Ok Now I'm Worried! Opinions please!

[59toaster]

Well as most of you know we are in the middle of doing a shell off. Just head a weather front move through and we have the wind picking up and supose to peak around midnight.

The shell is sitting on a platform I built to get it off the frame. No door and no front window. It's level but the gorund is sloped. Front is about 36 inches off the gorund and the rear is about 20 inches off the ground. The platfom is 2x4 pounded into some of the harderst Georgia red clay around. The platform is securly screwed to the suports and everything is cross braced. It's fairly sturdy and not had any worries till tonight.

Right now we are having 14 mph wind with gusts to 23. They are predicting 20 mph with unknown gusts in the next couple of hours. Stood out there with some good gusts and shakes a little but not much more.

I decided to go open all the windows in the coach to try to lower the side area and any wind that goes through or up under has a way out. My thought was to try to prevent any presure from developing and trying to lift it and yank the 2x4's up. That make sense or am I better off leaving all the windows shut?

Thought about putting the car and sub tight up against it to try to take some of the wind off of it. Think that would help or hurt?

[71tradewind]

Toaster the car and Suburban sounds like a good idea ! I wouldnt worry too much about the 20 mph stuff .......its the unknown wind speeds that would concern me .Is ther anyway of tying it down ...perhaps to your Suburban ? Good Luck ! Tom

[71tradewind]

Just checked our weather ....they are predicting winds gusting up to 45 mph here,and sustained winds of 35 mph.Be thankful you dont have to deal those speeds !

[59toaster]

The airport 3 miles from me was reporting the above speeds. Dobins SOuth of me is reporting 20 mph and 30 Mph gusts.

[74Argosy24MH]

I set my body on a very heavy frame of 2x6's for a whole winter. It sat flat on the ground, I counted on it freezing in for stability (see our frigid weather does have some advantages). The body had 4 screws down each side and 2 in the back. I left all the windows and door open. 3 vent openings in the roof, refrigerator and water heater compartments open. The rear of the body faced the prevailing wind.
I figured the more air that passed through it the less pressure. It is fairly flat and open here so winds can get pretty strong.

I had one distinct advantage- The channel around the bottom of the mh body gives it a lot of stability. I would watch carefully for flex and distortion from the gusts. That could be as much of a problem as it lifting off.

John

[59toaster]

Thanks John

I think I'm in the clear. Winds are dying down now.

We were sweating it for a little while but it looks like my platform did it's job. The body is securely attached to the frame work I built. Just started to worry my stakes were not going to stay planted. Pound as I might they are only 12 -15 inches into the heard ground we have down here. If I still lived up your way I would have sunk a full 6ft the way I was beating on them.

Glad you agree that opening the windows was the right thing to do. I was worried it would make things worse. The wind was blowing in from the door side. I figured letting it have as many ways out the otherside would be wise. Also it would lower surface area.

Eric

[Silvertwinky]

The shell is sitting on a platform I built to get it off the frame. No door and no front window. It's level but the gorund is sloped. Front is about 36 inches off the gorund and the rear is about 20 inches off the ground. The platfom is 2x4 pounded into some of the harderst Georgia red clay around. The platform is securly screwed to the suports and everything is cross braced. It's fairly sturdy and not had any worries till tonight.

Eric,

A thought I have would be to secure the platform to the ground with some mobile home trailer tie downs. I'm referring to the part which screws into the ground. I know the ground is very hard but if you could get them in I think that would hold very well.

[greg176]

I had winds up to about 50 MPH here last week.I have shell strapped down to trailer frame and it's all still there.I left shell on frame as I have nowhere else to put it and it will make a good shelter while I build new frame.Had 300 lbs of steel channel delivered today - back to work.

[markdoane]

Toaster: glad you survived the windstorm. My problem with wind was a lot less serious. Painted the frame yesterday. With 16-23mph wind and falling leaves, the paint job may look like a collage of fallen leaves.
Here's the frame all prepped for paint:

[85MH325]

Originally posted by 59toaster
Thanks John

I think I'm in the clear. Winds are dying down now.

We were sweating it for a little while but it looks like my platform did it's job. The body is securely attached to the frame work I built. Just started to worry my stakes were not going to stay planted. Pound as I might they are only 12 -15 inches into the heard ground we have down here. If I still lived up your way I would have sunk a full 6ft the way I was beating on them.

Glad you agree that opening the windows was the right thing to do. I was worried it would make things worse. The wind was blowing in from the door side. I figured letting it have as many ways out the otherside would be wise. Also it would lower surface area.

Eric

Hi Eric. You can't argue with success! Congratulations on surviving the wind. If it happens again before you're back on the frame, you might try screwing some 'doggie leash' tie-downs in, a couple on each side of the shell and then looping nylon straps (motorcycle tie-downs would work well) over the top and then snug them down. That may give you just the extra little security you need to keep it anchored. It's cheap and easy. I use them on my awning, and I've used them for tying down dozens of other things all over the place. If the screws rip out of the ground along with your framework, saving your trailer shell will be the least of your problems!

Roger

[JimC]

Here in Colorado you can plan on 45 mph wind and 70 mph gust any time you do something like removing your Airstream shell. I have not given this any thought, but I sure would if I was planning to take the shell of my A/S. Glad to hear you got by ok.

Jim

[59toaster]

Well we did fine. I should have started panicing earlier. The worst had already past when I made the post. Clear weather predicted for the rest of the week. This weekend the Shell will be back on the frame safe and sound.

I still may look at some tie downs once I get the parking space set up for the old gal. Keep here safe between trips.

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas.