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winter delivery

jimtiffany

jimtiffany

Novice
Our 560 is on schedule to be competed sometime between the last week of Dec. and first week of Jan. We'd like to take delivery at the factory, so we can get the full check-out by Cary or Marty. When I mentioned this to Marty, he said if you take delivery when there is salt on the roads, they will not release it without it being wrapped with a protective film. That makes sense, due to the corrosive affect of salt. But I am now wondering it it would also have a corrosive affect on the under-carriage of the trailer, even if the body is protected by film. Marty didn't mention the cost of wrapping it.

Our plan is to slip into Neceda during a break in the weather, assuming there is one, and head south into warm country. Ideally, we'll spend some time in FL camping and sailing. When I worked in Minneapolis, my co-workers talked about a "January Thaw" that was very common, and in fact I remember it warming up for at least a few days sometime in Jan. My wife, who grew up in Minneapolis denies such a phenomenon exists. So, can anyone offer advice about taking delivery in the winter? Is it likely there will be a stretch of warmer weather? I assume the roads are salted only after a snow storm. How long does it take for the salt to dissipate so it wouldn't be a problem? Thanks.
 
I live in Wisconsin; and although, yes, the possibility of a January thaw has happened... but it's not like it goes up into the 70s and everything melts. It's usually 1-2 days of 38-45 weather... and still goes below freezing at night. What that means is there is usually MORE salt on the roads, to deal with the melt water during the day changing to ice at night--so salting is more likely than if it was below zero.

As for the under side of the trailer, it's not aluminum clad underneath, so that's not the part you worry about with salt--it's salt on the aluminum that isn't fun.

As for "when is salt no longer a problem"--I wouldn't call it "salt-free zone" until after the first good spring rain. (so that's usually mid-March at the earliest).
 
Personally as long as the roads are dry, no salt/snow spray.

Best time for pickup would be when extremely cold, because of no salt/snow spray.

The issue would be transition zones with possible snow or ice.
I agree taking out of factory fully wrapped until well south of transition zone, then unwrap.

I can speak from personal experience, salt stains are very tough to eliminate. Uff Da Inn had many salt stains (before I owned her), which is why she became a highly polished teardrop. Looking at the rain/slop distribution patterns of past travels: front of teardrop to just above the windows, both sides to about top of doors.

As for January thaw, there are days in every month when temps are warm, roads extremely sloppy. The teardrop and vehicle will be a mess.

I would not really worry about salt/snow under the teardrop. I believe the undersides are now coated with a protective product.

Mine has been dragged down a lot of gravel, on clay/mud roads. underside is remarkably clean. What does the bottom side of a vehicle look like after the same? It should be fairly clean.

Jean
 
We had our lil' 2NA CAN delivered in late January 2013 here in central Florida (WHO would leave Florida in January? To go to Wisconsin? Are you kidding me???). The cost of the delivery was less expensive than taking the time off work, gas to get to Necedah, trip home and wear and tear on the truck and teardrop!! Don't count on the weather cooperating with you on such a long journey. Reconsider shipping.
 
Thanks for the feedback, everybody. Sounds like if we want to pick it up at the factory, very cold but dry conditions would be best. We live in Santa Fe, NM, so we could just have it shipped here and just tow it to FL. I've also wondered about having it shipped to someplace in between, say Nashville, and meet up with it there. Lots of options.
 
No. You must have it shipped to the state you are licensing it in. We already asked...thought about meeting up with ours in Paducah, KY.
 
We scheduled our pickup for late April 2011 to avoid the snow/salt stuff. Well they received several inches a couple of days before our arrival. By the time we left it had melted but we ended up with one spot where some salt landed.
 
Plan on picking up the teardrop. If there is snow or sloppy roads, stay put a few days before traveling.

Jean
 
The bras are only going to help where its covered. If you have an extra day, you might see if you can use their delivery area to spread on a coat of Sharkhide or other protectant right there...stay in a hotel for the night while the protectant spreads then take off. The one thing I regret was not taking ours directly to the campground and taking a couple hours to protect it right there.

Its not bad looking now, its got a very nice petina...but a few places where birds have done things we won't discuss.
 
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