Slide Toppers

**sourdough** · 01-24-2020, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

I almost did it Tuesday. I took the 5th to the shop for awning toppers. I unhitched under the canopy and then looked up and the A/C was right under an I beam. Dang I missed it, barely, I think, yeah I think there is some daylight between, I think, I hope.

Brent, don't want to hijack the thread but I'm in the middle of having them fix me up a new 5th wheel. Just talked to them today discussing slide toppers. What drives your decision to install them? Not trying to debate it but rather trying to learn something that I've not thought of. You live in TX; not in W TX but still in TX. We have some heavy winds in W TX but we don't camp there generally unless maybe San Angelo or something.

I have always tried to get locations where I'm not under trees. Don't want "junk" all over the tops of the slides, or roof, and don't want to clean it. On the other hand I've had leaves and stuff accumulate on the slides anyway and use a ladder to get up there and brush them off. The blower usually doesn't do a great job because so much stuff "sticks".

Anyway, just trying to have it equipped when we get back with what we think we want....if that's possible.

**chuckster57** · 01-24-2020, 07:20 PM

Danny, there are several choices when it comes to toppers. Which ones are you looking at? Feel free to PM me if you’d like my opinion.

gearhead · 01-24-2020, 08:04 PM

I'm doing Carefree toppers with a polymer section for weather protection. They have a different fabric, polymer, so that when rolled up they have more weather protection than just the vinyl. I'm getting to the point that getting on the roof is a bit dangerous. I don't want to be up there sweeping pine needles and leaves off.

**flybouy** · 01-24-2020, 08:20 PM

Danny there's been pro's and cons discussed about this but I currently have them and would never have another one without them. In my opinion it reduces heat in the slide out as well as keeping debris off the top of the slide.

travelin texans · 01-25-2020, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Brent, don't want to hijack the thread but I'm in the middle of having them fix me up a new 5th wheel. Just talked to them today discussing slide toppers. What drives your decision to install them? Not trying to debate it but rather trying to learn something that I've not thought of. You live in TX; not in W TX but still in TX. We have some heavy winds in W TX but we don't camp there generally unless maybe San Angelo or something.

I have always tried to get locations where I'm not under trees. Don't want "junk" all over the tops of the slides, or roof, and don't want to clean it. On the other hand I've had leaves and stuff accumulate on the slides anyway and use a ladder to get up there and brush them off. The blower usually doesn't do a great job because so much stuff "sticks".

Anyway, just trying to have it equipped when we get back with what we think we want....if that's possible.

Be sure they install them with some pitch, mine were nearly flat causing water to pool more than normal. I would raise/lower the nose prior to retracting the slides to dump the lake off the top of the slides. Other than that they were great & IMO improve the looks of the RV as well as functional.
In your case they will be fantastic while wintering in Fla, but may be a problem with flapping in the wind in W Texas.

gearhead · 01-25-2020, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Be sure they install them with some pitch, mine were nearly flat causing water to pool more than normal. I would raise/lower the nose prior to retracting the slides to dump the lake off the top of the slides. Other than that they were great & IMO improve the looks of the RV as well as functional.
In your case they will be fantastic while wintering in Fla, but may be a problem with flapping in the wind in W Texas.

The water IS an issue. I went to Tulsa last week with 2 of the 4 toppers installed. Had a good bit of rain then a freeze down to the mid 20's. I went to pull in a slide and had a terrible noise. I thought the slide was self destructing. Went outside and saw a neighbor pushing ice off his toppers. Got out the CW telescoping ladder (thanks John) and pushed 1/2" thick ice off bare handed.

**sourdough** · 01-25-2020, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

The water IS an issue. I went to Tulsa last week with 2 of the 4 toppers installed. Had a good bit of rain then a freeze down to the mid 20's. I went to pull in a slide and had a terrible noise. I thought the slide was self destructing. Went outside and saw a neighbor pushing ice off his toppers. Got out the CW telescoping ladder (thanks John) and pushed 1/2" thick ice off bare handed.

After this problem and thinking forward about those kinds of issues do you have any sort of doubts? Things like this are what we keep worrying about. I don't have any inclination to camp/be in sub freezing weather again but it can, and will, happen. I don't want to be trying to pull out a ladder due to frozen water accumulation, high winds etc., or worse, pulling in the slides because the toppers want to tear off. I've got them refiguring numbers on the cost of them to include either the polymer portion to ward off sun deterioration or the "flexguard" aluminum strips to be placed on them along with the awnings. Our neighbor who just left in a nice Class A had the aluminum strip flexguards and they looked really nice and appeared to function properly.

gearhead · 01-26-2020, 07:52 AM

I have OEM aluminum covers on the 2 main awnings, they work well.
But I ended up going with the Carefree with the polymer section.
I'm hoping that polymer section will provide some protection from the summer sun. Our first trip in this rig we had had an abundance of leaves, sticks, and acorns on top of the slides. I spent several minutes chasing just a couple acorns. I thought the heck with this...slide topper awnings. We shall see...
Regarding the water. I'm now aware and will deal with it. Probably raise and lower the front of the trailer.

Tbos · 01-26-2020, 12:25 PM

I had Solera toppers put on my Alpine. They have reduced the heat in the summer and the only problem with the wind was during a hurricane. Water does pool up on the topper for the big kitchen slide. When bringing in that slide the water will either pour off the ends or the side. If I’m feeling up to it I will get on a ladder and loosen the topper enough for the water to come off the ends. I’m pretty sure if the water was frozen up there, as the slide came in it would fall off the wall side.

Frank G · 01-26-2020, 12:55 PM

Things to think about.

1)The Solera topper I had on our previous unit had no full length aluminum trim piece on the outside of the wind up unit. This piece on our current Carefree units prevent trash and ice from falling off the side when retracting. We preferred the Solera for this reason.

2) Depending on construction, clearance and a existing trim/awning rail you may not be able to specify the desired pitch. (or any pitch at all)

3) It is desirable to have the topper extend beyond the slide roof, again, due to interference issues this may not be possible. The dealer may choose not to do this to save $$$ or tell you it is the closest fit.

Know what you are buying and how it will be installed. We would do toppers again. BTW, I an not allowed on ladders, so roof detail is out of the question.

rhagfo · 01-26-2020, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

Danny there's been pro's and cons discussed about this but I currently have them and would never have another one without them. In my opinion it reduces heat in the slide out as well as keeping debris off the top of the slide.

This is part of it, keeping slides cool in the sun. Debris off the slide roof also, wind noise can be dealt with with either a strap over large slides or ball under.

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