Self installing a slide out topper

[nsbrobert]

I have a 2019 Forrest River Mini lite and the slide out doesn’t have a topper. I wanted to save from a dealership installing one and thought I would order one and do it myself. My concern is drilling any holes in the side wall of my RV and messing something up not knowing where any supports are. So my questions are this.

1. I watched a video on Utube and they just attached the topper wall rail right to the side of RV with screws it came with and didn’t feel they hit any supports, so will that be enough to support the topper mounting rail to the wall and not come out of the fiberglass?

2. I am a decent handy man, is there any reason at all I shouldn’t do this myself and just pay a service department to do it for me?

[timm9]

nsbrobert,


I'm a newbie (bought in June) and just installed the slide topper with little to no issues. Have a helper and take your time. Measure multiple times before drilling...:-) and you will do fine. Purchase what you need (sealant, etc.) before you start. We took our time and finished in an hour and a half.

[TitanMike]

I too installed my own. Carefully follow the instructions and not only have a good helper, have two good free-standing ladders.

If your's is anything like the one I installed it's designed so the brackets are merely mounted with screws into the siding and any reinforcement that might be behind it at the top edge of the slide. There are about a half-dozen screws for each bracket so no one screw is heavily loaded. Whatever you use as sealant will also act like an adhesive to hold the bracket to the side of the slide.

Like I said, just follow the instructions.

If memory serves, I believe all the screws are self-drilling.

[Mike223]

I just bought a Solera slider topper. I have Utubed it to death(lol) but have 1 question. Mine came with a different bracket that goes on the slider itself. 1 is flat and screws on but the other piece that you stick the rod in is separate so you have 2 adjustments for the height???
Mike

[Mike223]

My new Solera slider topper has a tiny hole right in the middle of the topper itself. Any suggestion on patching it up? Lippert said they would send a new one but way to much trouble taking off the old one.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Mike223

My new Solera slider topper has a tiny hole right in the middle of the topper itself. Any suggestion on patching it up? Lippert said they would send a new one but way to much trouble taking off the old one.

There's repair tape available that works good on small holes in awning/topper material.

Find one that matches the color of your topper "fabric" and cut off an appropriate length of tape. Round the corners so they don't lift up as easy with time. Move the slide so the hole in over the roller so you can apply the patch tape more easily and make sure it's secure.

BTW, clean the topper surface first with Alcohol to make sure nothing keeps the adhesive from sticking.

Camco sells some awning repair tape that's "clear" but there are others on the market that are colored.

Here's the Camco tape

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Awning-Repair-Tape-Inhibitors/dp/B005SB6Q2W/ref=asc_df_B005SB6Q2W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309816949166&hvpos=1o1&hvne tw=g&hvrand=9880120338482790841&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hv qmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033354& hvtargid=aud-801381245258la-437107794617&psc=1

[Mike223]

Thanks Mike I will give that a try.
Mike

[All_Things_Vain]

Thinking about ordering the solera slide topper myself and doing the self install on my single slide out....is there a preferred sealant or would clear silicone sealant work?

[Bama Rambler]

I wouldn't use silicone at all.

The proper way to do it is to use butyl tape under the rail.

[John-n-Janis]

Follow directions, 2 people, 2 ladders take your time don't rush. Did both sliders 3 hours work great.

[Bradmond]

I will put one on ours in the spring. I already bought the butyl tape to use for the sealant.

[fella10]

Originally Posted by nsbrobert

... 1. I watched a video on Utube and they just attached the topper wall rail right to the side of RV with screws it came with and didn’t feel they hit any supports, so will that be enough to support the topper mounting rail to the wall and not come out of the fiberglass? ...

when I mounted my slide-out topper, I was concerned about that same thing, and took an old time RV'ers advice, ... to first, mount the rail in place with "all weather, heavy duty, double-sided tape" and then use your screws, ... there couldn't be an easier way to mount it than that, the tape just sticks on and then holds the rail while you install the screws, ... makes that step a very simple one man operation and I have no fear of it coming off even if I didn't hit some kind of stud or reinforced area with the screws, ... I just used whatever tape I found, but today would certainly use the T-REX brand, ...


https://www.walmart.com/ip/T-REX-Ext...ount/399780238

[Mike223]

Originally Posted by Bradmond

I will put one on ours in the spring. I already bought the butyl tape to use for the sealant.

I used butyl tape also.

Mike

[walaby]

x3 for Butyl tape. The butyl tape will hold the bracket in place long enough to get it screwed in. No need for other super duper extra strength double stick tape.


As others have said, take your time, and you likely will need two people to install, especially if you have 12 ft slide out.


Mike

[fella10]

Originally Posted by nsbrobert

... so will that be enough to support the topper mounting rail to the wall and not come out of the fiberglass? ...

nsbrobert, ... unless I miss read your post, you're concerned about the rail being sufficiently attached to the wall, ... yes, you can use a full strip of the best butyl tape money can buy under the rail from one end to the other, and when all is said and done, your screw holes will be sealed, and sealed real good because butyl tape is a "sealing" tape and that's what its made to do, ... oddly enough, that same thing can be accomplished if you put a small dab of silicone caulk into each screw hole before the screw, ... both the butyl tape and the silicone caulk do an excellent job of sealing the holes, but neither will provide much(if any at all) additional holding strength to the rail, ... but that tape that walaby described, the "super duper extra strength double stick tape" will, because that's what its made to do, ...

[CincyGus]

I'd use the butyl tape. First, It's what manufactures and dealers use. Second, I'm more worried about water penetration than a bracket that has multiple screws in it falling off as water getting in the walls of an RV are a delamination issue. third, I don't use silicone on anything on the outside of the RV. Even once removed, nothing will stick to the miniscule remnants left behind. Just another opinion. take it for the two cents worth it was given in. Good Luck!