Sleepless! Slide out toppers over bed banging around...

360Bridges · 01-02-2017, 01:54 PM

Ugh, so our slide out toppers, the ones that roll out with your tip-outs, they are banging around at night in the wind, its awful, directly over my bed! At times they smack down pretty hard, nothing appears lose. UGH... WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THIS, OR DOES THIS HAPPEN TO YOU? If I disconnect them, is there risk of water entering into the tip-out, what are the benefits of keeping them on vs removal risks? Thanks for any help, I truly am sleepless in Seattle!

**norty1** · 01-02-2017, 02:00 PM

They should be tight enough to not flap except if a really high wind is bearing down from the front or rear. The slide mechanism has a spring system that should keep it tight enough.
If it is not then it may need some maintenance or lubrication. I am not aware of any regular maintenance.

dalebra · 01-02-2017, 02:03 PM

I was going to add slide toppers on my Eagle but my sales person warned me about the noise at night. So I'm going to say this is normal when it's windy. If disconnected you shouldn't have water entry issues. Slide out toppers are an option and the slides are sealed when they are all the way out.

Grumpy · 01-02-2017, 02:07 PM

It's not normal if "properly installed". As Norty said no routine maintenance, if the unit is new they were not installed correctly, if used may be a broken spring.

360Bridges · 01-02-2017, 02:19 PM

So we can get some sleep we will either be removing the bedroom topper or sliding something inflatable under them if we cant tighten them. Its pretty loud at times sounds like someone is running on the roof! Husband thought the antenna was banging around so he went up there and it was solid, no movement...then he shook the topper around and it definitely replicated the same noise.

Thanks guys!

360Bridges · 01-02-2017, 02:22 PM

I also tried to bring in the bedroom slide last night and of course, its jammed on one side, so now we have to figure that out!

jasum · 01-02-2017, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

They should be tight enough to not flap except if a really high wind is bearing down from the front or rear. The slide mechanism has a spring system that should keep it tight enough.
If it is not then it may need some maintenance or lubrication. I am not aware of any regular maintenance.

I agree with norty.........

Sounds like they need adjusted.

oldmanAZ · 01-02-2017, 03:09 PM

Awnings flapping in the wind must be a common issue. W*mart, Amazon, and others sell 'RV Awning De-Flappers.'

**Mustang65** · 01-02-2017, 03:44 PM

You can adjust the tension of the roller furthest from the TT. You will need 2 Alan wrenches, one to lock the unit from turning while working on it and one to loosen/tighten the adjuster. We had to adjust the one on my neighbors 5er last summer. Very easy job as long as you have a tall enough ladder, and the darn sun is not in your eyes. I believe there is a youtube video showing you how to do it. It stopped the flapping.

Don

Grawe · 01-02-2017, 05:03 PM

Being in SD with constant heavy winds, we have seen several ripped toppers and destroyed awnings. The best solution we share with travelers is to insert beach balls or inflatable inner tubes. Inserted and inflated properley they can take the flap out or at least minimilaize it. The caution is not to put excessive tension on the hardware. Good luck!

Full timers but still active duty AF, anxiously awaiting retirement travels where I have been told everyday is a Saturday

**norty1** · 01-02-2017, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Awnings flapping in the wind must be a common issue. W*mart, Amazon, and others sell 'RV Awning De-Flappers.'

These were pretty common on the old type manual awnings but are not to useful on electric awnings.

They have no use at all on slideout awnings.

oldmanAZ · 01-02-2017, 07:56 PM

Thanks! I've seen them, but never had any noise so never bought them.

360Bridges · 01-02-2017, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Awnings flapping in the wind must be a common issue. W*mart, Amazon, and others sell 'RV Awning De-Flappers.'

Really??? My husband took a razor knife and cut it off (at the end)!!! We are going to reroll it tighter at a later date. Part of the problem might be that my side of the slide wasnt extended out all the way, or in for that matter getting hung up) (the top appears to be! What a pain in the bupkus, always something!

3'senough · 01-03-2017, 01:49 PM

Usually when I hear the toppers the whole unit is shaking the wind is so strong.

I agree that tension sounds like the culprit. The flappers do not work on toppers as there are no arms to connect to like a roll out shade awning.

On top of that the alignment sounds like syncing is off which will require you to move the slide in 8 inches stop and out again while holding down the out button for 3-5 additional seconds. Repeat this 3x's and always hold the buttons down on the Schwintec slides for 3 seconds after completing the movement. And never stop mid movement unless you have to. This is common for new units as the dealers and new owners fail to hold the buttons down to keep the motors synced correctly.

Don't ask me how I know that...

Jayco Rich · 01-03-2017, 07:31 PM

The dealer installed toppers on our Eagle. First night out the noise was awful and it wasn't that winding. Took it back to Dealer and after they adjusted the tension we haven't heard any flapping or noise at all.

360Bridges · 01-04-2017, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bebe N Rich

The dealer installed toppers on our Eagle. First night out the noise was awful and it wasn't that winding. Took it back to Dealer and after they adjusted the tension we haven't heard any flapping or noise at all.

If our dealer, Tacoma RV wasn't such jerks in service and the owner didn't back them, we too would have called them! Sales and walk-through couldn't be better, but the owner and service dept are JERKS! We are mediating some things with the BBB.

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