AirSpeed VW Community Forums

General Forums => Air Speed Lounge => Topic started by: Hansk on December 25, 2008, 11:29:32 PM

Title: watch the snow load
Post by: Hansk on December 25, 2008, 11:29:32 PM

Just had my costco shelter /garage cave in from the weight of the snow. Lucky,no other real damage.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Bubba on December 26, 2008, 12:25:54 PM

I have one of those over my boat in the driveway.  I learned 2 years ago during the last winter dump to double tarp the roof section.  I used a 16" x 24" double thick silver tarp bought at Princess Auto for this application.  Plus, I have a 19 year old who is pressed into twice a day snow removal service.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Hansk on December 26, 2008, 01:48:08 PM

Good idea  , but in my case I think the material held up but the tube structure collapsed.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: vwboop on December 26, 2008, 02:12:21 PM

One of ours came down too. luckily we sold most of our VW's  :D
There was nothing underneath it ;) Will take pics of the carnage later

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Alp on December 26, 2008, 02:30:51 PM

that or the stupid little elastic band ties break.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Crank on December 26, 2008, 02:43:52 PM

I have 3 of those tents.
One has the silver tarp from Princess Auto as the roof (it's holding up quite nicely), the others have the factory roof material.
I just go underneath with a kitchen broom and use it to push up under the built up snow... then it just slides off.
Don't press too hard or you might put a hole in it, especially if it has had a year or two under the sun. ::)

Title: Lucky so far................
Post by: ray on December 26, 2008, 10:18:54 PM

I got a shelter from Midland Liquidators on Kingsway . I got the extra braces for the roof , seems to make it really strong . Much better than the Canadian Tire / Cosco ones . However they are a bit more money .

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: vwboop on December 28, 2008, 08:25:45 AM

Our second one tore the night before last :-\

We got the snow off of it but obviously weakened it by doing so. At least it's still standing and the cover from the one that came down might still be OK.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Bubba on December 28, 2008, 05:18:47 PM

Mine actually ended up on the next door neighbour's roof on the day the trees blew down in Stanley Park.  I have the shelter tied to the boat trailer now.

The heavy silver tarp definitely helps,  as well as loctiting the turnbuckles to the stringer rods.

I had to remove snow twice daily while it was falling.

Check the roof on your house...I had to do some emergency bracing last night because two mid braces pulled out.  Being up on the roof at 4 Am removing slushy ice is not my idea of fun, but it had to be done.

Title: Re: watch the snow load
Post by: Herrlowlight on January 06, 2009, 07:55:17 PM

My Crapco shelter collapsed on my bus.

Two huge dents, big scrapes and two cracked skylights. Love that first thing boxing day morning.

Won't happen again though, I've learned my lesson. :o

Trevor