love/hate relationship with slide awnings

[highwayman]

We arrived at our seasonal camp spot late in the evening last weekend with the winds howling. We were treated to an evening of flapping noise from the carefree slide awnings and the rv seemed to be shaking more? My wife slept through it but I have to admit it woke me up a few times. I was anxious in the morning to try out my slide kit. I placed volleyballs under the short slide, and the newly ordered "Airwedge" under the long one. The winds were still blowing. I did notice the noise quiet down. It was hard to guage the correct air pressures, and I gathered up balls and wedges a couple times trying to get it right. Also we got rained on and the slides did drain better and not puddle as before. So, I don't know good and bad, the dealer talked me into these as were permanently parked and he said he likes to see them put on in this case.

Highwayman
Rog

[dimurrrw]

Depending on what kind of trees you may be parked under, the awnings really help in keeping your slides clean and ready to retract. I agree about the noise, but there is also the additional benefit of rain water draining off instead of potentially creating a leak. However, I must admit that there have been times at the beach (thunderstorms and 50+ mph gusts) when I've wondered if the things were going to self-destruct.

[AVid]

My last trailer had a slide topper and I too went through all kinds of things to prevent flapping or water pooling. Sooooo...now with our new Wildcat I don't have one and so far I am happier. If we end up parked under trees and the top of the slider get tree junk on it, I just climb the ladder and sweep it off before we close.

The best idea I have seen out there was a fellow who just threw a rope over the center of the topper and tied it down. It prevented flapping and created a trough for rain water to run off.

AVid