prefer to use some RV antifreeze though.

2 you need to know that the "safety lock" only protects from the Hydraulic pump, or hydraulic line, or cylinder leaks and catastrofic failure of those 3 things, when top is FULLY UP. This has to be understood, the Hydraulic ram pushes a plate, that pulls on 4 cables, which in turn lifts the top half up. If it was not hydraulic, it would be a winch setup, like my last 2 popup campers have, that pull on a plate with 4 cables that lift the top up. When top is up the plate passes a "safety stop" that has to be released to let the top back down. this is only holding the plate, that is holding the 4 cables, as if in one "hand" or bundle. This happend on my old popup as well, plus one time I broke the cable going from the plate holding 4 cables to the winch, fortunately, I was by myself as usually my help would/could have had fingers in there, as trying to "help" me lift with an under powered hand winch...

ANYWAY, If a singe cable breaks, that corner will fall, and jam the top half *usually* might be 4-12 inches before it gets wedged. If all 4 break at same time the top is going to the "stored/travel position" in a hurry. top was probably engineered to be lifted with 4 cables that were theoretically I bet at least, 4 times stronger than they need to be, but time and elements can weaken any item, especially when not cared/maintained.

Snow can be more than 10 times heavier than you think... if you havent scooped any lately (I try to do as much as I can with a blower and plow myself ) you might have forgotten how heavy a 8 inch snow is per shovel full.

 

[sam-HILO]

MorpheusStoring the HI Lo in the up position

I live in Niagara Falls,NY so I think we both get lots of snow in the winter. Do as the other suggested. Store the trailer in the low position. Winterize with Rv Antifreeze. No need to run a heater or dehumidifier in the winter. Put on a good cover see previous posts on this. If you can,t cover it make sure it has a good wash and wax. If it isn't covered brush off the snow every chance you get. Get ahold of a long extended snow brush,telescoping. Maybe an auto parts store sells this. We have owned our 25ft. Classic for ten years and have had no problems storing it this way. The trailer is 21yrs. old. Stay inside and enjoy a cup of Hot Chocolate!!

 

[morpheus-HILO]

no problem, I will store it in the lowered position.

The trailer is definatly completely winterized, the reason I wanted to run the heater is the same reason I fire up the old truck once a month or so when it was sitting in the driveway. Just to keep it all thawed and cleared off of snow.

 

[JackandJanet]

With it in the lowered position, it would be very easy to sweep the snow off the roof with a push broom. It would only be tricky around the TV antenna.

- Jack

 

[kengsr]

Looking for trouble

I try not to go looking for trouble because I know trouble is looking for me. If you are in a snow area or windy area you need to keep the HI-Lo in the down position during the winter. Humidity is low in cold weather and should not be a problem. I have had no issues with winter humidity and keep a 40X20 tarp over the 23 ft trailer during winter which you might think would trap moisture in the trailer; but no problem for me in cold, wet, snowy, bitter New Hampshire.