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Old 11-12-2012, 03:55 PM   #1
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Buying ADCO Designer cover for Lacrosse 318bhs

Anyone buy one of these? How are they? Also, 318 owners....what size did you order?....the 28'7"-31'6" or the 31'7"-34'.......seems like it falls right in between the two.....
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Old 11-12-2012, 04:08 PM   #2
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Bought one this year. Make sure you cover the rain gutters at all 4 corners. Also the door stops. had some 50mph winds and its holding up well.
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Old 11-12-2012, 04:38 PM   #3
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I like the designer covers from ADCO. Make sure you get the larger size. We bought one that was well within the size of our unit and wish we would have gone a size up. It fits tight and I'm afraid of rubbing. It never hurts to have some slack.
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Old 11-12-2012, 05:08 PM   #4
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Bought one this year. Make sure you cover the rain gutters at all 4 corners. Also the door stops. had some 50mph winds and its holding up well.
How did you cover yours?
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Old 11-12-2012, 06:11 PM   #5
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How did you cover yours?
Most people use tennis balls, some use swim noodles. I used tennis balls with an X cut in them and cut the bottom also to let any water out. I also used the adco designer cover on my 322 and like it.
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Old 11-13-2012, 12:38 PM   #6
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PADave - I am anxiously awaiting your response as I am in the same boat (TT) as you. I have decided on the same cover as you and have the same exact question. I measured the box this morning and came up with 400-inches in length accounting for the spare tire.

Which size did you order?

I do not think the smaller size you mention will work at all as the overall box of the TT is 400-inches (33 ft 4-inches). I was debating the 34-ft or the 37-ft versions. the 37-ft version is overall 447-inches which could leave nearly 4-ft of slack, I think thats a lot, but not sure.
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Old 11-14-2012, 06:15 AM   #7
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I will measure as well...factory says tongue to bumper is 35'7"....I thought that 318 meant 31'8" real box length. I will measure as soon as I can. ...it is tough when you leave home in the dark and get home in the dark. I at least had a little sunlight in the evenings before we turned our clocks back.
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Old 11-14-2012, 08:41 AM   #8
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I think the 318 is a measurement if ft^2 of the TT with the slides open.
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Old 11-14-2012, 08:47 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by padave65 View Post
I will measure as well...factory says tongue to bumper is 35'7"....I thought that 318 meant 31'8" real box length. I will measure as soon as I can. ...it is tough when you leave home in the dark and get home in the dark. I at least had a little sunlight in the evenings before we turned our clocks back.
Those numbers usually give you an idea, but they can be off several feet.

I hear you about it being dark. I could deal with it being light all 24 hours of the day.
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Old 11-14-2012, 12:01 PM   #10
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I bought the largest size last year for our 318BHS. It's worked great, but did rip a bit around the lower corners and lower fol out stairs. I tried both the tennis balls and the swim noodles to cover the sharp points, but couldn't get them to stay on very well. Still a great investment IMHO, as I can live with a few minor tips on the lowest (insignificant) portion of our TT.
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Old 11-14-2012, 01:29 PM   #11
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I bought the largest size last year for our 318BHS. It's worked great, but did rip a bit around the lower corners and lower fol out stairs. I tried both the tennis balls and the swim noodles to cover the sharp points, but couldn't get them to stay on very well. Still a great investment IMHO, as I can live with a few minor tips on the lowest (insignificant) portion of our TT.
I got a little tear at the corner of the steps too. I used the patch material to repair the tear. I ended up using cardboard and duct tape to cover the corners on the steps.
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Old 11-23-2012, 06:06 PM   #12
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The 318 Touring Edition measures 31'-11" from the rounded nose to the back. I measured ours last week.
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Old 12-10-2012, 08:30 AM   #13
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Cover Update

Just an update on my purchase.
I purchased the 31'-7" to 34' version of the Designer Series
It fit perfect with room to cover the spare tire at the back.
I am glad I didn't get the longer one.
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Old 12-10-2012, 09:35 AM   #14
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Glad you got one. It seems either peeps love or hate covers. We have one on "The Beast" and thank God we do! During storm Sandy, a huge oak tree toppled into another tree which toppled into a third which came down and it's branches just grazed the trailer. Without that cover, we would have had severe scatches down the side. The cover was torn in several spots, but it did more than I could ever ask. No visible damage! I'm a believer.
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Old 12-10-2012, 10:01 AM   #15
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I removed my cover yesterday to start getting the TT ready for our end of month trip. The wifey would feed the cover into a large trash barrel as I removed it from the top of the TT. It went very smooth.

The cover did it's job too. The TT is spotless and I won't have to wash it before going camping.
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Old 12-10-2012, 10:42 AM   #16
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Covers are great! But I covered the spare on our last TT and had massive mold growth on the tire cover, inside n out. Then I read the install instructions - do not cover the spare. Then I ask myself, why did you (ADCO) ask me to measure the tongue to rear bumper, including spare, when you tell me in the insall inst. not to cover the spare OR the front of the tongue?? After sterilizing the spare cover, we only covered the the "box" and it worked out well, with tennis ball protectors on the gutters and swim noodles, slit lengthwise to cover any sharp areas at the bottom. No problems. Too much slack will allow the cover to move around and wear through at corners, etc. The plastic trash can works very well for storage and transporting like Len & Cheri mentioned.
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Old 12-25-2012, 10:08 PM   #17
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Dosent the cover trap moister inside ? I have heard good and bad things about them, I have never used one. But it would be nice to wax in the fall, cover, and be ready to go in the spring
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Old 12-26-2012, 05:06 PM   #18
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No moisture is trapped, some may be passed but it evaporates quickly. The Tyvek top portion is quite waterproof.
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Old 12-26-2012, 07:36 PM   #19
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I have the Tyvek Designer cover and have used it for almost 4 years. Really glad I purchased it, but had little tears on it until I learned where the wind can wear holes. As mentioned, where the stairs fold in have sharp corners, plus gutter extensions, and the Wingman has sharp edges. I have the Cyclone vents which I cover with small plastic trash cans. I also use tennis balls with the X-cut, at the step bracket corners and gutter extensions. I hold those on with metal tape available at Lowes. Very important to have the strong tape because you will check on your cover and those tennis balls will fall off. Duct tape might fall off with cold/heat temps. I use a carpet remnant(3'x3') and lay it on my TV antenna. To repair any holes in the cover, I use my left over EternaBond. Works great and has not fell off anywhere I had trouble. My left over or extra material on the cover I pull over the tanks, electric jack, and tongue. I went to Harbor Freight and purchased the plastic tarp clamps, along with 1/4" rope from Walmart and secure the excess. Works great and hope this helps.
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