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Old 12-04-2016, 05:59 PM   #1
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Brand: DRV
Model: Mobile Suite 36RSSB3
State: Tennessee
Posts: 148
THOR #1668
Slideout awnings

We are staying at Galveston Island, Tx. Very windy. Do any of you Mobile Suite geeks know if our slide awnings are made to withstand high winds? They sound as if they are being ripped off yet still look fine. Yesterday I took 4 pool noodles taped together and shoved them under my bedroom slideout awning. Then wrapped a piece of parachute cord around the entire slide to help keep tension on the awning and noodles. Well the wind was so strong that it still blew the noodles out. The next morning I noticed that the awning was sagging. I brought the slide in and then re-opened it. This fixed the sagginess. This is when I started wondering if they're designed to stretch or say unwind to avoid damage.
Any ideas?

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Old 12-04-2016, 07:48 PM   #2
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Yes, they are designed to take wind, just not 40+mph constantly, ask me how I know. What they will do is drive you absolutely nuts flopping/banging constantly & will eventually stretch/sag & hold water every time it rains. They do help with heat in the slide & prevent debris on slide roofs, but I've just about had it with the flopping.
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Old 12-04-2016, 07:59 PM   #3
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THOR #4160
Travelin' Texan, that is good to know. I am in central Texas right now and I sat there watching my big slide out topper roll in and out a little (as designed in wind). Yes, the noise was driving me insane. Not sure about others but my slide out topper will allow me to tighten it with a little wrench if it gets too loose. Look at your owner's manual and it should have specifications for weather and also maintenance. Honestly, if I know it is going to be extremely windy, I bring my slides in to avoid damage. I hope that helps.
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Old 12-04-2016, 09:24 PM   #4
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THOR #2754
I had slideout toppers on our 2nd 5th wheel. I've never had them on another.

Rusty
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:46 PM   #5
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The toppers will take a lot of wind, but as you have discovered they can drive a sane person crazy. If you can park in a different site facing a different direction maybe you can get some relief!
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Old 12-06-2016, 03:19 PM   #6
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THOR #4935
Yes, I agree, slide out toppers can be a pain but I feel the advantages far out weigh the disadvantages. I camp in the national forest in the UP of MI for a month or so every year and the stuff that falls on the slide out is unbelievable. It keeps out snow, rain and heat. I've put big rocks on the toppers if its really windy. If your unable to climb the ladder then how are you going to clean off the top of the slide before bringing it in? Wouldn't be without them!
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Old 12-06-2016, 03:32 PM   #7
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Had "TOPPERS" on ONE RV that was the LAST one!!! Complete waste of money.
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Old 12-06-2016, 08:50 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by oldbird View Post
.........but I feel the advantages far out weigh the disadvantages.......... It keeps out snow, rain and heat. ........
And leaves, small branches and pine cones......

I agree, wouldn't be without them.
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Old 12-06-2016, 11:41 PM   #9
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I agree on having them. The advantages far out weigh disadvantages. They are easy to adjust properly to get rid of the noise in any but the most severe (50+) winds.
Good luck in your choice.


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Old 12-07-2016, 12:17 AM   #10
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Well, if Cummins thinks they are a waste of money, they must be good.

It depends on where you camp and the conditions you encounter. In the east with more trees to drop crap on the slides and not a lot of constant wind, most prefer them. Out west where there are fewer trees (or none), the winds are constant and more prefer not to have them. I won't have a RV without them, others would never have them.

Kinda like the Chevy vs Ford vs Fiat debate.
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Old 12-07-2016, 01:47 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by GeorgiaHybrid View Post
Well, if Cummins thinks they are a waste of money, they must be good.

It depends on where you camp and the conditions you encounter. In the east with more trees to drop crap on the slides and not a lot of constant wind, most prefer them. Out west where there are fewer trees (or none), the winds are constant and more prefer not to have them. I won't have a RV without them, others would never have them.

Kinda like the Chevy vs Ford vs Fiat debate.
That ALMOST hurt!

If in the woods and it's raining the leaves and needles stick to the fabric and will be rolled up unless a person gets on the roof and cleans them off. Same with rigs without awnings.

Nice to have choices.
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Old 12-07-2016, 02:24 PM   #12
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THOR #4158
Have had them on all my Motorhomes and would not be without them. With a full wall slide there is very little noise from rain. Mine don't even flap-noise. just my 2 cents.....to each his own!!
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Old 12-07-2016, 03:19 PM   #13
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I think it should be noted in this thread about the RV's people have slide toppers on. Motorhome slides typically don't extend as much has 5th wheels and trailers (on our Axis the slideout only moves about 24 inches or so, on our prior campers [5th, TT] the slideout extended at least 36").

This can mean a big difference on how much air can get under them. So far we haven't noticed much with the topper on the Axis as far as noise and billowing, etc. I can see how we would have with our prior units (neither had toppers and it was a bit of a pain to go up on the roof with a broom before retracting the slides..so in that respect I do like the one on the Axis).

I've mostly attributed these differences to the fact that you still need to walk around in the RV while its going down the road in a motorhome; whereas in a 5er/TT it pretty much can be inaccessible with the slides retracted (to some degree--you couldn't get to the rear bunk room in our old 5er when the slide was retracted).
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Old 12-07-2016, 08:02 PM   #14
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THOR #2142
Jamie is correct on the smaller slides on the Vegas/Axis.
We enjoy camping in the mountains (trees, leaves and stuff) always blowing and falling on the awnings. As far as the slide topper while the wife is cranking it in I am out there with my broom brushing off whatever Mother Nature deposited as the awning winds in (doing it without stopping the slide's progress).
We do the same for the front awning but do stop it several times so as to be sure to get all the stuff off as the awning retracts.
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Old 12-08-2016, 03:06 PM   #15
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THOR #4935
I carry a leaf blower to mainly blow off the porch matt but I also use it on the roof. It works great on cleaning off the roof and also blowing water off the slide toppers.
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Old 12-08-2016, 10:15 PM   #16
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THOR #1717
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Originally Posted by oldbird View Post
I carry a leaf blower to mainly blow off the porch matt but I also use it on the roof. It works great on cleaning off the roof and also blowing water off the slide toppers.
I like how you roll oldbird, I have a $50 black and decker cordless leaf blower that I carry and besides the roof I use it in the truck bed.
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Old 12-09-2016, 02:52 AM   #17
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I like how you roll oldbird, I have a $50 black and decker cordless leaf blower that I carry and besides the roof I use it in the truck bed.
haha, that's the problem with that big basement, carry to much stuff. Also a reason I can never find anything, lol.
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Old 01-19-2017, 05:58 PM   #18
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THOR #5821
Slide toppers are IMO essential. Whatever falls on them, is stuff that when you close the slide, you will not bring inside your motorhome. I agree they can kind of drive you nuts in wind, but their benefits IMO outweigh the disadvantages. They sometimes collected quite a bit of water when it rained, but when I brought the slide it, the water rolled off the topper and harmlessly down the outside of the slide. We had the DP for eleven years and never replaced those toppers, but in truth it was about time to do so. We now have only two small toppers, on two small slides on the Gemini. Would not want to be without them.
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Old 01-19-2017, 09:59 PM   #19
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THOR #3109
After a nice rain, one should stand at the face of the slide with a broom to whisk off the leaves and needles as it is run in--this is how you conserve water for bathing when boondocking...
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