Slide Awnings

[Chester]

I've been looking over some of the past posts on slide awnings and wonder if they are really worth the money. It sounds like many people have issues with water puddling up on them etc. I did not have a slide awning on our 2750 and never had any problems with leaks. We'll be ordering a new Monty soon and appreciate your input on what the advantages of having slide awnings are.

Thanks....

[azstar]

Hi Brad & Glenda,

We have always believed, by having the Slide Toppers we are getting the advantage of having the slide roofs shaded on hot days. Our slides don't have same level of insulation on their roofs as the rest of our rig.

They do keep the slide roofs cleaner as well. It's true they will collect water, but that just rolls off when we close them. They do have to be cleaned once in a while, but that's no big deal.

This is our 2nd TT with them and we would do it again.

Happy Camping

[rames14]

We had a TT before the fiver, and it was a chore to get up and clean the single slide when we had trees around. Of course, with the TT we didn't have a ladder or a good place to store one. With four slides in our 3400 significantly higher up, it would really be a hassle. With the awnings, we don't have to worry about anything on the slide. Yes, on the one large slide, water does puddle a little, but I am sure that it has save lots of wear on the slide seals. So for convenience, saving wear on the slide, the insulating factor mentioned earlier and the added protection against water in the slides, we are glad to have them.

[Montana_2694]

I have them on ours and like to believe they are worthwhile. They do take the brunt of what Mother Nature would have dropped on the slides otherwise. We found they are of real benefit when set up in heavily wood areas (branches and pine needles) especially when it rains out during our stay because water isn't the only thing that drops when under tree cover. We have some long ones, especially on the living/dining room slide, and this is the one that moves out the farthest in comparison to the kitchen slide. I’m most nervous about the slide toppers during windy days in open areas like our visit to S. Dakota. There were times we opted to pull that slide in verses risking damage to the slide topper and/or slide. This was the issue with the living/dining room slide as the wind would cause roller to move back and forth to compensate for the gusts of wind. You can hear it trying to sleep at night. To me that's a disadvantage. Pooling can be another issue but we have not had any problems with this. Water does pool but the slide topper has tension supported by a metal strip attached directly to the camper while the roll out mechanism of the slide topper unrolls as water pools. Working together, pooling water causes the topper mechanism to unravel verses supporting all the weight and the metal strip maintains grip without any tears so far.
I liken the slide toppers to getting a bed liner for your truck or something similar. Nice to have but if you had to; you could get by without 'em. Take care of your slide before sliding it in and being careful with what and how you put stuff in your truck bed could work out just fine but, of course, that’s for you to decide. Just my 0.02

[ken]

Brad
We ordered the slide awnings for the same reason, It helps cool down the tops of the slides. It also, sometimes, holds water if their too loose. We had them on our old Terry, and not the 3655FL. I ordered mine with them again. PS sorry to call you by your dogs name. We have one too and I talk to him like a human. She's my buddy. She also thinks the truck is hers.
Ken and Velda Taylor
Dahlgren VA
2003 3655FL Montana (2005 3475 on order)/Ford F350 Diesel

[Montana_2694]

quote:Originally posted by ken

Brad
It also, sometimes, holds water if their too loose.

Okay, maybe a dumb question but since my paperwork for the slide toppers are in the camper which is under the RV cover, how do you tighten the slide topper up? Is that a wise idea given the alternative may be that the material rips verses it unrolling due to the force of the wind gusts/rain/snow?

[Chester]

Smoketrain, thanks for the feedback on possible wind problems. I never thought of that as an issue with the slide toppers but it makes sense. I'm overly cautious with the main awning and I roll it up far sooner than most people do. Knowing me I'd be bringing in the slides when the wind comes up. That wouldn't be fun since most of these fivers are unusable with the slides in.

The insulating value mentioned by others here also make sense.

This sounds like a dilema that I'd better grab a beer and sit down and ponder for a while!!

[sreigle]

We also like the slide toppers. I enjoy not having to check to see if I need to sweep the slide tops before retracting them. Ours have had water, snow, and ice on them. When that weight is on them more material rolls off the roller to accommodate it. Not a problem in my opinion. These slide toppers have been on this Montana since July, 2002, and we've fulltimed for 21 months of that time. So, they get a lot of use and are deployed a lot.

As for tightening, its the same as for the patio awning. You have to undo something or other and turn the handle on the end of the tube to increase the tension. It's not a chore for the timid. I've never done it and hope I never need to. Someone here has probably done this with either the slide toppers or patio awning and can clue us to an easy method.

[Montana_74]

We are the Scott La KOA and are parked next to John and Marge (username jlboz60) and he built a stretcher he uses on the large slides. They install in the center of the barrel of the slide topper and does a nice job of tightening the awning without chancing adjustments to the mechanism. Pretty neat idea. Perhaps contacting them will produce a drawing or picture of his idea.

travel safe

[Montana_2694]

Come to think of it, I have seen a strap like contraption that clips on to the end of the slide topper and pull the end down slightly. The other end of the strap is mounted to the bottom of the slide some how. Anyways, it pulls down slightly while letting water run off the end(s.) Don't know if it stretches out the material any after repeated and/or prolonged use but may help some of my concerns with our living/dining room slide topper. I've seen the beach ball method too and think that would do the same thing.

[Montana_2296]

We have been checking into this, and have found a couple of "Carefree of Colorado" styles that are a little different.

One works as a slide topper and window awning. It also can be left retracted for slide service and cleaning. It does not automatically extend however. It is called the "Guardi-Awn". It is basically a regular awning adapted for this purpose.

The other does extend with the slide, and can be extended to cover the windows. It cannot, as far as I can tell, let you leave it retracted. It is called the "Omega II".

Does anybody have any experience with these?

[Sue]

quote:Originally posted by Chester

It sounds like many people have issues with water puddling up on them etc.
Thanks....

The only one that puddles on us (we have 4 of them) is the large one that goes where the dinning room table is and the couch. It's pretty long so to expect that it wouldn't pool is not realistic. I always bring in the slides after it rains anyways (a tip from our dealer) as the warranty will be void if the material stretches out. Also, there are those neat little knobby things where the Hydraulic dohickey is and you can turn off the ones that don't need to be brought in. I keep a pair of rubber gloves in that compartment because their not the easiest on the hands after you wrenched on them awhile.

[Searchers]

I've had the slide awnings on mine since it was new (March 1999) without any problems. I prefer to have debris and water puddle on the awnings than the slide roof.

[Chester]

Thanks for the input everyone. This is a great forum for getting all the points of view.

It sounds like the awnings are an option we'll go for.

[sreigle]

Sue, you have such a way with words!

John, jlbz060, how about some pictures of your invention for keeping the slide topper tight?

[Bob & Lee]

I have a friend that has the awnings and he has put beach ball under them to cause the run off.