Slide Awning Toppers

[scrowba]

First off, I would like to thank everyone's input on my first question about where to buy.. I am still working on my choice.
My next question is about slide awning toppers which go over the slide outs. My future Montana (yes, that has been decided) will be used at a seasonal site. One dealer told me that if I have the slide topper open all the time that they will harden and crack. Has anyone had this happen?

Thanks again,
Karl
Soon to be owner of a 3685FL

[Bowie]

Haven't had ours long enough to know if that is an issue. And we are not full-timers and are not parked as a seasonal. That said, we are very pleased with our toppers and would buy them again.

[Montana_265]

We are ordering the toppers on our next one.... no experience with the seasonal thing or the hardening.

[CountryGuy]

Ask Steve R, he lives in his! He'll be along sometime to respond, in the meantime, have you tried the search engine here at the top of the page?? Similar discussions are part of the archives and old messages, they might be interesting reading for you!.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your Montana! When you get it ordered!

[Treecounter]

We had toppers installed a week after we bought our 02. WE park it for a month at a time and the slides are out when we are home. Haven't noticed any cracks in the fabric yet. But when they were new rain water would collect on the front room cover. Big surprise when Glub brought them in and I was working on getting the sewer undone. How ever now they have shrunk like Naugahyde does and are tight and water runs off. If you say our thread about the pigeon nest under our slide covers you will pay attention to that.

[BillyRay]

we have a seasonal and never had any problems with cracking. the problem that we have run into though is water pooling or puddling on top of it. after awhile, they stretch out and the water will accumulate.

[sreigle]

This Montana is 30 months old and has the slide toppers. They're out more than in since we fulltime. The long one over the lving room has some minor cracks in it but the other two do not. We had a problem with the long one rolling up crooked causing some stress on the topper and I suspect that's why the cracks since the other two show no signs of cracking. These toppers have been extended in temperatures ranging from minus 5 to over 100F and have had rain, snow, ice, leaves, walnuts, and who knows what else on them. Stand back when the slides are retracting or you'll experience the fall of whatever is on top of them. Been there.

Ours will pool water but the weight just pulls more material off the roller. I suppose there could be some stretching from side to side with the pooling but it doesn't seem to have hurt anything. We do get some noise from flapping in strong gusty winds.

If we ever trade fifthwheels the new one will also have the toppers. I like not having to sweep off the slides before retracting the slides.

[Chester]

We park our unit on a seasonal basis at a local campground. Several of the people around us are fulltimers and have toppers out all the time. No one complained of any "aging" on them. We have ordered them on our new 3475.

[trukdoc]

There were a couple of mentions to beware when putting slides in. What is on the slide topper will come down as it is rolled up... Without the topper where is that debris? On top the slide of coarse and when put in now inside your coach.
Get the toppers!
Rick

[rames14]

We seasonal and have not had an issue. Most of the trailers near us had the toppers as well. Our first TT did not have them. Would get them again without hesitation.

[Montana_74]

When you do not have the toppers, the water, leaves, limbs, etc
gathers on top of the slide and has to be manually removed before the slides can be closed. Requires the use of a ladder and long handled brush. We have watched that activity many times. It looks especially rough when it is icy and raining. Glad we do not have to do it.

Like Steve, ours has some cracking on the front edge of the topper over the dining and couch area. I figure that there are probably treatments that will keep the material pliable and I should have done that. We are full-timers and have the slides out all of the time when not moving from one spot to the other, so I guess the sun drying the fabric out is to be expected, when not treated. My bad.

Travel Safe in that new Montana......

[VanMan]

And don't forget whatever is UNDER the topper comes inside when you bring the slide in (yellowjacket nests, bugs, moths, etc) so you may want to figure out a way to blow it out, sweep it out, or at least use a step stand to look under it so you don't get a surprise. I guess I love surprises because just bring it in without thinking !!

[jrgwdenner]

Some folks put beach balls under the awning, on top of the slide itself to help with drainage. It keeps the rain from pooling. A swimming 'noodle' can be used to raise up the topper so the water and accumulation drains off before closing the slide. We also would order them again.

[sreigle]

VanMan is correct that whatever gets on the top of the slide, under the topper, comes into the coach, just like if no topper. In 22 months of fulltiming we've just once had anything come inside that way. In Stratton, CO, during a particularly violent thunderstorm a slew of hackberry moths apparently took refuge under our toppers, without our permission and knowledge. We didn't realize it until we stopped the next night. When the slides went out we had a number of dead moths on the carpet. Those apparently hid out under the slides and didn't survive the seals. Those who rode in on the tops of the slide survived. Many, many of them. We swatted moths for three days. Thought we had them all just to get buzzed in the shower. We ended up putting a flyswatter in the shower with us for a couple of days. And those buggers are tough, too. A bunch of "dead" ones we put in our large trashcan. Next day when we popped the lid, out they came! It's funny now to remember that time. That's the only time we've had anything at all come in on the slides.

[smc]

Have any of you with toppers had trouble in wind. We don't have them and have been in some pretty severe wind storms (along with the rain storms).

[Montana_2304]

Last year we had wind gusts of over 60 mph and torrental rains. The front of the 5er faced north so we got the full force of it on the west side. No leaks or damage to the toppers, glad we had them.They really keep the top of the slide clean and also provide shade for the slider.
Charlie and Sue

[DarMar]

We do not have toppers but have been in two spring storms (snow).
In one case the wind blew a LOT of WET snow in under the toppers of the people camping next to us. It was quite a challenge to get the snow out from under before rolling in the slide, the living dining slide that is. In my particular case it was a trip to Wallmart to buy a small plastic shovel and an excursion onto the roof to shovel off the 18" of snow. Of course I am talking about an experience that only us Northerners would have experienced, right!!! Soooooo if you see us anywhere we carry a small collapseable snow shovel on board if anyone EVER has the need!!!

[campbud]

We are thinking about getting this option on our new Montana ..Called the dealer today to ask if they would discount them..we haven't picked up the unit yet or did the paper work. By going by Camping Worlds price they are higher than what I thought they would run..Has anyone found them cheaper elsewhere?

[sreigle]

After re-reading this thread I need to modify my earlier comments that whatever is on top of the slides comes into the coach when the slides are retracted.

First of all, you will only very rarely, if at all, have leaves, twigs, bird droppings, etc., under the toppers. We rarely even have any water, ice, or snow under there. Maybe a small amount if it's blowing pretty good.

Second, the seals act like a squeegee. We've retracted our slides when the toppers had water, ice, and snow on them, at one time or another. I've seen the tops of the slides, once retracted, damp but never any puddles of water, never any snow, never any ice. Nor have we ever had the slides fail to come in all the way because of snow or ice or twigs or anything else. The ice, snow, and water on the toppers just rolled off as the slides retracted.

The only thing we know came in on the top of the slides was one time in Stratton, CO, we had hackberry moths ride inside on the slides after taking shelter (apparently) from a rather violent thunderstorm. Those that were under the slide died in the slide retraction process. Many of those riding the top of the slide survived the ride. Those little buggers were tough. We swatted them for several days. Those that appeared to be dead we swept up and put into the trash can.... well, next day when we lifted the trash can lid, they came flying out, good as new. I swear they each had about three lives. You haven't lived until you're showering and suddenly a swarm of moths decide to shower with you.

So, I have to say other than those moths we've never had anything come into the coach on top of the slides. I consider it a non-issue after more than four years with slide toppers and 23 months of fulltiming. As always, just my opinion.

[Gypsy]

It helps if the installer is knowledgeable and careful to mount the railing well above the slide, so as to create a steep pitch. This was done on my two driver's side slides, but not on the curbside because of interference with the existing patio awning (its rail was installed to cover more distance than required, so the slide awning rail had to go underneath it).

I've been in 60+ mph winds and heard a lot of flapping, but no damage. Never had cracking but did experience crooked roll-ups on bedroom awning on 2002 Montana. Those awnings were A&E. For my 2005 Montana I bought Carefree brand, IMHO better design with metal covers that prevent wind catching them while rolling down the road, and they look neater when slides are out.