Slide Topper Opinions
- Thread starter 5erWonk
- Start date
mrcomer
Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)
My 2-cents
Hi Fassel,
Personally I like them. We camp every weekend during the spring,summer and fall, so we pack up and unpack the camper alot. I can't imagine having to get up on top of the camper to brush off any debris that might have gotten on top of the slides, let alone the water that would inevitably get in if we were to pack-up during the rain. The only down side to them from my experience is the cleaning. Awnings are bad anyway, now I have to clean (3) slide toppers also.
By the way, welcome to the Heartland Forum. I'm sure you will get alot of very useful information from many knowledgable people here. You will also get responses from the Factory if you so chose.
Good luck,
Mark
Hi Fassel,
Personally I like them. We camp every weekend during the spring,summer and fall, so we pack up and unpack the camper alot. I can't imagine having to get up on top of the camper to brush off any debris that might have gotten on top of the slides, let alone the water that would inevitably get in if we were to pack-up during the rain. The only down side to them from my experience is the cleaning. Awnings are bad anyway, now I have to clean (3) slide toppers also.
By the way, welcome to the Heartland Forum. I'm sure you will get alot of very useful information from many knowledgable people here. You will also get responses from the Factory if you so chose.
Good luck,
Mark
sailorand
Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
This is the first unit I have had toppers on. I would do it again. You do not have to get up and sweep the toppers everytime you close up the slidesaMake sure that they overhang the slide by a couple of inches on each side. Yes the wind will whip them at times.
Fassel,
Same here as Rand and Mark. I've used my unit for 2 seasons and I like having the slide topper awnings. I do scrub the toppers and the standard awning each spring when I scrub the roof. The toppers get pretty dirty. I don't think you'll be sorry if you do get them.
Jim
Same here as Rand and Mark. I've used my unit for 2 seasons and I like having the slide topper awnings. I do scrub the toppers and the standard awning each spring when I scrub the roof. The toppers get pretty dirty. I don't think you'll be sorry if you do get them.
Jim
Forrest Fetherolf
Senior Member
slide toppers
I have 4 on my 3600RL. They not only keep debris off the slide roof, they provide an extra layer to help divert water from the slide top seal. The extra expense is worth it.
I have 4 on my 3600RL. They not only keep debris off the slide roof, they provide an extra layer to help divert water from the slide top seal. The extra expense is worth it.
K
Ken Washington
Guest
They also keep the sun from heating up the tops of the slides. No down side except cleaning them.
Ken
Ken
I agree with all the above reasons. They do help to keep the slides cooler and keep rain off. One thing that we have noticed is they make noise when the wind blows hard......we are in the Rio Grande Valley of TX for the winter .......it is windy some days and they are noisy.
Our first rig had only a single slide and we had a topper installed which we really liked. Our second (present) and soon to be replaced with a BIghorn doesn't have toppers because of the close proximity of the awning arms to the big LR slide and we have regretted it for three and a half years. When we ordered our Bighorn the DW nearly demanded slide toppers from the factory. Other than that we agree with all the above comments.
jpmorgan37
Well-known member
I have the same problem as do most people. The topper is almost flat and due to the size of it, there is not a sufficient angle for water to run off. I have seen everything from volley balls to home made supports out of pvc pipe placed under the toppers. I just run my slides in periodically (which is recommended if you are parked for a longer period of time) and about every three or four months, I clean them.
John
John
Tom of Ypsi
Well-known member
Instead of running the slides in and out I raise the back jacks a little and run the front jacks up and down. The only problem I have with the toppers is on windy days, which is quite often here in the Rio Grande Valley, they flap and make some noise. Even at that I will have them on our next coach.
Deepsky3539
Active Member
Hate to be the nay sayer but for me, they are always getting trashed. Here in Wyoming, the wind basically rips them up pretty fast. If you live in an area that doesn't have hurricane winds, then your probably fine.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
The last 3 trailers I've owned had no slide toppers. we have been full time for a year and a half now and have not had any issues at all. That being said, I don't know how much they help with heat from the sun. I've heard they help reduce the heat. If you park under trees they certainly will help keep debris off the slide outs. I have heard many others complain about them being noisy in the wind but that can be resolved.
Ray - I'm considering slide toppers on the unit I'm thinking to order. How did you resolve the "noisy in wind" issue? By simply retracting the slides? I was wondering if there is another way.
Thanks
Gary
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Gary, Sorry if you mis-understood. We don't have slide toppers. The folks I know that have them have solved the problem in a couple of different ways. 1 is to make a pvc bar that would act like a tent frame and they slide it under the topper once they're set up. the other is a series of 2 or 3 balls large enough to fit under the topper and raise it up enough to eliminate the slack. Some have their balls (don't laugh
) attached to a line and tie it off so they don't come out the ends.
