Slideout toppers - wind rated

[TODO]

Does anyone have the specs for how much wind slideout awning toppers can handle? I got into some heavy gusts last night and was concerned about damage to the fabric. Everything seemed OK this AM but what are the facts?

[randye]

Hi TODO We bought our Montana 07. the winter 07-08 we stayed at the Oregon Coast and the wind blew 60 to 70 miles an hour and nothing happened. We had a couple more times at 50 mph. I did learn how to tie them with a strap like a women bonnet it keep the noise down a little and make you feel they will suvive the winds. We spend a year in New Mexico on I-40 and the winds blew weekly up to 60 mph and no problems, we are now between Tucson and Phoenix Az and have had 45mph once still look great. Hope this helps.

[HamRad]

TODO,
I do not know the specs for the slide covers. I do not have the slide covers on my rig. But I can report that damage did occur to some of the rigs at Quartzsite during the Big Blow and Big Rain a couple of Thursdays ago. At least two members reported some minor damage to the covers. None of them got ripped off. On several you could easily see the damage on the ends. All the covers appeared to be "stretched" more than normal.

The winds were in the range of 40 to 50 mph sustained. And we had gusts up to 70+. We endured the wind and rain for approximately 12 hours. Perhaps other survivors who actually have the covers will step forward with their tales.

HamRad

[exav8tr]

I have one of those long yellow tow straps and when the wind blows excessively (40-50+ mph) I throw it over the large slide topper and bungee it to the bottom. Keeps it from sounding like a huge thunderstorm. Does kind of stretech the fabric somewhat. Don't know if I have ever heard an official wind rating. Perhaps a call to A & E or Carefree of Colorado, depending on your brand. The large one puddles in the middle with water when it rains also. I usually go up and sweep them off after a good rain....

[PapaBeav]

We survived the high winds at Quartzsite, but I guess it all depended on which way your rig was facing. I have brought my slides in before in high winds, but decided to leave them out at Q. As high as the winds got down there that day I would probably bring them in next time. I would say anything over 50mph, bring them in or strap them down which some people did.

Rich

[LadyTheo]

Todo
I have a light wieght 1" nylon stap about 50' that I got @ quartzsite a couple years ago. then I got a plastic quick clip from the hardware store. when high winds comes up I just throw it over the large topper and put just a little pressure on the toppper so it does not flap. I don't pull it down tight, don't want to stretch or cause a rub mark on the top of the roof edge.
Cheap and easy fix and I sleep better at night, not flapping noise.

Mark

[David and Jo-Anna]

During each of the first two winters we spent down in southwest Arizona, the fabric on the living room slide topper started to tear away at the trailing edge where it attaches to the rig. The first time it happened, I was able to get the slide topper replaced under warranty. After the new one started to tear at the same edge, I reinforced the leading and trailing edges of all of our slide toppers with pieces of Eternabond roof repair tape. We made it through the big wind at Quartzsite last month, as well as some other heavy blows down here this winter, without any further problem.

[richfaa]

Have no idea about specs but we have been on the road since Oct 2006. Southwest.. high winds. right now in Florida it has been 20MPH gust 30/35 all day. These slide out toppers have seen some very high winds and they are in good shape..no damage at all.

[TODO]

quote:Originally posted by TODO

Does anyone have the specs for how much wind slideout awning toppers can handle? I got into some heavy gusts last night and was concerned about damage to the fabric. Everything seemed OK this AM but what are the facts?

[TODO]

Thanks everyone. Good comments. This was our first outing with the 2010 Montana 3150. We had 50 MPH gusts and everything held up, but I was a little concerned about the toppers. I'll probably contact Keystone for specs. Thanks again.

[slewis]

We were in Matagorda Bay and had gusts to 63 mph all night long. I was concerned about the wind blowing us over and having to crawl out that bedroom window. Wind was coming at us broadside. Our toppers made it OK, too. I hated the rocking. I'm a wimp.
Sandy

[sreigle]

We've never had any damage from wind but now are starting to see some splitting near the edge of the bedroom topper. Ours are 3 1/2 years old and thus weakened from UV rays and general weather exposure. They're nearing the end of their expected life, in other words, and are probably more susceptible to wind damage. Since we will be a quarter mile from the Gulf of Mexico for the next six weeks and it can be very gusty here, I think I'm going to tie/bungee ours as others mentioned. In my case it's just because in their weakened state due to age and weather exposure, the wind is likely to damage them further if I don't do something about it.

[clarkandsheila]

We too were in Q.Z. in the windy city. I tied mine with a rope. It does help. We went back to Q.Z. later and I found some lightweight yellow straps, ~$4.00 each for a 20Ft strap, which I sewed together to get the length needed. I may try to dye them although yellow does look different (odd). They are 2" wide so I think will be easier on the topper than the narrow contact of the rope.
The L.R. topper will need a tension adjustment but that was a problem before this episode. The B.R. topper is still tight and barely wiggled that I was aware of.

[sreigle]

Bought the rope and tied ours this afternoon. Also, while up on the ladder I taped a couple of splits along the edges of one of the toppers (bedroom slide topper). I'm drawing a blank on the name of the tape but it's that tape often used to repair roof tears. Not cheap but outstanding tape.

[exav8tr]

Probably Eternabond Steve? I found it helps to use bungee cords on the bottom of the slide to give it a little flexibility. I use the 3 inch wide towing strap, yellow, one each. My LR topper has lost a lot of its taughtness also....

[richfaa]

Will have to take a close look at ours.44 months on the road and many high winds. No visable problems.

[boylanag]

Steve, the tape is Eternabond and we also have used it where the seams are starting to tear on our slide toppers. That tape is to roofs and slide toppers what duct tape and chewing gum were to many of my cars.

[sreigle]

Yes, that's it. Eternabond. Darned CRS! Thanks, both of you.

I thought when I bought the roll of eternabond that it sure is awfully expensive. If I recall, wasn't it something like $50 for 35 feet or so? But in the two or three years I've had this roll I've used maybe a foot or two. It's sure nice to know it's there should we have a rip in the roof or even a rip in a topper that needs repair before getting worse.

Since I installed the rope we've had a couple of days of winds at 20 to 35 mph, per the Weather Channel people. What a difference! We get just a little noise on the strongest gusts but probably 95 percent or more of the noise is gone. Excellent idea. Thanks to whomever first posted the idea.

[dsprik]

I also use the "yellow strap with bungies" method on our long (3400) slide. Like Rich, we have no apparent damage to date - 3½+ yrs.

[sreigle]

We need to make a Lowe's run one day soon, anyhow, so will look for the webbing while there. I agree that would seem to be less likely to cause damage to the toppers. I'll cut to length and label them for each slide before stowing them.