where to store?

[ride2k]

After two months of study we finally moved on an Airstream. Ordered an 05 31 ft, no dinette, classic. thanks to all the forum members for your posts that helped us come to what we hope is a good decision. now a question. what are the pros and cons of storage? on grass, asphalt, concrete? I am currently seeking a secure lot in our area and am getting different information. Thanks, Ride2k

[TomW]

NOT grass. Bugs can crawl up the tires & front jack. The taller the grass is, the less obvious their presence will be.

Then, when it is time to cut the grass, unless you do it yourself, the goob cutting the grass may hit your Airstream with the mower. A string trimmer will probably be used to trim around the tires. That string is not kind to tires, and the clippings will probably get zinged onto your trailer.

Any hard surface is better although be wary of asphalt if it is your asphalt. My Overlander's PO has dips in his asphalt driveway where the Airstream used to sit.

Tom

[j54mark]

Grass can also turn to mud and make it a dirty, difficult job to get your coach out. Possibly impossible without four wheel drive, and maybe even with it!

Gravel surfaces work well. For those of us with older units, concrete is nice when it comes time to crawl underneath for repairs.

Sounds like a great trailer. Congradulations.

Mark

[jcanavera]

Concrete is hard on tires in that the lime in the concreate leaches away the compounds in the tires. Note any vehicle stored on concreate for a long period of time will have black marks where the tires sat. If you are dealing with longer storage periods, put something under the wheels to separate them from the concreate.

Jack

[59toaster]

Parking on a non hard surface means more humidity from the Earth giving up water after rains ect) under the coach for longer periods of time. If it must park on a non paved or concrete surface make sure the area has good drainage to minimize the amount of humidity under the coach.

There are a few stories/posts a year of coachs parked in FL on that sandy soil and after sitting for 20 years the frames rot out from under them.

[uwe]

Additionally,
I found out that nothing beats inside storage, or at least under cover storage, like a huge car port type roof.
My 71 Tradewind stayed immaculate while I stored it in my warehouse. Then when I moved it to outside storage nearby to make room for the Overlander project, things changed drastically.
Little scratches in the tongue turned to rusty arteries, little nicks on the propane tanks to ugly splotches. The aluminum got harder to clean, and the inside gets stuffy, since the windows need to be closed and locked all the time for security. Prolonged UV exposure will ruin your clear coat exponentially faster. And your curtains, and all plastic parts outside the trailer.
Even the tires and wheels suffer. both from UV exposure and from weather. If you want to spend the extra money, inside storage preserves your trailer like nothing else.

[dmac]

This topic comes up often. First - read all the posts about leaks, rotted floors, peeling clearcoat, rusty frames, and replacing curtains and upholstery. Decide you don't want to have any of this happen to your new unit.

Find a farmer in an outlying area with a big pole barn. Either he will have space, or he will know someone who has space. I pay $500 per year (~$40/month) for indoor storage, concrete floor, in a newer pole barn. I do not have to move anything to get the trailer in or out. Each time I get the trailer I know it is in exactly the same condition as when I left it last.

[Cracker]

Dan M.

I agree with you Dan - but even in Maine I have had a difficult time finding the Barn you mention. As for Florida - forget it! There just aren't that many farmers and barns left. I'm presently in a very well maintained storage facility in Palmetto, Florida, fully fenced, and on crushed shell - with access by code. This particular facility also offers covered storage - three units per cover. Outside storage for my 30' AS runs $115/quarter and covered storage runs about $115/month. They also offer a 60' covered wash bay on concrete and a dump station. When I return to Maine this Spring, I plan to build a partially-walled pole barn on my property for the AS - with full hookups. Thereafter, we plan to hunker down and spend winters in Maine at our camp. The AS will provide a spare bedroom for the occasional winter visitor - and be ready to go come Spring in Maine.

[ride2k]

Gosh Guy's, Thanks for the quick come back on this. We won't take delevery on our new coach or suburean till April sometime. We will spend the summer months (June-October) on the road away from Florida. The trick will be to locate a covered secure storage lot in the Ft Myers area to keep our new baby from November thru May. Well now one project finished (deciding on which unit and tow) and an other to begin! BTW,being new at this we are undecided about getting some sort of satellite recever or what. We love camping however being out 5 months it seems keeping much of out normal pleasures available is desireable. What do you think? Rike2k (aka David)

[bake315]

Until last fall, we stored our Airstream in a covered, locked, private stall for about $85 per month. Finally we were able to bring it home and keep it under a large carport with concrete floor.

The other day we were out driving, and passed by an RV storage yard which was crammed full of units - basically a huge chain link corral with gravel. It made me think about how much some spend on their trailers, both in purchase and maintenance - only to leave them out in the harshest conditions for months and sometimes years at a time without use or care, not only ruining like this, but also sitting ducks for anyone with less than honorable intentions, or hapless individual who backs his trailer or MH into yours. I know for some folks this is the solitary option for storing their RV, and in many cases would choose a far more suitable home for their investment if they were able. I don't think I could ever bring myself to leave the Limited in such a place. I honestly think I'd have to sell it first. Just couldn't bear it.

Just my tuppence worth.

[jcanavera]

In some cases its not a matter of choice. Inside storage is hard to find in our area. The place offering it closest to my home is $95 a month, with no access allowed other than them pulling your trailer out for you. Not very condusive if I need to get into the trailer for minor issues. Once they pull the trailer out, it sits in an unprotected area until you pick it up. Same for dropping the trailer off. From what I have been told they cram the boats and trailers in, leaving very minimal clearance between the units. Thankfully they move the trailers and boats but one mistake and oops! The other issue is the site is in a flood plain and there have been times when the owners have been called to evacuate the area.

I used to keep my trailer inside at a site 50 miles from my home over the winter months, but haven't done it the past couple of years due to the storage folks getting greedy on pricing and doubling the monthly cost. What I really would like is to keep the trailer inside year round. It was nice doing my Walbernize in the fall and pulling the unit out in the spring with nothing to do exterior wise other than a washing of the dust. Spring and summer are always nail biters here listening to the severe storm forecasts and the threat of hail.

Jack

[bake315]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Spring and summer are always nail biters here listening to the severe storm forecasts and the threat of hail.

Jack

I hear you there. Such things are a spring and summer nuisance here as well. Even worse when you're traveling and you have a line of storms bearing down on you, so it's out with the weather radio and the map to try and guess where the strongest cells are - and then try to dodge them somehow. Harrowing, to say the least.

[maxandgeorgia]

Since I cannot figure out how to post a new thread, I was amazed to find this one today to hitch onto for my question. Having sold our home and looking for another place for retirement, one of our hope-to-finds was a covered storage place for our A/S. One acreage we really like has a 40 X 70 metal building with concrete floors, water, and electricity, a huge double tall sliding door and another single tall lift door. I think there is enough room for Gypsy plus a couple sisters! The building is toward the back of the area, not in road view at all. My question: is it reasonable to consider providing rv storage to justify the large building? We would be midway between a large university town and the state capitol, about a fifteen minute drive either way. Do you think we could find interested renters? What would be a reasonable monthly or yearly charge? I even think there would be room to wash, polish, or work on trailers in the barn or in the yard area just outside. How many units do you think we could fit in such a space? I know we would need liability insurance. Other potential issues? Thanks for helping me rationalize buying this place with such a large storage barn since we surely wouldn't fill it with huge shop and farm machinery!

[silver 67]

Georgia - Great to hear that you sold your house and are officially retired. I don't think you'd have any problem renting enclosed storage, especially with the lakes so close by. There are many people who own lots on the lakes but have never put up permanent structures; they just haul their RV there and park it for the season. You might check with other storage facilities in the area and see what their rates are. The only other thing I can think of is checking with the county to see if you will require a "special use permit" (which is required in Kansas) to run a small business on the property. I'm happy we have Moby in the barn; he's been much easier to work on. Good luck.

[Janets Husband]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

is it reasonable to consider providing rv storage to justify the large building?

Forget the justification, "Just do it!" Indulge your wims if you can.

[jcanavera]

Price here in STL for inside storage varies on the location in the metro area. It goes for about $95 downwards. Downwards prices are for those locations further out in the rural areas. There also might be a factor in the price for the length of the trailer. The quote I received a couple of years ago was $50 a month for a 27' Safari, 50 miles from downtown STL, to $95 for the same trailer only 26 miles from downtown.

Currently I'm paying $40 for an outside site about 4 miles from my home.

Jack

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by ride2k

After two months of study we finally moved on an Airstream. Ordered an 05 31 ft, no dinette, classic. thanks to all the forum members for your posts that helped us come to what we hope is a good decision. now a question. what are the pros and cons of storage? on grass, asphalt, concrete? I am currently seeking a secure lot in our area and am getting different information. Thanks, Ride2k

I would suggest getting a storage lot that allows 24 hour access. If I had needed to drive an hour to get our trailer, or wait until someone could let me in, I would have had a problem last August when the hurricanes started marching in.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by ride2k

... what are the pros and cons of storage? on grass, asphalt, concrete? I am currently seeking a secure lot in our area ...

I've just completed construction of a parking pad with full hookups in my back yard. Here's a link to details.

Tom

[markdoane]

Tom,

Nice pad! Looks like you had plenty of help from a skilled bobcat operator and apprentice pipefitter.