How best to put the cover on my Escape 5.0

[tom&pam]

My Escape 5.0 is still new, and I am checking everything out. Yesterday I looked at the cover I got from Escape for the first time. I watched a video from the maker, Classic Accessories today. The video showed climbing a ladder and standing atop an RV. But my Escape has no ladder, and the top is anything but flat.

Has anyone come up with a reasonably easy and safe way to put their cover on a 5.0? How about removing it later when I want to go camping again?

[cpaharley2008]

Now you know why most covers are left in their original box...........

[DanandDaphne]

It helps to have a big yard space so you can spread out the cover. Then you roll it up from the front and back to the middle. I then tie a rope around one end of the rolled up cover and throw it over the middle of the camper between the AC and max fan. Then use the rope to pull the cover up and over the camper. Then you unroll the cover to the front and the back.
I have done it by myself but it really helps to have someone to help guide the cover up and over and to help hold it in place while you get it unrolled and strapped on.
It's not too bad but not something we do more than once or twice a year, usually only once for winter and it is left uncovered and parked in a mostly shady place the rest of the time.
Oh yeah and don't try it if it is at all windy.

[Tford]

Put up an inexpensive 3 sided carport with some electricity and enough space to put your riding mower next to your 5.0….😜

[tom&pam]

DanandDaphne, I thought of using a rope somehow. When you toss the cover over the top, do you have the sides loose? That would make a fairly long "snake". Getting the cover on top of the trailer is the first challenge and unrolling it from ten feet below is a second challenge. To remove the cover, you just roll it back into the snake and pull it down? Any worries about catching it on any of the roof furniture?

[Fender]

Originally Posted by tom&pam

Any worries about catching it on any of the roof furniture?

I can't help with putting the cover on but when taking it off use caution.
My brother-in-law removed the cover off of his RV before a long trip south and didn't realize that the cover had caught the release latch for the awning and flipped it to "open". Awning unfurled while driving down the interstate.

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by tom&pam

DanandDaphne, I thought of using a rope somehow. When you toss the cover over the top, do you have the sides loose? That would make a fairly long "snake". Getting the cover on top of the trailer is the first challenge and unrolling it from ten feet below is a second challenge. To remove the cover, you just roll it back into the snake and pull it down? Any worries about catching it on any of the roof furniture?

No the whole cover is zipped up and rolled loosely from both ends to the middle, use a clean soft rope and while one pulls on the rope the other helps guide and push it up onto the roof and over the other side until it is even. I can't see any way to do it entirely standing on the ground. We use two ladders for unrolling it so you don't have to move the one ladder from side to side. But it might work if you both worked it from the sides unrolling it at the same time.

It can get caught on the AC and vent hoods but by unrolling it instead of trying to pull it over it doesn't catch on stuff as much.

You might want to go ahead and get a couple sturdy ladders if you don't already have them, you will need them when it comes time to clean/wax your trailer.

To remove the cover you just pull it off from the back, you have to un hook it from the front hitch, and then the upper front corners, then if you are lucky it just slides right off but sometimes you have to get up on a ladder and un hook it from vents, AC, solar.

[DanandDaphne]

Oh and by the way these covers really suck, they are made for a bigger fifth wheel RV not an Escape. So they are way too big and baggy. I ended up cutting off the lower skirt and melting the bottom of the zippers to make a zipper stop. This way they don't hang down to the ground and get frozen into the snow. probably not a problem where you live but they made it hard to unzip and get into the camper.

I tighten up the front upper strap to take up some slack up front, this helps put the front two bottom straps where they will work. The remaining is all at the back which gets folded in from each side then I use these clamps to keep it all together and tucked in.
https://www.amazon.com/HORUSDY-6-Pie...s%2C198&sr=8-5

Ours has been used for four winters now and I think I can get a fifth out of it with some repair. The high winds this spring were really hard on it the fifth wheel hitch tore through it and the pool noodle fell off the back edge of the solar panel and so there are a coupe of holes there to fix. Also the zippers that get used the most are starting to fail.

[LRL]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

It helps to have a big yard space so you can spread out the cover. Then you roll it up from the front and back to the middle. I then tie a rope around one end of the rolled up cover and throw it over the middle of the camper between the AC and max fan. Then use the rope to pull the cover up and over the camper. Then you unroll the cover to the front and the back.
I have done it by myself but it really helps to have someone to help guide the cover up and over and to help hold it in place while you get it unrolled and strapped on.
It's not too bad but not something we do more than once or twice a year, usually only once for winter and it is left uncovered and parked in a mostly shady place the rest of the time.
Oh yeah and don't try it if it is at all windy.

That's exactly what I've been doing to get my cover on (and off) for the past three years. Works great, and I can do it by myself with only a modicum of cussing.

[TahoeJoe]

My extremely easy and safe way is to simply not use a cover at all. I realize that some folks have a personal preference to using one, but in my view, one of the advantages of having a molded fiberglass trailer is not really needing a cover...as always, YMMV!

[Mswan]

My wife and I take two expandable painter poles, one on each side. We raise the cover above trailer height and walk it forward. We have a stepladder handy for when the cover snags on something. Reverse to take it off.

Easy peasy

[TahoeJoe]

Originally Posted by TahoeJoe

My extremely easy and safe way is to simply not use a cover at all. I realize that some folks have a personal preference to using one, but in my view, one of the advantages of having a molded fiberglass trailer is not really needing a cover...as always, YMMV!

I jinxed myself, by posting this yesterday...today, my next door neighbor had some huge pine trees removed by a tree service, without giving me any advance warning. The trees were very close to the RV, and now there's a bunch of sap and tree shavings on the roof and panels...wish I had a cover!

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Mswan

My wife and I take two expandable painter poles, one on each side. We raise the cover above trailer height and walk it forward. We have a stepladder handy for when the cover snags on something. Reverse to take it off.

Easy peasy

I have done this with a cover on my Bigfoot. Trailer is now stored inside, cover deteriorated and after salvaging straps and buckles, I ditched the cover.

Charles

[DanandDaphne]

I was thinking of going without a cover when our cover totally gives out. We will probably get another cover though as they aren't too expensive if you can get four or five years out of one. Here they are on Amazon.

Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/Classic-Accessories-OverDrive-PolyPRO-Deluxe/dp/B0009I3XOI/ref=sr_1_4?crid=33A3QZ98RJSZL&keywords=cover+for+2 1"+fifth+wheel+travel+trailer&qid=1657471672&spref ix=cover+for+21+fifth+wheel+travel+trailer%2Caps%2 C162&sr=8-4

We live at almost 9,000ft elevation and the sun is pretty brutal so I would rather cover it than clean and wax it more often.

Would love to have a carport or garage but the light weight carports wouldn't handle the snow load or wind and we're not sure we want to invest in a more serious building just to park our escape.

[marsman]

For those of you that use covers, I've heard some mention that tyhey place something between the cover and trailer, like a cotton sheet or poly or what?? Thanks

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by TahoeJoe

I jinxed myself, by posting this yesterday...today, my next door neighbor had some huge pine trees removed by a tree service, without giving me any advance warning. The trees were very close to the RV, and now there's a bunch of sap and tree shavings on the roof and panels...wish I had a cover!

Hi: Tahoejoe... I really enjoyed your "Cover story". Hand sanitizer works to remove tree sap... but it's a long process!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by marsman

For those of you that use covers, I've heard some mention that tyhey place something between the cover and trailer, like a cotton sheet or poly or what?? Thanks

Hi: marsman... A pool noodle can be used to cover sharp edges too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[tom&pam]

Thanks, everyone for some good ideas and some humor too. My trailer is at a storage yard so hauling ladders back and forth is a problem. But I think I have some good practices in mind that could work. Maybe the best idea is to use the trailer often enough I never consider covering it. Here in California that is a possibility.

[AKCamper]

I don’t have a cover yet but when I get one I’m installing it this way:
TOTALLY INGENIOUS

https://youtu.be/5knm19qbiOg

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

I don’t have a cover yet but when I get one I’m installing it this way:
TOTALLY INGENIOUS

https://youtu.be/5knm19qbiOg

That’s nice! I wonder what will happen to the tv and radio antennas if I tried that method….