What Wind Speed do you Retract Slides?

[Mosnowman]

Tried searching this topic and found nothing on here. Can someone advise what you think is the wind speed to bring slides in?

Currently at Margaritaville at Crystal Beach on the gulf. As the news continues to spread weather concerns, I am wondering what speed to bring in slides?

Currently experiencing 25 - 30 mph with occasional 40 mph gusts. We have been bringing them in at night to assist with sleeping in a quieter environment! I mainly would like to know to prevent damage. Thanks!

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Mosnowman

Tried searching this topic and found nothing on here. Can someone advise what you think is the wind speed to bring slides in?

Currently at Margaritaville at Crystal Beach on the gulf. As the news continues to spread weather concerns, I am wondering what speed to bring in slides?

Currently experiencing 25 - 30 mph with occasional 40 mph gusts. We have been bringing them in at night to assist with sleeping in a quieter environment! I mainly would like to know to prevent damage. Thanks!

About where you are at right now. If severe storms or sustained winds much above 25 mph are forecast I will pull them in. I will also make a judgment call based on wind direction and potential protection from adjacent structures. Discretion is cheap, toppers aren't.

Aaron

[creativepart]

We have camped in 40mph and while it was noisy we never had any damage to our slide toppers.

There are a number of solutions posted on the web - one includes putting pillows between the slide top and the topper, one on each end to keep air from getting in to billow the topper. The other is to throw a rope over the top of the slide topper that you tie the two ends of the rope below the bottom of the slide to prevent the topper from billowing.

We've never done either - it always seems to ease up before we get that desperate.

[Lv2Roam2]

Ditto here - and also consider the wind direction. If direction is consistent and slide is protected might leave that one out. You should also consider tying a line around your retracted patio awning - squirrly winds can lift / pull an awning right off...

[Wayne M]

Originally Posted by Mosnowman

Tried searching this topic and found nothing on here. Can someone advise what you think is the wind speed to bring slides in?

Currently at Margaritaville at Crystal Beach on the gulf. As the news continues to spread weather concerns, I am wondering what speed to bring in slides?

Currently experiencing 25 - 30 mph with occasional 40 mph gusts. We have been bringing them in at night to assist with sleeping in a quieter environment! I mainly would like to know to prevent damage. Thanks!

You don't say if you have toppers or not. If not, then I would leave the slides in if you have them on both sides. In my opinion, and no slide toppers, you have weight on the side to stabilize the coach. But that is just my humble opinion.

As far as stretching a rope over the topper and anchoring it to the ground, that is not a good idea. If you have ever taken a piece of paper, fold it in half with a piece of thread in it, then pull on it, the paper will tear in half. A rope across the slide will act the same way.

However, if you find a strap that is 4 to 6 inches wide, throw that over the topper then attach a rope to each end and put a spring loaded stake in the ground. I personally have used a 4 or 6 inch piece of jute (burlap) strap that I folded the end into a triangle and attached a gromet. Then a rope to the spring loaded anchors. winds were 45-52 mph and toppers were fine . That was then, and now is now. No guarantee that anything is going to protect you.

If you are going to pull them in then yes, 25-40 mph is a decision you have to make. Watch the forcast and don't procrastinate!

[Ray,IN]

This subject has been discussed many times here: https://www.google.com/search?q=wind...nnieowners.com

[Rixthe1]

When furniture is flying around, it’s too late. Make yourself a smaller target, and with luck, �� , no damage. Being ready to drive it quickly, in case the shade tree �� nearby, is ready to tip over, is a good idea.

[Scotty B]

Been reading this with some interest and read the old forum thread as well.
I think the only reasonable answer is to do what makes you feel safe.
We've been traveling pretty much straight for over 18 months now across the US and Canada and experienced all types of weather except for a major snow event. One thing for sure - the weather is crazy everywhere and average temps/weather mean close to nothing anymore.
We have not yet brought in our slides in even some extreme wind/rain events and have not suffered any damage other than a couple sleepless nights - for me anyhow. The wife and dog seem to sleep right through them.
For us, 25 mph sustained winds are not really a safety or damage to the rig issue - touch wood - don't want to jinx us! But that type of wind happens quite frequently.
I am pretty sure we've had sustained winds up to 40 MPH multiple times and again really nothing but annoying.
I believe we have had incidences of up to 70 mph gusts twice - once last winter when we rerouted to Yuma due to freezing weather in New Mexico - it was at least warmer there. And once in the spring on the Oregon coast in Winchester Bay out on the tip of a campground in the bay. Both times it was noisy and scary as hell and I thought for sure there was going to be some type of damage and worried the coach would move/tip, but we came though unscathed. It actually feels like some huge fist is shoving your rig when a gust that strong hits you. I spent a lot of time praying for sure. Not sure if bringing in your slides would make a difference to that feel, but it would stop the slide topper noise.
We have changed our plans several times for bad weather including delaying our drive down to Key West last month due to the big storm that hit Florida - one of several during the "dry" season. We stayed in Ft Myers a couple extra nights and had to deal with a Tornado warning there - go figure!. We had another Tornado warning in Ft Myers on the way back up last week. We looked for where we could shelter more than worry about the slides.
We had a slight tear in the front drivers slide topper that was either that way when we picked it up or happened on the first part of our journey last summer/fall. Think I noticed it in Moab in September 2022. Even that topper did not get any worse in all of the weather events after that including the 70 mph winds - they are pretty tough. We did replace it this fall.
Have not experienced anything that would cause a change in our behavior yet and hope we don't other than to try and avoid the event, but as noted that gets harder all of the time.
I 100% agree that wind direction makes a huge difference.
I hope your enjoying your time in Camp Margaritaville. We stayed in one in December in the Orlando area while we visited Phyllis' mom. They are a trip!
Safe travels, fair weather, and following seas my friends...
Scott and Phyllis