Slide out awning

Toy4Rick

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2021
Messages
418
Slide topper

Hey gang,

2022 2500RL, wondering if anyone has installed a topper over the slide out (drivers side). Our previous Forest River Class C had one over the slide out and wish this unit had one as well

Been camping in the Pacific North West and between the leaves, pine needles and the water... the inside is a mess after we travel

Hoping a topper will help

Rick
 
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I've installed them on our 351M, and I don't imagine it's much different on anything else, as long as you have room to mount the rail. Smaller slides like the bedroom are easy-peasy, pretty much a one person job. I wouldn't have a trailer without them.
 
I've installed them on our 351M, and I don't imagine it's much different on anything else, as long as you have room to mount the rail. Smaller slides like the bedroom are easy-peasy, pretty much a one person job. I wouldn't have a trailer without them.

I installed one on our 2600RB. Like HF said above, it's not a big deal to install. Ours was a 2 person job because it was 12 feet long. It took 2 of us to get it into the track.
 
Thanks for the encouragement... I'm sure it's within my wheelhouse

I see on Amazon they only sell the older style, the new style only seems to be available via Lippert directly

I'll order one up once we get him mid Nov

Rick
 
Well, didn't take long to make the decision, won't be doing any more camping until I get a slide topper installed.

Dumb me, I thought the seals would brush off any pine needles, leaves and such when pulling the slide in.... NOPE

Pulled into North Bonneville WA at my brothers to find a ton of water coming into the mid bath area, ended up finding 2" of pine needles on top of the slide out, on the inside that was holding the seal up away from the slide roof. On the outside, both seals were also full of needles.

What a freaking mess. Took me nearly an hour to get all the needles cleaned up, water mopped up in the bathroom and kitchen area and outside seals/rain gutters cleaned in the pouring rain

Guess it's how we learn
Rick
 
Well, didn't take long to make the decision, won't be doing any more camping until I get a slide topper installed.

Dumb me, I thought the seals would brush off any pine needles, leaves and such when pulling the slide in.... NOPE

Pulled into North Bonneville WA at my brothers to find a ton of water coming into the mid bath area, ended up finding 2" of pine needles on top of the slide out, on the inside that was holding the seal up away from the slide roof. On the outside, both seals were also full of needles.

What a freaking mess. Took me nearly an hour to get all the needles cleaned up, water mopped up in the bathroom and kitchen area and outside seals/rain gutters cleaned in the pouring rain

Guess it's how we learn
Rick

Our previous Reflection 337 (first 4-1/2 years of full-timing) didn't have slide toppers. When we stayed places with trees, I always got on the roof with a broom before pulling the slides in. One morning we were delayed two hours because a thin sheet of ice had been deposited on the roof and slides by a front that moved through during the night. That meant climbing a ladder with buckets (a collapsible bucket, no less) of warm water to melt things so we could push the slush off. Not a fun morning before a very long travel day. Since I'm not getting any younger, Laura insisted that we order slide toppers on the Solitude. She doesn't like me getting up on the roof (which I still have to do for other things from time to time, anyway).

Rob
 
And don’t forget the biggest thing toppers protect. You! Keeps you off the roof to clean off the collection of debris. Much safer.
 
Installing a slide topper was one of the first upgrades I had done after taking delivery of the trailer. I have seen suggestions from others about carrying a battery powered leaf blower to clean the derbies from the slide roof. I thought that was a pretty good idea, but I had not considered ice accumulation like [MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] pointed out, probably because we are allergic to cold weather! Thanks, Rob.
 
Hey gang,

2022 2500RL, wondering if anyone has installed a topper over the slide out (drivers side). Our previous Forest River Class C had one over the slide out and wish this unit had one as well

Been camping in the Pacific North West and between the leaves, pine needles and the water... the inside is a mess after we travel

Hoping a topper will help

Rick

We too have toppers installed on our 5er and love them for the same reasons plus(i.e. no more climbing roofs to clean off slide roofs, added insulation from the sun during hot weather, and less rain noise from slide tops).

However, now I will play the devils advocate here about toppers....: May grow mold on bottom side of topper when rolled up wet. Difficult to clean under the topper once installed - including slide roof. Toppers may pool water when raining. And finally topper sailing during high winds which can eventually damage the topper or rip it out of its molding.

The cleaning the topper and slide tops issue can be somewhat resolved with long handled cleaning tools with rags attached and some patients. In some cases there is only a few inches to get to everything need to be clean.

We have solved the wind sailing and water pooling of the toppers with a bungy cord and suction cups (purchased from Harbor Freight) placed on the slide sides and over the center top of the toppers "loosely" with just the weight of the cord laying on the topper so as not to stretch the vinyl. Very little to no topper sailing anymore and rain water runs off during storms as the weighted cord acts as a gutter on both sides.

In the past 3 years of placing our toppers on and using our anti-sail&pool system, we have not had any issues with damage, stretching or excessive water on our toppers when in use during high winds and/or storms. Or have we had any real objects other than dust accumulate on our protected slide tops. Also as a bonus, no more loud flapping sounds during windy days which can get very annoying when inside the trailer (this was the main reason for the anti-sail&pool system, the water run-off was an unrealized bonus!)

Recommendations: Cleaning the slide tops immaculately prior to installing the toppers. Periodically clean the underside of the toppers and slide top with a long extendable tool with rags. Try to retract your slides only when toppers are dry as much as possible (we do ours <while dry> the night before we leave due to not waiting for the morning dew or any condensation to dry so we can get an early start on the road as needed). Install some type of sail protection to keep your toppers from sailing and possible damage during high winds.

Last but not least, the best safety mod we have done to our trailer - no more climbing the ladder for just the slide tops each and every time prior to leaving. Now its just the occasional cleaning of the roof, AC units, slide toppers tops, and roof inspection only - all of this at the same time maybe once a year.

Full disclosure: It does help that we keep our trailer in covered storage when not in use, and also have the RV Armor roof protection for added comfort insurance.
 
We had one dealer installed when our 2019 Imagine 2250RK was brand new (replaced due to heavy side wind damage), an have never looked back.
We likewise live/travel in the PNW and it serves a great purpose.
 
Our previous Reflection 337 (first 4-1/2 years of full-timing) didn't have slide toppers. When we stayed places with trees, I always got on the roof with a broom before pulling the slides in. One morning we were delayed two hours because a thin sheet of ice had been deposited on the roof and slides by a front that moved through during the night. That meant climbing a ladder with buckets (a collapsible bucket, no less) of warm water to melt things so we could push the slush off. Not a fun morning before a very long travel day. Since I'm not getting any younger, Laura insisted that we order slide toppers on the Solitude. She doesn't like me getting up on the roof (which I still have to do for other things from time to time, anyway).

Rob

I have 3 slides on my 310GK, and it didn't come with slide toppers. I am a little old for roofs also pushing 80. I carry an 8' A frame ladder strapped to my roof ladder and a powerful battery operated leaf blower.
That setup works fine. Ten years ago I had a motor home with slide toppers (4 slides). I still got up on the roof and cleaned off the slide toppers, so I really can't see any point in them. I remember something someone on the internet said about Snap Pads "a solution looking for a problem" or something similar to that. IMHO the same for slide toppers.
 
The snap pads are fantastic when on a level concrete pad. On Sandy or soft soil I put a 2x12 under them. Or several if there is a slope. These Lippert electric stabilizers work better if they are not extended too far.

I too have no toppers. Camped under an oak tree in Georgia. Climbed the ladder and swept em off before retracting the slides. Toppers are likely in my future when climbing up there is too much work. But, so far so good. Acorns will be less of an issue when we get to the desert southwest.
 
If you never stay in inclement weather, or under trees, or in the hot sun, you'll not likely miss having the toppers. But when we brought our slides in with ice on them, we made sure our next trailer had toppers. I doubt if a leaf blower would have done much to clean off that ice on the slides. Unlike the snap pads, the toppers do have several very useful functions.
 
I know with my main awning, I get stuff stuck to the underside from rolling up with stuff on top that doesn't fall off...

For the slide topper, I could see the same thing happening unless the top is wiped clean before bringing the slide in

Decisions, decisions
Rick
 
The stuff that gets stuck underneath like small leaves and such won't hurt anything, and besides no body is going to see it like the underside of an awning. The big stuff, that you want off the top of the slide, like acorns, pine cones, and mountains of pine needles will fall off. Wiping the topper clean before bringing the slide in adds unnecessary work, which is why you installed the topper in the first place: to avoid unnecessary work.
 
Hey gang,

2022 2500RL, wondering if anyone has installed a topper over the slide out (drivers side). Our previous Forest River Class C had one over the slide out and wish this unit had one as well

Been camping in the Pacific North West and between the leaves, pine needles and the water... the inside is a mess after we travel

Hoping a topper will help

Rick

Put one on our 2500RL soon after we got it. A friend with a toy hauler had a big messs when he put his slide back. I learned from his issue.
 

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