2014 3950 Slide Toppers

donzinger · 04-16-2014, 11:42 AM

I am making plans for our yet to be picked up 3950. I am looking into haveing slide toppers installed. I have not measured for myself, but I don't recall seeing any in all the photos I have seen online a topper installed over the kitchen slide. Is this because it is too close to the main awning or am I just not seeing any with them installed? Anyone have them installed and have one over the kitchen slide? Any clearance issues with the main awning?

Thanks in advance!
Don

sundancer 87 · 04-17-2014, 02:42 PM

I read the other day on the forum that a dealer didn't recommend a topper on a slide because it was too close to the awning.
Then, I wonder if it would be a good idea to have a topper on a kitchen slide if the slide has the refrigerator vent in it.

DesertRat · 04-17-2014, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

I read the other day on the forum that a dealer didn't recommend a topper on a slide because it was too close to the awning.
Then, I wonder if it would be a good idea to have a topper on a kitchen slide if the slide has the refrigerator vent in it.

Never had them on any of the last four trailers I owned that had slides. Frig vent is on the side of the slide so don't think that would be a problem. I just don't see any need for them. I think they create more problems then they so call fix.

sundancer 87 · 04-17-2014, 03:04 PM

The vent on the side is combustion air intake and access, the vent of which I'm speaking is the exhaust vent on the upper part of the slide, if there is one.

Looking at the pix of the slide the topper wouldn't hinder the exhaust flow of the refrigerator.

slb5146 · 04-17-2014, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertRat

Never had them on any of the last four trailers I owned that had slides.

But you live in the Desert. I worry about getting caught in an ice or snow storm the night before I HAVE TO MOVE on to my next location. I don't have slide toppers but was thinking I might ought to consider them.

DesertRat · 04-17-2014, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slb5146

But you live in the Desert. I worry about getting caught in an ice or snow storm the night before I HAVE TO MOVE on to my next location. I don't have slide toppers but was thinking I might ought to consider them.

I've been caught in a snow storm in the Black Hills of S.D. in a tent trailer in July.

Out here its a very hard wind or dust storm we can get in. Nice to be able to retract the main awning when that happens kind of hard to pull in the slides. Been in some good hail storms & sure glad I didn't have awnings out in those. Some like them but just not something I care for.

splash · 04-18-2014, 12:15 AM

I'm new in the forum, but also am awaiting my new 3950 (supposedly off the line Monday). From what I've been told, slide toppers put additional holes in the rig, and don't offer any advantage. Yet they are subject to the wind, being torn and creating additional noise when windy, possibly trying to sleep. Personally haven't had them on any of my previous 3 rigs. Be curious what others think?

DesertRat · 04-18-2014, 03:38 PM

Not that I haven't seen them on 5th wheels but seem to be on motorhomes more than pull behinds.

sundancer 87 · 04-18-2014, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slb5146

But you live in the Desert. I worry about getting caught in an ice or snow storm the night before I HAVE TO MOVE on to my next location. I don't have slide toppers but was thinking I might ought to consider them.

Ice and snow, have you given any thought as how to remove the white stuff the morning you want to leave, with the toppers extended?

slb5146 · 04-19-2014, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

Ice and snow, have you given any thought as how to remove the white stuff the morning you want to leave, with the toppers extended?

I guess I thought the snow would just peel off the topper as you retracted.

sundancer 87 · 04-19-2014, 02:06 PM

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no snow expert having lived in the southwest for almost ever. But, I do remember it being heavy so I'm thinking the material will sag from the weight of the snow.

Then there's the ice. Could the material become somewhat solid from the ice and thereby preventing the material from rolling?

nmroper · 04-19-2014, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slb5146

I guess I thought the snow would just peel off the topper as you retracted.

Considering the challenges we already have with the slide system, I would not try bringing them in with the weight of snow on top of them. Seems like we have been in snow for the last six months. I always remove the snow from the slides for bringing them in. I was concerned with tearing the toppers up while removing snow/ice which is the reason we did not get them.

sundancer 87 · 04-19-2014, 04:34 PM

Good point Mark, the material might get brittle in the cold and be subject to tearing.

X2 on the challenges, who needs more drag on the slides???

donzinger · 04-21-2014, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

I read the other day on the forum that a dealer didn't recommend a topper on a slide because it was too close to the awning.
Then, I wonder if it would be a good idea to have a topper on a kitchen slide if the slide has the refrigerator vent in it.

Correct. I contacted manufacturer and installer. They won't install or recommend installing on kitchen slide. Nothing to do with refer vent as they are on the side but because of the main awning there is not enough drop to the slide topper to shed water. Getting the other two installed though.

sjaustin · 04-21-2014, 04:32 PM

Make sure you inspect the roof thoroughly! I just bought a 3895 a couple weeks ago. Got about a 100 miles from the dealership and was flagged down by a trucker. I pulled over and inspected the camper and there was a rip down the side of the rubber roof liner. Turns out the manufacture forgot to round the edges of the roof so the plywood ripped right through. Hopefully this was just a one off situation. But make sure you check your roof!!!!
I picked it up and in Ohio and by the time I got to Minnesota to camp for the first night I turned on the heat and the heat only worked in the bathroom. Turns out the bass box did NOT get secured. Once I opened up the compartment access panel it looked like the bass box was just tossed in there (NOT SECURED) need this to say that unsecured bass box just bounced around while driving and literally ripped the heater ducts off the furnace. It's been a real pain in the rear getting it repaired.
Do yourself a favor take a screwdriver with you with the square bit and take the 15 to 20 minutes it takes to take that panel off and insure your bass box is secured!!!

Fanboy · 04-22-2014, 01:00 PM

[QUOTE=sjaustin;13430]Turns out the bass box did NOT get secured. Once I opened up the compartment access panel it looked like the bass box was just tossed in there (NOT SECURED) need this to say that unsecured bass box just bounced around while driving and literally ripped the heater ducts off the furnace. It's been a real pain in the rear getting it repaired.
Do yourself a favor take a screwdriver with you with the square bit and take the 15 to 20 minutes it takes to take that panel off and insure your bass box is

Did mine two days ago.

nmroper · 04-22-2014, 01:12 PM

[QUOTE=Fanboy;13462]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjaustin

Turns out the bass box did NOT get secured. Once I opened up the compartment access panel it looked like the bass box was just tossed in there (NOT SECURED) need this to say that unsecured bass box just bounced around while driving and literally ripped the heater ducts off the furnace. It's been a real pain in the rear getting it repaired.
Do yourself a favor take a screwdriver with you with the square bit and take the 15 to 20 minutes it takes to take that panel off and insure your bass box is

Did mine two days ago.

Did you find yours well secured? If not, how did you get it secured?

Fanboy · 04-22-2014, 05:05 PM

What they did is bent a mounting tab from the dirt devil. Not the greatest. Wobbles just a little. I am either gonna run a bracket from the second tab or move it to the inside and free up some working room. Hope this helps

lakebuster · 04-23-2014, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donzinger

I am making plans for our yet to be picked up 3950. I am looking into haveing slide toppers installed. I have not measured for myself, but I don't recall seeing any in all the photos I have seen online a topper installed over the kitchen slide. Is this because it is too close to the main awning or am I just not seeing any with them installed? Anyone have them installed and have one over the kitchen slide? Any clearance issues with the main awning?

Thanks in advance!
Don

Had local dealer install dometic slide toppers with black material and black hardware, forgot the item number but look in gallery tab next to foums should have a picture of my toppers. We do not have a slide topper for the kitchen slide, if it is storming we only come out with awning to cover kitchen slide and drop one side to drain water.
David

Camper2b · 04-27-2014, 02:02 PM

Not trying to hijack the topic of slide toppers, but as the bass speaker, mine was held in place also with one screw. I took the vent off below the stairs inside coach and took a strip of gorilla tape and wrapped it around the speaker and a well fixed wood strip located right there in front of speaker. It ain't going nowhere. Put little vent back on good to go. The speaker was loose flopping around but no damage was noted.

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