Slide topper awnings holding water

Magumba · 10-19-2010, 08:42 PM

Hi,
Our slide toppers are holding a lot of rain water especially the topper over the bedroom slide. I've thought of putting 4 inch plastic pipe under the fabric to give a little better run off. The awning fabric seems tight after we extend the slide.
Any other suggestions.
Thanks.

Finhawk · 10-19-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magumba

Hi,
Our slide toppers are holding a lot of rain water especially the topper over the bedroom slide. I've thought of putting 4 inch plastic pipe under the fabric to give a little better run off. The awning fabric seems tight after we extend the slide.
Any other suggestions.
Thanks.

I've heard of folks putting a air mattress under the awning just to eliminate the sag. Never tried it but it might work

RJay · 10-19-2010, 09:14 PM

Magumba,
You might want to take a turn on the topper roller to tighten the spring tension.

Magumba · 10-19-2010, 10:59 PM

Thanks for your help.

How do I adjust the tension of the springs?

kalynzoo · 10-19-2010, 11:21 PM

I sort of remember a suggestion in one of the MH magazines, to put foam noodles under the awning.
Good Luck

OldChief7155 · 10-20-2010, 05:48 AM

I saw a guy with a cheap beach ball under his at Kirtland AFB. When it quit raining he took it out deflated it and folded it up to the size of a deck of cards. About $1.00 at any store.

AFChap · 10-20-2010, 09:00 AM

I've heard all kinds of "solutions" stuffed under the slide toppers. And I have yet to hear anything other than original design change that sounds like it is worth the trouble. Water is heavy, and I doubt tightening the tension will do much. Bottom line is: what problem is a bit of water pooled on a slide topper? Yes, it may run down the side of the RV when the slide is stowed, and it may make a dirty spot on top of the topper that cannot be seen from the ground ... it may be a little irritation (I know mine can be), but is it a problem that has to have a "solution"?

Wayne M · 10-20-2010, 07:50 PM

I have the same problem, but on my small living room slide (driver side). If I am not careful, when I retract, the water will run down the side of the slide when it is all the way in. How I got around this is to pull in the 23 foot slide first, then tilt the MH using the jacks (recommended in book by Winnebago to tilt if water present) then I bring the slide in and as soon as I see water pouring down the window I stop and wait for it to finish. I may need to do this 3 or 4 times until the slide gets all the way in. The time delay is negligible for a retiree.

Keith K · 10-20-2010, 08:05 PM

I've had to re-tension my big LR slide after repairing the slide lock in the roof. It's not an easy job; you have to remove the roller cover, put the slide in almost all the way to reduce the tension, disconnect the roller end caps/springs (make sure they're pinned first), turn the end assembly to increase the tension, then put everything back together. I'd leave the water, or you can buy a product (don't remember where I saw it) that's an inflatable wedge with lanyards on it that will keep the cover taut.

AUSSI · 10-21-2010, 06:04 AM

I had the same problem, until throwing a 3/16 rope over the slidetopper and maneuvering it to the lowest part of topper and leaving about 8ft of rope hanging down at each end. This creates a conduit for the water to evacuate.
Try it it is a cheap solution.

Magumba · 10-21-2010, 07:17 AM

Aussi,
Great idea it would be cheap and easy solution. Thank you.

Suncircles · 10-23-2010, 11:05 PM

The rope idea is a good idea. I would think though that a natural fiber rope would be much more "wick-able" than a polymer rope?

I had an additional problem last Feb. in Tennessee when the pool of water froze into a large block of ice overnight. Breaking camp the next morning, I had to pull in the slide, dumping this huge block of ice off the slide awning onto the ground. What an explosive crash it made.

Suncircles
2005 Journey 36G with a 2006 CRV Toad

AUSSI · 10-25-2010, 06:07 AM

Any rope will do the job some better than others. but wick-able would be best.

Magumba · 10-25-2010, 05:22 PM

I've had the ice crash off awning many times. The rope sounds like an great and simple solution. Thanks.

AFChap · 10-25-2010, 06:37 PM

I had a topper fail to roll up once due to ice ...it just hung down the side until I retracted it some and suddenly it "popped" and the ice sheet went flying. If we are in wet/freezing weather and will be leaving the next morning, I try to be sure to retract the slides the evening before while the liquid is still liquid. Ice is a very rare experience for us at this point.

I have considered using a rope, and actually tying it around the slide lengthwise so that the rope pulls the topper down on each end. Particularly on my long slide, I don't think just laying the rope across it would effectively drain the drooped area where most of the water collects.

AFChap · 10-25-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

It's not an easy job; you have to remove the roller cover, put the slide in almost all the way to reduce the tension, disconnect the roller end caps/springs (make sure they're pinned first), turn the end assembly to increase the tension, then put everything back together.

Seems it would be easier than that ...I've thought about tightening mine. Here's how I would do it. With slides extended, remove the metal cover and pin the roller at the left end. Then retract the slide apx two rolls of the roller, take the end of the roller loose and manually roll up the extra cloth, re-secure the end of the roller, and remove the pin in the roller. Then fully extend the slide. That should tighten it up some.

I think I would have to measure the circumference of the roller to insure I didn't tighten it too much. For instance, if the roller is 4 inches around I would not want to tighten it by more than 8" (two rotations of the roller) at one time. Too much and it would no doubt break the spring, or something else.

Boris and Natasha · 10-26-2010, 07:28 AM

Adjusting the tension on the springs probably won't help because the sag is in the middle of the topper, not on the ends. It's caused by allowing water to sit on the topper repeatedly and the material simply stretches. We have found that, by running the slides in after a rain to keep water from standing on the topper, the material tends to return to close to its original shape.

Magumba · 10-26-2010, 08:27 AM

Here in Pennsylvania I'd have to concerned about the rope freezing to the slide topper this time of year. Still thanks for the suggestion I think I'll use it as recommended to pull the material tight to the slide in warm weather.

Wayne M · 10-26-2010, 08:50 AM

I have the same problem with water puddling on my small street-side slide. Since my procedure is to bring the big curb slide in first (no puddling), when it is in I tilt the MH to street side using the jacks. (Recommended procedure in Winnebago manual when water is present) Then I pull the slide in until I see water running down the side. Stop, wait, and do it again. Sometimes I have to stop 3 or 4 times, depending on how much puddling. I'm going to look into having the topper readjusted.

AFChap · 10-26-2010, 09:27 AM

I would not expect more tension to keep water from standing on the topper. And even the toppers I replaced at 5 yr did not appear to be stretched. It is just a fact that the material will sag a bit in the middle of a long spread, and water will pool there if it is not sufficient slope to cause run off. Try to hold a 10-12 ft blanket tight enough to keep the center from "pooling", even one that is only 2-3 ft the other direction ...you would rip it apart before you took the sag out of the center. The only real "cure" will be something under the fabric to push it up ...which some mfg'ers have created in the form of a folding metal framework that pushes the fabric up to prevent the sag & water pooling. If we were in freezing weather a lot, I might feel a need for a cure ...but we aren't, so