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05-08-2014, 03:59 PM
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#1
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Established Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Westlake Village
Posts: 10
M.O.C. #10206
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Topper tearing...
Well checking out rig today and noticed the toppers starting to separating at the end at sewing point/welt...just the edge about 3". The rest of the top looks like new, white and very flexible.
There barely about five years old, so it kind of ticks me to think they have only held up for the short time. Put them on the year when my Boy went in the service...so I recall the time line.
Crossed my mind to turn them about 180 and put the separation under on the reel side. It wraps around at least one turn. That tension would protect the bad end.
Has anyone tried this approach?
Thanks Guys,
Blessings
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05-08-2014, 04:31 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
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If I were to go to the trouble of removing the topper material (been there, done that, got a tee shirt) to swap it end for end, I'd spend the few bucks and replace the material. All the material has been exposed to UV the same amount ... it just isn't as noticeable where it doesn't flap in the wind so much.
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05-08-2014, 05:03 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Considering the wind we get into in KS and AZ I'll feel good if we get 5 years out of ours and wouldn't try to push them past when they start to come apart, but that's because of the stress we put them under.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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05-09-2014, 02:36 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by DQDick
Considering the wind we get into in KS and AZ I'll feel good if we get 5 years out of ours and wouldn't try to push them past when they start to come apart, but that's because of the stress we put them under.
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Agree!
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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05-09-2014, 02:51 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Grand Rapids
Posts: 1,896
M.O.C. #9561
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Just tape it and hang on for another year or two. then replace the whole thing.
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05-09-2014, 04:07 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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The toppers on our 06 3400 were in very good shape after 7 years. They were beginning to dry out and were fading. They were out a lot over the years and saw a lot of hot sun. The main awning did tear along the top but it took a lot of wind. we had the main awning material replaced by a local dealer and it was not all that expensive.
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05-09-2014, 04:57 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 908
M.O.C. #7915
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I don't know whether or not it helps, but I put seam sealer on my slide topper and awning seams.
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05-09-2014, 07:22 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Land O Lakes
Posts: 2,751
M.O.C. #7753
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Reversing the material is a very good idea. I watched the guy replaced bunches of them at Quartzsite. ALL of them were the same depth and none had used more than half the material on the roller. No matter how far your slides go out from the rig they install more than twice the required material to do the job. The bedroom slides have the same depth of material as the main slides. Removing them from the rollers and reversing them will give you cleaner material that has not been exposed to the sun or the weather. The other option is replacing the OEM 12 oz material with the new 16 oz. it is heavier and much tougher..
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05-09-2014, 11:48 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 4,200
M.O.C. #11401
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Eternabond will probably do the repair and last for a long time.
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05-09-2014, 01:38 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,123
M.O.C. #6880
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I just replaced one of my toppers and got the new material from
toughtopawnings.com . Good people to deal with. A friend told me to get the original 15oz heavy duty not the 18oz coated vinyl.
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05-20-2014, 05:00 PM
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#11
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Established Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Westlake Village
Posts: 10
M.O.C. #10206
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Ok...... Outcome to just turning the toppers around.
Bedroom slide went first. The previous installer used a pop rivet in the idler and screws in the rest...goofy. Plus he drilled a 3/16 hole for that size rivet. Took longer to run and find a rivet to reinstall for the setup then it did to turn the topper around. (about an hour on the bedroom slide)
The long slide went even quicker at about 45 minutes, of coarse I had already run to get the fasteners. Dear Wife helped with the project, as two are required to do the task. We could have picked a better day for we did have a few good wind gusts.
As for the out come they look brand new, and there is more than enough (wraps) to hide the separation. Hidden under the the first wrap around the tube we used duct tape to keep that separation in place, works great. Really was a piece of cake and the DW thought so too. If we pull another few more years, its just money left in the kitty for fun. I consider things like this in the classification like a water pump, you need it but it doesn't make things any better after an install. So were happy not throwing money at it.
If you need a video on how to do an install, utube has a few how easy it is. Not recommending this for anyone... but it is fairly simple and if you are somewhat mechanical....what the hay!!
Blessings,
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