how do you put away your side kit?

Putting it in the bulkhead would be my first choice. Are there holes in the bulkhead to stow your tarp bows?
Storing it under the trailer in a "rack" would be my second choice.
Storing it on a skid would be my third choice.

 

We've stored them in the bulkhead but we modified the bulkhead so it would by extending it about 12" and welding extra pockets in the front. The bows fit in holes in the bulkhead and the boards and posts all fit and was covered with a custom mini tarp. Still a PITA but easier than in a box under the trailer.

 

The panels get scratched from rubbing each other when they are horizontal in a rack.

Makes nice new panels look like crap in no time flat.

 

I'd say run dedicated side kit or throw the thing in the yard and run open.

 

We used to run side kits. We had a 2' bulkhead on the front of the trailer. The panels would fit on one side and the stakes and tarp would fit on the other. We strapped the stakes under the frame of the trailer.

The trailers and tarps were black...I will never forget how hot it was to crawl under there in the middle of summer. Add in the fact that they seemed to be permanently covered in black road grime. If you walked within 5' of one you got dirty.

Those things were hard on drivers. Sure glad we don't have them any more.

 

Just open your mouth to keep your face clean. They are always dirty. In winter they are icy or wet and mildew when you go south. I stored mine in a rack under the trailer built to hold everything and the tarps went in the box between the 10 ft spread.