Hurricane Arthur

[Greg Z-1]

Hey all, just a quick question. We live in SE NC and just had a bout with some cat 1 hurricane force winds this past week. My TT sits in my front yard currently as I have yet to come up with the money to cut some trees down for storage in our backyard. As the storm came, I was a little worried about the TT sitting out there on blocks but when they said we were too get nothing more than tropical storm force winds, I closed my eyes to sleep.

The next morning I awoke and peered through the window at our TT. To my dismay, the wind moved the TT off the blocks, bent one of the stabilizer jacks, and planted the tongue jack firmly on the ground beside the block. I was able to work the stabilizer jack back into place and tighten it up, but my question is this....

Without indoor storage and less than adequate wind protection, what would you all do to secure the TT better, or should I just raise the stab jacks and put the tongue jack on the ground before a storm?

[Tim D]

Pray I guess if you had a pad you could put in some sort of tie downs. Other than that not much you can do. I think I would put slide in, close and lock it up. Raise stabilizers and move it away from tress, etc, if able, and hope/pray nothing happens to it. Make sure your insurance is good.

[RADMiller]

If possible, move it as far away from your house as you can. They had great footage of a TT upside down in on a house on the Weather Channel that was moved by a wind gust of only 45mph.
I have a friend in WNY who for only around $100 put what amounts to hurricane straps in his driveway. Dug a 3ft hole about 8in in diameter, put concrete and a 12in eye in it and then drilled corresponding eyelets in the frame of his TT at the corners.

[jakesz28]

I heard of times when strong winds went thru storage lots. The tt with the stabilizers down stayed upright and the ones that had them up got tipped over. I would rather replace the stabilizers then having to pick the trailer up when laying on its side. The stabilizers do just that they stabilize the trailer. When the wind blows across the side I don't want the suspension on the opposite side to sag.

[Greg Z-1]

Some good points there Jakesz28, and also some good ideas about the hurricane straps in the ground. Will look into that further, tyvm

[jakesz28]

If you think of the foot print of your trailer without the stabilizers it is a triangle, three points with weight over hanging. Once you drop the stabilizers now you have a larger rectangle, also preventing the suspension from going into compression. This will be more stable.
They make hurricane anchors for mobile homes anchored in concrete or large augers for dirt. These would be nice in permanent sites or home storage.

[mike06081969]

Originally Posted by Greg Z-1

Hey all, just a quick question. We live in SE NC and just had a bout with some cat 1 hurricane force winds this past week. My TT sits in my front yard currently as I have yet to come up with the money to cut some trees down for storage in our backyard. As the storm came, I was a little worried about the TT sitting out there on blocks but when they said we were too get nothing more than tropical storm force winds, I closed my eyes to sleep.

The next morning I awoke and peered through the window at our TT. To my dismay, the wind moved the TT off the blocks, bent one of the stabilizer jacks, and planted the tongue jack firmly on the ground beside the block. I was able to work the stabilizer jack back into place and tighten it up, but my question is this....

Without indoor storage and less than adequate wind protection, what would you all do to secure the TT better, or should I just raise the stab jacks and put the tongue jack on the ground before a storm?

Don't feel bad. I had indoor storage and the wind blew my garage away. The camper would've been fine if it hadn't been for parts of the garage hitting it as it collapsed, lol. Finally got my camper fixed, but now I can't get the contractor to show up and put the garage back up.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by RADMiller

I have a friend in WNY who for only around $100 put what amounts to hurricane straps in his driveway. Dug a 3ft hole about 8in in diameter, put concrete and a 12in eye in it and then drilled corresponding eyelets in the frame of his TT at the corners.

For those of you considering doing this, just remember, those straps won't make your trailer a shelter. They will help hold it from moving around in the "milder" wind storms, but if things get very violent, it will tear that camper right off the hooks. You might still have the frame sitting there attached after it's all over.
I've seen it happen on mobile homes.

[johnboytoo]

Agree Lloyd...
rv boxes are designed to move somewhat or else they'd be too brittle and snap apart just going down the road !

so we can protect ourselves from some storms, but when it goes bad, I go elsewhere!


If you recall,
earthquake proofing a building involves ALLOWING some give so it can withstand the movement...

[mark5w]

So, if a garage will fall on it and straps won't hold it, I think I'll leave it where's it at and keep up my insurance payments.

[Tim D]

Originally Posted by mark5w

So, if a garage will fall on it and straps won't hold it, I think I'll leave it where's it at and keep up my insurance payments.

I agree.