Slide topper - what's wrong with this pix

[hawgguy]

Rain all week. Brought the slides in to go home and had a shower of water come into the coach. Picture shows that the slide topper seems to have not retracted properly. Still on the road - will examine more when home. Any ideas?

Thanks!!

[coachmanrvr]

Our center carrier on that slide bound up and nearly did the same thing for us...I stopped it when I heard it not sound right. I lubed the center carrier for a temp fix and then had it changed out on our 4 year PDI visit to Entegra this year. No problems since.

[RubiconTrail]

As noted, the topper did not retract because it is jammed on the center carrier. This usually occurs after a heavy rain. The topper will gather the rain in a pool, making it quite heavy. When you attempt to retract the weight of the pool of water causes the topper to slip out and over the top of the center carrier. Once this happens, the topper will not retract and you get the result shown in the picture.

The fix is to put the slide out fully, then retract six inches or so to get some slack, then get on a ladder and gently apply substantial force to bring the topper roller back onto the carrier. Once you do so it will stay in place until you try to retract with a puddle on top of the topper. Wet snow will do the same thing.

I assume this is the large slide over driver side?

[Johnnypac]

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

Our center carrier on that slide bound up and nearly did the same thing for us...I stopped it when I heard it not sound right. I lubed the center carrier for a temp fix and then had it changed out on our 4 year PDI visit to Entegra this year. No problems since.

4 year PDI ? Can you explain. Thanks

[brobox]

RT, thanks for that fix and explanation. I will remember to take the awning hook and push the water off the toppers after a rain.

[Dr4Film]

My first thought after viewing the photo was that an internal roller tube spring had broken not allowing the roller tube to roll the awning up correctly.

But obviously that is incorrect as other Entegra owners have pointed out.

I guess the awnings used on the Entegra's are different than on at least the Monaco's and possibly others. BTW, who makes them?

Does anyone have a link to an explanation of this topper and roller mechanisms? I don't understand what a "center carrier" is and its function or even what it looks like.

Thanks.....

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[RubiconTrail]

Originally Posted by brobox

RT, thanks for that fix and explanation. I will remember to take the awning hook and push the water off the toppers after a rain.

You're welcome, Chuck. That's what I do...get on a ladder and use a tool to get the water out.

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

Does anyone have a link to an explanation of this topper and roller mechanisms? I don't understand what a "center carrier" is and its function or even what it looks like.

Thanks.....

Dr4Film ----- Richard

The center carrier only exists on the longer topper. There is a roller at each end with a spring mechanism in it to roll up the topper as the slide is retracted. The center carrier is really just an aluminum support piece that the topper rests on. It appears that it is there to support the topper so it doesn't flex as stress is being placed on it. Obviously it could use a redesign. Not sure who the manufacturer is.

While on the subject, I assumed that if I retracted the slides collected snow would fall off the edge of the topper as it rolled up. This assumption also proved incorrect. Enough of the snow can get into the roller to cause damage. I use a washing brush on a stick to remove snow before retracting. The surface of the topper is quite slick and the snow comes off pretty easily unless frozen on there.

[DGBPokes]

I've seen guys throw a rope down the middle of a topper and connect to bungee cords. I assumed it was to minimize wind flapping, probably help with rain puddling too.

[hawgguy]

Originally Posted by RubiconTrail

The fix is to put the slide out fully, then retract six inches or so to get some slack, then get on a ladder and gently apply substantial force to bring the topper roller back onto the carrier. Once you do so it will stay in place until you try to retract with a puddle on top of the topper. Wet snow will do the same thing.

I assume this is the large slide over driver side?

Thanks RT - You hit the nail on the head.

Yes, it's the big driver's side (or off-door slide in Entegra parlance).

I did exactly as you described and flippped the roller tube up over the carrier. I wish I had taken a picture. Hard to imagine the weight of pooled water causing the roller to jump over the carrier.

Thanks again

[rbr]

I've had that exact same thing happen. Let me try to describe it with some different words since it's not clear to all what's happening.

The construction of the slide topper awning roller tube on the big slides is not stiff enough to prevent bowing of the tube when water collects on the awning. Making matters worse is Entegra's topper awning installation which has a relatively low angle allowing water to pool easily. In the middle of the awning there is what I call a "finger", a curved metal arm about 4-5-in long and .5-.75-in wide with a small roller on the end that protrudes up on the coach side of the roller to try to control the bowing of the tube when there's a heavy water load on the awning. When the water load is too great, the roller tube will deflect enough that it pulls over the "finger". The finger then binds against the tube and will prevent it from rolling when you retract the slide, resulting in the topper fabric being partially pulled inside the coach. The immediate fix is to partially extend the slide and get up on a ladder and try to manhandle the roller back to the proper side of the finger (not that easy). For the near term I've started watching that awning closely while retracting the slide if it's been open during a rain. I don't know a long term fix other than a redesign of the awning mounting to reduce pooling or a much stiffer roller tube to prevent bowing. Will be talking with Entegra next April on my PDI.

Don't know if that's clearer or not, but just another shot at trying to explain what's happening.

[jestal]

What I have encountered with the toppers on the two longer front slides is that water collects as described and when retracting the slide with water on the topper is the water pours off the low end of the topper (jacks have been retracted so the coach is not necessarily level) and a good portion will end up on the top of the actual slide "roof" and get carried inside the coach. When the water runs to the lower end the topper deflects and ducts the water directly onto the slide top surface. Then one drives off and the pool of water on top of the slide gets dumped onto the driver or passenger at the first stop. Considerable water can collect inside during a slide retraction after a hard rain.

If rain has been part of a slide extension our check list includes standing in the driver and passenger seat and checking for puddles on the top of the slides once they are inside. We have several large towels for this occasion as there is often lots of water up there. Leave the towels along the front edge of the slide roof as a dam to catch any remnants during the first stop.

You only need to get a load of cold rainwater dumped onto your head once to appreciate this phenomenon. Trust me.

And try to remember to relocate the wet towels to the dryer before you put the slides out at the next stop least they get trapped between the slide and the wall and/or tangled up in the slide top and side seals.......don't ask.


One more reason to have a roof ladder so it is easy to pop up there when packing up and sweep the water off the topper with a broom to eliminate the potential mess and aggravation.

This scenario is far from an isolated even in my experience!!

[hawgguy]

Nex time I'm parked after a rain I will run the Jacks to raise & lower the front and back of the coach to "encourage" as much of the water off the toppers as possible.

[Dr4Film]

Can someone answer my earlier question as to the manufacturer of this slide topper?

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[brobox]

Originally Posted by hawgguy

Nex time I'm parked after a rain I will run the Jacks to raise & lower the front and back of the coach to "encourage" as much of the water off the toppers as possible.

Good minds must think alike, I was just wondering if anybody had tried that or side to side?