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Old 10-27-2014, 11:12 AM   #1
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Walking on the roof?

I am considering the ADCO RV cover, on sale at Camping World for a few more days. To my surprise, the installation video at ADCO Travel Trailer Designer Tyvek RV Cover - Up to 15' - ADCO 32838 - RV Covers - Camping World calls for walking on the roof! Is this advisable? There is an obvious risk of falling or tripping over vents and solar panels, but is the roof of an Escape strong enough to support foot traffic?

-Dave
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Old 10-27-2014, 11:19 AM   #2
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I would say, "don't walk on the roof". Are you getting a 15' cover for a 17' trailer?
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Old 10-27-2014, 11:27 AM   #3
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Reace told me if they need to walk on the roof during manufacture, it is on top of plywood. I've been putting an Adco cover on my trailers for 9 years now, never had need to go up on the roof. I manage with a 6' step ladder but may change to an 8'er for the 5.0TA, it's taller then my last one. I'm 6'2" and can just reach the center of the roof with an 8'er.

I've found if you roll/fold and unroll/unfold the cover the same way each year it's not too much hassle. You have to give it some thought so it's easy and repeatable when putting it on.
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Old 10-27-2014, 11:27 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave&Jane View Post
I am considering the ADCO RV cover, on sale at Camping World for a few more days. To my surprise, the installation video at ADCO Travel Trailer Designer Tyvek RV Cover - Up to 15' - ADCO 32838 - RV Covers - Camping World calls for walking on the roof! Is this advisable? There is an obvious risk of falling or tripping over vents and solar panels, but is the roof of an Escape strong enough to support foot traffic?

-Dave
They are talking about big stick trailers with flat roofs. They make covers for smaller trailers but they still are not thinking about ours. They do not know that our little slippery rounded-corner trailers exist.
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Old 10-27-2014, 11:35 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave&Jane View Post
I am considering the ADCO RV cover, on sale at Camping World for a few more days. To my surprise, the installation video at ADCO Travel Trailer Designer Tyvek RV Cover - Up to 15' - ADCO 32838 - RV Covers - Camping World calls for walking on the roof! Is this advisable? There is an obvious risk of falling or tripping over vents and solar panels, but is the roof of an Escape strong enough to support foot traffic?

-Dave
I would advise against walking on the roof. I just installed the cover on my 19' over this past weekend. The approach I used (for past 2 winters) requires two people to install the cover, but works really well and you do not have to even leave the ground (i.e. no ladders). Lay the cover out on the ground in front of or behind the trailer. Each person take a pole (we each used a long broom or rake handle) and place it under the top corner of the cover. Lift the cover up over the trailer with the pole (hold onto the pole and the cover at same time) and walk the cover up and over the trailer, with each person walking along the side of the trailer with the cover on top of the pole. Once cover is on top of trailer, you can slide it around a small amount to even it out as necessary. Zip up the corner flaps of the cover and tie it down and you are done. About 15 min work to do.

Here is a pic from last year:

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Old 10-27-2014, 12:03 PM   #6
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I also do not have the idea that the roof is able to support such weight. Some people will not even lean a ladder against a side.

As Dave said, a long-handled tool can be good. A snow rake is wide and someone mentioned using such a thing made it much easier to get a cover on.
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Old 10-27-2014, 12:34 PM   #7
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I agree that while walking on the roof is necessary to wrangle a cover over a large RV, it is not necessary for an Escape... although something (poles, stepladders, whatever) is likely needed, especially for a 5.0. When a put a tarp over my Escape-sized fiberglass trailer, I certainly didn't walk on it.

I never lean a ladder against any RV; stepladders work well to reach the top without leaning against the trailer. I also have a multipurpose ladder (something like this) and a plank which I use as a work platform along the side of the trailer when I want to reach the roof level.
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Old 10-27-2014, 12:51 PM   #8
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I agree too. No walking on the roof the roof for me. Ladders can make some nasty marks on the fiberglass. Our 5.0 has always been stored under cover, but one year I experimented with adding a fuzzy drop cloth (from Home Depot) to keep the dust off. I just tied a couple of cords to the cloth, threw them over the trailer and pulled it over from the other side. Occasionally I had to go back to the other side to make sure it wasn't catching on anything. Incidentally the drop cloth proved to be too much of a nuisance.
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Old 10-27-2014, 12:53 PM   #9
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Don't walk on it unless you want it damaged. ETI puts large sheets of plywood (with a pad under it) on the roof when they need to work there. If you don't take such precautions, you'll damage the gelcoat - or worse.
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Old 10-27-2014, 01:15 PM   #10
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I know that even using hand pressure while waxing the roof causes a fair amount of flex.
Not a chance I would walk on the roof .
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Old 10-27-2014, 01:21 PM   #11
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I asked ETI that question - the answer was "no, it's not recommended".
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Old 10-27-2014, 01:32 PM   #12
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Pool noodles or pipe insulation protect the gel coat.
Attached Thumbnails
Ladder cushions.jpg  
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Old 10-27-2014, 01:41 PM   #13
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I would say, "don't walk on the roof". Are you getting a 15' cover for a 17' trailer?
The body of a 17 is 13'8. I bought that Adco generic fit for my 17B and it still was too big. Made it work, and liked the fact the Tyvek roof material hung over the roof down the sides. Overall was happy with the quality and cost but would spend the $$ for a custom fit one next time.
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Old 10-27-2014, 07:16 PM   #14
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Thanks for all the advice. I ordered a 15' cover which should be right to span the distance from the spare tire to the front of the body, as directed on their website. I also got some foam pipe insulation to pad the edges of the solar panel, and I can use it on a ladder as shown in post 12.

-Dave
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Old 10-27-2014, 07:40 PM   #15
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Question Cover for 21'

Anyone buy an Adco for a 21' yet?
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Old 10-28-2014, 08:22 AM   #16
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Anyone buy an Adco for a 21' yet?
Yes. Bought the 20-22' size. A little big. Went on easy. 1-person job w/ stepladder. Used pipe insulation for the solar panel. Made in China .
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Old 03-11-2015, 12:47 AM   #17
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Anyone heard of Camark Covers (calmarkcovers.com)? They make custom covers for all kinds of stuff, a bit pricy but 6 year warranty. I'm thinking of one for my trailer. A quality trailer deserves a quality cover don't you think?
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Old 03-11-2015, 05:56 AM   #18
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Do a search on Calmark, a number of folks use them.
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Old 03-11-2015, 08:19 AM   #19
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I looked at Calmark and they sent me a sample and a cost estimate (very high $). Quality seemed ok but did not wow me relative to others I had looked at. In the end I got better value from a competing brand. I believe there are many others on this site that have chosen alternate covers.
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