Long term, I mean really long term!

twohappycampers · Sep 15, 2011

Another post from me! Working my way up to the next level after "Senior"

Seriously - we have our home parked on a permanent spot in an RV park. Bought it new from the dealer this past June, and our plan is to live in it sitting here for 4 to 5 years at least, until my husband retires. Then perhaps move it to another spot, probably not that far away, and live in it there until we're just toooo dang old! I know, I know, the best laid plans .... And we aren't interested in travelling with it, so that's not in our plans.

I'd like to hear your opinion on what special care or upkeep or whatever we need to be doing, considering it will be stationary for so long. I don't know, guess I'm thinking of things seizing up or deteriorating through lack of it rolling along. It makes sense to me that we should have less problems than some others exactly because it isn't being bumped along the road and used for travel. But maybe there are other things to consider that we're not aware of?

Thanks again!! Lorna

irvin56 · Sep 15, 2011

block it up level and in quite a few places, remove tires and rims and store under trailer. Put up some kind of shirting (either plywood or can buy the heavy fabric type). Make a permanent drain line for water out of pvc. Built your self a nice deck at entrance level, so your not up and down steps all the time. Get your self set up with a 100 pound tank for propane.
That's just for starters. Others will jump in to help out.
Irvin

PUG · Sep 15, 2011

Get the weight off the tires, cover them, and hope they are still good when you get ready to use them. Keep the trl waxed minimum of once a year and twice is better. Keep awning and roof clean and all maintenace up to snuff. The sun is probably your biggest concern.

Bob&Patty · Sep 15, 2011

If you ever do decide to move. I would remove the brake drums and check the bearing for grease (grease will dry up). While the drums are off make sure that brakes have free movement. If you leave the tires on the ground...I would jack up a tire a ta time and rotate the tire to keep the bearings free. Crawl under the coach and make sure some critter hasn't damaged any wiring to the brake wires.

RanCarr · Sep 27, 2011

twohappycampers said:
Another post from me! Working my way up to the next level after "Senior"

Seriously - we have our home parked on a permanent spot in an RV park. Bought it new from the dealer this past June, and our plan is to live in it sitting here for 4 to 5 years at least,
Lorna

Isn't your winter heating bills for the rig going to be outrageous up there in Canada? They don't have the insulation found in regular homes. What about keeping the water pipes from freezing?

twohappycampers · Sep 27, 2011

Hey there! You know, it's pretty good actually. This will be our third winter here, the first two we were in a 30 ft. 1997 Komfort and we did okay. The heating bills were pretty outrageous - it had very little insulation and only single glazed windows and a very drafty door. Doug skirted it all in with vinyl siding, we ran a dehumidifier all night every night, we used auxiliary electric heat when needed, we hung a rug over the door. And wrapped heat tape around the water pipes.

Our new rig has double glazed windows, is well insulated, has a fireplace, and a more efficient furnace - we're looking forward to seeing the difference it makes. And not all of Canada is in a deep freeze all winter. We're lucky enough to live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia on the West Coast. We get a lot of wind and a lot of rain, but not much snow and not much freezing temperatures.

Take good care - Lorna

MrsSouthernNights · Oct 17, 2011

Don't forget to check the caulking outside for cracks, also it would do to remove and re-caulk the wet areas also (shower, sinks-bath and kitchen) use only clear silicone and re-caulk every year. You can use dryer sheets to keep mice out (something in the dryer sheet they don't like and will not invade) since you are going to be there for awhile you can use the spray foam for holes where the pipes come in to seal them from insect invaders.
well that's all I have for now! Good luck!

GOTTOYS · Oct 18, 2011

We had a 102" wide Park Trailer on a seasonal site for 10 years. Left the tires on the ground and checked the inflation on them annually. If you're leaving it for 4-5 years I wouldn't take them off. You will want new ones if you start to travel anyway. Mine was blocked up along the frame with concrete blocks and wooden shims, much like a mobile home would be set. Don't put any supports under the slides, let them hang. I would clean the slide roofs and run the slides in if you aren't going to be there for any length of time. 100# propane tank and a 8X16 freestanding deck that I built in 4X8 sections bolted together. We used a PVC sewer pipe with rubber hub less connectors and a standard white plastic water hose. Check the caulking on the roof and sides and touch it up as needed. Not much else to worry about. I guess I would have looked at a Park Model vs a Fifth Wheel but if it works for you fine. When we sold it, the new owner moved it about 30 miles onto his land. Pulled it on the original tires with no problem. We like traveling around a lot better...Don

irvin56 · Oct 18, 2011

MrsSouthernNights said:
You can use dryer sheets to keep mice out (something in the dryer sheet they don't like and will not invade)

Well that did not work for me last winter. First winter I tried that and it attached 2 mice. They smell bad after locked in trailer for a few months and died. I won't do that again. Never had a problem before in any trailer. As long as you remove the food from trailer. and give it a good wipedown(counters and cupboards)

twohappycampers · Oct 18, 2011

GOTTOYS said:
We had a 102" wide Park Trailer on a seasonal site for 10 years. Left the tires on the ground and checked the inflation on them annually. If you're leaving it for 4-5 years I wouldn't take them off. You will want new ones if you start to travel anyway. Mine was blocked up along the frame with concrete blocks and wooden shims, much like a mobile home would be set. Don't put any supports under the slides, let them hang. I would clean the slide roofs and run the slides in if you aren't going to be there for any length of time. 100# propane tank and a 8X16 freestanding deck that I built in 4X8 sections bolted together. We used a PVC sewer pipe with rubber hub less connectors and a standard white plastic water hose. Check the caulking on the roof and sides and touch it up as needed. Not much else to worry about. I guess I would have looked at a Park Model vs a Fifth Wheel but if it works for you fine. When we sold it, the new owner moved it about 30 miles onto his land. Pulled it on the original tires with no problem. We like traveling around a lot better...Don

Hi Don. Thanks for your input! I'm curious as to why a park model might have been preferable to our fifth wheel? I don't know much about park models, just know I've been in a few and they just didn't appeal. I hope we can live in our fifth wheel for many many years. The one thing that I think about, though, are the stairs and if we can't negotiate them anymore for some reason, then it might be a park model for us after all.

Thanks - Lorna

Gaffer · Oct 18, 2011

If allowed where you are or where you may move to, put a carport type cover over it. The sun and rain on the roof and slides may be your worst enemy. The RV park may allow it only if you leave it when you move out. Don't hurt to ask.

GOTTOYS · Oct 18, 2011

twohappycampers said:
Hi Don. Thanks for your input! I'm curious as to why a park model might have been preferable to our fifth wheel? I don't know much about park models, just know I've been in a few and they just didn't appeal. I hope we can live in our fifth wheel for many many years. The one thing that I think about, though, are the stairs and if we can't negotiate them anymore for some reason, then it might be a park model for us after all.

Thanks - Lorna

Many of the park models are built more like mobile homes. The only difference is they are limited to 400 square feet to qualify as a RV. It is common to find shingled roofs, much better residential type windows, appliances and residential bathroom fixtures with no holding tanks, wood or residential type vinyl siding. Many are built to be lived in year around even in cold climates with no modifications necessary. Most are built to be permanently or semi-permanently placed and can be moved but not as easily as a fifth wheel. Some of the 12 foot wide models even have a loft. Just another choice for a more permanent set-up...Don

Long term, I mean really long term!

twohappycampers

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irvin56

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PUG

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Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter

RanCarr

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twohappycampers

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MrsSouthernNights

Past South Carolina Chapter Leader

GOTTOYS

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irvin56

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twohappycampers

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Gaffer

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GOTTOYS

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