Rain and Front Slide

[BCook57]

We have a '07 DSDP model 4307. That means that our front passenger slide does not have a slide topper, because there is not enough room between the top of the slide and the large awning.

The result is that if we pull the slide in after a rain, we have to deal with water running off the top of the slide. We soak it up with an old beach towel. Not a big deal, but a nuisance. I know that the rubber gasket is supposed to "wipe" as it comes in, but it just doesn't work that way.

While staying at a park near Nashville, I noticed a guy with an Essex who partially deployed the main awning to cover his slide. Out just enough to cover the edge. Of course, on an Essex it is a different awning.

Does anyone else just the same technique? I am always concerned about wind picking up the awning, but maybe there is so little of the awning out that it won't matter.

[DonnaB]

Hi Bob,

We have an 07 DSDP and do that all the time. As a matter of fact we are currently sitting in Livingston TX and it is raining and the awning is out just enough to cover the slide top and maybe another 6". We always have the wind sensor working AND if it gets stormy or very windy where it is jerking the awning around, we will bring it in anyway.

One of the "things we always do" is put the awning out over the slide after we put the slide out. It doesn't eliminate the need to be observant if water is on the slide top or in the power lock arm cavity, but it does make it only a sometime issue.

["007"]

If your slide is out without awning open and it rains is it possible to tilt front of coach manually to run off water before closing slide.
If not, on a rainy windy day I would pull in slide, on just a rainy day deploy the awning.

[read & learn]

We have the same setup. What we do is put the awning out enough to cover the slide then put the slide out. When it is time to bring the slide in we do that first then close the awning. Have not had any problems.
Get in the habit of doing the above all the time sunny or raining.

[GaryKD]

Like others have posted, I also deploy the main awning to cover the passenger slide. I deploy the awning so the bottom of the front awning arm is even with the edge of the slide. I also turn off the auto retract feature. When breaking camp, close the slide first then retract the awning.

I do this at all camp sites. The awning will keep all debris off the top of the slide.

[BCook57]

Thanks to all for your replies. I used the technique for the last two days in Nashville when raining, and it worked fine. I'll make it a SOP from now on.