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Old 11-10-2018, 06:18 AM   #1
jimsny
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Slide out toppers

Has anyone installed slide out toppers themselves. or let the dealership do it . And how hard is it to install them.
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Old 11-10-2018, 06:24 AM   #2
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I had the dealership install ours because they do this type of work all the time.
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Old 11-10-2018, 07:01 AM   #3
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Depends on brand and if the rail is already there.
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Old 11-10-2018, 07:53 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Depends on brand and if the rail is already there.
This does remove one step needed if the already run the length of the RV.
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Old 11-10-2018, 07:59 AM   #5
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Whomever installs them be sure there's a good pitch on them. Mine were installed at the factory & nearly flat which is like swimming pool when it rains. I had to replace the fabric on a couple of them & gave the roller an extra twist making them a bit tighter which helped greatly.
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Old 11-10-2018, 10:37 AM   #6
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Not too difficult. I installed a couple this summer. The hardest part was removing the factory drip rail and cleaning the sealant before attaching the topper rail. The factory rail was right where the topper rail needed to be on one side. The factory rail was an inch or two higher on the other side. Quality control??? Of course you would never notice it unless you measured them.

I did cheat a little. I used a neighbor’s man-lift. Much easier than working off a ladder.
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Old 11-10-2018, 11:03 AM   #7
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A couple days ago in advance of ordering a set of 4 for our 5er I pulled the installation instructions on the three major brands, Dometic, Carefree and LCI/Solere. The 13 page Dometic are the best instructionswith Carefree's close behind. The LCI instructions leave a lot to your imagination as a DIYer..

Makarios RV parts has a good write up on the Dometic plus their website will tell you what part numbers to order though it is somewhat confusing at first look:https://www.makariosrv.com/
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Old 11-10-2018, 01:08 PM   #8
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travelin texans "I had to replace the fabric on a couple of them & gave the roller an extra twist making them a bit tighter which helped greatly."
Do I have to replace the fabric to tighten the fabric material? I have one topper that is not that old or worn our but sags a bit and holds water. I tried researching a how to video on adjustment with no luck.
Thanks
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Old 11-10-2018, 01:36 PM   #9
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The slide toppers "roll up on a stick" much the same as old fashioned window shades. The tighter the spring inside the "stick" the firmer the pressure to pull the fabric tight. If you installed your slide covers, remember the step where you pulled the pin (at the aft end of the "stick") and allowed the spring to engage? To tighten the awning fabric, you'll need to extend the slide, find that pin (or a suitable replacement), insert it into the spring mechanism (to lock it in position) then remove the "stick" from the brackets, retract the slide, wind up the fabric, reinstall the "stick" in the brackets on the slide body and then pull the pin. That will "tighten the spring" causing the "stick" to apply more pull on the fabric, making the awning tighter and hopefully allowing more water runoff. On some longer awnings, you just can't make the spring tight enough to prevent all water pooling, but you can reduce it or eliminate it, at least in light rain or drizzle conditions.

On those "longer awnings that you can't stop pooling, you might consider a beach ball on a string, a "Rube Goldberg contraption" of some kind to slip between the awning and the slide roof to help "prop the fabric" up and force it to shed water without drooping.
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Old 11-10-2018, 02:06 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
A couple days ago in advance of ordering a set of 4 for our 5er I pulled the installation instructions on the three major brands, Dometic, Carefree and LCI/Solere. The 13 page Dometic are the best instructionswith Carefree's close behind. The LCI instructions leave a lot to your imagination as a DIYer..

Makarios RV parts has a good write up on the Dometic plus their website will tell you what part numbers to order though it is somewhat confusing at first look:https://www.makariosrv.com/
X2
We ordered through Makarios RV and were pleases with the toppers (Dometic) and instructions. Installed myself the 6’ bedroom was a one person job, the 13’ super slide needed help supporting roller tube while sliding into track.
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Old 11-10-2018, 04:26 PM   #11
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Thanks JRTJH
I will see if I can work some slack out when I get a ladder near the slide during my next coat of wax.
As for a "contraption", I will have to hover over the drawing board a bit.
A 2 piece (comes apart for storage) low profile (maybe 10") rectangular PVC structure that is the length of the slide and supported at on end comes to mind.
The contest is on to design and name the next "S.T.D" Slide Topper Device.
Well I guess I already named it.
Yeah...yeah I know. There are other STDs, but the moderators won't let us go there. And that's a good thing.
So bring on your ideas.
RMc
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Old 11-10-2018, 04:56 PM   #12
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The slide topper for our "big slide" is 145" long. It pools water with heavy rain, but doesn't with a light drizzle or a "heavy fog". We just live with it and pull the slide in about 18" to "dump the puddle" then re-extend the slide. I adjusted ours as tight as I "dare adjust it" and it actually "bows the spring rollup bar" slightly when fully extended. I'd be reluctant to tighten the spring any further and I wouldn't want any more fabric exposed (for travel) by raising the awning rail to gain more slope to the fabric. So, we're "OK" with the situation. I'd probably use a beach ball on a string if I did anything. Probably, toss the string under the awning (over the slide roof) and pull the beach ball to the center. Then just "pull either string" to pull the beach ball out from under the fabric.

I like your version of an STD, although you're right, other STD's would probably be "edited out" of most posts.
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Old 11-15-2018, 08:59 AM   #13
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We had our dealer install ours before we picked up our Bullet. Have not had any problems, even with heavy rain. But, have heard a volley ball or similar underneath works. If expecting heavy rain I do put the front of the trailer up a little to run water off the back.
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Old 11-15-2018, 09:30 AM   #14
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Did my own. . .

I installed two of these from Carefree as I liked their roll up enclosed design. Need a tall ladder & a helper now and then. Pretty straight forward.
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Old 11-15-2018, 09:36 AM   #15
61Hawks
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My son and I installed the toppers. A very easy job but did require both of us as they are awkward. I hate to give out recommendations but I bought them from PPL Motorhomes and they came quickly and we're very well packaged.
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Old 11-15-2018, 09:40 AM   #16
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Jimsny, I just purchased a 2019 bullet ultralight 220RBI. I went to Camping world, where I purchased it, to order and have installed toppers on both of my slides. On the driver side slide, where the dinette Is, there is nothing to impede the installation of the slide topper. On the passenger side however, Keystone, in all their wisdom, placed speakers on both sides of the slide about 6 inches from it and even with the top of it. Camping world techs looked at it and said there is no way they could install a topper on that side because of the speaker placement. I considered removing the speakers but I’m not sure what i’ll find if I do so. It will probably be just a drilled hole for the wiring so topper hardware could be installed there and cover it. The next issue is the porch lights string. If I understand correctly,that’s where the topper attachment rail should go. So, since I couldn’t put the topper on the one side, I didn’t put a topper on the other side. I figured if I have to get up there and blow off one I might as well blow off both of them And save myself several hundred dollars in the process. There is only 9-10 inches between the rear of the slide and the entry door.I
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Old 11-15-2018, 10:04 AM   #17
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LeeB43,

Given the shallow depth of your "curb side slide" and the fact that the awning can be partly extended to cover it (in almost all situations), I don't know that I'd put a slide topper on that slide, even with the speakers located in a different area. Granted, it's all "personal opinion", so there's really no "right or wrong answer"....
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Old 11-15-2018, 10:32 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
LeeB43,

Given the shallow depth of your "curb side slide" and the fact that the awning can be partly extended to cover it (in almost all situations), I don't know that I'd put a slide topper on that slide, even with the speakers located in a different area. Granted, it's all "personal opinion", so there's really no "right or wrong answer"....
JRTJH, The guy is it Camping world made the same comment: why would I install a topper when I have the large awning already over it? My answer is, I have read so many comments from folks that had their awning up and it got blown away during a windstorm or rainstorm; they say to always put it down whenever you leave the RV or at night. If I follow that guidance, a good part of the time I would have no cover on the slide. I camp in areas that have a lot of trees. Consequently, I have Pine needles, branches, leaves and acorns on my slide roof most of the time. I have to get up there and blow it off before I reel it in. And I really don’t like being up on the ladder that High (I know, I’m a wuss).
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Old 11-15-2018, 01:30 PM   #19
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If you take a speaker cover off, you’ll probably find a hole about 5 1/2” wide and deep enough for the speaker. Those grills are deceiving.
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Old 11-15-2018, 06:13 PM   #20
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I like the beach ball/volley ball idea. Kind of the same idea as a pool pillow.
Slide topper is for next years budget.
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