Slider awnings

[Montana_10714]

What is your opinion of the slider awnings ?
Are they needed ?
If you were ordering a new unit would you include them ?

[bncinwv]

Our rigs have had them. Some do not like them because of wind noise, but I feel the benefits far outweigh the few negatives. I like the added protection against rain, leaves and even ice and snow build-up in the few times that we have cold camped. We did insist on all five slides having the awnings on our new 3750FL. All of this is personal preference of course, but our preference is for them to be on the rig.
Bingo

[footloose]

Are you talking about awnings over the sliders? We chose to put an 11' awning on the large slide out over the windows. It helps enormously with the heat/cold. We're very happy wth it.

[scductman]

They came on mine. I installed them on a sob that we had before. I love them and have never had much wind noise from them. I think they help to keep the slides from leaking water around the seals atleast on the top. They also keep trash off the slides so you can just run them in when breaking camp and anything will just fall off. JMHO
bobby

[kdeiss]

Would not be with out

[sfish]

We park ours in the summer at our lake home where there are many oak and pine trees towering over the 5er.When we pull in the slides there are a lot of needles and leaves falling from those slide covers.My sob didnt have them and I never liked climing the ladder with a broom and blower to clean off the slide tops.

Steve

[kdeiss]

On our way back from Fl this spring we spent a night in Statesville Nc during the night it rained then froze. If we did not have slide awnings the ice on top of the slide would have to have been removed prior to pulling in slides or you would have had water inside when it thawed.Think about getting a ladder out to reach the top of the bedroom slide if you had one.

[trlrboy]

We have them on all 4 slides. Keeps the leaves and pine needles off the slides when you retract them. Beware of being outside when you retract the slides after a rain. The awning may pool some water and when the slide moves it dumps off. Ask how I know.

[sreigle]

This is really a personal preference item. We had them installed on our 2001 Montana and ordered them on our 2003 and 2007 models. We would not be without them. If you weekend/vacation then maybe the value is less.

The primary value to me is I don't have to climb up on the roof and sweep debris off the slides. When the roof is wet it is treacherous up there. And if we have ice and/or snow on the toppers, it just rolls right off when we retract the slides.

The downside is they do deteriorate in the weather, probably UV rays. Ours are 4 1/2 years old now and they're showing wear. We were getting a few cracks, particularly along the edges near the attachment point to the rig. I reinforced those areas with eternabond tape and they're holding well, so far. I suppose in another year or two we'll have to replace them but I will do so gladly.

Strong winds can create some noise but if it is excessive I'd look at tension adjustment. When at Jamaica Beach (Galveston Island) for two months this past winter it was so windy I ended up looping ropes over them and down around the slides, not so much for noise abatement as for protecting my investment. I was concerned about damage from two-months of near-constant winds. That's the only time I've ever tied them down, though.

[bncinwv]

This thread has got me to pondering (and the MOC knows that when I start pondering, it always results in a post!!). Since our owner's manual and other supplied documentation does not address maintenance procedures for the slide awnings, I am wondering if there would be any benefit to using a protectant such as 303 on the awning material to prevent the degradation of the fabric?? I see a Yahoo or Google search coming up!! Since we have a new rig with new slide awnings, if there would be a benefit to the use of 303 now is the time for us to consider it.
Bingo

[Exnavydiver]

Bingo, on that line of thought here is a little tidbit for your maintenance list. Removing White Pine Pitch Balls from your roof and slide toppers: Creamy Peanut Butter-- Pitch can be a bear to remove from your rig. Try creamy peanut butter on it on a warm day. let it sit for several hours then use a Popsicle stick to scrape it off. The peanut oil softens the pitch and coats the surrounding area so when you scrape it off most of it will come off and not re-stick elsewhere. If you need to re apply go ahead and repeat the process till it is all off. Then just wash with water and dawn or other roof cleaning solution. I will post this on the maint. thread... Dave

[bncinwv]

What do we do with the squirrel colony that amasses then???
Bingo

[Exnavydiver]

sic the dog and cat on them...

[shotgunred10]

I've posted this before, but last year, we replaced all the vinyl on all three slides for less than $150. Had them custom made at a truck tarp shop...much better material and about $750 less than from the camper place.

[sreigle]

Dave, do you think that peanut butter residue would cause birds to dig into the rubber, looking for food? Same for squirrels. At the 2009 Goshen rally Dicor told us to never use a cleaner with citrus as that citrus odor would cause birds and squirrels to hunt for the food. So I'm wondering if peanut butter holds the same risk? I have no idea, just wondering.

Well, shucks, I posted that before reading this second page of posts. I'm still wondering, though.

[Exnavydiver]

As I said in the post after you get the pitch off then you wash it with Dawn or other roof cleaner. So far no squirrels or elephants. the peanut oil dissolves nicely with the Dawn and hot water. I can get lots of hot water from the hose run from the service bay...

[sreigle]

Dave, I guess I skimmed right over that part and focused on the peanut butter! Sorry.