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steved28's avatar
steved28
Explorer
Mar 24, 2019

Carefree topper issues?

Has anyone had issues with Carefree toppers binding while the slide is extended? Our new Winnebago has an issue that totally stopped the slide from extending. I was able to "Help" the slider out by getting on the roof and hand cranking the awning out while my wife extended the slide. Then I ran into a fifth wheel owner at a campground who had the exact same issue with Carefree. He ended up having to cut the fabric. It seems that there is way too much tension on my awning.
  • Steved28 on my friends to me it looked like they mounted the arms to close and to low to the slide out so when the tube flexed it hit the slide out and rode up over it. I know on mine the tube doesn't set that close to the slide out. Walk through an RV lot and check a few and see if you can see a difference.
    At least you're still under warranty. John
  • Thanks John, this is exactly what ours did, jump over the slide. Since it is still under warranty, I'm going to have the dealer deal with it. But I think there is a design flaw, I hope they have a permanent fix.
  • While extending my slide it stopped and then proceeded after a popping noise. The brackets that held the topper to the slide had bent and the fabric was torn. The brackets are very stout so a lot of force was involved. I cut the fabric at the trailer and removed the brackets and the tube. I cut the tube into four parts and threw it away.

    Fortunately the trailer was new and under warranty. The system was replaced by my dealer. Carefree said they had no idea what had happened and had never heard of it before.
  • had a friend with a Winn and his slide topper tube flexed so much that it rode up over the top of the slide bending the arms. Had to come up with new arms etc. and Camping world fixed it don't know what they did to fix it.
    We did a temp fix on his by rotating the awning tube arms further away from the slide so when it was going out and flexed it didn't ride up over the slide out.
    Check the awning manual or check you tube and you can retention the springs in the tube.
    Can't recall where I saw it but remember reading that you could buy a tube that fit inside the roller tube to keep it from flexing.

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