I stare up at the darkening clouds from my prone position on our RV roof. Silently I pray that I will soon find the strength to sit up. If I remain supine, Storm is going to need a firetruck and ambulance to get me to the ground. Why am I up here??
Part of the reason for my predicament is a previous repair (that we paid good money for) resulted in sloppy installation of RV Roof Repair tape along the edges of our room slide outs. The wrinkled tape carelessly applied to slide edges encourages leaky ponds of water on top of our bedroom slide and hides a separation problem on the main slide. Added to that, we replaced this slide topper when we first bought the RV. The installer at Frank’s RV accepted and placed a 7″ too short topper in place rather than reorder correctly. We did not realize the ends of the slide roof were exposed 3″ on each side until we start investigating our leak.
Troublesome Toppers
The shipment tracking on our replacement topper package claims we will receive them today. Knowing that a downpour is headed our way tonight, Storm maintains constant surveillance on the driveway. We need to install the new slide toppers as soon as they arrive. At 5:30PM, the brown box truck arrives. With less than an hour of sunlight and 2 slide toppers to install, we abandon our efforts to remove the trees toppled by Tropical Storm Michael from my Mom’s yard and immediately rip apart the newly arrived packages. I mention the dead trees only because we spent all day clearing and burning them while we waited for UPS. After a day of toting and bending, when I roll off the ladder onto the top of the RV to assist Storm, my body rebels. That rebellion results in my horizontal dilemna.
Following the Youtube videos on the Tough Top Awnings website, Storm and I swiftly install the new bedroom topper. It slides easily on both sides and all I have to do is guide the edges into the channels on the coach while Storm pulls from the other end. The living room topper proves to be a much greater challenge. The channels on this one are so tight, we can barely make an inch of progress on each side. Charlie has to man the feeding end while I pull inch by inch from the roof. Because this slide is wider than the bedroom slide, Storm can’t feed the front and the back from one ladder. He has to use two ladders and climb up and down alternating from front to back for each inch we gain. Augghhh! We have to get this one on before it rains!!
Happy Ending
Here is the happy ending… we just narrowly finish this project before the skies open up. The new slide toppers are awesome!! Thicker, more durable material with weather resistant thread make these lower cost replacements superior to OEM toppers from Carefree. Responsive customer service, great pricing and easy to follow online DIY videos make it easy for me to highly recommend Tough Top Awnings if you need awnings or toppers.
A few rivets heal the previously hidden wall separation above our main slide. Storm applies GacoFlex Roof Coating to stop the bedroom slide leak (I am sure it also helps that the topper is the right length now). This sealant also stops the white streaking down the RV sides that occurs every time the RV sits through a rain shower. Now the white from the fiberglass roof stays on the roof and our rig stays prettier between wash jobs.
If it ain’t one darn thing its another. :>) Glad you got it fixed before the storm hit. We have never replaced ours, but will remember where you got yours. Well………I will remember to call you to see where you got yours, if I write it down now no telling where it will be when I need it. :>) I am fighting a french drain in front of the house and there are more roots than there are trees in the front yard. Take care. GOD BLESS
JD
Jim
At least in this case the repairs were planned and except for the rain storm we had time to prepare. Thrilled to death with the results. Sometimes Storm is an RV magician!
Sorry to hear that you are still fighting with water problems and trees and roots! Take care and good luck!!