Toppers or not

[TonyL]

Hi all, our trip to the USA is getting ever closer and we have picked what fifth wheel we want. the big question is_________
do we take the option of slide out toppers or not. Our unit in the UK only has the one slide and it does have a topper. great for keeping the slide roof clean and reasonably dry, lousy when it is windy. We also pitch very slightly in favour of the slide to aid drainage. The problem is our chosen unit has 3 slides so off-level pitching is not going to help. My big fear is if we bring the slides in when it is pouring with rain, will the water come into the unit, and if ice or snow gather on the slide roofs, when that melts, will it seep past the seals?
Any guidance gratefully received.
Regards to all
Tony

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You can pitch the trailer regardless of the number of slide - just raise the nose or the tail. That tilts all the slide on both side.

The topper doesn't cause water to drain either in or out of the RV - it dumps itself as the topper rolls up. The water that can sometimes get inside is the water on the top of the slide (if it gets by the rubber flapper and seals).  You always get some water there is you have no topper, but there will probably be some even if you do have them. The topper is more a debris catcher than a water preventative. slanted or blowing rain always gets under a topper.

 

[Rene T]

My big slide always has water on it. When it gets real windy, the wind will get under the topper and pick up and the water drains off one of the ends. When I close the slide and there's water on it, I just close it 4" or 5" at a time and let the water gradually drain off. Once the water stops flowing, I close it another 4" to 5".

 

[PopPop51]

My impression is that it's one of those "Ford or Chevy", PC or Mac (or Chromebook - I didn't forget you, SeilerBird ), "High wing or low wing" (for you pilots) questions. Each side makes excellent points, after a while nearly everyone has decided to be on one side or the other, and once they've picked their poison they seldom change their mind.
But you're wise to take a survey, so here's my contribution:
I've never had a topper, and don't want one. Why?

• If my slide roof didn't get dirty my topper sure would.
• My trailer has a roof for the express purpose of keeping the interior shaded and dry. If it doesn't do that, it's not my fault for not spending more $ on a topper.
• I've replaced the roof on my 8-year-old trailer once, due to vandalism but it was getting close to eol. The slide roof is still original and still in great shape because it's only exposed to the weather when I'm camped, about 1/4 of the average year.
• I've camped in snow storms. Due to heat loss I doubt that snow will ever build up on the roof of an RV that's occupied. I've had icicles hanging from the slide roof and the RV roof, and never had a leakage issue. However I don't store with the slide out and don't store in cold latitudes, so I have no experience with snow buildup or ice dams in storage.
• I'm not fussy about cleaning the roof off before retracting. If there are significant branches up there, I clean them off. More often it's just a few pine needles, leaves, or tiny twigs. Those are either swept off during retraction or they get under the roof wiper and ride along inside for a while. Some end up on the floor eventually, others leave with the next extension.
• It's one more thing to break or wear out. My awning didn't hold up nearly as long as my roof did, and a slide topper is just an awning.

I don't know if many manufacturers do this, but both the main and slide roofs on my trailer are arched, so there's no puddliing whatsoever.

 

[meternerd]

I'm in the "no topper" camp.  I have none on my fiver with four slides and before I close 'em, I just get on the roof and sweep off any leaves, needles, water, etc. before I pull 'em in.  A topper would make that impossible and in a wind, leaves and junk can easily blow into the space under the topper.

 

[Rene T]

I'm in the "no topper" camp.  I have none on my fiver with four slides and before I close 'em, I just get on the roof and sweep off any leaves, needles, water, etc. before I pull 'em in.  A topper would make that impossible and in a wind, leaves and junk can easily blow into the space under the topper.

With the toppers, there is no need to dangerously get on the roof to do any sweeping. That's what the toppers are designed to stop. I've never had any junk get under my toppers. I've had toppers since 1997 and would not be without them.

 

[ArdraF]

Definitely in the "pro" corner in favor of toppers.  We have them on each slideout and did on our previous motorhome as well.  We ordered them all around for our current motorhome.  They keep a lot of water off the top of the slideout as well as most debris.  If you're parked under a tree for any length of time you'll want toppers.  When the topper has a lot of water on it, like Rene does, we just bring the slides in a few inches at a time which allows the water to drain off the toppers.  We don't get water inside the motorhome.  If you do, there's probably a problem with the seal.  We had one instance a few years ago with the bedroom carpet getting wet in one corner and the seal was fixed at the factory soon after.  Problem solved.  By the way one of the big things eliminated from the top of the slideout is bird feces, feathers, and such.

ArdraF

 

[grashley]

My impression is that it's one of those "Ford or Chevy", PC or Mac (or Chromebook - I didn't forget you, SeilerBird ), "High wing or low wing" (for you pilots) questions. Each side makes excellent points, after a while nearly everyone has decided to be on one side or the other, and once they've picked their poison they seldom change their mind.

YOU ARE WRONG!!  ;D   

Somebody had to take the bait.

This is a classic case of no wrong answer.  PopPop explained why very eloquently.

Personally, I have toppers.  It keeps stuff off the top of the slides, and keeps the slide tops with much less water in a storm.  My slides have been out in 40 and 50 mph breezes, with no problems at all.

 

[SargeW]

I am in the "pro" crowd as well. My reasoning is helping to block heat in hot summers, and keeping sticky sap off of the slide roofs when camped under pine trees. If winds get really fierce like they can in the east and mid west, I may pull in a slide during the worst of it.

It's a personal choice, so throw the dice and see what happens!

 

[Koodog]

Pro topper here.
Have them on all my Rv's over slides and windows.
Windows mostly for shade.

 

[2PawsRiver]

Pro topper here as well.  I do however place cheap pool air mattresses under the topper to fill the gap between the topper and the slide.  The small slide is not a concern, but the big slide the topper bows in the middle and holds water.  We are wintering this year and it keeps the snow from doing the same thing.

 

[Ernie n Tara]

I just paid $1000+ to replace two toppers! Nough said?

Ernie

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'm also in the pro-topper camp, but it's a convenience to avoid debris on the tops of the slides, not a necessity.  If I mostly used an RV in open country (no trees or blowing sand), I might not care if I had them, but in the eastern US and our favored tree-sheltered campsites, they are handy to have.

 

[Broke Boater]

I'm in the camp of "Wish I had one ,,," Pain to climb up on my camper because of having to clear the awning across the top step when climbing up the ladder to sweep pine needles and pine cones of the slide,,,gregg