See if you can get a brand and model from your toppers and go into the manufacturers WEB site. There should be info there on maintenance and installation that will give you specifics on handling the spring tension and how many turns to use when setting it up. The springs in these units are quite strong, and if you loose a grip on the mechanism, a runaway can cause serious injury. That said, you can deal with the springs in an awning or topper if you're using a good pair of Vice Grips and a little care. Just go slow, be careful and understand the the instructions fully before going at it.
