Maintenance & Restoration

courtney · 07-03-2013, 07:01 AM

So, I got a letter from our HOA on Friday saying I had to get our Scamp out of the driveway. We've already secured a storage unit to park it on but were keeping it out front so we could work on it daily. We're leaving for the beach tonight, so yesterday we decided to put it in the unit. It wouldn't fit! Too tall for the door!! So we resigned ourselves to take it back home, clean out one side of the garage, and put it there. Wouldn't fit there either!!! It's not that the body itself is too tall, but it's the vent. Tried letter air out of tires some, didn't help. Any ideas?

Ice-breaker · 07-03-2013, 07:08 AM

How much too tall is it?

Brian B-P · 07-03-2013, 07:23 AM

There are some very low profile vent lids, although I don't know if any are still in production. I saw a flat aluminum lid on a Boler that allowed it to just get under the seven foot maximum height for B.C. Ferries without paying the extra height charge. The details, of course, are important... thus Dave's question.

_Scamp87_ · 07-03-2013, 07:27 AM

I had to put mine in the backyard behind the privacy fence.

1)Is the backyard an option for you?
2)what if you run and buy a cover for it? Like in our neighborhood you can't have a vehicle without a plate....so just cover it up.
3)expanding from 2....could you put a plate from another car on it and put the car in the garage?

Sheesh what a frustrating ordeal.

_Scamp87_ · 07-03-2013, 07:28 AM

Or is it possible to phone family or a friend just until you get back?...then deal with the issue.

courtney · 07-03-2013, 07:55 AM

The vent is about two inches too tall. HOA says has to be behind house. We have room in side yard, but zero land behind house. Drops off. Will explore low profile vent.

Roy in TO · 07-03-2013, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by courtney

The vent is about two inches too tall. HOA says has to be behind house. We have room in side yard, but zero land behind house. Drops off. Will explore low profile vent.

Would a 6' fence at the side with the trailer back far enough so you can't see it from the street cut it? Sounds like visibility is the issue.

Brian B-P · 07-03-2013, 07:59 AM

Does the vent cover come off really easily, and would that be enough (2" seems like a lot for just the vent cover)? You don't need the cover while in the storage unit or garage.

kootenaigirl · 07-03-2013, 08:03 AM

Check out Vintage trailer sounds like they have some that may be lower
Fan-Tastic Fan Vent

Roy in TO · 07-03-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

sounds like they have some that may be lower

From link: "Our FanTastic vents have durable flat lids. The flat lids looks a lot more like the old flat Hehr aluminum vent lids than the more modern dome lids do. And they extend a mere 3" above the trailer roof."

Gilda · 07-03-2013, 08:38 AM

Other FGRV members have said they put little wheels on their trailers for storage. Look around your neighborhood for appropriate spaces. Perhaps you could approach the owner and pay them a bit to park your trailer there. As a last resort, there are storage facilities specifically for trailers. We found a facility one hour from our home that cost 1/3 as much as in our "high-rent" town!

alan H · 07-03-2013, 08:48 AM

I have the exact same problem with my HOA and clearance into our garage...my fix was really easy....I simply made the vent removable using some simple wingnut hardware it takes...if you want i can send some pics it takes about 5 minutes to put on & take off

Gilda · 07-03-2013, 08:59 AM

Wow! 'Looks like Alan has your answer, Courtney!

Gilda · 07-03-2013, 09:01 AM

Alan,
Could you send photos and directions to everyone via this forum? Perhaps that solution could work for me and many others as well! What do you do to make the roof leak-proof?

alan H · 07-03-2013, 09:04 AM

I will be more than happy.... i'll try to provide a brief write up as well as some pics

It may be a day or to as I'm camping over the 4th ( go figure)

floyd · 07-03-2013, 09:26 AM

They do still make the flat lids for the Fantastic fan. about $14-$20.
However, depending on the vent's location, I have found that I could get the vent through the overhead door by carefully raising and lowering the tongue at the right times while rolling it through the door.(As long as the vent is not directly centered over the pivot point).

David B. · 07-03-2013, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floyd

They do still make the flat lids for the Fantastic fan. about $14-$20.
However, depending on the vent's location, I have found that I could get the vent through the overhead door by carefully raising and lowering the tongue at the right times while rolling it through the door.(As long as the vent is not directly centered over the pivot point).

That's what I found I could do also (I used to remove the cover which is a PITA)
but I still am required to replace our wheels/tires to 8" golf cart wheels to fit through our 7' door.
Dave & Paula

Jon Vermilye · 07-03-2013, 09:59 AM

A couple of people have had success purchasing a cheap set of rims & using them without tires to fit their trailer in a garage...

Bobbie Mayer · 07-03-2013, 09:59 AM

is there trim at the top of the garage door? One thing I did early on with my Campster and 7 foot door was (accidentally) rip the wooden trim off. That allowed the Campster to fit in more easily and didn't make any difference to the door. Only added about half an inch though.

And I forgot to say- MOVE. I hate HOA. My sister lived in one place that required a garage for every vehicle. But did not require that the vehicle be in the garage. So they had to build a third garage space even though then they just parked the truck in the driveway with the other cars! HOA should not make rules for things that don't hurt anyone, like an RV parked on the property, visible or not.