321 RSTS Kitchen Slide Extension Issue

[Hog3loves]

2018 321 RSTS slide toppers installed at purchase by dealer (CW) January 2018, so they're 3.5 years old.

Traveling in Central/Southern NM this week. Temps well above 100F, high of 113 in Roswell. Traveling to RV park in Roswell, the kitchen slide was on the sunny side of the trip. When extending the kitchen slide, it hung up and started extending unevenly. I quickly (nano-second response time) pushed on the frame closest to the entry door as that was the part hanging up. After a crunching sound, then a thunk, it opened evenly again.

I inspected the motor, sprayed white lithium lube grease on the rack/pinion system and lubed all the seals on all slides. No visual damage detected. After 5 days of camping in 105-110F temps, it retracted without issue.

On to next destination, Alamogordo, with same heat/sun issue. This time when extending the kitchen slide I was ready to use my ninja-quick responses, but also stuck my head out the entry door. I discovered the slide topper awning had been melting in the heat and sun and was sticking to itself. The crunching sound was the awning separating itself as it unrolled. It was sticking so much it was causing the uneven extension. Gently pushing the frame from inside helped to extend correctly.

Questions:

This is a new issue I wasn't expecting nor heard of before. Anyone hear or experience this?

I haven't lubed or applied anything to the slide topper awning before, but I'm looking for suggestions on what to use to keep it from happening again.

TIA

[georam1]

I haven't heard of that happening before either. I would contact the awning manufacturer and see what they have to say.

[DrSmart]

You could try 303 UV Protectant on the awning. It might help to prevent the fabric from sticking to itself.