Rethinking slider awning...

FTWingRiders · 08-22-2016, 09:24 PM

Hello all..
Thought I'd share my experience last night.. I'm camping up at the lake for my annual week with my two older boys, now 19 and 21. We've been coming up together for 15 years now, and have always enjoyed this week. We set up in our usual spot in my '14 325 srx with two slide outs. It's actually larger than allowed, but as we are regulars, the owners of this family owner campground let us slide.. We have to back in from the main road, but we fit fine, with room for the truck and all without a problem.

We level side to side first, I'm thinking we usually use 3 level blocks of the entrance side facing the water, but 2 seem to get us pretty close, so I call it and unhook to finish setting up. After I'm inside, I realize I'm a little low side to side, but figure, it's camping and were men and it's close enough for government work..lol. All good until last night, heavy rains are predicted overnight.. But we batten down the hatches and call it a night. I wake briefly and the downpour commences around 4 am, and just enjoy the sound..

As the rain ends, my oldest gets up to use the bathroom, and I hear him call for me.. Crap.. So I run out to the living room in a fog.. Water is dripping thru the trim around the middle of the back slide out, with a good puddle on the table and floor!! Strong words, and I grab towels and Tupperware to catch the drips and get the water up. Luckily the rain has passed, and we clean up as fast as we can. The throw rug on the floor has soaked up a lot of it, which I think saved it from being worse, so after we have the floor wiped and the dripping caught, I dress and head up to the roof. With a broom I sweep what is still a decent puddle off the slide out which is collected on the inside camper side of the roof, I think that because I'm not perfectly level, the heavy rains didn't run towards the outer wall and down the sides of the slide out as usual.

I head inside to assess the damage.. Luckily it missed the sofa and dinette, but there is rug covering the floor of the slide out, which it soaked.. I use all I can to blot out as much water as I can, then set up a fan blowing right on the rug. I head back to bed, pissed that maybe if I had made sure I was dead level, I could have avoided this.. Luckily my wife isn't on this trip..lol. Today I head up to see if there is anything amiss on the roof. The rubber flap which covers the gap has a few pine needles under it, but nothing major, but I realize it's not really a strong press against the roof, and water could easily penetrate if water is pooled against it. Then I look closer under the rubber flap, and see there is a second rubber flap which is a lot tighter fit, however as I check the length of it, I spot an acorn cap which was stuck right in the middle of the darn thing which I can see will allow plenty of room for water to run right thru it...Crap!!

I always get up and sweep the slide outs before closing them, but somehow that little acorn cap got under the first flap, and lodged itself right in the worst of spots.. So now I'm rethinking the awnings... I've read quite a few threads here about them, and it seems the general consensus is they are worth it, for this very reason..lol. I believe it was a combination of heavy rain, a slight tilt to the right, and the darn acorn which caused the failure. I guess I'll be checking out toppers soon for both slide outs, but wanted to share so maybe this won't happen to someone else.. Here is a pic of my level this morning, it has settled to a little outside of the line since I set up on Saturday.

CaptnJohn · 08-22-2016, 09:54 PM

Sorry about your episode but all should be fine. I'm paranoid about things like that so ~~ toppers AND auto-level. Chock it up as a guy memory to be shared but not with your wife.

FTWingRiders · 08-23-2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

Sorry about your episode but all should be fine. I'm paranoid about things like that so ~~ toppers AND auto-level. Chock it up as a guy memory to be shared but not with your wife.

Thanks!! The rug is drying nicely. I lifted it up so I can get air underneath it too. And yeah... The boys and I have sworn oaths that what happens at camp stays at the camp..And this isn't the first!! LOL!!!!

GaryWT · 08-23-2016, 10:11 AM

We had our slides open in the driveway once and not level and go water in on the rug. Not very happy but the slides will leak if the water runs towards the trailer and not away from it. Level is good and a little low on the slide side is even better. We usually level now and then once you open the slides the trailer is a little lower on that side.

Lee · 08-23-2016, 11:15 AM

I feel your pain!!!

Being that I live in the Great North-wet, I have a cover over the slide out.

Lee

Ken / Claudia · 08-23-2016, 06:53 PM

I know people have their reasons for not having a slide awning. Besides added costs, what is the down side. I camp in rain at times and most anywhere the topper will have pine needles or other debris on it when it gets rolled up and that stuff rolls off. They say the slide out will be cooler in hot temps than without. That I cannot prove. All my RVs with slides have had them. On the listed trailer the dealer charged about 400 for it and installed.

busterbrown · 08-24-2016, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

On the listed trailer the dealer charged about 400 for it and installed.

That's about what I paid for mine, plus tax. The slide toppers were installed as I did my 4 hour PDI in the dealer's service bay.

jamesmc321 · 08-24-2016, 05:17 AM

So question for those that have them... do you feel it was worth the $x.00 to get one / have one installed and do you still have to check the top of the slide before pulling it in?

I love my slide and will hopefully never have to give it up (with new purchases) however having to climb up and sweep off or wipe off all the water before pulling it in, is a PITB.

Thanks in advance - J

CaptnJohn · 08-24-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesmc321

So question for those that have them... do you feel it was worth the $x.00 to get one / have one installed and do you still have to check the top of the slide before pulling it in?

I love my slide and will hopefully never have to give it up (with new purchases) however having to climb up and sweep off or wipe off all the water before pulling it in, is a PITB.

Thanks in advance - J

Bought my new 5er last December. If I had ordered would have had toppers come from the factory. In March of this year CW had a sale on toppers and install so down it went. I'm too old to be climbing ladders or walking on the roof so, no blowing or sweeping. One in I can see the tops and so far have had 2 or 3 leaves to pick off total in 35 nights. Well worth every dime.

Desert185 · 08-24-2016, 08:24 AM

If I'm half a bubble off on leveling the trailer, I'm happy. In the rain without a slide awning, the bubble should be in the right spot to encourage water to run away from the inside of the trailer. Given all this, I have slide awnings on the mod list, primarily for shade on the slides during the summer. Living in the desert, shade is a welcome commodity.

I do camp in the trees, so tree trash and inclement snow/rain from spring camping can be an issue that awnings will solve. I'm sold on awnings.

Lee · 08-24-2016, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesmc321

So question for those that have them... do you feel it was worth the $x.00 to get one / have one installed and do you still have to check the top of the slide before pulling it in?

I love my slide and will hopefully never have to give it up (with new purchases) however having to climb up and sweep off or wipe off all the water before pulling it in, is a PITB.

Thanks in advance - J

I was rather lucky when I bought my TT as the Dealer had a promotion going on where I got to choose a "no cost" gift for buying the TT from them. Choices were 1. WD hitch(already had one), or 2. Power tongue landing gear, or 3. Awning for the slider.

I choose number 3!!!!!!!!!
Lee

cpaulsen · 08-24-2016, 02:46 PM

I have toppers on all 3 of my slides......never be without them again.

Ken / Claudia · 08-26-2016, 10:42 AM

Answer to post #8. It's your money, if you can afford them get them. Put on yourself and save money if your willing to do it. I think unless you think a storm etc blew stuff onto the slide roof, it really should be free of water and debris. I have been in high winds at coast and a mt. storm. There was no damage to the slide cover/aweing. No notice of it flapping and no tearing in the high winds. And never had stuff blown onto slide roof but, I think it could happen.

GT2400BH · 08-27-2016, 05:46 AM

Last year I seen a guy sweep off his slides and watch some acorns fall back on top of it before he was able to get his slideout back in. After letting him know he was going to add toppers. I wonder how often that happens.

FTWingRiders · 08-27-2016, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT2400BH

Last year I seen a guy sweep off his slides and watch some acorns fall back on top of it before he was able to get his slideout back in. After letting him know he was going to add toppers. I wonder how often that happens.

LOL... See post one.. I think that's what happened to me, as I always sweep first. Just got home from the lake and am going to check toppers this week. Thanks to everyone for their responses!!

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