Shelter for my Fifth Wheel Question...

[Gene85222]

I have a Cedar Creek Silverback 33IK that is 36 feet long. I'm thinking about getting a carport type cover to put the FW under. The 33IK has three slides I am wondering what type of cover and how wide and tall, you guys are using.

[WEMig]

I built ours 14' wide. Think about how long to build consideting if you upgrade in the future. 14' gives you enough room to open slides.

[jtstromsburg]

If I were able and had the space, I'd build 42 ft long, 14' wide, and 14' high sidewalls. Our Sabre was over 13' tall to the front AC.

[Ford Idaho]

14 foot doorway 16 foot wide 40 foot long.

Should cover what you have now with room for working around it as well as cover what you may upgrade to.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by Gene85222

I have a Cedar Creek Silverback 33IK that is 36 feet long. I'm thinking about getting a carport type cover to put the FW under. The 33IK has three slides I am wondering what type of cover and how wide and tall, you guys are using.

We went 41 Long, 18 Wide and 12 foot leg height which gives a peak height of 15 feet. The width was so the slides would open and the outdoor kitchen door on the opposite side could open with a little room to spare. We definitely haven't regretted the width if you have the room for it. The height we didn't have to have since our existing camper is only 11 1/2 high, but wanted to have something tall enough to get on the roof under the shelter for maintenance purposes. Also, planning ahead in case there is ever a higher trailer in our future.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Ashley

We went 41 Long, 18 Wide and 12 foot leg height which gives a peak height of 15 feet. The width was so the slides would open and the outdoor kitchen door on the opposite side could open with a little room to spare. We definitely haven't regretted the width if you have the room for it. The height we didn't have to have since our existing camper is only 11 1/2 high, but wanted to have something tall enough to get on the roof under the shelter for maintenance purposes. Also, planning ahead in case there is ever a higher trailer in our future.

Can you also put the awning out?

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Can you also put the awning out?

No Sir, unfortunately not all the way. That would require possibly another four feet in width and we didn't have the room to get that big with the shelter. That would be nice though for drying it or washing it without having to move the trailer out.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Ashley

No Sir, unfortunately not all the way. That would require possibly another four feet in width and we didn't have the room to get that big with the shelter. That would be nice though for drying it or washing it without having to move the trailer out.

Even if you parked close to the side with the slide just clearing the wall? 3' slide, 8' trailer leaves 7' for awning?

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Even if you parked close to the side with the slide just clearing the wall? 3' slide, 8' trailer leaves 7' for awning?

Well, if I really pack it in there tight on the slide side I might could get it almost all the way, but I think I am still short. My slide toppers stick off the sides of the slides so they actually make me have to have about forty two inches of clearance on that side of the trailer to open the slides.

So, yeah the slides and the trailer plus a little daylight to keep the wife from worrying about me scuffing the paint means 12 feet occupied which would leave me six feet of free space to open the awning up.

Dang it, now you are gonna make me try and pack it in there tight enough I can open that awning all the way up just to say it can be done.

Did you just use some kind of Jedi Mind Trick on me?

[OldCoot]

You might have to pull the awning arms down to their lowest position to get a little extra room.

I've been contemplating the same thing about getting a carport for ours and was wondering just how wide it would have to be.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

You might have to pull the awning arms down to their lowest position to get a little extra room.

I've been contemplating the same thing about getting a carport for ours and was wondering just how wide it would have to be.

I'll try that out tomorrow and see how far out I can get it, then I'll let ya know how it turns out.

We do love having ours under the carport. Keeps the heat down so much here in Florida, makes for a nice environment to perform maintenance under and washing and waxing can be done in the shade.

[Crockett]

Originally Posted by Ashley

We went 41 Long, 18 Wide and 12 foot leg height which gives a peak height of 15 feet. The width was so the slides would open and the outdoor kitchen door on the opposite side could open with a little room to spare. We definitely haven't regretted the width if you have the room for it. The height we didn't have to have since our existing camper is only 11 1/2 high, but wanted to have something tall enough to get on the roof under the shelter for maintenance purposes. Also, planning ahead in case there is ever a higher trailer in our future.

X2...firget the awning...you under cover due to inclement weather and that type of weather dont like awnings anyway. Have constructed to code so she lasts...

[Ashley]

So, Old Coot asked about opening the awning under an 18' wide RV carport with the slides extended on the opposite side and made me think a little harder about my math and how I had been assuming it wasn't possible to open it all the way. After Church this morning I went out and did some careful measuring and took a few pictures for him of my unit sitting there under the shelter so he can get his wheels turning on how he wants to do his future RV carport.

First, the 18' wide metal carport is actually to the ""Outside" of it, so you lose 5" total width for the 2 1/2" legs/framework. So, you really start with 211" of free space/width.

211" Total, Minus 96" Camper, 37" Slide Out, 6.5" Slide Out Cover and 6" Daylight to not scuff the paint, Leaves us with 65.5" on the awning side.

My awning extends between 7.5-8' going off memory at first, but then I extended it as far as it would go under the carport and counted the wraps left on the roller tube, did my math and came up 92.5".

So in the end I have 27" of awning I can't extend with my trailer placed under my 18' wide carport. BUT, having said that, Crockett is right in the reasoning that other than drying it or working on it you would not have to extend it anyway with it under the carport.

I'll attach some pictures I took in hopes it will give OC a better idea of what he may want to do when it comes time for him to cover his unit. Hopefully I have provided some useful information for anyone considering what size carport they are after to park their unit under.

[frozen]

My RV garage is 16' wide outside, 15' inside. The slide on one side can be fully opened, but only partially on the other side leaving difficult access all the way around. Our Rockwood 8289 has 3 entry steps; the bottom step is nearly against the wall. We're trading for a Wildcat with 4 entry steps. It's unlikely that I'll be able to fully extend the bottom step. The building was more than long enough for our previous campers, but now I'm faced with adding another 4' of length for the Wildcat. And I built it with a 12x12' door which I've already had to replace with a 12x14'. Very poor planning on my part. It's better to over-build than to build over!

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by frozen

My RV garage is 16' wide outside, 15' inside. The slide on one side can be fully opened, but only partially on the other side leaving difficult access all the way around. Our Rockwood 8289 has 3 entry steps; the bottom step is nearly against the wall. We're trading for a Wildcat with 4 entry steps. It's unlikely that I'll be able to fully extend the bottom step. The building was more than long enough for our previous campers, but now I'm faced with adding another 4' of length for the Wildcat. And I built it with a 12x12' door which I've already had to replace with a 12x14'. Very poor planning on my part. It's better to over-build than to build over!

Yes Sir, that is why we went a little over height wise on this one. Didn't want that sick feeling in the stomach one day if we traded up and then had the expense of replacing a whole carport too.

[bpadamson]

Ashley, that is a nice style carport. What is the brand name?

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by bpadamson

Ashley, that is a nice style carport. What is the brand name?

Thank You, T-n-T Metal Buildings is the national manufacturer and then of course they have a distributorship system.

http://www.tntcarports.com/brochure/TNT-Brochure-FL.pdf

^^^That's the link to their Florida Brochure, down about page six is the style of mine.

T-N-T Carports - Nationwide installed metal carports, garages, buildings, rv covers, horse barns, lean-tos and more!

^^^That's the link to their main brochure page

[trbomax]

They dont do mi,probably because of the dumd rule about needing engineer stamped plans for anything over 12'.I'm thinking I'm going to just build it and deal with the county when I have to.We are so far back in the woods it might take them a couple years to ever see it.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by trbomax

They dont do mi,probably because of the dumd rule about needing engineer stamped plans for anything over 12'.I'm thinking I'm going to just build it and deal with the county when I have to.We are so far back in the woods it might take them a couple years to ever see it.

I'd bet the tax assessor see's it once or twice a year.
Around here that is seen as an" improvement" and taxed forthwith.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Ashley

So, Old Coot asked about opening the awning under an 18' wide RV carport with the slides extended on the opposite side and made me think a little harder about my math and how I had been assuming it wasn't possible to open it all the way. After Church this morning I went out and did some careful measuring and took a few pictures for him of my unit sitting there under the shelter so he can get his wheels turning on how he wants to do his future RV carport.

First, the 18' wide metal carport is actually to the ""Outside" of it, so you lose 5" total width for the 2 1/2" legs/framework. So, you really start with 211" of free space/width.

211" Total, Minus 96" Camper, 37" Slide Out, 6.5" Slide Out Cover and 6" Daylight to not scuff the paint, Leaves us with 65.5" on the awning side.

My awning extends between 7.5-8' going off memory at first, but then I extended it as far as it would go under the carport and counted the wraps left on the roller tube, did my math and came up 92.5".

So in the end I have 27" of awning I can't extend with my trailer placed under my 18' wide carport. BUT, having said that, Crockett is right in the reasoning that other than drying it or working on it you would not have to extend it anyway with it under the carport.

I'll attach some pictures I took in hopes it will give OC a better idea of what he may want to do when it comes time for him to cover his unit. Hopefully I have provided some useful information for anyone considering what size carport they are after to park their unit under.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate the trouble you went to to get the pictures.