Pooling on Slide Topper

[K7JV]

We have an '06 Dynasty, Countess III. When we get rain, water pools on the driver side, long slide topper. Several weeks ago we got enough rain that it sagged the awning to the point that it contacted the top of the slide over a couple of square feet. It stayed that way long enough for water to start passing thru the material and thoroughly wetted the top of the slide. Unfortunately, the seal tape along the outermost part of the top of the slide had deteriorated to the point that water was able to run under the tape. We first found we had a problem when water started dripping from the little sconce light by the dining table!

We replaced the topper, shortly thereafter. However, the new one pools just like the old one did. It hasn't leaked through, yet, though, which is good. Even the original topper has done this, ever since the coach was new! After any rainfall, if we pull the slide in, water pours off of both ends of the topper. From either end, there appears to be a slope to the topper, and it appears to be quite tight, yet it still pools in the middle.

Has anyone had this problem, and/or found a solution? Yesterday, I used roof caulk to adhere 14' of clear residential wall corner guard along the edge of the roof, a couple of inches from where the curve starts down the side. The thought is to at least channel the rain water that falls on the roof away from the topper. That way, maybe I'll only have to deal with half as much water on the awning!

We'll see how that works out.

[rjsupersonic]

Check your slide adjustment, it may not be going out far enough.... or the spring loaded roller has lost it's tension. The topper should be tight with no water pooling.

[Arch Hoagland]

You could move to California. It doesn't rain here any more.

Actually what we do if it's raining hard and pooling is close the slide a bit until the water runs off.

You can also raise or lower the front end using your levelers to encourage the water to run off.

[Doggy Daddy]

I have seen RVer's place beach balls and pool air mattresses under their slide toppers to prevent puddling. Some have placed long noodles and PVC across the top of the sliders with rope or tie down strap threaded down the middle and staked down on each side. The mild tension reduced wind flopping and directed water to the ends.

[K7JV]

Thank you, all. The beach balls, noodles and such do work. It just shouldn't be necessary to do that on coaches like these. They are supposed to be about convenience, and not about ladders and band-aids. The slide is definitely going all the way out, but good suggestion. The tension makes sense, and it may have been inadequately tensioned from the beginning. It has pooled like that from the day the coach was made, so it may have been improperly set up from the beginning. I will check that out.

Again, thank you all!!

[RustyTools]

Mine did the same thing, and I mentioned it to the fine folks at StoneVos. They said it's generally because the slide-toppers themselves on our coaches don't have enough slope to allow rainwater to 'run' off the topper as oppose to 'meander' and often dam-up and cause the topper to droop. Short of rebuilding the slide height, we're stuck with what we got.

Tried the beachball/etc concept but they kept deflating over time, and seemed to stretch the topper material too much for my satisfaction.

Saw where someone made PVC tubing supports that would go down the middle on the underside of a topper to lift it a bit (kinda like a tent) and give it a little more droop. Seemed to be a good idea.

I also went the L-channel route along the sidewalls last year, on the the idea that most of the water will run along the channel and then down the side where a topper isn't located. Haven't had enough rain of late to see if it works, but it's gotta help.

Be interested to hear how yours works.

[96 Wideglide]

I put a new bedroom topper on last year, installed it with plenty of tension. I was on the roof the other day after a overnite rain, and there was a puddle in the middle of it.
I think what your doing with the gutter, and mabe some front / back slope with leveling system, is the best your going to do.

[nodine]

Originally Posted by K7JV

We have an '06 Dynasty, Countess III. When we get rain, water pools on the driver side, long slide topper. Several weeks ago we got enough rain that it sagged the awning to the point that it contacted the top of the slide over a couple of square feet. It stayed that way long enough for water to start passing thru the material and thoroughly wetted the top of the slide. Unfortunately, the seal tape along the outermost part of the top of the slide had deteriorated to the point that water was able to run under the tape. We first found we had a problem when water started dripping from the little sconce light by the dining table!

We replaced the topper, shortly thereafter. However, the new one pools just like the old one did. It hasn't leaked through, yet, though, which is good. Even the original topper has done this, ever since the coach was new! After any rainfall, if we pull the slide in, water pours off of both ends of the topper. From either end, there appears to be a slope to the topper, and it appears to be quite tight, yet it still pools in the middle.

Has anyone had this problem, and/or found a solution? Yesterday, I used roof caulk to adhere 14' of clear residential wall corner guard along the edge of the roof, a couple of inches from where the curve starts down the side. The thought is to at least channel the rain water that falls on the roof away from the topper. That way, maybe I'll only have to deal with half as much water on the awning!

We'll see how that works out.

Do you have SOK II or SOK III Carefree toppers? If they are SOK III you can cut down the mounting bracket and lower the roller tube about 1.5 inches. That will give you better drainage. Drifter came up with this trick and there should be a post on here some time back on doing this. If they are SOK II then you have to make a new bracket or use plates to lower the mounting holes and use the old bracket.

Bob

[doublechevy]

I have a 2008 Knight DFT with long slide on drivers side under my topper there is a slide topper support that moves in and out with the slide out, it raises and supports the slide topper to prevent puddles in the slide topper. I believe my slide toppers are Carefree perhaps you can look and see if one could be fitted to your slide out.

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by doublechevy

I have a 2008 Knight DFT with long slide on drivers side under my topper there is a slide topper support that moves in and out with the slide out, it raises and supports the slide topper to prevent puddles in the slide topper. I believe my slide toppers are Carefree perhaps you can look and see if one could be fitted to your slide out.

That is what Carefree called the Summit system. I have them on my coach. Carefree no longer makes them or provides parts for them.

I replaced all my topper material with the good stuff from Stone Vos, tightened the springs and I still have some water pooling on the larger toppers, even with the Summit bars. As noted, it is a matter of too little slope on the topper.

[MSHappyCampers]

This is what I did to solve the problem!

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/slide...rt-189399.html

[rmcb]

Craig French (Crazyknight) did a pretty nice job cutting off and lowering the outer brackets on his coach at Q this year. He did a really nice job and his toppers now have a nice slope. I think his are the SOKIII.