Community Forums

partsman01 · 11-25-2010, 07:44 PM

So wife decided we need to cover fifth wheel, so we now have a cover and I am wondering the best way to get it up on top and over the fifth wheel, it is a 2004 Wilderness 24' 6' and it is quite a bit taller than any previous ones we have had, with my 8' step ladder I have to be quite a ways up to see the top, and it has snowed so in this cold weather it might not be a smart or safe thing to try and get on top, so any ideas how to do it?
anybody ever put one on before?
I am hoping maybe to kind of throw it up and spread it out from the sides, but the max air covers and the A/C unit may make it hard to get over, not to mention the tv anntenae.

**NLOVNIT** · 11-25-2010, 07:58 PM

Here's what we did to get our cover on our coach. Ideally, you'll need 2 people.

The first thing you need to do is pad all sharp edges or anything that pokes out from the RV. That includes, the TV antenna, any awning latches, solar panels...etc). We used cut up pieces of a swim noodle to do this. Believe me, we know first hand how things can poke through a cover - just click on the Photo Albums link in my signature & open the ADCO cover album.

Then, tie a rope around the cover & leave a length long enough to go from the bed of a truck to the top of your RV plus some slack. Put the cover in the bed of the truck. Back the truck up to the rear of the RV. One person needs to get on top of the RV. The other person throws the rope end up to the person on the RV roof. The person on the roof grabs hold of the rope & pulls the cover up onto the roof. Carefully roll the cover out over the roof, watching where you step, & unfurl the sides down. Attach the strap ends, pull taught (but not too tight) & you're done.

When it comes time to take the cover off, just reverse the steps you took to put it on. After you've done it a couple times, it'll be easy.

Last, don't do this on even a slightly windy day. You will not be able to control the cover from becoming a parachute.

Lori-

IC2 · 11-26-2010, 10:47 AM

I really don't believe there is any really easy way to cover an RV, and especially a 5er except to get a ladder and go up to spread it out. Class A and TT seem to be easy in comparison. The ADCO covers are not particularly light weight, but I'm sure your 24' is a lot less then my 34'

What I do is to get my 16' aluminum ladder up against the back, suitably protected so it wont mark the trailer's surface, slide the cover up the ladder then roll it out, front to back. On mine, I have 4 Maxi Vents, a plastic and opaque light source for the shower, the TV antenna, the A/C and two large (2'x4') solar panels each of which have a plywood cover plus a roof rack/roof ladder combo. And it's a project that I haven't done yet - we have had fairly high winds or rain on days that I have had time to install my cover (like today

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ralper · 11-26-2010, 09:15 PM

Get a pencil and draw it over.

KTM Guy · 11-27-2010, 08:41 PM

Go slowly. Be careful when walking on your roof. The cover can easily trip you. If you sit on a Tyvek cover near the edge, you can slide off. DON'T FALL!

1. Cover anything on the roof that could snag or rip your cover. Cardboard and tape will work.

2. Spread the cover the length of the roof making sure the front of the cover is toward the front of the RV.

3. Start spreading it toward the sides, making sure that the top surface of the cover is up.

4. Get the four corners of the cover on the four corners of the RV.

5. Let the sides hang down.

6. Get down (raise the cover to expose the ladder first) and cinch things up.

I do it by myself. Good luck!