Slide topper fabric pulling out of track

[Garry Donohue]

I noticed that the fabric is pulling out of the track on my large slide out in my 2007 Dynasty. I was at a flying event in Wisconsin and a fellow Monaco owner told me that it is held in by a tube that deteriorates in time. He suggested a Home Depot tubing that can be fed in from the side to cause the thickness needed to keep from pulling out. Unless there is something that I should be using and any hints as to how to insert into the fabric would be appreciated. I do know how to open the fabric cover to get to the roller assembly. Thanks

[96 EVO]

Can you feel the spline cord in the fabric where it has pulled out?

Usually the spline stays where it belongs and it's the stitching that has come apart!

[Tom Cherry]

27 minutes ago, Garry Donohue said:

I noticed that the fabric is pulling out of the track on my large slide out in my 2007 Dynasty. I was at a flying event in Wisconsin and a fellow Monaco owner told me that it is held in by a tube that deteriorates in time. He suggested a Home Depot tubing that can be fed in from the side to cause the thickness needed to keep from pulling out. Unless there is something that I should be using and any hints as to how to insert into the fabric would be appreciated. I do know how to open the fabric cover to get to the roller assembly. Thanks

We have a REAL expert…. @throgmartin.  He actually used to make new toppers and does great work.  He now has a well respected and trusted repair services and specializes in awnings and slide bottom plates (Guardian) as well as some more. He might chime in.  He made me new toppers.  I watched them being installed.  My take is that the “tube” or as some call it, a spline, was what your friend was talking about is actually sewn into the topper…think a piece of round plastic and you sew it into one edge.  Then, it slides into a “slotted” openig….or an aluminum mount like a round tube, except a slit in it.  You can google slide topper replacement and there several YouTube videos.  What your friend might have  meant was that there is a plastic tube “sewn into each edge of the topper.”. Your pictures looks like the stitching is worn or marginal. but the tubing inside the topper has crushed or collapsed….thus…a new piece, but then disassemble or remove the stitching and put in a new one. Not cost or labor effective based on the age and condition of the fabric…

Toppers lead a rough life.  My high quality OEM SunBrella fabric started to fail after 6 years and it was always stored under a cover and slides in.  Chris Throgmartin made me new vinyl ones and they look as good as new now after 8 years.

PM Chris for info and a recommendation 

[cbr046]

I restitched mine.  Make sure you use a UV resistant thread.  Having a stitching machine would have been REAL nice. 

Lock the roller in place (I used some unique vice grips), undo 2 screws that go through the gutter & spline and the topper will slide right out. 

edit - I did have drill an oval hole in the tube to let the spline slip out.  Otherwise I would have had to disassemble the tube. 

- bob

Edited August 1, 2023 by cbr046

[KevinH]

I reversed my slide topper material four years ago still looks good today.That wasn’t my intent when I started the project I just wanted to see if I could get the material off before I ordered new material. That’s when I discovered the material on the roller looked like brand new. 

[Garry Donohue]

My material is fine except for the tube that is sleeved into the fabric which then slides into the track. 

[timaz996]

I went another route and I am so happy that I did. I had true toppers installed on both of my slides and they worked fabulously.

 

[Ivan K]

8 hours ago, timaz996 said:

I went another route and I am so happy that I did. I had true toppers installed on both of my slides and they worked fabulously.

 

Yours look good, Tim, now that I have seen them (and met with you) in person.

[Pduggs]

19 hours ago, KevinH said:

I reversed my slide topper material four years ago still looks good today.That wasn’t my intent when I started the project I just wanted to see if I could get the material off before I ordered new material. That’s when I discovered the material on the roller looked like brand new. 

Exactly what I did a few years ago. The white thread had come loose. I removed all four toppers and took them to a boat canvas shop. They used black thread, which they claimed was stronger than white, since white thread is bleached. 
 

I noticed the topper had fabric rolled up and not exposed to the elements. So I turned them around. 

If you have to remove the topper, this is the tool you’ll need to prevent the roller spring from unraveling. 
 

[cbr046]

1 hour ago, Pduggs said:

If you have to remove the topper, this is the tool you’ll need to prevent the roller spring from unraveling. 

 

Yup, same vice-grips I used to anchor the roller.  👍

- bob

[Paul J A]

On 8/1/2023 at 3:03 PM, timaz996 said:

I went another route and I am so happy that I did. I had true toppers installed on both of my slides and they worked fabulously.

 

Would you please post some photos of the true toppers installed on your coach. I am curious, how the top flange was removed and the construction of that NEW edge. 

Thank you

[timaz996]

4 minutes ago, Paul J A said:

Would you please post some photos of the true toppers installed on your coach. I am curious, how the top flange was removed and the construction of that NEW edge. 

Thank you

Here you go.

[Paul J A]

Thanks Tim. How much did they cut off of the top of the top flange ? How is that sealed? How does the top flap get over the top of the existing vertical flange, as it seals against the side wall of the coach?

 

[Bill R]

13 hours ago, Paul J A said:

Thanks Tim. How much did they cut off of the top of the top flange ? How is that sealed? How does the top flap get over the top of the existing vertical flange, as it seals against the side wall of the coach?

 

Paul - this is not a promotion, but there are several YouTube videos out there that go into detail on how the True Toppers are installed.

[Garry Donohue]

Cherry you were correct. After I climbed up on my ladder. I first said my material was good but my spline or cord was rotted. As you can see in these photos, the thread came out and the spline is fine. I’m pointing to the spline with a pick tool in the photo. So to make sure I do this correctly, 1. I first open the cover to expose the roll of awning material. 2. I open the slide enough to unroll enough material to slide it out of the track. 3. Attach the vise grip tool to keep the spring from unwinding. 4. Either go to a canvass shop to resew, or purchase a whole new fabric. I hearing Stone Voss makes good toppers? Am I correct in my procedure? 

[96 EVO]

I had a feeling that's what you would find.

It's rare for that 'C' channel to open up mid span.

[Garry Donohue]

17 minutes ago, Garry Donohue said:

Cherry you were correct. After I climbed up on my ladder. I first said my material was good but my spline or cord was rotted. As you can see in these photos, the thread came out and the spline is fine. I’m pointing to the spline with a pick tool in the photo. So to make sure I do this correctly, 1. I first open the cover to expose the roll of awning material. 2. I open the slide enough to unroll enough material to slide it out of the track. 3. Attach the vise grip tool to keep the spring from unwinding. 4. Either go to a canvass shop to resew, or purchase a whole new fabric. I hearing Stone Voss makes good toppers? Am I correct in my procedure? 

I just didn’t look at it close enough. Is the procedure above correct in removing the fabric?

[georgecederholm]

If the stitching that forms the “pocket” that the spline sits in has failed but is still connected at either end, there is a short-term fix you could try if you have patience and time. Mine failed in what looks to have been the same way as the OP’s. I didn’t have a helper so what I did was:

Remove the metal roller cover and end caps.

Extend the slide half way out.

Put a bolt into one end of the roller to keep it from moving.

Remove the bolts that hold the topper mechanism to the outside edge of the slide, then flip the topper up onto the roof upside down.

From that angle, I was able to carefully pull the fabric back around the spline using regular pliers. It was slow and tedious work, taking about 90 minutes.

I used a fabric-friendly glue that was recommended on “Old Monacoers” to recreate the “pocket” in the fabric around the spline. Any good weatherproof glue would probably work. If I had to do it today, it would probably be Gorilla Glue Clear.

Once the glue set, I reversed the first few steps above to flip the topper mechanism back and reinstalled it.

This temporary repair held for 2+ years until I was able to schedule time at Stone Vos/Talin to have all new toppers made and installed. I needed to do something short-term because the fabric hanging loose acted like a big funnel and directed rain water right into the top slide seal, which led to intrusion. Had Chris’s folks install a new slide seal at the same time as the new toppers.

[96 EVO]

Sure.

I don't use vise grips. I extend the slide about 10", get up on the ladder on the right end of the tube, rotate the tube (loosening the fabric), until the holes in the end of the tube line up, and I can slip an awl, or screwdriver right thru. Now the spring is locked and I can remove the tube from the end caps.

[Garry Donohue]

2 hours ago, Garry Donohue said:

Cherry you were correct. After I climbed up on my ladder. I first said my material was good but my spline or cord was rotted. As you can see in these photos, the thread came out and the spline is fine. I’m pointing to the spline with a pick tool in the photo. So to make sure I do this correctly, 1. I first open the cover to expose the roll of awning material. 2. I open the slide enough to unroll enough material to slide it out of the track. 3. Attach the vise grip tool to keep the spring from unwinding. 4. Either go to a canvass shop to resew, or purchase a whole new fabric. I hearing Stone Voss makes good toppers? Am I correct in my procedure? 

So I first unrolled a foot of material, then held the tension with a screwdriver in the hole on the right hand side, and was able to pull the spline out, separating the material from the RV. I then let the roller slowly unwind in my hands till there is now mo more tension. Can I now remove the black end cap in order to pull the other end of the material off the roller? 

[96 EVO]

Should have left the roller pinned for the entire procedure.

You will have to learn how to pre-tension the spring now, which I have never done.

[Paul J A]

9 hours ago, Bill R said:

Paul - this is not a promotion, but there are several YouTube videos out there that go into detail on how the True Toppers are installed.

T y.

[Garry Donohue]

Yes 96 EVO was correct. The spline  was fine but the stitching fell apart, thus pulling the fabric from around the spline. I slid it off, I live by the Ocean in NJ so I have a canvas/sail shop 2 minutes from my house and he restitched all four sides with thread that they use for sailboats. I hung it up in my garage today and coated it with 303 fabric protectant which was recommended at the Gathering last Winter in Florida. Waiting for it to dry then will slide it back on. Thanks to all who responded. 

[cbr046]

I hand stitched mine.  It was quite a chore.

Instead of pulling the end cap I drilled an elongated hole in the slot on the roller letting the spline slip through the hole.  EZ PZ

- bob