Slide topper sagging
- Thread starter Retsfer
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi Retsfer,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
There's no easy adjustment. To increase tension, the topper fabric needs to be unwound, removed from the roller, the roller rewound with an extra turn, and the fabric reinstalled. This is a 2 person job requiring 2 ladders. Or a trip to a service location.
Another method involves releasing the tension and removing the mounting brackets, but I'm not a fan of that procedure.
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
There's no easy adjustment. To increase tension, the topper fabric needs to be unwound, removed from the roller, the roller rewound with an extra turn, and the fabric reinstalled. This is a 2 person job requiring 2 ladders. Or a trip to a service location.
Another method involves releasing the tension and removing the mounting brackets, but I'm not a fan of that procedure.
Another method for increasing tension on the awning is to pin the roller to the spring shaft. Start with the slide extended out. Each side of the roller has a slot and if you look by using a screwdriver to turn the roller a bit you will see a hole through the shaft. You will then need to put a 3" cotter through that hole and the slots in the roller on both ends of the roller.
That locks the spring tension.
You can then bring the slide in a bit to get a good amount of slack in the awning material. Remove the Torrxs screw on the arms that hold the roller arm to the hex shaft. Yours may be a bit different depending on manufacturer.
Slide the roller one direction then the other till it is off the hex shaft.
Then give it one wind and put it back on the shaft then release tension slowly and carefully.
But be warned, slide toppers will sag when then get full of water. It's just the nature of the beast.
And, if you get too much tension the slide may not fully extend on the top.
These slide toppers come with the spring preloaded for the correct tension.
So, after saying all that, your awning toppers sound normal and it may be best to leave it alone.
When mine get full I just raise the front of the camper as high as I can get it and the water runs off.
Peace
Dave
That locks the spring tension.
You can then bring the slide in a bit to get a good amount of slack in the awning material. Remove the Torrxs screw on the arms that hold the roller arm to the hex shaft. Yours may be a bit different depending on manufacturer.
Slide the roller one direction then the other till it is off the hex shaft.
Then give it one wind and put it back on the shaft then release tension slowly and carefully.
But be warned, slide toppers will sag when then get full of water. It's just the nature of the beast.
And, if you get too much tension the slide may not fully extend on the top.
These slide toppers come with the spring preloaded for the correct tension.
So, after saying all that, your awning toppers sound normal and it may be best to leave it alone.
When mine get full I just raise the front of the camper as high as I can get it and the water runs off.
Peace
Dave
MTPockets
Well-known member
I always carried some PVC pipe with me to slide under the slide awning whenever I felt we were going to have rain. 1 1/2” pipe to whatever length you want and end pieces that Had three openings, one for the pipe and two for the legs I cut about 6” .also an end cap to form a smooth contact on the leg end.. this forms a support to hold up the awning in case you get a lot of water. No need to glue the parts so you can disassemble for easy storage.
Dave is spot on! I had care free toppers on my last unit and had to increase the tension on one because it sagged and that’s the method I used. If it’s a longer slide, there are slide topper supports you can purchase to stop it from sagging when it rains hard. That’s ultimatly what I did because even though it was tighter, it still sagged in a storm. They are installed in the center and have rollers.
John
John
Thanks to everyone for the responses. I'll be looking at getting some PVC sections as I live in the PNW and we do get some rain. This is a great site, I found this morning that the book is wrong for calibrating the auto level system. It said push 5 times on the front button and 5 times on the rear but nothing happened, 10 times each worked perfectly.
Gary (retsfer)
Gary (retsfer)
Thanks alot.
NYSUPstater
Well-known member
FWIW, I read few years back another way to reduce the sag in the 1st place if rain is expected is to throw a beach ball under the topper to create a "peak" if you will. Of course watching someone getting the ball in and out would be worth the price of admission. 
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
...... Of course watching someone getting the ball in and out would be worth the price of admission.
Soccer ball carrier + longer rope
I've tried the beach ball fix and after a while got tired of chasing the ball through the park whenever it got windy.FWIW, I read few years back another way to reduce the sag in the 1st place if rain is expected is to throw a beach ball under the topper to create a "peak" if you will.
I just let em sag now.
Peace
Dave
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carl.swoyer
Well-known member
Well ....
A real pain it is.
It used to bother me but as time goes on you figure stuff out. What I do is retract my slides about half way. Doing this dumps the water. It's easier than messing with the tension and finding out you didn't get it right.
The do make a roller that you can install mid way. But again I opted for the button. Slide in Slide out.
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carl.swoyer
Well-known member
I can see me forgetting to remove the PVC. Oh boy that would be just my luck.
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NYSUPstater
Well-known member
Don't think this method works well whose slides are operated by the Shwintek system. Plus, no expert on this, but by having slides partially in mess up the seals as well?
danemayer
Well-known member
I think the suggestion is to retract the slide partially, which at some point would shed the water, then to extend the slide out again. Without the water weight, after extending the slide again, the topper should be taut.
One of the Lippert electric slideout manuals does make it sound like partially retracting a slideout could cause a problem, but if that's a concern, just retract it fully and then extend fully.
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
I've partially extended my hydraulic slides (individually) on several occasions while in storage to access whatever. The key is not to USE them partially extended putting weight on them when they're not fully supported..
carl.swoyer
Well-known member
Never said leave the slides 1/2 in .
By the time you get the slide 1/2 way in the water is gone .
" Then you put the slide all the way " out" and no more Water
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