Slide Out Topper Stitching

[want-a-be]

The stitching on the ends of our slide out topper have came undone. Looking on a quick fix if there is one. Not in a good place to try and sew it!
Thanks For All Comments

[barnaclebill]

I stitched both ends of one topper with dental floss, a heavy needle and needle nose pliers to push/pull the needle. About 2.5 hours total standing on a ladder.

[Ivylog]

At 10 years the white thread on all four of my slide topper deteriorated. There was enough unused material on three of the four that you could cut off the used material and re-sew with black thread which is more UV resistant than white. That was 4 years ago. My new ride, a 08 HR navigator has the same problem and the same solution. Local canvas shop did these too...$140.

Easy to get off once you find the hole on one end of the Carefree roller tube that you install a nail so the spring does not unwind when you take the other end off. Takes two people to put this material back on, one on each edge feeding it into the J. track. Good chance the plastic rod sewn into the canvas to hold it in the J. track has deteriorated so coax cable can be used in place of it as it's the same diameter.

[FIRE_UP]

doxiemom11 wrote:
We took our awnings down and resewed all of the seams with outdoor UV thread. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the awning material, the thread had just sun rotted. We purchased a sewing machine at a thrift shop, ordered the thread online and worked at the picnic table. Total cost to resew all seams on 3 awnings - $45.00.

This is a great answer. So many are quick to tell the OP to throw away what may be a perfectly good topper. The stitching is quite often the culprit in situations like this. We have expensive, factory Sunbrella awnings and slide toppers. The stitching on ours started to come undone too. I simply removed the ones that needed new stitching and, sewed them up, and reinstalled them.

If the OP cannot make the appropriate repair by removing them, then get an upholsterers sewing kit with curved needles and, climb up on a ladder and, stitch things up, DONE.
Scott

[doxiemom11]

We took our awnings down and resewed all of the seams with outdoor UV thread. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the awning material, the thread had just sun rotted. We purchased a sewing machine at a thrift shop, ordered the thread online and worked at the picnic table. Total cost to resew all seams on 3 awnings - $45.00.

[chuckftboy]

You could repair the stitching with a sewing awl. I've repaired many Sunbrella boat tops with mine. Bought it in 1972 at Tandy Leather Store to make leather goods. I've seen them at HF recently for less tan 10 dollars.

[ae5573t]

I had the same problem. Bought a sail stitching repair kit at Hobby Lobby. Stitched up what I could reach under the slide topper. Probably able stitch 8 to 10 inches under the topper. I was no expert, just followed the directions the kit came with. Some of my repair stitching is now going on 2 years old. So far it has held up to a 60 mph wind storm in Wyoming and 7000 miles of 65 mph highway speeds. You can also get the same kit at West Marine. The thread is pretty heavy duty.

[TNGW1500SE]

I'd say it's time for a new one. A repair may work but when you're on the interstat and it comes un-done, you'll wish you would have replaced it.

[downtheroad]

For a quick fix...maybe try awning repair tape...fold it over the edge where the stitching has failed.

Available lots of places......here is one source......Awing Repair Tape.

[old_guy]

In my opinion, by the time you take it off and find an upholstery shop to dew it, why not take it off and order a replacement from tough tops and put a new awning on. the material they use is better than the original and if you you code rvgeeks you get a 5% discount