Slide toppers - opinions?

What is the general consensus on slide toppers? It may have prevented the recent roof leak I had where water came in through the ceiling light in MB slide.........

Re: Slide toppers

We have slide toppers and wouldn't be without them. I don't have to clean off the top of the slideouts before retracting, and they cut the sun beating down on the slide. They also keep the rain off the slide. It might help with an area prone to water leaks, but that's a maybe.

Downside is that if you ever stay in a place that's windy, like Oklahoma, they can be pretty noisy when the wind is 35-45 mph. And if it snows, you have to clean the snow off and in areas with heavy snow, supports are a good idea.

In extreme weather, like an 80 mph straight-line wind, it's possible to have damage to the toppers. It's pretty rare, but I think JohnD has told of the time he saw it happen in Colorado.

Re: Slide toppers

Well worth having, especially if the top seal doesn’t extend properly or you are parked under a lot of trees.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Slide toppers

If you like quiet when you sleep, slide toppers. Cuts down on a tremendous amount of noise in a heavy rain. Been through 55 mph winds in Los Vegas, NV with 70 mph gusts and did not have any damage to the toppers. I do not think I would keep the slides out if the wind gets any higher though.

Here is a more recent one...

This was my neighbor at the RV park near Golden, Colorado that I just left yesterday.

He lost this slide topper on I-25 near Trinidad, CO (I just drove through there yesterday) in those winds we had last week.

He told me that first it came unrolled and he pulled over and got it rolled back up, then about a mile down the road the wind blew it completely off.

He had to pull over a second time in the high winds on the highway and retrieve it, then stowed it away in his basement until he arrived in Denver.

A mobile tech came to the park on Friday to fix it but it was beyond repair.

First shot you can see it on the ground, second shot where it was.

I've had RV's with and without and I prefer without due to the noise caused from winds.

Previous coach didn't have them and factory rep at that time said if I wanted them when we ordered it, she' try to talk me out of them. After 11 years of climbing the ladder to sweep them off before bring slides in, lil older and good mama's cooking, we decided to get them on current coach. LOVE THEM. Does reduce rain noise and a bit noisey in the wind, but no more sweeping them off. IF there is a downside, they will "bow" down when rain collects on them. You learn where to stand when slides are brought in. If not, it's bath time

rbigler said:

What is the general consensus on slide toppers? It may have prevented the recent roof leak I had where water came in through the ceiling light in MB slide.........

Click to expand...

I couldn't own a rig without slide toppers. Best way to protect the slide out

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

On the new Big Horn I ordered, I ordered the Deluxe Slide Topper set.
I was told they have heavier material and heavier springs than the standard ones, so they do not make as much noise, and hold up better.
I had never heard of Deluxe Toppers, but they are an option on the Big Horn, so I wonder if this maybe something new.
Does anyone else have these or have heard of them?
Hockster

Without slide toppers I’ve seen folks up on the roof with brooms and leaf blowers before leaving the campground. Not what I want to be doing every time we close up shop, spespecially ob a rainy morning.

- - - Updated - - -

Without slide toppers I’ve seen folks up on the roof with brooms and leaf blowers before leaving the campground. Not what I want to be doing every time we close up shop, spespecially ob a rainy morning.

Only once in 8+ years did I have to bring the slides in due to wind affecting the slide topppers. And even then I only brought the slides in part way. That was in Cape Hatteras CG.

There was a second time I had to pull the slides in all the way due to wind, but the stoppers were still not a problem before retracting. That time we were at a Delaware beach campground. And even with the slides in the camper was moving quite a bit.

Wouldn’t be without them. The convenience far outweighs the extra cost and minimal problems.

JohnD said:

Here is a more recent one...

This was my neighbor at the RV park near Golden, Colorado that I just left yesterday.

He lost this slide topper on I-25 near Trinidad, CO (I just drove through there yesterday) in those winds we had last week.

He told me that first it came unrolled and he pulled over and got it rolled back up, then about a mile down the road the wind blew it completely off.

He had to pull over a second time in the high winds on the highway and retrieve it, then stowed it away in his basement until he arrived in Denver.

A mobile tech came to the park on Friday to fix it but it was beyond repair.

First shot you can see it on the ground, second shot where it was.

View attachment 57159 View attachment 57158

Click to expand...

John,

I don't doubt what this guy told you, but slide toppers installed correctly are under a good bit of tension.

Everyone with toppers routinely tows down the highway at speeds greater than all but the worst windstorms. It's hard to imagine a slide topper on a closed slide unspooling from the wind while driving unless the spring was broken or the mechanism separated from the trailer for some other reason.

I'm thinking there must have been another factor.

Where I was parked near Denver for the last 2 1/2 months there was an old tree right next to the side of my Prowler with two slideouts.

You can see it in these shots:



I heard stuff bouncing off of the roof the whole time I was there.

Last Friday as I was hitching up for a Saturday departure I decided to climb up on the roof to sweep it off.

Low and behold, it was a wasted climb as there was nothing to sweep off, although I did inspect the caulking while I was up there.

I did pull the trailer out two weeks previous to get new tires and wheel bearings done, and put the slides in without going up there, although I did take a peak while standing in the back of the truck to see if anything was up there...nothing.

It had been windy for a couple of weeks...

In the 5 1/2 years I've had campers with slideouts I've not once had to sweep off the top of the slides before I put them in.

Short of a tree limb, a bunch of wet leaves or a foot of snow, I would think the the slide seals will push just about anything off of the top of the slide.

Now, if the slide toppers were available in a form where you could easily unhook them from the front of the slide on demand and leave them rolled up, then I might just be all over them!



- - - Updated - - -

danemayer said:

John,

I don't doubt what this guy told you, but slide toppers installed correctly are under a good bit of tension.

Everyone with toppers routinely tows down the highway at speeds greater than all but the worst windstorms. It's hard to imagine a slide topper on a closed slide unspooling from the wind while driving unless the spring was broken or the mechanism separated from the trailer for some other reason.

I'm thinking there must have been another factor.

Click to expand...

I suppose that is possible something else was going on with that topper...

But then again, it did happen.

He did tell me that they were factory installed when he bought it.

Been through all types of wind & precipitation (hail, sleet, snow, heavy rain) with no problems. We see others sweeping off their slides before they leave - no thanks.

Four years full time, with toppers, hundreds of different locations, wind, hail, rain, snow.... some flopping noise in high wind, lessened rain noise. Well worth the investment.

Unless you camp in a cow pasture, northern Michigan campgrounds tend to have a lot of oak trees. They like to drop branches and acorns. I normally have to sweep the roof and the toppers of debris before washing.

We've had them since Day 1 and would not be without them.

We love them. Not all slide toppers are the same tough.

I had Carefree install when I bought the rig. Love those and hated them. Had constant problems with them on the big slide. The aluminum/single screw set up was not strong enough - kept breaking. The vinyl top was destroyed by sun in less than 3 years. Would not recommend these toppers. Carefree was difficult to deal with when I said their long toppers needed extra support and the bracket design could not hold the weight of the topper properly. I also had a big wind in Nebraska rip off the topper and throw it on the roof one time.

Replaced them with Lippert Solera topper with shield. The metal shield wraps around the topper when stored adding sun protection and stiffness going down the road.

when looking at units - go on a sunny day- sit in slides on unit with and without toppers- you will notice the huge difference in temperature- on first trailer I bought/ordered new they talked me out of them about the noise - then after a year of heat in slide and cabinets in slides - I added them and will never own another trailer without them.
even in high winds you hear all kind of noises and hey have never bothered me-properly adjusted ones wont do tat unless really high winds and you will hear the wind /rain with/without toppers and definitely not over a/c or fan - also the seals an rubber roof ( f you have on slides will stay like new