DUST!

[JArry]

Pertaining to A-Frame trailers:

I have noticed this problem with mine for awhile, but on my current trip, which includes about a week in dusty semi-arid SW CO, it has become a more glaring problem. A substantial amount of gravel road dust gets into my trailer while I am towing.

The largest share of dust seems to come through the hinge side of the lower section of the entry door. I really need to add more weather stripping there, which I will do upon my return home. But the dust is getting into most other compartments as well. There is a noticeable coating on several items that were in compartments under my dinette seat, bed, and even sink!

I don't have recurring problems with water leakage into any of these places. There are not obvious issues with seals. Dust must just travel more easily. I don't know if there is really anything to be done other than tolerate the dust.

I'm not even looking for solutions so much as wondering whether other A-framers have this problem - ?

[gpshay]

We live in AZ .. So I find your post very relative to our situation .. we have not yet purchased the A-frame .. but that is going to take place within a few months .. one of the things I have been considering is looking under the frame and filling any holes with insulation foam .. The other place I'm a bit concerned about is the outside door storage areas .. since they all lead into the camper box itself .. since I have not had a chance to inspect them I don't know if they have a rubber seal that comes in contact with the doors .. maybe some thin weather striping on the doors or frame of each storage compartment might help make a tighter seal ... glenn

[rsdata]

I don't have recurring problems with water leakage into any of these places. There are not obvious issues with seals. Dust must just travel more easily. I don't know if there is really anything to be done other than tolerate the dust.

From a previous popup I owned, I found that the wheel wells were not tightly closed and there were cracks that let in dust from that area.

I believe when pulling at speed, you create some negative pressure inside the trailer that pulls dusty air into the enclosure. And when the trailer bumps and rocks those cracks into the living area exaggerate some, more then when the camper is at rest.

I use 2 inch wide blue painter tape, which is easily removeable, to try to isolate and seal where I think there may be leaks on a temporary basis.

[TitanMike]

Vents left open, if any, will suck air out at highway speed causing dust infiltration.

[Chuck_S]

What Mike said. Close all vents and windows. Air sucked out of the trailer has to be replaced from somewhere. Some road "dust" has a high percentage of rust particles in it which you don't want inside. Running a magnet on the road surprised me.

-- Chuck

[The Tipper]

Something semi-related happened to us.

We drove down this bumpy rocky road for eight miles. When we turned the A/C on it sounded like a bunch of pebbles were in the fan of the A/C. Terrible noise that went away in about a minute. I was scratching my head over it thinking, "How?"

[rsdata]

When we turned the A/C on it sounded like a bunch of pebbles were in the fan of the A/C. Terrible noise that went away in about a minute. I was scratching my head over it thinking, "How?"

Not sure where you live but here in the mid-west (KY) we have had for the past 10 years or so an infestation of "stink bugs" from guess where? China of all places. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/...em/ar-BB1a72nd

In the fall they crawl into cracks and crevices and hibernate. Those cracks and crevices are found in AC units and roof fans in RV's. Start up the fan motor and these hard shelled insects bounce around and sound like rocks hitting the fan blades, until they are all blown out in about a minute.

[JArry]

Interesting thoughts - I had not thought about negative air pressure, and that definitely makes sense.

The only thing I have done so far since posting is attach this brown plastic weather stripping to the right side door frame. The existing weather stripping was (and still is) on the inner lip of the door edge and very obviously is not stopping dust. (Rust? Living where I do I am acclimated to a certain amount of that. &#128517

For the benefit of the first person who responded, the other photo is the weatherstripping currently installed inside the exterior compartment doors. You will see that one has a small gap, and it didn't seem initially like a lot of dust could get in there - BUT enough of them plus negative air pressure I am sure add up.

I will do some more touch-ups and investigating!