Maintenance & Restoration

Roger H · 10-31-2006, 02:32 PM

Well, last Friday I put the new '06 Bigfoot 25RQ in winter storage... inside storage for $170 for the winter (until I want to get it back out). I used the '04 Bigfoot 17CB last weekend, and it was probably the last hurrah until late February or early March depending on the weather. I'm storing it outside on a concrete pad, no tarp or cover, but I do have the tires covered with commercial vinyl RV wheel covers. Both are winterized.

What arrangements have you made (or are making) for winter storage for your trailer?

Ches... merely burying them in snow for preservation is NOT an acceptable storage solution!

Roger

Al V · 10-31-2006, 02:39 PM

i take my casita to florida

Byron Kinnaman · 10-31-2006, 02:42 PM

Storage?? What storage. Mine sits in the drive ready to go all the time. I did buy a carport for it to sit under. I put an electric heater inside to keep it around 50° inside.

I'll probably be out sometime in November. December will depend on several things, but last week-end looks good at this time. Already a trip planned for January.

Gina D. · 10-31-2006, 02:52 PM

Not much changes for mine. It lives in my driveway until the county complains. After 3 years, I don't know if they will.

It's going out this weekend, and for over week in December.

It will no doubt go out once a month or so until next summer..

Per Walthinsen · 10-31-2006, 03:48 PM

Due to the heavy peer pressure provided free of charge by the members of this forum I finally put in a water heater bypass system so that the pink, sickly-smelling stuff is protecting the plumbing.

The trailer is in the back yard, ready for me so seize any opportunity to go camping. It's between the house, my shop, and the neighbors humongous tree to the south, so the tires get minimal exposure to the sun (what sun?).

It is heated and used for whatever evil project I can dream up, BUT it is a bit of a bother to slip into the kayak to go the 15 feet from the back door to the trailer door. Getting the pontoons off the ST tires is really a pain too. This is soon winter, it is Oregon, and most of us sleep with hip boots on, use giant Mag-lights to get around, etc. etc. I bet Iowa is nice in the winter, eh?

Harvey Craft · 10-31-2006, 03:49 PM

Mine lives in a (portable) building between two Antique Buicks. One is a 42 sedan and the other is a 72 Centurian Conv.

Harv In Colo.

Roger H · 10-31-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Due to the heavy peer pressure provided free of charge by the members of this forum I finally put in a water heater bypass system so that the pink, sickly-smelling stuff is protecting the plumbing.

The trailer is in the back yard, ready for me so seize any opportunity to go camping. It's between the house, my shop, and the neighbors humongous tree to the south, so the tires get minimal exposure to the sun (what sun?).

It is heated and used for whatever evil project I can dream up, BUT it is a bit of a bother to slip into the kayak to go the 15 feet from the back door to the trailer door. Getting the pontoons off the ST tires is really a pain too. This is soon winter, it is Oregon, and most of us sleep with hip boots on, use giant Mag-lights to get around, etc. etc. I bet Iowa is nice in the winter, eh?

Why Per... WhatEVER are you talking about, peer pressure?

And thank you for asking, yes, Iowa IS lovely in the winter. It's actually much nicer than it was when I was a kid and it looked like Ches' house (this week) every day of winter!

Somehow kayaking to the garage

sounds almost as unappealing as driving the Kubota with the snowblower

attached to the front!

Roger

Alf S. · 10-31-2006, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Well, last Friday I put the new '06 Bigfoot 25RQ in winter storage... inside storage for $170 for the winter (until I want to get it back out). I used the '04 Bigfoot 17CB last weekend, and it was probably the last hurrah until late February or early March depending on the weather. I'm storing it outside on a concrete pad, no tarp or cover, but I do have the tires covered with commercial vinyl RV wheel covers. Both are winterized.

What arrangements have you made (or are making) for winter storage for your trailer?

Ches... merely burying them in snow for preservation is NOT an acceptable storage solution!

Roger

Hi: We have two seasons here on the north shore...Winter and Construction!!!

I was out and mulched leaves with the gdn. tractor yesterday and two weeks ago they had 61cm...I mean 24in. of snow in Buffalo...We sent them some Canadian snow plows!!! I may have to camp in mine in the drive way all winter...Depends on the Mrs...

Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

Anne H · 10-31-2006, 06:12 PM

My Escape is in the driveway - about 1/2 way winterized.

I finally got the pink stuff into the pipes (this involved getting 1/2" hosing and then stretching it wider with needlenose pliers and a BBQ lighter (to melt the plastic just enough to stretch it so I could get it onto the water pump intake).

Everything else is drained, EXCEPT the hot water heater. None of the strapping young men at my disposal (my nephews) can unstick the water heater drain. So, until I can haul the trailer to someplace that can . . . . I, too, have an extension cord running out to the trailer and I have a little electric heater which I'm ***hoping*** is keeping the temperature at around 50 degrees inside.

Since my driveway has a slightly downward slant, all excess water draining from driveway and the top of the Escape will find it's way into my garage (as it does every year).

So, hopefully, I'm safe while still having the trailer at hand for any spur-of-the-moments South to warmer climes (probably with a porta-potty and jugs of water so I don't have to redo the winterizing when I come home).

Winter in Oregon . . . .

CharlynnT · 10-31-2006, 09:46 PM

We decided to keep the Boler in the back yard this year -- between the carport and shed, hidden from view. Got the propane furnace set on lowest, toasty warm in there.

Will practice much-studied methods of tarpology to try to keep wet snow off. Sloping shoulders should help.

Hubby claims there are thin rubber low-heat pads we can glue to grey, black and fresh water tanks that plug in.

Can't give up spare room/play room/home office functions this winter! Plus we MIGHT actually do some reno's.

Linda R002 · 10-31-2006, 10:33 PM

We hope to get a good metal cover for ours this winter and maybe a little heater, but other than that it just waits. We will be using it twice in November, twice in December, and in January we are taking off for California, Grand Canyon and Arizona for five weeks.

**Frederick L. Simson** · 10-31-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote:

What arrangements have you made (or are making) for [b]winter storage for your trailer?

Quote:

Storage?? [b]What storage?

I'm with Byron on this one. We're putting almost as many miles on EGGSTACY now as we did all summer. Our cats are beginning to sniff us over like strangers, and take to their sitter as if he were in charge.
Lake Casitas last weekend. Local mountains the weekend before that...
Palm Springs this weekend.
The Turtle Ranch for Thanksgiving... (Ocotillo, CA)
and Las Vegas for Christmas...

Donna D. · 11-01-2006, 07:30 AM

Mine is snug under the carport now until the end of April. As Per alluded to...rain is comin to the Pacific NorthWET and where the carport is situated I have to drive over lawn with tug and toad to get the trailer to the street. I'm afraid both would end up sunk into the lawn right up to the hubs

Actually I don't mind too much not going camping. I love being home in front of a nice fire in the fireplace and good smells coming out of the kitchen. As with most, I work five days a week and I consider it a wonderful thing anytime I can just be HOME.

jack maloney · 11-01-2006, 08:15 AM

'Un Oeuf' spends its winters in an enclosed storage shed near Big Lake MN. Come the beginning of April, they check the tire pressure and roll it out for pickup. Ten bucks a foot - $130 for the entire season, November through March.

Christi V. · 11-01-2006, 08:22 AM

I may try to get one more outing around thanksgiving weather permitting... and drag my son along to do all the work.... LOL

Jeremy Witt · 11-01-2006, 10:33 AM

Every time I stop by this site, Roger has a new trailer!

Our Scamp is in good company. It shares a storage garage with my dad's 1966 Chevelle.

Kevin A · 11-01-2006, 10:46 AM

The weather has started to turn much colder here in the Chicago area, so I've started some winter preparations for our 1978 13' Burro. The water tank is empty, the fridge is cleaned out, I've taken out any food in cans that might freeze and explode, the porta-potti is cleaned out and dry... I still need to take the cushions, LCD-TV, and microwave into the house. I can jack up the trailer quite high using the crank jacks on the front end, so water and snow should slide off OK. I'll also cover the wheels with black plastic bags for UV protection. Ah yes, I need to put steel wool in the gap at the bottom of the door, too. I wasn't planning to cover the trailer since it has sat outside for many years already. When the weather warms up in the spring, everything goes back in and we go back on the road!

Nancy Merigold · 11-01-2006, 03:50 PM

My "egg" won't be be hatched until early Spring and will be ready for pickup sometime in April. It's going to be a looonnngggg winter! I envy those who live in warmer climates and can camp year round. And for those who do camp in the cold winter....

BOBSMITH · 11-01-2006, 04:58 PM

Last year, we never really stopped camping with the Casita, as we planned trips all throughout Winter.

This year will be different. I have a trip coming up this week to Davidson River.

After that, I'll probably winterize it and cover it and not take it out again until our big trip to the Florida Keys in April.