Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-21-2019, 10:57 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
Dometic slide topper spring replacement.

Looking to see if anybody has replaced the spring assembley in the Toppers. We have a Coachman Chappell 336TSIK 2017 model. I am replacing the spring assembled in the slide
on the side where the door is. Any help appreciated
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 08:23 AM   #2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
It's pretty easy to do, but you need to follow the instructions carefully. It also helps to have a handy helper to assist you.

Do you have a copy of the A&E instructions?
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 09:05 AM   #3
Pickin', Campin', Mason
 
5picker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bama Rambler View Post
It's pretty easy to do, but you need to follow the instructions carefully. It also helps to have a handy helper to assist you.

Do you have a copy of the A&E instructions?
Agreed... not terribly difficult but please understand what you are doing BEFORE disconnecting arms and brackets.

Unless the spring is broken, (and the tension relieved) there can be consequences to removing awning/topper parts while under tension.

I'll also ask... do you have a copy of the directions and/or know the replacement procedure?
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA

Days Camped '19=118 '20=116 '21=123 '22=134 '23=118 '24=86
5picker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 10:25 AM   #4
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
No. No instructions came with it. Only instructions that came with it was for the Lock kit. Instruction would be helpful. Thanks
__________________
Ted:
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 10:30 AM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
No instructions came with the spring.
__________________
Ted:
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 10:37 AM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
Before going on out trip in September we let the slide out and we heard a long bang on the topper. The topper still rolls in and out but i hear what soungs like parts rolling around as the slide topper comes out then back in. Any suggestions as to what that is. I have not taken the end off yet to look inside the roller assembly.
__________________
Ted:
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 11:41 AM   #7
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
It's most likely the spring has broken on one end.

Here's a link to the repair instructions.

AE_topper.pdf

Keep in mind that the other end will still be under tension, so be careful.
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 09:33 PM   #8
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
Thank you for the instruction
__________________
Ted:
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 11:12 PM   #9
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 62
Dometic Topper

Quote:
Originally Posted by tcorl View Post
Looking to see if anybody has replaced the spring assembley in the Toppers. We have a Coachman Chappell 336TSIK 2017 model. I am replacing the spring assembled in the slide
on the side where the door is. Any help appreciated
Very simple two rivets 3/16 and 13 turns of tension.
almcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2019, 06:42 AM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 71
I am doing the left side so i turn it cjockwise right. Thanks for the input. Have a good day
__________________
Ted:
tcorl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2019, 09:29 AM   #11
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 62
Topper Torsion

Quote:
Originally Posted by tcorl View Post
I am doing the left side so i turn it clockwise right. Thanks for the input. Have a good day
Looking like CLOCK you go clock wise to torque the spring. Topper torsion are no more than a venetian blind. 13 turns from the closed position.
almcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2019, 09:50 AM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by almcguire View Post
Looking like CLOCK you go clock wise to torque the spring. Topper torsion are no more than a venetian blind. 13 turns from the closed position.
Thank you for the information
TCorley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2019, 06:00 PM   #13
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
When I do the install do I take the slide all the way out to do my 13 turns on the spring or do I keep the slide in to do the spring ????
TCorley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2019, 08:31 PM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 62
The best way is with the slide open. Count the number of turns on the roller you will need to add that to the 13 turns. No need to remove. 3/16 drill and 2 3/16 aluminum rivets.
almcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 11:44 AM   #15
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
The instructions say to perform the repair with the slide all the way in, so it's 13 turns from retracted.

I'm not saying that Al isn't right, but 13 turns is pretty tight, so I'm not sure I'd want to be adding another 6 to 10 turns to that and trying to hold it while the cotter pins are installed. Since I've never done it like that, I'm not sure how much tighter the spring will be.
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 11:56 AM   #16
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 62
Topper

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bama Rambler View Post
The instructions say to perform the repair with the slide all the way in, so it's 13 turns from retracted.

I'm not saying that Al isn't right, but 13 turns is pretty tight, so I'm not sure I'd want to be adding another 6 to 10 turns to that and trying to hold it while the cotter pins are installed. Since I've never done it like that, I'm not sure how much tighter the spring will be.
Head Rambler With the slide all the way closer you can't swing the torsion and apply the torque to the spring. 13 turns is the proper tension on all Dometic toppers. The spring is not that large. I have 40 years doing awnings. Just retired April this year. Have a great day.
almcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 12:50 PM   #17
Pickin', Campin', Mason
 
5picker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
Quote:
Originally Posted by almcguire View Post
Head Rambler With the slide all the way closer you can't swing the torsion and apply the torque to the spring. 13 turns is the proper tension on all Dometic toppers. The spring is not that large. I have 40 years doing awnings. Just retired April this year. Have a great day.
So does the 13 turns INCLUDE the amount of turns necessary for the slide room to go out or are you saying put the slide room out and wind the spring 13 turns (from a starting point of no tension/static load) and call it a day?

I'm with Bama.. the instructions say differently.

I haven't 40 years of awning experience but the several I did were done according to the directions.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA

Days Camped '19=118 '20=116 '21=123 '22=134 '23=118 '24=86
5picker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 01:39 PM   #18
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Southwest Alabama
Posts: 9,850
Quote:
Originally Posted by almcguire View Post
Head Rambler With the slide all the way closed you can't swing the torsion and apply the torque to the spring. 13 turns is the proper tension on all Dometic toppers. The spring is not that large. I have 40 years doing awnings. Just retired April this year. Have a great day.
Like 5Picker I don't have 40 years of working on awnings, but I've had a good share of repairing/replacing them since our first RV in 1972.

I can see what you're saying, but I think I'd just run the slide out one turn of the tube and that way I'd only have to turn the spring 14 times. I guess everybody does it differently.
__________________
Salem 29RKSS Pushing a GMC Sierra 2500HD!
Gotta go campin!
Bama Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 02:32 PM   #19
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
Hey thanks you'll for all the information. I do appreciate it. Will give you an update when we put the spring in. Thanks a lot!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bama Rambler View Post
Like 5Picker I don't have 40 years of working on awnings, but I've had a good share of repairing/replacing them since our first RV in 1972.

I can see what you're saying, but I think I'd just run the slide out one turn of the tube and that way I'd only have to turn the spring 14 times. I guess everybody does it differently.
TCorley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-2019, 10:17 PM   #20
Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 62
Topper

Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker View Post
So does the 13 turns INCLUDE the amount of turns necessary for the slide room to go out or are you saying put the slide room out and wind the spring 13 turns (from a starting point of no tension/static load) and call it a day?

I'm with Bama.. the instructions say differently.

I haven't 40 years of awning experience but the several I did were done according to the directions.
Depending on how far your room extends you would add 3 to 4 turns.
almcguire is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
replacement, slide

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:41 AM.