Grass Skirt on Adventurer

Charles_c · 01-24-2006, 03:55 AM

I've purchased an Ultra Guard skirt and am thinking of hanging it off the rear of the frame with chains. I thought of this location as it is before the generator exhaust and the trailer hitch and there are already cutouts in the frame.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Charles_c · 01-24-2006, 03:55 AM

I've purchased an Ultra Guard skirt and am thinking of hanging it off the rear of the frame with chains. I thought of this location as it is before the generator exhaust and the trailer hitch and there are already cutouts in the frame.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Hikerdogs · 01-24-2006, 04:43 AM

Charles_c: The closer you mount it to the rear of the coach the better. The more room between the guard and the towed vehicle the more chance for stones & road debris to bounce up and hit the paint.
I mounted ours about 6" from the rear of the coach. The top is about an inch below the trailer hitch. I had to cut out a semi circle for the generator exhaust pipe but that was no big deal.
I mounted a piece of 1" X 1" angle iron on the front facing side of the guard with the top flange parallel to the ground and flush with the top of the guard. I bought 4 closed loop eye bolts and mounted 2 of them on the frame rails (one on each) with the eye on the outside and the hole in the loop horizontal. I put the other 2 in the top of the angle iron (inline with those on the frame) with the loop at right angles to the ones in the frame. I used threaded chain "quick links" (one on each side)between the eye bolt on the frame and the one in the angle iron to hold the guard in place.
The guard will swing out of the way easily when going up and down driveways and can be installed or removed in a couple of minutes.

Outbumn · 01-25-2006, 05:53 AM

Hikerdogs,

Can you send us some pictures on this installation? I was think along the same lines for our new coach.

Thanks,

Hikerdogs · 01-30-2006, 04:28 AM

Right now the coach is in storage about 30 miles from the house. I'll be going over to check on it in a few days. Hopefully I'll remember to take the camera along to get a couple pics.

Trek-Cyclist · 01-30-2006, 03:48 PM

I mounted mine where the spare tire carrier is located. There is one whole in each side of the frame which made it very easy. I did get the angle from Camping World and just had to drill two holes in it to mount to the frame. I have't had any dings on the toad at all with this mounting position. I was also thinking of mounting on a chain but a ridged mount actually works better because you don't get wind lift! You don't have air ride so you don't have to worry about it when you set up either.
I also attached the Stainless Steel Weighted piece. You really want the guard at least 2 to 3 inches off the ground when level. This will keep any debris off the Toad.
I did leave a rating on the Camping World site in regard to the Ultra Guard set-up.
If you want I can send Pics of mine before you start installing yours.
[email protected]
From Tempe, AZ

Greyhound · 01-30-2006, 03:59 PM

On a previous coach I had the grass skirt and when it was new, it looked great. After time, it lost the luster, rocks etc found the toad.
On my Chieftain and again on the 05 Adventurer, I added an extension to the existing mudflaps to where they are approximately one inch off the road and have had no problem with rocks or other objects hitting the toad. The total cost for this was under $20.00

Bob

TXiceman · 01-31-2006, 04:27 AM

He had a grass skirt on one MH and it was not very good at protecting the dinghy. We replaced it with a rock solid and it did much better. I would get one of the strip or solid types over the grass style.

Ken

troth · 01-31-2006, 09:29 AM

I second the iceman's motion. My grass skirt looks nifty but it does nothing...

Nonno · 01-31-2006, 12:57 PM

I couldn't find a decent place to install a skirt on mine so I bought a "Protect-a-Tow".
You can check it out at http://protectatow.tripod.com/

Outbumn · 01-31-2006, 02:06 PM

We had the rock solid on the Sightseer. It was OK, but did blow up while driving, so we plan on going with the Ultra Guard this time.

Woof · 02-02-2006, 01:20 PM

I have a grass skirt on my 2002 Adventurer and it works well. I hung down with chains at both ends a PCV 1 inch pipe filled with sand and sealed at both ends so when the skirt has a tendency to blow up, the PCV holds it down. If you skirt is worn looking spray paint it.

R Gordon · 02-02-2006, 05:27 PM

I noticed a motorhome going down the interstate the other day with a grass skirt and it was blowing straight back and doing nothing. It would not have helped anything. They look awful ragged after a while. I never have had any issues with rocks hitting toad and don't plan on driving on gravel roads.

Hikerdogs · 03-09-2006, 11:24 AM

It's probably a little late by now, but I finally took the pictures I promised of the installation of the Ultra Guard. I tried to add them to this post but was not successful. If anyone's still interested I can e mail them or post them (if I can figure out how to do it).

no18yes · 03-09-2006, 07:38 PM

I agree with the majority. Save the grass skirts for Hawaii. Like someone already stated, going down the road, all they do is blow up and out of the way of protection. I went for the heavy, solid, rubber, across the whole back, mud flap that mounted at the very rear of the MH, and the Road Master Shield. The two work like a champ.

Tom N · 03-10-2006, 03:39 AM

The heavy solid skirts decrease mileage. They also create a vacuum at the rear of the coach which pulls dirt up and deposits it on the rear cap of the coach. Think of having a solid skirt on top of the coach standing straight up. What would that do for mileage???

Better to have a set of flaps directly behind the rear duels.

Hikerdogs · 03-10-2006, 04:27 AM

TomN: We've found that the rear flap keeps the rear of the coach and the towed vehicle cleaner than without it. Previously the back of the coach got so dirty on rainy or snowy days that the rear camera lens was coated with goop. The back still gets dirty but not nearly as bad. As for gas mileage If there is any effect at all it's in the .1 MPG range. We seem to have the same relatively consistant mileage.

NASAGuy · 03-10-2006, 08:33 AM

I installed a Rock Solid on our current Adventurer exactly as Ed/Full Time suggested. I am also an advocate of solid mounting a Rock Solid in order to minimize wind lift. A fellow camper showed me a way to further minimize wind lift on a Rock Solid as follows. Drill two 1/8 inch holes thru each segment of the Rock Solid and the horizontal one-piece part and fasten each segment to the one-piece part using 1/8 inch aluminum pop rivets and back-up washers. I have been doing this for 10 years or so and feel it helps.

NASAGuy · 03-10-2006, 08:43 AM

I forgot to mention I also use the Roadmaster Guardian Rock Guard,a vinyl windshield cover, and vinyl covers for the CRV outside mirrors. My spouse made the vinyl covers.
Over the years I have tried other schemes,such as a full bra for the toad, but that resulted in scratches in the toad paint from rocks getting under the bra.

NASAGuy

fisherman1964 · 03-10-2006, 12:13 PM

Save your time and money and buy the Protect-a-Towit is definately worth every penny and you won't need anything else. It's very easy to hook up takes me a minute or so. It also doesn't act as a big wind drag like these solid mudflaps and plastic shields.