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DblDuce · 10-12-2013, 04:20 PM

We were tailgating today,and when the slideout was put out, we heard a loud breaking sound. It was the "arm" at the end of the roller tube of the slideout awning. It looks like it was just screwed into the end of the tube, but we dont know what purpose these serve. It has a rubber coated end, about 3 inches from the point of attachment. We retracted the slideout about halfway and it looks like the awning over the slideout is rolling up correctly, but we dont know why this arm broke off, or whether it should be replaced, etc. Does anyone know what this is for? It has no adjustments, there were just 2 screws holding it to the end of the awning tube.

Muddypaws · 10-12-2013, 06:49 PM

It is there to keep the fabric from unrolling in the wind as you travel.

DblDuce · 10-13-2013, 05:32 AM

So it rotates around when the slideout is brought out? Just wondering why or how it managed to hit something with such force as to break the bolts holding it on? it also got bent a little also. Should it be reattached then?

bruceisla · 10-13-2013, 05:39 AM

It's probably something like this:

RV 101: How do I stop a slide topper deploying accidentally? - National RVing | Examiner.com

You will need to determine the manufacturer and then download the installation instructions to determine correct adjustment. I think you would have to see it when it happened to figure out why it broke.

paz · 10-13-2013, 06:12 AM

As everyone is saying, the purpose of the arm is to prevent unrolling of the slide topper if wind gets up under it while you're driving down the road. There should be a small block attached to the side of the RV. When the slide is in, the arm will hit the block after about 1/3 or 1/2 turn to keep the topper from unrolling further.

As the slide is deployed when you're parked, the roller tube with the arm fastened to it moves away from the side of the RV. As it moves away, the arm is supposed to clear the block and allow the topper to unroll. There was apparently a mis-alignment that caused the arm to catch the block or something else and rip it off the tube.

bruceisla · 10-13-2013, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz

As everyone is saying, the purpose of the arm is to prevent unrolling of the slide topper if wind gets up under it while you're driving down the road. There should be a small block attached to the side of the RV. When the slide is in, the arm will hit the block after about 1/3 or 1/2 turn to keep the topper from unrolling further.

As the slide is deployed when you're parked, the roller tube with the arm fastened to it moves away from the side of the RV. As it moves away, the arm is supposed to clear the block and allow the topper to unroll. There was apparently a mis-alignment that caused the arm to catch the block or something else and rip it off the tube.

X2 .... Yup ... the arm was probably adjusted too close to the block. The tip of the arm should not rest against the block when the slide is all the way in ... it needs some gap to allow it to swing past the block as the slide is extended. You kind'a need to see a properly adjusted one in action to get the idea.

DblDuce · 10-14-2013, 06:29 AM

Yep, thats exactly what it is. I wasnt sure if it rotates around as the slide is put out or not. it doesnt look like there is enough clearance for it to rotate under the arm that attaches the awning to the actual slide out though. Luckily, there is another slide out on the other side that I'll be able to watch in action, and determine where it is when its fully retracted. Funny thing is that its a 2003 Gulfstream Voyager. I bought it new, and use the slide outs multiple times a year, and it never had this problem. Hopefully all it is was just an alignment issue, and not something wrong w/ the awning itself. It properly rolled back up when the slide out was put in that same day, so ill just try to reattach it again. thanks!