Replacement Slide Topper Fabric?

[firetrucker]

I've got to replace the slide toppers on our 3400.

Does anyone have any experience with Carefree or Tough Tops fabric. Tough Tops claims to be a heavier vinyl than either Carefree or A&E and sounds like a better choice.

Bob

[pineranch]

Bob,
Replace my long topper with Tough Top. It is better quality and easy to work with. The vendor is also great to work with.
Mike

[firetrucker]

Mike, their website sure makes it sound that way, but it's nice to have independent confirmation. When did you install the new topper?

Bob

[pineranch]

We put it on last November. Two ladders, a friend and my wife supervising.
Mike

[GA Mountaineer]

We had the Carefree SideOut Kover II on our last rig. The 2 things that I liked about it were that the roller was enclosed when in the closed position, and the edges of the fabric were folded and hemmed.

[firetrucker]

GA, considering the winds that we experience, the hemming might definitely be an advantage.

Mike, do you think a hem would help with the Tough Tops material? I'd even consider reinforcing the edge with some eternabond or awning tape.

Bob

[pineranch]

quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

GA, considering the winds that we experience, the hemming might definitely be an advantage.

Mike, do you think a hem would help with the Tough Tops material? I'd even consider reinforcing the edge with some eternabond or awning tape.

Bob

Bob,
My damage came from big hail and a couple of weeks later 50-80 mph winds. The Tough Top material may be too heavy for edge hemming.
Mike

[GA Mountaineer]

quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

GA, considering the winds that we experience, the hemming might definitely be an advantage.
Bob

The damage we had with the first A&E was on the front edge, and only on the exposed part. Some of this I'm sure was due to UV on the fabric that may have been 7 years old (was on trailer when we bought it used). But I think most was from tree limbs and wind going down the road, as it was just the 1st few inches that were frayed.

[firetrucker]

Mike, I know that the Tough Tops is a 15 oz fabric, but can you tell me the thickness?

We leave our slides out almost all summer and fall, and the winds here get to both the leading and trailing edges. I think our A&E fabric is acrylic, and once they've been in the sun for any length of time, they delaminate, as evidenced by the pieces of topper I find downwind. They have lasted almost 6 years, though (with some reinforcement of the edges with awning tape).

Bob

[pineranch]

Bob,
I have no idea of the thickness. Why not give the tough top guy a call? He was very helpful when my measurement was off (my fault).
Mike

[oldelmer1]

Bob,

A friend of mine on another forum just suggested this place for replacement fabric. Take a look:

http://www.funintheshade.com/index.p...a7c289e3ef929b

[firetrucker]

Tom, I checked out the website, but they sure are sparse on information about the material. It looks like they just do awnings, though, so they can put a logo on it. Wouldn't work on a slide topper.

Mike, I guess I'll give them a call tomorrow. I just finished getting the old sofa bed out and putting a new lounger in. What a pain. For a minute, I was sure they built the trailer around the bed, or put it in before they put the big slide in.

Bob

[The Oldguard]

quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

Mike, I know that the Tough Tops is a 15 oz fabric, but can you tell me the thickness?

We leave our slides out almost all summer and fall, and the winds here get to both the leading and trailing edges. I think our A&E fabric is acrylic, and once they've been in the sun for any length of time, they delaminate, as evidenced by the pieces of topper I find downwind. They have lasted almost 6 years, though (with some reinforcement of the edges with awning tape).

Bob

Bob, I replaced the large slide topper in 2009 at Quartzsite and the fabric was thicker and hemmed on the edge and in less than a year it had started to separate where the plastic rod was inserted. They did replaced it last year but the metal assembly started to fall apart so I have replaced to old slide topper assembly with a complete new one, I do believe that because the edge was hemmed it did not allow the fabric to roll up even . Not if but when the fabric does fall apart I will replace it with “Tough Tops” just my 2 cents.

[firetrucker]

Thanks for the info, Bill. Do you think the separation may have been due to the fabric, or the way it was sewn? The awning is hemmed, and I haven't seen any problem there, but that's why I want to find out the thickness of the Tough Top fabric.
I may just survey all the rigs in Quartzsite before I make my fanal decision.

[The Oldguard]

quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

Thanks for the info, Bill. Do you think the separation may have been due to the fabric, or the way it was sewn? The awning is hemmed, and I haven't seen any problem there, but that's why I want to find out the thickness of the Tough Top fabric.
I may just survey all the rigs in Quartzsite before I make my fanal decision.

They said that they had never seen any separation in that location before. I think with the thicker fabric you don't need to worry about separation like you do with original fabric.