Dometic slide topper spring rewiind

[Papashaps]

OK rookie mistake I know I know. 2017 Rockwood 2902ws. I put a plastic gutter piece over my awning and slide out awnings to protect them. Well guess who forgot to take the ones off the slide out before opening them. So they caused the bracket on that is screwed into the camper slide out for the topper to bend. The slide would not open so I had to take the topper off. I pulled both cotter pins and heard a spin like the spring unwound. This is a dometic Hardware: 98000(LL).40(Y)(#)
Fabric Roller Tube Assembly: 98(X)0(Z)(YY).(LLL)(#) with the "tall" brackets. So I am going to try and straighten the brackets and reinstall the topper. I am just not sure how or if I can rewind the spring and attach the brackets to re install. Any help would be great !!!!

[Bama Rambler]

Do you have a copy of the install manual?
If not, here you go. Dometic Slide Topper Installation Manual

You should be able to follow the instructions all but the measuring and drilling holes.

[Papashaps]

Thanks Bama, I found that but need the information on how to re coil the springs and which way they wind as well as how to hold them in place etc.....

[Bama Rambler]

Take the spring side bracket off the RV and secure it to the roller shaft with the "R" cotter pin. Then turn the bracket 14 turns to retension the spring. There's a hole in the end cap and one in the left hand roller end that will line up (Figure 12 on page 10 of the manual). Once you turn the end cap/bracket 14 times keep turning it until the holes line up and then insert a cotter pin, nail, or other small round rod that will fit in the hole.

Then you can put the bracket back on the RV and once it's all installed and tightened up you remove the pin you installed earlier (Don't remove the "R" cotter pin.).

[Scrapper]

Here you go, page #4.


The second attachment is from another member who had severe sagging with his toppers, sorry I don't remember who it was.

[Papashaps]

OK so mine has a spring on each end, and there is no end cap to turn. There is a small metal rod that inserts into the end brackets and it is between those two that the cotter pin goes in. So it seems as if I turn each of those rods and it does load the spring. I am just not sure if I do it with the canvases rolled out? does each spring wind the same way? how I hold it in place etc. I would upload a pic but since I am a new member not allowed to do attachments yet....

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Papashaps

OK so mine has a spring on each end, and there is no end cap to turn. There is a small metal rod that inserts into the end brackets and it is between those two that the cotter pin goes in. So it seems as if I turn each of those rods and it does load the spring. I am just not sure if I do it with the canvases rolled out? does each spring wind the same way? how I hold it in place etc. I would upload a pic but since I am a new member not allowed to do attachments yet....

Sorry that my Slide Topper Sagging pdf file didn't properly load. It was a thread by member Old Coot. Here it is again, hope it works this time.


If your topper is on the rv you don't want to have the slide fully extended. 8 to 10 inches should be enough. You turn the center shaft, not the end cap. If the topper has springs on both ends, looking at the end of the tube one end will tighten by turning it clockwise, the other end will tighten turning it counter clockwise. See AE_topper adjustment.pdf from post #5, page #4, Section #8, Figures 10A & 10B.