Slide toppers on Astoria 3173RLP

[Yankee in Dixie]

Picking up a 2021 Astoria 3173RLP and wanting to add slide toppers. Anyone mounted them? I had them on a Coachmen Chaparral Lite and loved them.

[chrisski]

Originally Posted by Yankee in Dixie

Picking up a 2021 Astoria 3173RLP and wanting to add slide toppers. Anyone mounted them? I had them on a Coachmen Chaparral Lite and loved them.

I unsuccessfully mounted them on my 2018 285 LBS. I will never self install one again unless the fasteners are installed from the factory.

Shoring was the issue with inadequate tech data about where to secure it. Supposed to be an easy install that took me a few hours over six days.

I was unable to “shore” the thin metal that I drilled through and opening and closing the slide out was unsuccessful. Two of six screws I was about to fit shoring in. The topper started to pull the fasteners out of the slideout. I had it shored on the inside wall and next step would be to cut the inner wall to secure it to the inside of the outer wall. I stopped there.

I pulled the topper off, left the fastners on the slideout, and disposed of the topper.

[franktafl]

I had mine installed at the dealership as part of our purchase "deal". one issue I have is with them FLAPPING in high winds. We recently spent a month in the carolina mountains. it got so bad that I had to close the sides because I thought they were going to be ripped off the RV. BUT, saying that, I really like the thought of not having to get up there to wash or push the snow off so I could close the sides or keep blowing leaves and twigs off the slides before I close them.


Everything in RVing has good and bad I suppose. In this case, I think the good outweighs the bad.

[capeharj]

Originally Posted by franktafl

I had mine installed at the dealership as part of our purchase "deal". one issue I have is with them FLAPPING in high winds. We recently spent a month in the carolina mountains. it got so bad that I had to close the sides because I thought they were going to be ripped off the RV. BUT, saying that, I really like the thought of not having to get up there to wash or push the snow off so I could close the sides or keep blowing leaves and twigs off the slides before I close them.


Everything in RVing has good and bad I suppose. In this case, I think the good outweighs the bad.

Put a blowup mattress between the topper and the sliding roof, fold it in half lengthwise and slide it in. Stops the blowing and water puddling.

[franktafl]

I made a "lifter" out of pool noodles. Taped (duck of course) five together and installed a rope to be able to tie them to the door handle (the helper handle). They work ok but can't get to the slides on the driver side of the camper in order to do something to them. It's a long way up there! I wonder if I could get one of those extendable ladders and how good they really are ... anyone know?

[Yankee in Dixie]

Well I installed slide toppers on the two slides on the driver's side of the unit. I went with Solera toppers from Lippert. I was able to have a nearby Camping World order them for me. I had a bad experience with ordering them from Amazon. Following the directions I installed the brackets carefully making sure I didn't over tighten the mounting screws. I installed the awning rail 4" above the T-molding. I cut some wood blocks that allowed me to keep a constant 4" across the whole slide. I used double stick tape to keep the blocks in place while I installed the mounting screws. I put butyl tape behind the brackets (2") and awning rail (1"). Probably could have gotten by with 7/8" on the awning rail. I prepped the awing rail as indicated by the instructions and sprayed the inside of the rail with silicone as instructed. I had help installing the toppers themselves. All in all I am happy how they look. They have ample pitch for water to roll off and they are tight, no flapping here!

[chrisski]

If you have pictures of the 4” block you used to shore the inside, I’d like to see that.

[Yankee in Dixie]

The block was not used on the inside. They were merely spacers the I used on the outside to insure the awning rail was kept at a uniform 4" from one side of the slide to the other. I made sure I reduced the torque setting on my Porter Cable power driver to about 8 when I was installing the screws to insure I did not over torque them and lose the ability to anchor the rail and mounting bracket.

[franktafl]

GOOD JOB! They look very nice and like they were professionally installed (maybe better)…