Winterizing Alternative

AnOldUR

Hoping for a winter with days warm enough to get out without winterizing.

Before and after (heated) garage mod ....

Verna

I’m Jealous!  My barn isn’t heated and I’m not sure the Boondock model will fit through the door opening. I’ll find out when I return from my next adventure. 

AnOldUR

@Verna, 8' 3" was as high as we could go. Needless to say, there will not be a Maxxair Vent Cover upgrade in my future.

Verna

@AnOldUR , My beloved Maxxair Vent cover is the problem. I need 8’5”….I think, as I haven’t measured it exactly yet. I have 8’2” in the middle of the door opening, but with the sliding door, there is a piece of metal angled down outside to cover the sliding rails. That piece of metal is less than 8’. I will find out later if I am going to just cover the T@B with the batteries and solar off, or if it can spend the winter in the barn. 

AnOldUR

Verna said:

….I think, as I haven’t measured it exactly yet.

@Verna ... Sounds like you could make it work with some hardware modifications. Another advantage of storing indoors is being able to more easily work on mods during the off season. You've had your T@B longer, but for me the wish list seems never ending.

After reading your post, you made me go out to check the new door opening. I told the contractor we wanted 8' 3" minimum. Looks like we got the same 8' 2" that you have. And like you, I haven't measured my 320S, so hoping the factory specs aren't too far off. We're heading south this morning on a 2+ week getaway. We'll keep ourselves in suspense and not check the fit until we return. 

YanniLazarus

And for comic relief, my garage door mod looks like a multi year project!  I waited two months for a new person door, and it'll be six months before I get my garage door- expected at Christmas...  makes rv industry delays seem, well... normal! That's a double shower curtain in my new door opening... pics to follow after resize. 

YanniLazarus

... old garage door literally fell off the track. 

AnOldUR

The day after our contractor finished the garage door modification we left on a 2-1/2 week trip, so we never had the chance to clean up the space and try it for fit. Still need more clean up in the garage, but gave our T@B a bath today and rolled it in. Went in frontwards to give more room to use the little bit of shop space left at the back of the garage. Winterizing complete!

Slackers

Looks great! Watch your shins while working in the shop.

AnOldUR

Slackers said:l

Watch your shins while working in the shop.

Too late!

YanniLazarus

Curious about the front end in first orientation...  looks great! 

You have made me a bit anxious about clear height- I also skipped the measure first rule.  Our new 8' garage door is at least two months away from delivery, but I'll start using my garage like a carport in a week or so. I sure hope the 7'-9" non- boondock height includes that awful stock 3 speed fan!

VictoriaP

YanniLazarus said:

Curious about the front end in first orientation...  looks great! 

You have made me a bit anxious about clear height- I also skipped the measure first rule.  Our new 8' garage door is at least two months away from delivery, but I'll start using my garage like a carport in a week or so. I sure hope the 7'-9" non- boondock height includes that awful stock 3 speed fan!

I park mine front end first into the carport during the hottest part of the summer to keep the battery tub shaded. It also gives me more space to get in and out of the house door that’s right behind the trailer. In my case, I have the Purpleline trailer mover installed, so it’s an easy solo job to orient the trailer in any direction once unhitched, but I understand the 320 is pretty maneuverable on flat ground with two reasonably fit people. A trailer dolly can also help make the task easier.

AnOldUR

VictoriaP said:

...I have the Purpleline trailer mover installed ... but I understand the 320 is pretty maneuverable on flat ground with two reasonably fit people.

I have some gear motors that I've considered using for a Purpleline type mover, but with our 747 jack wheel mod, the 320 is easy to position at most campsites. (Even for two 68 year olds.) After several failed attempts to get the trailer over the lip into our garage, I used a ratchet strap hooked onto the (heavy) milling machine. Slow, but effective. Harbor Freight has a 900 lb manual strap winch for thirty bucks that I plan to make a floor mount for. Should make it an easy, one person job next time.

VictoriaP

AnOldUR said:

VictoriaP said:

...I have the Purpleline trailer mover installed ... but I understand the 320 is pretty maneuverable on flat ground with two reasonably fit people.

I have some gear motors that I've considered using for a Purpleline type mover, but with our 747 jack wheel mod, the 320 is easy to position at most campsites. (Even for two 68 year olds.) After several failed attempts to get the trailer over the lip into our garage, I used a ratchet strap hooked onto the (heavy) milling machine. Slow, but effective. Harbor Freight has a 900 lb manual strap winch for thirty bucks that I plan to make a floor mount for. Should make it an easy, one person job next time.

While the Purpleline is far and away the best upgrade I’ve added, honestly, most people probably don’t need it. A basic Harbor Freight trailer dolly is all I’ve used with previous rigs of a similar weight to the 320; it’s only because I’m solo and disabled now that having a fully motorized system is a necessity. Your strap winch sounds like an excellent (and much cheaper) workaround!

And I’m jealous of your winterizing alternative. Having a garage/workshop to house the Tab is a luxury I’d love to have for mine.

AnOldUR

VictoriaP said:

And I’m jealous of your winterizing alternative. Having a garage/workshop to house the Tab is a luxury I’d love to have for mine.

I'll admit that there's a "very cool" factor to being able to open the kitchen door leading to the garage and seeing my T@B sitting there.

Creeping up on fifty years of marriage, going solo is not something I can relate to. I give you a lot of credit for being out there and finding ways to make it work. Not sure I could handle that.

CrabTab

AnOldUR said:

 I used a ratchet strap hooked onto the (heavy) milling machine.

Much respect for someone with a milling machine hanging around in the garage @AnOldUR !

AnOldUR

CrabTab said:

Much respect for someone with a milling machine hanging around in the garage @AnOldUR !

Believe it or not, there was also a Fadal machining center, Hardinge CNC lathe, Brown and Sharpe surface grinder and a Roll-In saw plus all the tooling packed into that one car space. Hey, a guy has to make a living. Retired and sold everything but the manual mill and the saw to make room for our T@B. Couldn't be happier!

YanniLazarus

Never did post a "project done" photo for our garage door replacement project- so here it is!  Out with the broken 7'x15' garage door and in with the 8'x 9'door with flanking door and window. Love my new 320 home.