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Adco Cover On 86 Dolphin


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Here is the ADCO 32812 Designer Series Tan/White Tyvek Class-C RV Cover on an 86 Toyota Dolphin.

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This is made for a 20 to 23 foot Class C and as you can see it is plenty big enough. There is a lot of it on the ground, that's going to get dirty. But at least I don't have to worry about tire covers.

They recommend walking on the roof and pulling it up. I didn't want to do that, so I used a ladder. It's not all that heavy about 25 pounds. I tried to arrange it so it would fall down evenly, and it did; upside down. The wind is not your friend with this job. I'm sure I'll get better at it with practice.

I really don't know if a cover is going to do any good. but it will make me feel better when the weather is really nasty. I did something for my baby and that's about the best I can do.

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it will get shredded in the wind if you don't tie it down really good. I was disappointed in mine as in the spring it looked just as dirty as if no cover. I had cleaned it prior to covering.

Also the excess cover on the ground freezes to the ground which the wind then whips up and rips further. Best thing for a toy home is a garage or pole barn.

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Yeah, this cover is definitely going to need more strapping. Gets too windy here. I'm going to take it back off today. There's no real nasty weather in the forecast anyway. I just feel the need to do something, y'know? Us poor renters don't have a lot of options.

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Trust me I put 35 bungy cords on it which added additional expense, It still shredded apart with the high wind blizzards we got last winter here in Michigan.

I am now eye balling those metal RV car ports with increased enthusiasm. Had the Adco cover material been more robust and not so easily shredded I could be an advocate but as it stands mine actually nothing but damage my RV. during one of the storms it ripped a football shaped hole in the side of the cover. It did come with adhesive backed patching material with which i patched the hole, but the wind peeled the patch off in minutes and it sailed away. Once it gets a hole in the side watch out its game over as it inflates like a sail and flops around violently snapping the ties all along the bottom (also made of brawny towel psuedo-cloth.) At that point while all inflated and whipping around it proceeds to rip ALL of your Bargman marker light covers off and toss them all over your yard along with ripping the bulbs out. So at least in the end the cover will also get you seriously considering upgrading your marker lights to one piece LED ones. :)

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I have five Michigan winters tarping lessons. I have only used flat supposedly heavy duty tarps secured only with lots of rope.

Snow loaded on top has kept that part of the tarp in place and not flailing in the wind. But with A/C, refrig, luggage rack, and three Max-Air vent covers up there the top is very uneven and the tarp has been damaged by too much weight between high spots.

One spring I found my radio antenna on the ground beside the cab.

Every year there are places on the side of my Toy where the finish has been worn by flailing tarp.

But that is all that has happened to the vehicle.

I have only been able to get two years before a tarp is too chewed up to use again. This last winter only one year. Heads of the screws in the luggage rack wear through the tarp every year and start tears. Twice the wind has pulled grommets out of the edge of the (heavy duty?) tarp.

This year I parked as un-level as I could and even used wood under tires to make it tip more. I have 3-4 inches of tip side to side and 6-8 inches end to end. I am hoping this promotes runoff when the freeze-thaw cycles begin in the spring.

Wondering if I can not use a tarp this year. Opinions? Past experience?

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I have five Michigan winters tarping lessons. I have only used flat supposedly heavy duty tarps secured only with lots of rope.

Snow loaded on top has kept that part of the tarp in place and not flailing in the wind. But with A/C, refrig, luggage rack, and three Max-Air vent covers up there the top is very uneven and the tarp has been damaged by too much weight between high spots.

One spring I found my radio antenna on the ground beside the cab.

Every year there are places on the side of my Toy where the finish has been worn by flailing tarp.

But that is all that has happened to the vehicle.

I have only been able to get two years before a tarp is too chewed up to use again. This last winter only one year. Heads of the screws in the luggage rack wear through the tarp every year and start tears. Twice the wind has pulled grommets out of the edge of the (heavy duty?) tarp.

This year I parked as un-level as I could and even used wood under tires to make it tip more. I have 3-4 inches of tip side to side and 6-8 inches end to end. I am hoping this promotes runoff when the freeze-thaw cycles begin in the spring.

Wondering if I can not use a tarp this year. Opinions? Past experience?

Heads of the screws on the luggage rack could be sealed over with roofing seal compound or with caulking. That will provide a cushion over the metal screws so they don't cut the tarp. Plus of course it will provide a water seal for the screw holes too. Worthwhile project even if you don't use a tarp.

Cushion the sharp edges of objects so they don't wear out the tarp. You could use bubble wrap, sections of old blankets or pieces of the felt like indoor outdoor carpet. The 3M company makes residue free duct tape, it is sold at the Lowe's store in my area but I don't know if all the Lowes stores carry it. You will find it in the paint department. Premium price on it but worth it as it does not leave a gummy mess behind when you remove it. Several layers of the tape over a sharp corner or edge will provide some cushioning. Don't do this with regular duct tape as it will leave a gummy mess behind. When spring comes and you take off the tarp just pull off the tape.

If you sew you could make a sleeve out of marine vinyl to put over the AC before you put the tarp on. Just build some cinching ties into the AC cover to keep it from blowing off in case the tarp blows off too.

But a solution many people use is to build a little roof truss frame that straps onto the top of the RV and secure the tarp to that. It should be just tall enough to span over all the roof top protrusions. There are photos of that type of structure elsewhere on this forum but you will have to search for them. Be sure you put some foam cushioning on the bottom of the frame. The rolls of foam used below the sill plates of buildings will work just fine for this. You can purchase that foam in any lumber yard or where the insulation is at the big box stores such as Home Depot. That foam can also be used in combination with duct tape for cushioning sharp edges and corners.

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For several years I used bags of foam peanuts to even out the low spots on the roof.

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To help reduce tarp damage from items on the roof, I put a 20x30 blue tarp over the top, then put a full RV cover

over the top, and put a rope all around the rv in the mid-section to help keep the tarp from blowing around.I

am parked inside of a group of evergreen trees that greatly reduce the wind, and it is on a slight angle to help

keep the rain/snow off. My last tarp lasted 5 years this way.

Dennis..

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