Skirting for gooseneck area

[TravelCat]

Has anyone purchased vinyl skirting for under the gooseneck area to create storage? We want to store bikes under there but wonder which ones might last best. Thanks!

[Second Chance]

We store our bikes under the gooseneck but do not use skirting. In long-term campgrounds, I've observed units with the vinyl skirting and, unless they're in the southwest, there's often an issue with mold.

BTW - you can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

Rob

[Foothiller]

We store our bikes under the gooseneck but do not use skirting. In long-term campgrounds, I've observed units with the vinyl skirting and, unless they're in the southwest, there's often an issue with mold.

BTW - you can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

Rob

Rob, do I have to have a paid membership to include a map like yours? I see no way to include an image when I'm editing my profile.

[Second Chance]

Rob, do I have to have a paid membership to include a map like yours? I see no way to include an image when I'm editing my profile.

The features for unpaid members have changed recently and I'm not sure. It used to be that you had to be a paid member to upload photos. The paid membership is certainly worth it for a lot of other reasons, though.

Rob

[Canyonlight]

Seems as I recall Dallas @D2Reid has shared a few posts regarding the skirting on their 376 as well as previous fivers since they do cold weather RVing. Possibly Dallas will chime in and share or recall some other poster who have skirting and steer us to those threads.

Thanks, in advance, Dallas !

Dan

[TravelCat]

Rob, thanks for your reply and information about signatures. I created a signature but don’t know how to attach it to the reply. What am I missing?

[Foothiller]

Rob, I've got the picture now after paying up. I may never have scrolled down to the picture loading frame before.

There certainly are gooseneck skirts if you use Google. I'm going to be in this park 9-11 months/year and they want a full skirting. I've just started the research. https://ezsnapdirect.com/ sells full and gooseneck skirts. Various places sell ADCO gooseneck skirts. We're in the southwest, often 10% humidity, wouldn't expect a mold problem.

I'd appreciate any other knowledge & will add more when I know it.

[Second Chance]

Rob, thanks for your reply and information about signatures. I created a signature but don’t know how to attach it to the reply. What am I missing?

You don't "attach" it to posts or replies - it's automatic. My guess is that you missed hitting a "Save" button or something when trying to add your signature..

Rob

[D2Reid]

I have had a number of skirts, and a couple of 5th wheel overhang skirts for storage. The one I have now is the very best, mostly because I have it.

A couple things that need to be considered. How often will you deploy it? This is kind of the start of the price point decision process. If you are going to use it a lot, you will want better quality, thus mo money.

How long will it stay up? This is a huge deciding point for looks and mold resistance, UV damage, dirt; etc. Some materials will last maybe 50 uses and still look nice, you start using it a lot and leaving it out in the sun a lot they tend to get tacky quickly. Just another factor in price point decision.

Next you need to look at how the skirt is secured to the RV, I have had all of these. Duct tape, enough said. (the glue is hard to clean off). Stick on Velcro. Works pretty good, easy to apply, but doesn't hold up very well. If you are only going to use it a few times this is a good cheap option that does not alter your RV. Snaps, oh no, you have to make holes in your RV. I was too pleased with snaps, they corroded and because difficult to put on and take off. As a result I ended up breaking a few. Then I had to buy special tools to do the replacement. They don't hold up in real strong wind and you end up chasing your skirt, hmmm! My current system uses a slide in rail system. There is a plastic strip sewn into the material that fits in a groove on a rail system that is screwed to the RV. Very secure. Still had to make holes in the RV.

Material; I don't remember all the types, poly, vinyl, sumbrella, and I don't know the term for what I have now. What I do know is that good material cost more money. The "vinyl" kit I bought did pretty good in the summer, but come winter it became brittle and disentegrated, tore, ripped, came loos from the snap, it just didn't like cold weather. Poly stuff breaks down in UV within a summer. Sumbrella is mondo expensive. The stuff I have now is like a "vinyl", except a lot heavier and feels almost like it's rubberized. It stay supple in cold weather, well not real supple like it's been sitting in the sun, but at least it does not get rigid and crack.

Who is going to build it? I think my first one was a kit. It's been a number of years and I don't even know if it is still being made. Anyway, you measured your 5th wheel area and bought a premade front cover. It came with industrial strength velcro that glued to the 5th nose, was pre-sewn, and was made out of descent vinyl. It really did work pretty good for the summer that we had it. By the next spring it was trashed.

Upholstery shops or custom skirt builder come next. We have seen many that do a pretty decent job, they know their materials and supply a good quality material. They know their fasteners and pick ones they like. Beware of the ones that are "economical", they tend to use really cheap material. For quality, your going to spend a buck or two.

Pro-skirt builders are around, in different areas hard to find. But they think about things like zipper placement, tongue fit, leg securing, tying down.

Aha, I found an example of a cheaper DIY cover: Adco 5th Wheel Storage They don't last long.

Like a lot of things RV you kind of learn by experience and build yourself up to spending the big bucks for quality stuff. My RV skirt cost around $3000. I tell you this so you can get the sticker shock out of the way up front. Pretty darn good skirts I have seen advertised around $1500, they will do just fine.

Anyway, I hope that gives some things to think on. Here is a picture of my front skirt.



As far as inserting images the thing that baffled me was the upload files, as indicated by arrow. It's a button, I thought it was just some text, but it actually uploads the file you selected from computer. The insert image from url is whole different thing. Anyway, after selecting your photo click on upload files, they will upload and the something like ATTACH=CONFIG]34249[/ATTACH will appear in your thread. When you post the reply the picture will show up.

[Canyonlight]

Dallas @D2Reid - thank you, much for this detailed post. This should provide @TravelCat excellent information.

By the way, I don't recall seeing this particular "snow picture." Wonderful picture......you should share with GDRV if not done so.

Dan