Handling the Wind

[Native Tex]

Hey folks I need to know how to help to secure your slide toppers in a sustain wind of 25 - 30 mph? We are having some very bad weather tonight here in north Alabama in from of the arctic cold from crossing the nation. For future reference, would a soccer ball be good or is there something better you guys use? I have my main awning secured of course, but no way to secure toppers short of rolling them in. That would put a cramp on space of course.

Merry Christmas!!

[rlrich]

The only thing I ever found to keep my slideout cover from flapping was about two inches of wet snow.

[bsmeaton]

Native Tex,

I'm absolutely no help to your situation, but I would think a soccer ball or two would help.

We opted not to have them installed for that reason. I've seen them in rags after the high winds we get around here. I'm going to eventually get the Care-free versions that disconnect from the slide and retract if you want.

[scattershot]

We got into some high winds in Ft. Stockton, TX one time and wound up retracting our slides. I thought the whole thing was going to blow away! Probably stiffer winds than 25-30 MPH, though, come to think about it..

[rrheik]

Native Tex,

I guess the soccer balls are a way to go. Had some bad winds couple weeks ago in Tucson, and fortunately our slide toppers withstood the winds. thought they were going to go, as a couple of rigs lost there awnings. When we bought them, we were told that the factory warranty was void in the Southwest because of winds, so paid another $20 for extended warranty to cover this situation. Good luck.
bob

[richfaa]

We are, as we speak, having high winds here in Northern, Ohio, out of the West 28 to 33 sustained and 48-51 Gust and it is predicted to get worse. We were out in the 3400 doing some wiring in the W/D closet and had the slides out..That thing was rocking, roiling banging, flapping and we are not even out in the open but along side the house. I would not want to be in the camper in this kind of wind. In fact I'm not pulled the slides in and retreated into the house. Lesson learned...How does the 3400 handle the wind...it doesn't...Abandon ship when the wind is @ 25MPH.

[noneck]

Well, Just to add some experience... I don't have the slide toppers but have ridden through 60 mph winds in our 02 Monty it was hitting us from the rear! We were on Assateague Island when Ernesto hit...I know, not a smart thing to do, won't do that again but, good news is, the big rear window held fine, alot of shaking going on...had slides out and all was Ok after 24hrs of being nervous and scared.
Chuck

[bsmeaton]

I rode out some ferocious winds in Nebraska, the ones that shredded the awning slides on other units. Strong enough winds it broke the tree at our site - and sent my satellite dish flying like a kite on the end of the cable until my cable broke. This wind knocked over a 5er parked at the beach because of the soft sand.

Ours rode it out amazingly well - felt sturdy and secure. It became a safe haven for the folks next door after the roof ripped off of thier tent trailer.

Now towing in it, thats a whole different story!

[SKOOBDO]

Well, my unit today survived the 50mph gust and the constant high winds Ohio. All my awnings are fine, however two of my X-mas bows that I had tied to the awnings flew away My trash can flew under the trailer along with my ice cooler, but everything else is tight as a button. It's still windy right now and the temparture has been dropping all day. I am living in my unit, and from the inside it's pretty stable...and I'm very toasty right now! Since April in Ohio there have been several times throughout the summer there were very heavy winds and thunderstorms. So far, only one time when this area had a few tornadoes touch down, that my unit rocked somewhat. I have had no problem at all! But, if there was a tornadoe warning in my immediate area I think I would seek shelter...seen too many trailer parks demolished on television before.

[sreigle]

We've been in winds up to about 60mph without a serious problem. When it gets that high and we start to rock, we retract the slides. I think we've done that maybe twice in almost four years. The slide toppers flap around and make noise but we've never had one tear in the wind. That could happen, though. I would think a volleyball or soccer ball might help. Or rope over the top of the toppers and brought around the bottom of the slide. We tend to not worry about it too much but maybe we've been lucky.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Gotta ask

Do those volley balls fly away during really hard winds??? How would you keep them from rolling out??

Seriously, that is the first thing I thought of when I read about volley balls months and months ago. Just what is gonna keep them in there in a brisk wind???

[richfaa]

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/beaufort.html


Here is a chart that may be of some interest as to how hard the wind is really blowing.. Note that a 50 MPH wind is a strong gale and a 60 MPH wind will uproot trees and 25 to 30 MPH wind is stiff breeze. If you are broadside to a 25/30MPH wind it is time is abandon ship. We have had to abandon a Air traffic Control tower more than once in winds less than some of you have reported were no problem in the camper...

[Native Tex]

Well guys we did some serious rocking and rolling last night and today in the high winds. No slide topper damage and the Monty did really well. I have read where someone asked, I think it was Carol, about how to keep the volley balls under the slide toppers. If my measurements are right, the balls will create enough tension to hold themselves under the slide topper. I do like Steve's ideas about a rope around the toppers to keep them in shape in the wind. Rich makes a darn good point too; at some point you must find a hotel. However, I would really hate to leave my rig for fear of it be turned over. But a guys has to think of long term safety.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

OV

Thanks for that input on the volley ball measurement. That makes sense.

Huntsville, by the way, is where Al and I dropped 1.4 inches of ice on the ground when retracting the slides. Al thought I blew out the windows on Tana!

Al and I have sat through some pretty good winds in Tana, have yet to put the slides in to make it through the night, but did think about it once or twice. Got hit a couple of times by 45 to 50 mph gusts that hit fast, no warning, ouchie!

If we had to abandon ship, errrr Tana everytime the wind went over 25 to 30, we could not afford the hotel bills. Now, ole Carol is not gonna take chances, no way, nope, nadda. And, if there is a tornado warning/watch, you don't want to be around me, cause I am gonna break your arm if you get in my way of finding a block building that is safe. I have done enough of those kinds of storms IN an RV to hold me for a life time! But, 25 to 30, I can handle. Even 30 to 40, we can handle. It gets annoying, and it's not fun, but it is doable.

Now, this is something that we all have to know our limits and our own comfort zones on, and if you feel uncomfy at 25, then GET OUT and go where you feel safe! No questions asked! JUST GO. Nothing is worth feeling that nervous about.

So, if you try the volleyball, will ya let us know how it does in the high winds???

[richfaa]

Well we all have our own comfort zones..As for the Montana..It is just a camper..let ER blow away we will get another one. We won't be in the thing.I guess I am more sensitive and aware to what winds can do especially to a camper, Funny because Helen and I were just talking about that this AM after I abandoned the camper in the high winds.She said she would not really want to be in a camper if it rolled over as we had seen a couple and it was not a pretty picture. She said what if we are out and it blows away...The Bird would still be in the camper. I said I would call the insurance company tomorrow and see if the Bird was insured as "contents" or if we had to get a special rider.

[smc]

In Southern Alberta, we golf in 20-30 mph winds. Aside from some rocking, we have never had a problem. Keep the awning in when in high winds and that is about it. We had a pretty good wind here (Yuma) this week, 20-30 mph, even left the awning out. The winds were from the north, awning on south side. If it is really windy, we sometimes park the truck so it breaks the wind.

[richfaa]

The worst is over and it never got all that bad,,Our local airport reported sustained winds or 33 MPH yesterday afternoon. Being in the city and protected by buildings we did not see that sustained wind but did see 25 to 33 MPH wind. High gust was reported at 61 MPH. The Montana is along side the house and protected by the house. No snow at all..now 29 Degrees. Be aware that if the camper is broadside to the wind and in a area not protected by wind breaks a 25/MPH is dangerous . It is only a camper...do not attempt to ride out high winds..It is really hard to judge wind speed unless you have some experience in doing so. Be safe... End of story..

[sreigle]

Well, anyone who plans to vacate at 25 to 30 mph best not go to the Rio Grande Valley, or get a motel instead. In Kansas, many of the camping weekends are accompanied by winds. 25 mph was usually my limit taking our bassboat out on the lakes but in the Montana we were comfortable well above that wind level. But, as soon as we feel uncomfortable or unsafe we will vacate the Montana until the storm subsides. We have a couple of times pulled the slides in and that makes a difference, too.

The 60mph winds we've been in are gusts to 60, not sustained 60 mph. And rarely is it directly broadside, although sometimes it seems like it. Other than being a bit tense it's not so far been a problem. Hopefully that will never change.

[hazmic]

We have towed in winds 20-40 mph from the side. Why are you worried about standing still with the jacks down. I highly agree with Steve if you are camped and get real windy and strong winds,if you have time bring in the slide outs and it seems to streamline the camper. If you have single wheel axle on the TV rear end it would be different but we have a dually and I think it makes a big difference. It seems anymore that the wind is always blowing from the front of the camper. the other guy has the tailwind. We have gotten off the subject of awnings though, ours have arms that WILL NOT let them unroll while traveling and when parked with the slide outs out ,they have flopped and rattled in the wind but no problems. I would think the volley balls could stretch the awning and then you have a awning that would be loose in the middle and problems when rolling up.

[pud2]

I would use a rope tied around the topper and the whole slide.I would think using the ball thing would create more of a parachute for the wind to get up under it. The rope would keep it snug against the slide.