For what it's worth I have a triple slide Rockwood Windjammer Travel trailer. I have had great success using slide stabilizers. The key is knowing they are not jacks. Done right, they make a huge difference. My wife has balance issues and extra movement can make her ill. Once I'm set up our trailer is as stable as our house. The key to slide toppers is to keep them tight. They are adjustable. Keep them tight and they work great. As far as the tank sensors go, I made a wand that keeps them clean. That said when I'm on full hookups I dump the tanks ever two days just to keep them fresh. Bottom line is to watch videos. Try things and do the things that work for you.
I loved the toppers on our tt. In my opinion it was a HUGE help with the insulation from the sun. We started with the used tt to installing on the 14ft and 10/ bed slide. It made a HUGE difference
We love all our toppers. The main thing I love about them is the noise reduction, when it would rain hard without them was very loud and keep the sun from being directly on the roof helps a lot with cooling.
Good to see you back and well. I will challenge you on leaving the gray tank open all the time, as a mechanical engineer, design and release, fluid flow, tanks, etc. in automotive, but never the less I know tank design and have many friends in the RV holding tank manufacturing business, i.e. Elkhart Plastics and Miller Plastics, the holding tanks are just that 'Holding Tanks' they are designed and engineered to work off of volume and flow, with a relatively flat bottom, leaving the dump valve open just sheds off the water and leaves the solids behind. Ever have to unclog and bathroom or kitchen sink drain?, yep that's solid buildup that is being left behind by leaving the valve open all the time. Safe Travels.
@@Florida_Man_Robb I've been building houses for over 30yrs and camping over 20. There are no traps on a house to shut so I don't understand why you think a camper would be different.
@@joechristopher1622 Who said anything about shutting a trap? The black and gray tanks have a valve at the opening, that’s it. What I am saying is that it is possible when you pull the valve to dump either of these tanks (especially if the tank is full) that as the tank empties it creates a siphon effect that can suck the fluid right out of the P-trap during the process. If you are inclined to leave that valve open you then have the possibility that sewer gases will move uphill right into your RV because there is no longer a fluid barrier inside the p-trap. I’ve had this happen after emptying tanks that were very full, I think it’s the high velocity of the emptying that causes the siphon effect. You’re never going to get this in a house because you never have that safe effect of closing the system off and then emptying it at a rapid rate. I stand by not leaving either valve open ever, it’s a bad idea and there’s no reason to do it.
The slide topper do hold water but to solve that, take three pool noddles, tape them together in a triangle put them under the slide topper and that will help keep the water from pooling. Works great!
I have heard of people putting soccer balls under slide toppers. That keeps them from flapping in strong winds and it helps to drain water. When time to move they use a broom to pull out the soccer balls. I have never had a topper so I do not know how well this works.
Our rig is 10 yrs old. We bought it new. Our sensors still work. Never had a problem with them but we try to keep our tanks clean & treated. I know a lot of people have problems. I think they don't use enough water. HUGS~Donna
We have a Monaco mh and have been full time for 11 years and counting both rv park and boondocking. Agree on all you mentioned, washer takes up valuable space as does an ice maker. The toppers were destroyed by wind, running slides in the middle of the night is a joke so you can go back to sleep and cleaning under them is a task, a utility knife takes care of the problem. Propane sensor is still working and all we need, others stopped working years ago. Have had no issues with holding tank using single ply TP and the burp indicater works well 👍🏻. One other thing, basement storage, if you haven’t used it for the last 2 years get rid of it so you can add more junk.
I agree with everything except the slide toppers. We’ve been in our rig 11 years and they shouldn’t gather water the way you mentioned. You need to have your tension corrected. We’ve had to have 2 replaced and it sucks but I’d never go without. Too many trees out there dropping stuff.
I absolutely LOVE my X-chocks! I always leave my black tank closed and my tank sensors (on every RV I’ve owned) have never worked and you’re right, you don’t need them. Completely agree on the toilet paper and because I’m a full hook up camper too, I use a lot of water in my black tank. Being a solo camper, I actually have to try real hard to use enough water. Lol!
Best thing I did in my RV is hook up bidet with a two-way water valve up to my sink. All you need is enough paper to polish. You can get them for like 12 bucks on eBay
I agree with everything you've covered. As far as toppers, like any roof, its the pitch angle. If your topper is mostly level with your slide, then yes it will hold water. White reflects heat, black absorbs heat. The topper is mostly used to keep the crap (needles etc.) off the roof, less wear on the seal wiper. The burping lol, that "stuff" creates its own gas. So when it gets full, there's not much room at the top.
Slide toppers are a great discussion. My first camper had them. Well. At least we had them installed. Our living room slide out would hold water. Wasn’t that big of a deal. Brought it in until I saw water coming down the window then stopped. Let it drain then did it again. Second rv. 5th wheel didn’t have them. Immediately regretted it. Water was the only con to having them. With the 5th wheel I had to get on the roof blow them off. Also the heat the toppers block from the slide out is amazing. Just that little bit of shade over the slide out makes a huge difference. Finally, the possible water intrusion. Camper with toppers never a problem. New 5th wheel. Both leaked only 1 year old. Now, I get they shouldn’t leak but the seals are only going to do so much. If it has a topper over them. Added bonus. In my opinion.
Speaking of heat, I swear the tops of our slides with toppers are hotter than the same areas in the previous RV that didn't have them. I honestly was expecting the toppers to make the slide roofs much cooler but that hasn't been the case for us. The tops of the slides are white but the toppers are black so maybe that has something to do with it.
@@Five2Go that’s really odd. People don’t carry umbrellas in the summer sometimes to make them hotter. Anything blocking the Sun should take the heat off of what’s under it.
Hey Guys good vid 👍 I love our slide toppers and wouldn't be without them for so many reasons.....BUT....I know what you're talking about the accumulation of rain water and I was looking at your large driver slide topper towards the end of the video . Mine would do the same thing. Using balls, noodles and all these other home remedies under the toppers are a waste of time, plus it's more stuff to carry. I have a real easy fix for you. The next time it rains go to the back of the slide and look up. You'll see that the topper roller is "bowing" inwards". The reason for that is the water is making the topper sag down and it pulls the roller inwards. If you see rain in the forecast, get your ladder and place a 6" long 2" x 4" between the roller and the slide itself. That will keep your topper taunt, water won't accumulate up top. It will spill off the ends like it should. If we're going to be somewhere for a week or two, it's something I do automatically when we arrive and set up. This is important to do because, remember water weighs a lot. Like 8.3lbs/gal. Trying to get rid of that water up there the way you're doing now, is not good for your slide systems. If you do what I recommended above, you won't have to that problem anymore and that water won't be stretching your material either. The other thing I do when I level, is I manually level our coach and I level it "BARELY" tipping forward to the front of the coach. Just BARELY. That helps tremendously with rain water running off and makes all your AC drain water go to the front gutter. PS: We've met a few people this year going to Maine that watch your channel. Blessings 💗
Full tank, the 'burp' is exactly how I described it! No odor, no visual. Just that tell-tale 'burp'. The sensors on my brand new TT worked only thru the first black tank fill/empty cycle and that was it. My first season camping, first TT, solo experience. Loving it! ❤️
i have found that slide toppers are invaluable in minimizing the noise from rainstorms. but those were only narrow ones like you have pictured. sad to hear the big ones turn into buckets. i think they prolong slide seal life. except them breaking on you, i think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Our first rig did not have a washer/dryer. We found that the campground laundromats are the territory of the seasonal residents and you'd better be there when your machine stops or your clean, wet clothes will be dumped wherever it's convenient, even if it's the floor. We love our Splendide, although it's just the 2 of us, and yes, you need to do smaller loads.
Thumbs up, good video. However, we've been RV'ing for over 23 years now and won't have one without slide toppers. Besides keeping debris off and eliminating the need to climb up on the roof after every disconnect/departure to clean the slides off, they also help keep the hot sun off of the top of the slides which makes the unit easier to cool off on very warm days. This is a big deal in 100+ degree weather. Water retention is not an issue with correct pitch angle and tension. We will also never again own an RV without a washer and dryer. We hate wasting time in laundromats. We will also never again have a combo unit. The best solution is a stacked setup, and this is very important, the dryer must be externally vented. We can throw a load in the washer on our way out the door in the morning, be gone hiking, bike riding, sight seeing, etc., and throw it in the dryer when we return in the afternoon. Or we can run them both at the same time if we need to do multiple loads. We even do all our bedding and even sleeping bags in our machines with no issues. We are not full timers and only spend about eight to ten weeks a year in our RV while exploring the United States, and we don't want to waste any of that time in laundromats. Even if we were full timers, we still prefer to have our own machines. BTW, the reason the toilets burp when full is because the water level is above the tank vent, and sometimes that burp will displace whatever is sitting in the toilet up out of the toilet, yuck! We find that our sensors work very well as long as we flush them for a few minutes at every dump cycle. Flushing also helps control tank odors, especially since you cannot get good tank chemicals anymore. I don't like waiting until they "burp", it can be gross...
We need are toppers because we lived in the snow it helps alot. We boondock alot to. We clean are black tank every 14 days. We have been Rving for about 10 years. Safe rving
Cute video! 1. Laundry place for sure instead in the rig. 2. Toilet paper septic free is fine! 3. Slide toppers thank you because I was thinking we should get them once we have a unit with slides but currently we have a t.t. no slides. Thank you guys!! Those bikes are sweet!!
I love my slide covers I got Solario Brand if you install as you should with a sloop water does not pool and roll in and leaves, accorns room off, also my slides are 8' long.
My rv doesn't have toppers and I'm glad it doesn't. I took a large pool noodle, cut to fit slide top depth, hemmed up a bath towel, slid noodle through hem, added some rope. Throw rope over top, pull, the towel along with rigid noodle completely clean off debris and moisture.
We were camped next to a class A motor home at a state park (lots of trees), the gentleman put an old volleyball between the topper and the slide the evening before a forecast storm.
My first camper with toppers and I would not be without them now. Most of the issues r from improper installation. I had to lower mine down on one slide to get the correct fall
Speaking from experience, full time RV'er here. Only Incorrect installation for slide toppers will cause them to pool water. If they aren't properly tensioned and set at the right pitch( very important) they will never collect water. I have 2 two 14' slides, and have had slide toppers on them for the last 3 years and they never pool. I've learned the hard way by improper installation myself. Once I went over the instructions carefully and followed them to the letter, they never pooled water. Slide out toppers are one of the best upgrades for an RV.
Regarding TP. I've seen tests of rv toilet paper. In it they tested walmart TP also. The walmart TP actually disintegrated faster than some of the "RV" toilet paper. Regarding tanks, we would leave gray water open until a few days before we were going to move. We'd close it for two or three days so we'd have plenty of gray water to flush the lines after the black is dumped.
@@SaltyVetAdventures we are new to RVing but we buy the Scott RV TP and it hasn't caused any problems. In our sticks and brick house we only use Charmin and I can handle the Scott RV just fine. Haven't tried to use any of the regular stuff in our RV yet.
@@sherrimoonchild We have used Scott as well but finally settled on Angel Soft. Any septic safe paper should be fine. The key is to use plenty of water. The toilet isn't the place to be shy with water...unless you are doing some extreme boondocking. 😂
If you have doubts, you can check how well your TP breaks down by putting a few sheets in a jar of water and shake it gently. I haven't found one yet that doesn't disintegrate easily.
@@rifleriverrat9311 There's a video where this is just what was done. Several brands of regular and RV TP were tested. Some didn't disolve hardly at all and in other cases "regular" TP (like the Walmart brand) disolved faster than the "RV" TP. They found that not only could you get more comfortable paper than the single ply Scott crap, but spend less money.
Just bought a 98 coach Catalina motorhome with 44k miles interior is mint but outside was best up n first night I drove her back end was hit n I lost my bumper 😂😂 but just drove to Miami from Bronx NYC been boondocking everywhere 1st day in ft Lauderdale blow a calper n needed new brakes calipers n rotors n all 3 batteries aghhhhh but I love it I'm living now enjoying life I love RVERS
Totally disagree about the slide toppers. We live and do most of our camping in the Northeast and they are a must!!!! Had ours for 5 years on our 2017 Brookestone and no issues. We were seasonal with that 5 th wheel and they saved a lot of aggravation!!!
I would say that toppers are good for folks who are unsteady or unsure about ever climbing up onto the roof. If climbing the ladder is dangerous for you, toppers will likely make it so you never have to go up there and blow or sweep anything off.
Two items. I disagree with you about slide toppers. Never had a issue with collecting water. Also I know the washer and dryer issue is touchy but after walking and hauling laundry then to go back and move from washer and dryer I decided to put a stackable in our rv. Happy wife happy life. I’ll probably never recoup the cost but it was all about convenience
Slide topper fix. My dad went to Home depot and got a sheet of rigid foam insulation. Cut it to the right width, then he would wedge it in uder the canvas (one in each end of the topper). This would make a rigid support for the canvas that would keep it from sagging and holding water. It also helped keep it from flapping when it got windy. Slide it out when tearing down camp and toss it in the passthrough storage. Worked like a charm. Anyway, when you cut the insulation sheet, measure the canvas from the top to the edge of the slide. Don't measure the slide itself. This way the insulation will wedge in directly under the canvas and support it.
For slide toppers. Have you considered before bringing in slides when it's wet to use the rigs jacks and tilt the rig to let the water drain off toppers before bringing in slides? It helps a lot.
We have a 2019 33' Puma travel trailer. I agree on the x-chocks - Huge improvement to stabilizing the trailer. That said, please know when to use them and when to remove them. You shouldn't adjust the hitch height (like when you level the trailer) with x-chocks in place. We use regular wheel chocks until the trailer is level, then we add the x-chocks. Same when breaking camp. X-chocks come off, THEN we can raise the jacks and move the hitch to get it ready to connect.
Always find your videos interesting. We are in the RV and as I was putting laundry into our on-board washer, I thought of you and your comments about the washer and dryer. You are absolutely correct- it would take forever for you to do laundry for a family of five in an RV washer and dryer. Since it just my husband and me, the stack set works well for us and I do not need to worry about time constraints and someone pulling my stuff out of the washer or dryer. An on board washer and dryer would work for RVers in the case of an emergency like someone becomes ill or an unforeseen mess, but not for everyday laundry for a large family! Safe travels🙏😀👍🏻
We had a combo unit in our last rig and it was running 24/7 if we had a sewer hookup. It really felt like laundry was the never-ending chore. Being able to knock it all out in 2 hours a week at a laundromat is so much nicer. If we could do larger stackables we may change our tune, but I don't think we'd go back to a combo unit unless it was just the two adults.
Our rig came with a washer dryer stack. Never used it (well,dryer once). So much more inside storage without it. Never had problems with slide toppers. Big splash whe bringing in slide, but that's just water, move your stuff before stowing the slide.
I’m 54 and have been RV’ing since the 1970’s, and even had a 1954 Spartan Royal Mansion park model mobile home. Which was really nothing in the world more then a travel trailer, with no tanks so it required full hookups all the time. A lot of this stuff you are talking about, did not exist until around the 1990’s to 2000’s. So yeah those tank sensor’s you don’t need them, nor do you really need septic safe toilet paper in most cases. It is good to use septic safe TP. As for stabilizing a travel trailer, is 8 really good jack stands meant for RV use and 8 2X8 pieces of lumber and 2 sets of wheel blocks is about all you need. 2 in back, 2 behind the rear wheels, two in front of the front wheels, 2 at the back of the hitch. The wheel blocks you can place in front and behind the wheels, or between the double tandem wheels to prevent rolling. That’s how I did the set up on my 1954 Spartan, and thing would not move even during a Texas tornado. And that thing was 48 feet x 8 feet wide.
Thank you. I am on R/V #4. The first one came with a topper. Never again, for the exact reasons that you stated. HOWEVER, we still need to clear the roof before bringing the slide out in. So, I have created a simple way to clear the roof. Take a towel; tie a long piece of cord around the middle of the towel. Roll the cord up on the towel. Then toss the towel onto the roof. Go to the other end of the slide out & use the cord to drag the towel across the roof. Any debris on the roof is removed by the magic towel. Feel free to share this no-brainer.
For slide tops, yours might not be tight enough. Ours are really taut and the rain runs off as it rains, When our black tank is full the toilet will not flush, it's a safety issue to prevent a backup.
Very helpful information. Doesn’t matter how long you have RV’d you can always learn something new. The slide toppers made sense. We have thought about it and almost had them put on but decided at the time not too. Now we will pause that thought. Thanks much.
I am 2 years out on a class A or super C toy hauler. It is only my wife and I. Your opinion on washer just for 2 people. Be a lot of national parks and motorcycle riding.
One big thing to keep in mind is that you won't be running a washer without water and sewer hookups. It would definitely be enough for two adults but if you're going to be remote a lot of the time you may not get much use out of it. Just something to keep in mind.
Thank you so much for this!! Some of this stuff is really pushed on other channels & groups!! I’m so glad you’re back & love your honesty…your real life/practical perspective on things is so refreshing!!
I was mildly surprised about the slide toppers. I'm setting up an RV pad at my dad's place (in the woods) and I'm going up on the roof ever month to clean off the pine needles, leaves and twigs/seeds that keep dropping. I noticed that pine needles are working their way under the rubber seal. I'll probably have to bring in each slide halfway and clean off any strays. Something else that surprised me and made me go remove was the info on slide out supports! I'm living in my 2018 Jayco White Hawk and thought if I didn't put braces under there, the slide out would eventually start sagging after 5 or 10 years of constantly being extended. (My RV is my house). So happy you made this video and glad that enough people gave it a like for it to show up in my recommendations. You guys just got my Like as well!
Thank you so much for the info. My husband and I recently bought a travel trailer it does not have the cover over the slide we have discussed putting one on this is our first RV that has a slide with the information you gave us you're saying is money thank you very much we really appreciate it.
As someone who went from a TT without a slideout awning to a class A with 3 slides (each of them with an awning) I would never have one with out them! The keep the top of the slideout roof dry and also cool as slideout ceiling is very thin. I would never have one without them.
I have a large conversion and it came with hard tops for the slides. They are actual mini-roofs that fold down the sides when the slides are in and simply go up and down as the slides go out and in, pushing and pulling them into place. I would imagine the same sort of thing could be done with treated wood and coatings of weather-proofing or plastic with supports. No fabric to rot. No slack to worry about. No problems. Mine are aluminum with bracing supports as needed down the length. They are kept in place by a slide mechanism on each end that goes in and out with them. That holds them rigidly in place when driving and when wind gets under them when the slides are out.
We have a slide topper on our rig and wouldn't be without it. Yes, it can pool some water but there are some easy work arounds for that. If you do not have slide toppers, you really should be checking/cleaning your slide roof before you retract your slide. Every. Single. Time. It takes once to damage the top slide seals and, potentially, the roof of the slide. Slide toppers protect and extend the life of the slide top seals. They block direct sunlight from the, very thin and lightly insulated slide box roof, keeping the rig cooler and allowing the a/c to work more efficiently. They also help prevent water intrusion during rain storms as long as you deal with the pooling issue with larger slide toppers. The slide topper fabric is a sacrificial layer that takes the damage that would normally affect your slide roof and seals. A bit more maintenance, yes, but the benefits are worth it.
Interesting remarks about the TP. We're always full hookups so water isn't an issue. Only remark about dumping, I always keep my grey valves close and dump them after I dump the black tank, the grey water washes away the residue in the hose so cleanup at the end of a trip is less smelly.
For a clothes & fabrics washer: a 5-7 gallon plastic bucket (or two .. they nest) and the old "plumber's helper." Yes! We've used it for two to three weeks, rafting in the Grand Canyon.And many times across America's West!
I have a washer/dryer combo in my RV and I love having it. However I can easily see that people traveling with kids would probably make me feel differently about it. It definitely takes longer than standard machines. I would not get a rig without slide toppers. I would have to be the one climbing onto the roof (my 95 year old mom won’t do it for some reason 😂).so the toppers are a tremendous help for me. Great tips. Safe travels to everyone.
Great video. In our experience in camping/rving with our trailer(s) I think your advice is spot on. Most of the time when we are in a full hook ups park, I don't attach the dump hose until we are going to leave. I think the goal is to get those tanks as full as you can before each dump. They empty out so much better with the pressure of a full tank. And yeah... Sensors.... Our current trailer is 2 years old, and they are still working. Our last trailer was 10 years old, and the indicators showed full everytime you flushed the toilet. So you just learn over time how full your tanks are. Good description of the burp.
I would say slide toppers come standard on most if not all motorhomes. We have had two Winnebago Views, both with standard slide toppers. Our current view does have a much bigger slide out. It does collect water from heavy rain. I haven’t had a problem bringing the slide in. As the roller comes in the water just gets pushed off. As others have said, the topper keeps the rubber around the slide protected from the sun. We live in Florida, the sun does damage rubber and vinyl quickly if not protected.
TP for Macerating toilet? That weird thing worries me. I just stick with the Scott brand. Flush black til it’s clear. Finish with Gray to flush the hose. Don’t leave valves open because critters can make a home in your now empty gray tank, black open is just obvious problems. Great video
On slide toppers, quality matters. We have had low quality toppers and have had problems. We currently have Solara toppers and zero problems. No noise, no pooling
I think they meant with 3 kids then on top of all that they had blankets sheets etc.ofncouese if it's 2 people you can't live wo it.i can't either im not sitting in a laudromat...
We went from a combo unit, to a stacked unit and now we have an LG Combo unit, 2.7 cu ft. The nice thing is it is VENTLESS dry, works great, can do a full set of sheets and pillowcases in one load.
Hey, great video! I have been full time RVing for over 3 years. I don’t have slide toppers and was always a little jealous of people who have them. Now I know I’m not missing anything spectacular. Same for the stabilizers. And I agree with everything regarding the black tank. Tank indicator lights are stupid and the toilet definitely sounds different when the tank is getting full! Keep up the good work, happy trails!
I agree with everything you guys say. I added a slide topper shade (whatever it's called). First BIG rain that morning we had to leave. So I was motoring in the slide NOT thinking we had a LARGE amount of water on it. It made a terrible sound. I was in panic mode. I screamed a few words in terror. Luckly a few sites from us was a couple and he asked if I needed help. I said not sure what I need yet. Then he said I have a ladder you can use if it will help. I said in a happy voice "Yes thank you so much." The shade did that a few more times and would not work right. So one nice day I removed that POS. And still is laying in the drive. It's going to be repurposed. Oh and from now on I have a ladder packed. I made one drawer (92inches long)for the pass thru. It is capable of sliding in and out of either side. Also has a latch so it will NOT go thru the doors. THANK YOU BOTH. OH! have heard of putting a bag of ice in the black tank before you leave to travel. As you travel the ice will remove poop from sensors and melt. I have used this with our OLD TT seems to works.
Maybe I've been lucky, but I have not had any issues with my slide toppers or black tank sensors in the 7 years I've owned my current RV. One of the toppers is really long too. It does hold a swimming pool worth of water when it rains, but it has no problems expelling it when retracting the slide. The black tank sensor for us is pretty accurate. Using a lot of water helps, and ours has black tank sprayers that get it pretty clean in 3-4 flushes.
the slide toppers are needed and appreciated in most state parks in Ga. tons of pine needles and other tree debris kept off.. Out west I've stuffed insulation between the two and keeps the heat down. Although the sun out there quickly wears them out.
We have 2 slides on our travel trailer. Often camp in the trees. Do not have slide toppers. Just go up on roof and sweep off trailer slides before pulling them in.. Heard that slide toppers were more trouble than benefit...glad you confirmed in this video.
I’m so glad you are back and doing well. I missed you guys. Thank you so much for these great tips. These are great tips. Thank you so much Brian and Erin. See I remembered who you were. Lol! Glad you are back. When I saw you were back I through my arms up and said yeah!!! They are back. You both have a great week and see you soon! Stay safe and safe travels.
We live in our 5th wheel full time and we had a person come out that knows rv he build cinder blocks put them all the way around and we are sitting on six to 8 pillars so we do not use our jacks and he got us level plus our 5th wheel came with a washer and dryer combo so we use ours a lot and we replace our hot water heater with a tankless hot water heater and today I remove the bypass valve on the hot water heater because it leaks and due to we live in our year around I tied the two lines and cap off the bypass line thanks for sharing the things you do not need it helps those that do not know anything about RVing and those that are starting out thanks for sharing
I did not have a slide topper on my 2011 Heartland Edge. When it rained, the water would run down the side of the slide and then run under. This caused the floor to rot. When this was discovered, the slide was barely being held together. The slide topper kept the water off the top of the slide and solved that issue, even if it was too late. The slide topper also makes it quieter when it rains, keeps the tree residue (leaves, pine needles, sap) off the roof of the slide and it keeps the hot sun from hitting the slide roof.
Have had very little trouble with slide toppers. Our long topper did start collecting water after a while. Got a cheap blow-up ball from Walmart, taped it to a stick and just stand on steps to rv and place it center of topper. .problem solved. Other problem of toilet paper. After uncloging our pipe from toilet to tank 3 times with piece of fishtail in drill, we solved by using can with foot operated lid to throw used paper in. Solved all our problems. The problemn most of the women I know would rev the toilet paper roll up to 3000 rpm's (😀) causing a build up under the pipe entrance even with lots of water used. Good vid thanks
TP can be checked by putting a couple sections in a jar with water, shake it, and if breaks up readily then it is safe to use. Much cheaper. Do like my clothes washer.
Most of what you say is good BUT I have a topper on mine not real big but tension and angle is what is critical to not have water build up. No issues not to mention less heat in the camper. Also sealed the whole roof in a white color to keep cooler. As far as the black tank I just hook another hose to my black rinse connection( if you have one) and put a gallon meter on it and turn it on .I usually do that in the middle of a weeks stay. The hose stays connected on my rinse the whole time were there.I flush the tank like you flush your toilet in the middle of the week more often if the toilet sees more action lol. and at the end before we leave. I have a Y at the water spout and turn it on without having to shut the rv fresh water. Just replenish the chemicals in the tank and good to go. 10 minute job while sitting by the camp fire lol when done that tank is clear water and no odor .love that black tank rinse connection.
The issue is the sag itself. Everything tends to sag. Including the tires, etc. When there is support under the slide and the body of the rig drops for any reason, it will very likely cause damage to the slide and /or mechanism. It's a bit of a risk either way, I think. Can depend on the ground it's on, the tires, or even an adjustment forgetting they're in place. But, they sell them and people can use them as they wish. I have a set I used twice, and put in the garage. Just a choice. They didn't make enough difference to justify the risk.
Our first fifth wheel had slide toppers, 2nd one doesn't and we don't miss them, but we are stationary for 6 months. We just got a Valterra Sewer Solution, and it is the answer to the slinky snake. We parked in a different spot this fall, and had a long run under the fiver, weren't sure if it would drain well. Enter the Valterra! 35 feet, a 1 inch drain hose flat on the ground and it will drain both black and gray in 15 minutes, and cleans the hose and tank piping with clean water when done. So far I'd give it a 5 star rating, and they claim it will dump up to one hundred feet away. Why have I never heard of this thing before?
I understand that with a family of 5 you're better off using a laundromat but you better be there to move your clothes to the dryer when the washer stops and when the dryer stops or you run the risk of finding your clothes dumped someplace. Slide toppers? The pros outweigh the negatives. If you're concerned about accumulated rain water, just tilt your RV towards the front or rear so the water rolls off. You're correct about the TP but there's an inexpensive device you can use so that you don't use TP or very little TP. Its called a bidet. Costs about $20 and its easy to install if you've got one of those porcelain toilets. Most people don't need one of those fancy heated bidets. Its held in place by the 2 screws that holds the seat in place and add a sharkbite Tee into the toilet water supply pex. You'll use a little more water using one but you'll save water in the long run because you won't have to shower as ofter because a bidet lets you feel fresh. Also because you're using very little TP, your black tank sensors can read more accurately. Good luck!
5 Rv's and we regret not getting slideout awnings and miss them, especially the added shading it provided against heat and the sun cooking the seals.. we use a leaf blower to dry them, we use leaf blower to dry all slideouts before we slide them in.
Totally get the burp statement, that is the only way I determine if it’s full, but you can also learn the sound it makes when it drops to the tank so you can determine how long before it gets full, we do lots of camping with water and electricity only so we have it down to a science as to how long we can be there using the bathroom all the time or splitting time with on board and park restrooms.
If you slide a basketball soccer ball any blow up ball underneath the slide topper between the slide it create kind of a ridge line so that everything except for heavy snow runs off
I have had three instances where slide toppers were a major pain. All three involved unexpected ice or snow, and the hassle of trying to get rid of it so we could put the slides in and leave the campground. They can also be a real adventure if you are camping near the ocean and a big storm blows in. We have gotten in the habit of just pulling in all the slides when a really big storm is coming. I have to agree that they can be more trouble than they are worth. As for the toilet paper issue, the best thing I think they ever did was put macerator toilets in an RV. Second best is the turbo macerator system. You can use any toilet paper you want without worries. Even better, with the turbo macerator, you don't even have to set up your sewage hose up when you park. You just pull it out of the wet bay when you drain all your tanks, turn on the pump, drain the tanks, and then put it away. No hose and stinky slinky needed. Oddly enough, our new Dynamax super c has two macerator toilets and a turbo macerator system. Ok by me. I like overkill!
As a 5er owner with 15 years & something like 1900 nights behind us, can't argue with anything there. Yeah, we have the laundry area prep. Turned it into a whopping huge pantry. Every two weeks it is off to the laundry & 1 1/2hrs later it is done.
Great video. I do have a question, @Five2Go. You suggest, when hooked-up, that campers open their gray tank leaving their black tanks closed until opening to dump. My practice is to keep both tanks closed until I dump the black. The reason is that I open the black first, and flush the sewer hose with gray water to ensure the sewer hose doesn’t get mucky. Why do you suggest opening the gray tank even before the black is emptied?
When you dump grey is up to you. When we're somewhere for a week+ we leave grey open until a night or two before we leave. That gives it enough time to fill up a bit to use for flushing the hose after emptying black.
Great to see you're back. Hoping things are ok now. We have some things now that we say to ourselves now, "Why?". Hope to see you around in our travels. BTW, we love our ebikes as well !!!
Slide toppers are supposed to be higher at one end and lower at the other so rain flows away and off the topper. And yes even the electric toppers can be adjusted so no water holds on them.
This is the first time I have tuned in to this channel and almost immediately my mind said…Tropical Palms Resort right by Old Town. I think it was the laundry area I recognized for confirmation! What great times I have had there! Carry on and enjoy!
I may have missed something but I let the black tank fill up or close to full before dumping. I was told to never leave the black valve open when hooked up. Also, we use Charmin but have a separate waste basket for poopie paper. We were told not to flush it.
I also disagree about with slide toppers. We are in south Florida. Slide toppers help to keep the hot sun from heating up the slide roofs. As an RV owner, its just one of many little jobs that must be performed to maintain your unit. Thats why most RVs have ladders to keep your roof and toppers clean. You might need to tighten up your springs as I have closed my slides and have some water roll off but not to the point it causes issues. I have a Fleetwood Southwind identical to your Bounder. If my toppers get to the point they need to be replaced, they will be. I love them.
People keep commenting about the TP. They don't put it down the toilet they put it in the trash instead 😲😟🤮 I can't even imagine doing such a thing it just blows my mind 😳🤯 That has to be just as bad as living in an Rv with a Cat box!! 💩🥵🤮
OMG we are literally finalizing the paperwork at the dealer Right Now?! You Guys have such perfect advice!!! We literally were about to get the slide stabilizers!!! 😂 We’re moving from our home into a 37 feet crossroads Volante Travel Trailer! I know it’s not one of the best lol but for a first one it’s good enough lol I’m hoping in couple of years we once were close to paying it off, we’ll rent it and update!!
Our coach has 24' slide and we have never had a problem with it rolling up. It does not collect water, or anything else. If you are having a problem with that perhaps there was insufficient tension applied when it was installed. Ours is always tight. Ours does not have a protective shield that rolls up around it when the slide is in so, after 70,000 miles, it has become ragged. Also, some of the coating on the fabric flaked off and left small holes. I didn't know that and water dripped through & collected on top of the slide. Winnebago was adamant that the coach be level on the jacks when operating that slide. So it's bring the slide in and then raise the jacks. The water did not squeegee off and all flowed forward off the slide & into the coach. Since it's right behind the drivers seat, it went all over me. Lots more tape covered all those holes but the coach is at the shop as I write this to have that slide topper replaced. I'll have to check to make sure proper tension was applied.
I was just talking with a RV mechanic about slide Jack's, I made a set and he suggested not to use them in case if your camper settles and you slide doesn't that's where you get into trouble...
Slide toppers are to reduce the radiant heat of the sun transmitted into the slideout. I did not have one on my bedroom pop-out and in Southern California on a sunny day it was impossible to sleep in the day until I installed one.
So glad that you're back! I hope your issues were resolved in a positive way! I'd love to see you do a full review on the ebikes now that you've had them for a while. Are they only good on pavement or do they work on the gravel/ dirt roads in some of the campgrounds?
I don't know if we'll do another dedicated review video for them, but I can tell you that they work great on grass, dirt, and gravel with the fatter tires. We've had them on trails several times and they're a blast! We even took them out on the beach last month and cruised around for a while. It was a pretty firm-sand beach here in FL though, there isn't any of that fluffy mid-Atlantic sand down here.
Thanks for the info. My black tank always reads 2/3 to full, thanks for the money savings info on it. I have a smaller rig with no slide outs, so I'm a happy camper on that. My RV is a Toy Hauler, so I take along my bike, it's a Honda Shadow VT750 motorcycle. That gets close to the weight limit on my Jeep Wrangler.
Hello. We added the Lippart toppers to 315RLTS Grand Design. We found We needed to roller topper out away to make it drop angle and run off the water. Works much better.
Slide Topper? I would get a tarp and keep my living room and space. Just like in baseball. When it rains snows sleets, cover the field. When there is forecast for rain, snow etc,, bring slide topper in early and still use a tarp. Just a thought. Good warning statement though. Thanks.
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For what it's worth I have a triple slide Rockwood Windjammer Travel trailer. I have had great success using slide stabilizers. The key is knowing they are not jacks. Done right, they make a huge difference. My wife has balance issues and extra movement can make her ill. Once I'm set up our trailer is as stable as our house. The key to slide toppers is to keep them tight. They are adjustable. Keep them tight and they work great. As far as the tank sensors go, I made a wand that keeps them clean. That said when I'm on full hookups I dump the tanks ever two days just to keep them fresh. Bottom line is to watch videos. Try things and do the things that work for you.
I loved the toppers on our tt. In my opinion it was a HUGE help with the insulation from the sun.
We started with the used tt to installing on the 14ft and 10/ bed slide. It made a HUGE difference
We love all our toppers. The main thing I love about them is the noise reduction, when it would rain hard without them was very loud and keep the sun from being directly on the roof helps a lot with cooling.
Good to see you back and well. I will challenge you on leaving the gray tank open all the time, as a mechanical engineer, design and release, fluid flow, tanks, etc. in automotive, but never the less I know tank design and have many friends in the RV holding tank manufacturing business, i.e. Elkhart Plastics and Miller Plastics, the holding tanks are just that 'Holding Tanks' they are designed and engineered to work off of volume and flow, with a relatively flat bottom, leaving the dump valve open just sheds off the water and leaves the solids behind. Ever have to unclog and bathroom or kitchen sink drain?, yep that's solid buildup that is being left behind by leaving the valve open all the time. Safe Travels.
Plus, leaving any valve open you increase the likelihood of sewer gasses flowing up through your tank and into the RV, nope nope nope.
Sewer gases only if the traps are dry
@@joechristopher1622 Leaving the valve open can siphon the traps dry, that’s why you smell the poo. If you like poo, by all means leave the gray open.
@@Florida_Man_Robb I've been building houses for over 30yrs and camping over 20. There are no traps on a house to shut so I don't understand why you think a camper would be different.
@@joechristopher1622 Who said anything about shutting a trap? The black and gray tanks have a valve at the opening, that’s it. What I am saying is that it is possible when you pull the valve to dump either of these tanks (especially if the tank is full) that as the tank empties it creates a siphon effect that can suck the fluid right out of the P-trap during the process. If you are inclined to leave that valve open you then have the possibility that sewer gases will move uphill right into your RV because there is no longer a fluid barrier inside the p-trap. I’ve had this happen after emptying tanks that were very full, I think it’s the high velocity of the emptying that causes the siphon effect. You’re never going to get this in a house because you never have that safe effect of closing the system off and then emptying it at a rapid rate. I stand by not leaving either valve open ever, it’s a bad idea and there’s no reason to do it.
The slide topper do hold water but to solve that, take three pool noddles, tape them together in a triangle put them under the slide topper and that will help keep the water from pooling. Works great!
we just bring slide in let it drain and put slide back out but your idea works also
Great hack!! Thanks
I dont understand, do you have a photo
Shawna I will get a picture tomorrow
I have heard of people putting soccer balls under slide toppers. That keeps them from flapping in strong winds and it helps to drain water. When time to move they use a broom to pull out the soccer balls. I have never had a topper so I do not know how well this works.
Our rig is 10 yrs old. We bought it new. Our sensors still work. Never had a problem with them but we try to keep our tanks clean & treated. I know a lot of people have problems. I think they don't use enough water. HUGS~Donna
We have a Monaco mh and have been full time for 11 years and counting both rv park and boondocking. Agree on all you mentioned, washer takes up valuable space as does an ice maker. The toppers were destroyed by wind, running slides in the middle of the night is a joke so you can go back to sleep and cleaning under them is a task, a utility knife takes care of the problem. Propane sensor is still working and all we need, others stopped working years ago. Have had no issues with holding tank using single ply TP and the burp indicater works well 👍🏻. One other thing, basement storage, if you haven’t used it for the last 2 years get rid of it so you can add more junk.
I agree with everything except the slide toppers. We’ve been in our rig 11 years and they shouldn’t gather water the way you mentioned. You need to have your tension corrected.
We’ve had to have 2 replaced and it sucks but I’d never go without. Too many trees out there dropping stuff.
I absolutely LOVE my X-chocks! I always leave my black tank closed and my tank sensors (on every RV I’ve owned) have never worked and you’re right, you don’t need them. Completely agree on the toilet paper and because I’m a full hook up camper too, I use a lot of water in my black tank. Being a solo camper, I actually have to try real hard to use enough water. Lol!
That's good to know Lori, I'm fixing to be a full time camper.
Best thing I did in my RV is hook up bidet with a two-way water valve up to my sink. All you need is enough paper to polish. You can get them for like 12 bucks on eBay
I agree with everything you've covered. As far as toppers, like any roof, its the pitch angle. If your topper is mostly level with your slide, then yes it will hold water. White reflects heat, black absorbs heat. The topper is mostly used to keep the crap (needles etc.) off the roof, less wear on the seal wiper. The burping lol, that "stuff" creates its own gas. So when it gets full, there's not much room at the top.
Slide toppers are a great discussion. My first camper had them. Well. At least we had them installed. Our living room slide out would hold water. Wasn’t that big of a deal. Brought it in until I saw water coming down the window then stopped. Let it drain then did it again. Second rv. 5th wheel didn’t have them. Immediately regretted it. Water was the only con to having them. With the 5th wheel I had to get on the roof blow them off. Also the heat the toppers block from the slide out is amazing. Just that little bit of shade over the slide out makes a huge difference. Finally, the possible water intrusion. Camper with toppers never a problem. New 5th wheel. Both leaked only 1 year old. Now, I get they shouldn’t leak but the seals are only going to do so much. If it has a topper over them. Added bonus. In my opinion.
Speaking of heat, I swear the tops of our slides with toppers are hotter than the same areas in the previous RV that didn't have them. I honestly was expecting the toppers to make the slide roofs much cooler but that hasn't been the case for us. The tops of the slides are white but the toppers are black so maybe that has something to do with it.
@@Five2Go that’s really odd. People don’t carry umbrellas in the summer sometimes to make them hotter. Anything blocking the Sun should take the heat off of what’s under it.
Hey Guys good vid 👍
I love our slide toppers and wouldn't be without them for so many reasons.....BUT....I know what you're talking about the accumulation of rain water and I was looking at your large driver slide topper towards the end of the video . Mine would do the same thing. Using balls, noodles and all these other home remedies under the toppers are a waste of time, plus it's more stuff to carry. I have a real easy fix for you. The next time it rains go to the back of the slide and look up. You'll see that the topper roller is "bowing" inwards". The reason for that is the water is making the topper sag down and it pulls the roller inwards. If you see rain in the forecast, get your ladder and place a 6" long 2" x 4" between the roller and the slide itself. That will keep your topper taunt, water won't accumulate up top. It will spill off the ends like it should. If we're going to be somewhere for a week or two, it's something I do automatically when we arrive and set up.
This is important to do because, remember water weighs a lot. Like 8.3lbs/gal. Trying to get rid of that water up there the way you're doing now, is not good for your slide systems. If you do what I recommended above, you won't have to that problem anymore and that water won't be stretching your material either.
The other thing I do when I level, is I manually level our coach and I level it "BARELY" tipping forward to the front of the coach. Just BARELY. That helps tremendously with rain water running off and makes all your AC drain water go to the front gutter.
PS: We've met a few people this year going to Maine that watch your channel. Blessings 💗
Full tank, the 'burp' is exactly how I described it! No odor, no visual. Just that tell-tale 'burp'. The sensors on my brand new TT worked only thru the first black tank fill/empty cycle and that was it. My first season camping, first TT, solo experience. Loving it! ❤️
Yes!
i have found that slide toppers are invaluable in minimizing the noise from rainstorms. but those were only narrow ones like you have pictured. sad to hear the big ones turn into buckets. i think they prolong slide seal life. except them breaking on you, i think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Our first rig did not have a washer/dryer. We found that the campground laundromats are the territory of the seasonal residents and you'd better be there when your machine stops or your clean, wet clothes will be dumped wherever it's convenient, even if it's the floor. We love our Splendide, although it's just the 2 of us, and yes, you need to do smaller loads.
Thumbs up, good video. However, we've been RV'ing for over 23 years now and won't have one without slide toppers. Besides keeping debris off and eliminating the need to climb up on the roof after every disconnect/departure to clean the slides off, they also help keep the hot sun off of the top of the slides which makes the unit easier to cool off on very warm days. This is a big deal in 100+ degree weather. Water retention is not an issue with correct pitch angle and tension.
We will also never again own an RV without a washer and dryer. We hate wasting time in laundromats. We will also never again have a combo unit. The best solution is a stacked setup, and this is very important, the dryer must be externally vented. We can throw a load in the washer on our way out the door in the morning, be gone hiking, bike riding, sight seeing, etc., and throw it in the dryer when we return in the afternoon. Or we can run them both at the same time if we need to do multiple loads. We even do all our bedding and even sleeping bags in our machines with no issues. We are not full timers and only spend about eight to ten weeks a year in our RV while exploring the United States, and we don't want to waste any of that time in laundromats. Even if we were full timers, we still prefer to have our own machines.
BTW, the reason the toilets burp when full is because the water level is above the tank vent, and sometimes that burp will displace whatever is sitting in the toilet up out of the toilet, yuck! We find that our sensors work very well as long as we flush them for a few minutes at every dump cycle. Flushing also helps control tank odors, especially since you cannot get good tank chemicals anymore. I don't like waiting until they "burp", it can be gross...
Love my washing machine . Absolutely hate laundromat .
How many people are you washing for?
@@kcb5336 Two!
That sounds neat!
Agreed!!!!
100% agreed. I always feel I am gonna get robbed there. Parking lot is always small. And I hate the period of waiting for your cloth to be done.
We need are toppers because we lived in the snow it helps alot. We boondock alot to. We clean are black tank every 14 days. We have been Rving for about 10 years. Safe rving
Cute video! 1. Laundry place for sure instead in the rig. 2. Toilet paper septic free is fine! 3. Slide toppers thank you because I was thinking we should get them once we have a unit with slides but currently we have a t.t. no slides. Thank you guys!! Those bikes are sweet!!
I love my slide covers I got Solario Brand if you install as you should with a sloop water does not pool and roll in and leaves, accorns room off, also my slides are 8' long.
My rv doesn't have toppers and I'm glad it doesn't. I took a large pool noodle, cut to fit slide top depth, hemmed up a bath towel, slid noodle through hem, added some rope. Throw rope over top, pull, the towel along with rigid noodle completely clean off debris and moisture.
We were camped next to a class A motor home at a state park (lots of trees), the gentleman put an old volleyball between the topper and the slide the evening before a forecast storm.
My first camper with toppers and I would not be without them now. Most of the issues r from improper installation. I had to lower mine down on one slide to get the correct fall
Speaking from experience, full time RV'er here. Only Incorrect installation for slide toppers will cause them to pool water. If they aren't properly tensioned and set at the right pitch( very important) they will never collect water. I have 2 two 14' slides, and have had slide toppers on them for the last 3 years and they never pool. I've learned the hard way by improper installation myself. Once I went over the instructions carefully and followed them to the letter, they never pooled water. Slide out toppers are one of the best upgrades for an RV.
Regarding TP. I've seen tests of rv toilet paper. In it they tested walmart TP also. The walmart TP actually disintegrated faster than some of the "RV" toilet paper. Regarding tanks, we would leave gray water open until a few days before we were going to move. We'd close it for two or three days so we'd have plenty of gray water to flush the lines after the black is dumped.
I have never understood why people paid for crappy paper. I am a fan of Angel Soft and I boondock a lot.
@@SaltyVetAdventures we are new to RVing but we buy the Scott RV TP and it hasn't caused any problems. In our sticks and brick house we only use Charmin and I can handle the Scott RV just fine. Haven't tried to use any of the regular stuff in our RV yet.
@@sherrimoonchild We have used Scott as well but finally settled on Angel Soft. Any septic safe paper should be fine. The key is to use plenty of water. The toilet isn't the place to be shy with water...unless you are doing some extreme boondocking. 😂
If you have doubts, you can check how well your TP breaks down by putting a few sheets in a jar of water and shake it gently. I haven't found one yet that doesn't disintegrate easily.
@@rifleriverrat9311 There's a video where this is just what was done. Several brands of regular and RV TP were tested. Some didn't disolve hardly at all and in other cases "regular" TP (like the Walmart brand) disolved faster than the "RV" TP. They found that not only could you get more comfortable paper than the single ply Scott crap, but spend less money.
Just bought a 98 coach Catalina motorhome with 44k miles interior is mint but outside was best up n first night I drove her back end was hit n I lost my bumper 😂😂 but just drove to Miami from Bronx NYC been boondocking everywhere 1st day in ft Lauderdale blow a calper n needed new brakes calipers n rotors n all 3 batteries aghhhhh but I love it I'm living now enjoying life I love RVERS
Totally disagree about the slide toppers. We live and do most of our camping in the Northeast and they are a must!!!! Had ours for 5 years on our 2017 Brookestone and no issues. We were seasonal with that 5 th wheel and they saved a lot of aggravation!!!
Very informative. I've been camping for 6 years now... An still learning new things everyday. Knowledge is power.. Safe travels
I would say that toppers are good for folks who are unsteady or unsure about ever climbing up onto the roof. If climbing the ladder is dangerous for you, toppers will likely make it so you never have to go up there and blow or sweep anything off.
Two items. I disagree with you about slide toppers. Never had a issue with collecting water. Also I know the washer and dryer issue is touchy but after walking and hauling laundry then to go back and move from washer and dryer I decided to put a stackable in our rv. Happy wife happy life. I’ll probably never recoup the cost but it was all about convenience
Just 2 ppl, the tiny w/d prob can cope with ur laundry if run daily.
A family, no.
I agree with you about the slide toppers. I camp where there are tons of leaves. I also have no trouble with them holding waters.
Slide topper fix. My dad went to Home depot and got a sheet of rigid foam insulation. Cut it to the right width, then he would wedge it in uder the canvas (one in each end of the topper). This would make a rigid support for the canvas that would keep it from sagging and holding water. It also helped keep it from flapping when it got windy. Slide it out when tearing down camp and toss it in the passthrough storage. Worked like a charm. Anyway, when you cut the insulation sheet, measure the canvas from the top to the edge of the slide. Don't measure the slide itself. This way the insulation will wedge in directly under the canvas and support it.
For slide toppers. Have you considered before bringing in slides when it's wet to use the rigs jacks and tilt the rig to let the water drain off toppers before bringing in slides? It helps a lot.
most people aren't that smart.
Bad idea. That could cause damage to the slide tracks.
We have a 2019 33' Puma travel trailer. I agree on the x-chocks - Huge improvement to stabilizing the trailer. That said, please know when to use them and when to remove them. You shouldn't adjust the hitch height (like when you level the trailer) with x-chocks in place. We use regular wheel chocks until the trailer is level, then we add the x-chocks. Same when breaking camp. X-chocks come off, THEN we can raise the jacks and move the hitch to get it ready to connect.
Always find your videos interesting. We are in the RV and as I was putting laundry into our on-board washer, I thought of you and your comments about the washer and dryer. You are absolutely correct- it would take forever for you to do laundry for a family of five in an RV washer and dryer. Since it just my husband and me, the stack set works well for us and I do not need to worry about time constraints and someone pulling my stuff out of the washer or dryer. An on board washer and dryer would work for RVers in the case of an emergency like someone becomes ill or an unforeseen mess, but not for everyday laundry for a large family! Safe travels🙏😀👍🏻
We had a combo unit in our last rig and it was running 24/7 if we had a sewer hookup. It really felt like laundry was the never-ending chore. Being able to knock it all out in 2 hours a week at a laundromat is so much nicer. If we could do larger stackables we may change our tune, but I don't think we'd go back to a combo unit unless it was just the two adults.
Our rig came with a washer dryer stack. Never used it (well,dryer once). So much more inside storage without it. Never had problems with slide toppers. Big splash whe bringing in slide, but that's just water, move your stuff before stowing the slide.
I’m 54 and have been RV’ing since the 1970’s, and even had a 1954 Spartan Royal Mansion park model mobile home. Which was really nothing in the world more then a travel trailer, with no tanks so it required full hookups all the time. A lot of this stuff you are talking about, did not exist until around the 1990’s to 2000’s. So yeah those tank sensor’s you don’t need them, nor do you really need septic safe toilet paper in most cases. It is good to use septic safe TP. As for stabilizing a travel trailer, is 8 really good jack stands meant for RV use and 8 2X8 pieces of lumber and 2 sets of wheel blocks is about all you need. 2 in back, 2 behind the rear wheels, two in front of the front wheels, 2 at the back of the hitch. The wheel blocks you can place in front and behind the wheels, or between the double tandem wheels to prevent rolling. That’s how I did the set up on my 1954 Spartan, and thing would not move even during a Texas tornado. And that thing was 48 feet x 8 feet wide.
Thank you. I am on R/V #4. The first one came with a topper. Never again, for the exact reasons that you stated. HOWEVER, we still need to clear the roof before bringing the slide out in. So, I have created a simple way to clear the roof. Take a towel; tie a long piece of cord around the middle of the towel. Roll the cord up on the towel. Then toss the towel onto the roof. Go to the other end of the slide out & use the cord to drag the towel across the roof. Any debris on the roof is removed by the magic towel. Feel free to share this no-brainer.
For slide tops, yours might not be tight enough. Ours are really taut and the rain runs off as it rains, When our black tank is full the toilet will not flush, it's a safety issue to prevent a backup.
Very helpful information. Doesn’t matter how long you have RV’d you can always learn something new. The slide toppers made sense. We have thought about it and almost had them put on but decided at the time not too. Now we will pause that thought. Thanks much.
Excellent information! Just sold my house and waiting for the check! Going full time in a travel trailer and love your clips!!!
I am 2 years out on a class A or super C toy hauler. It is only my wife and I. Your opinion on washer just for 2 people. Be a lot of national parks and motorcycle riding.
One big thing to keep in mind is that you won't be running a washer without water and sewer hookups. It would definitely be enough for two adults but if you're going to be remote a lot of the time you may not get much use out of it. Just something to keep in mind.
@@Five2Go thanks
Thank you so much for this!! Some of this stuff is really pushed on other channels & groups!! I’m so glad you’re back & love your honesty…your real life/practical perspective on things is so refreshing!!
Thanks Dawn!
I was mildly surprised about the slide toppers. I'm setting up an RV pad at my dad's place (in the woods) and I'm going up on the roof ever month to clean off the pine needles, leaves and twigs/seeds that keep dropping. I noticed that pine needles are working their way under the rubber seal. I'll probably have to bring in each slide halfway and clean off any strays.
Something else that surprised me and made me go remove was the info on slide out supports! I'm living in my 2018 Jayco White Hawk and thought if I didn't put braces under there, the slide out would eventually start sagging after 5 or 10 years of constantly being extended. (My RV is my house). So happy you made this video and glad that enough people gave it a like for it to show up in my recommendations. You guys just got my Like as well!
Thank you so much for the info. My husband and I recently bought a travel trailer it does not have the cover over the slide we have discussed putting one on this is our first RV that has a slide with the information you gave us you're saying is money thank you very much we really appreciate it.
As someone who went from a TT without a slideout awning to a class A with 3 slides (each of them with an awning) I would never have one with out them! The keep the top of the slideout roof dry and also cool as slideout ceiling is very thin.
I would never have one without them.
I have a large conversion and it came with hard tops for the slides. They are actual mini-roofs that fold down the sides when the slides are in and simply go up and down as the slides go out and in, pushing and pulling them into place. I would imagine the same sort of thing could be done with treated wood and coatings of weather-proofing or plastic with supports. No fabric to rot. No slack to worry about. No problems. Mine are aluminum with bracing supports as needed down the length. They are kept in place by a slide mechanism on each end that goes in and out with them. That holds them rigidly in place when driving and when wind gets under them when the slides are out.
We have a slide topper on our rig and wouldn't be without it. Yes, it can pool some water but there are some easy work arounds for that. If you do not have slide toppers, you really should be checking/cleaning your slide roof before you retract your slide. Every. Single. Time. It takes once to damage the top slide seals and, potentially, the roof of the slide.
Slide toppers protect and extend the life of the slide top seals. They block direct sunlight from the, very thin and lightly insulated slide box roof, keeping the rig cooler and allowing the a/c to work more efficiently. They also help prevent water intrusion during rain storms as long as you deal with the pooling issue with larger slide toppers. The slide topper fabric is a sacrificial layer that takes the damage that would normally affect your slide roof and seals. A bit more maintenance, yes, but the benefits are worth it.
Interesting remarks about the TP. We're always full hookups so water isn't an issue. Only remark about dumping, I always keep my grey valves close and dump them after I dump the black tank, the grey water washes away the residue in the hose so cleanup at the end of a trip is less smelly.
For a clothes & fabrics washer: a 5-7 gallon plastic bucket (or two .. they nest) and the old "plumber's helper." Yes! We've used it for two to three weeks, rafting in the Grand Canyon.And many times across America's West!
I have a washer/dryer combo in my RV and I love having it. However I can easily see that people traveling with kids would probably make me feel differently about it. It definitely takes longer than standard machines. I would not get a rig without slide toppers. I would have to be the one climbing onto the roof (my 95 year old mom won’t do it for some reason 😂).so the toppers are a tremendous help for me. Great tips. Safe travels to everyone.
I had one years ago when my kids were small and I regretted that one. I wish I would’ve just got the washer and dryer that’s stacked up.
Finally!!! Some else that agrees with me!!! You DON'T need a slideout topper. Just something else that can break (and break easily)
Great video. In our experience in camping/rving with our trailer(s) I think your advice is spot on. Most of the time when we are in a full hook ups park, I don't attach the dump hose until we are going to leave. I think the goal is to get those tanks as full as you can before each dump. They empty out so much better with the pressure of a full tank. And yeah... Sensors.... Our current trailer is 2 years old, and they are still working. Our last trailer was 10 years old, and the indicators showed full everytime you flushed the toilet. So you just learn over time how full your tanks are. Good description of the burp.
I would say slide toppers come standard on most if not all motorhomes. We have had two Winnebago Views, both with standard slide toppers. Our current view does have a much bigger slide out. It does collect water from heavy rain. I haven’t had a problem bringing the slide in. As the roller comes in the water just gets pushed off. As others have said, the topper keeps the rubber around the slide protected from the sun. We live in Florida, the sun does damage rubber and vinyl quickly if not protected.
Wow! I’m a total newbie at this RV thing, and this video will make me save time, money and a few headaches. Thank you.
TP for Macerating toilet? That weird thing worries me. I just stick with the Scott brand. Flush black til it’s clear. Finish with Gray to flush the hose. Don’t leave valves open because critters can make a home in your now empty gray tank, black open is just obvious problems. Great video
On slide toppers, quality matters. We have had low quality toppers and have had problems. We currently have Solara toppers and zero problems. No noise, no pooling
Love our washer/dryer combo for the two of us. Easy to wash a load every day. We would not want to be without it.
I envy you lol! How nice to have that!
Which one do you have. I’m looking to invest
I plan to purchase a washer/dryer combo this spring, but I don't want to spend $3500. What brand(s) have worked best in your experience?
I think they meant with 3 kids then on top of all that they had blankets sheets etc.ofncouese if it's 2 people you can't live wo it.i can't either im not sitting in a laudromat...
We went from a combo unit, to a stacked unit and now we have an LG Combo unit, 2.7 cu ft. The nice thing is it is VENTLESS dry, works great, can do a full set of sheets and pillowcases in one load.
Slide topper "if you camp under trees a lot" 🤣🤣🤣
Trees are a big part of why we camp!
Hey, great video! I have been full time RVing for over 3 years. I don’t have slide toppers and was always a little jealous of people who have them. Now I know I’m not missing anything spectacular. Same for the stabilizers. And I agree with everything regarding the black tank. Tank indicator lights are stupid and the toilet definitely sounds different when the tank is getting full! Keep up the good work, happy trails!
I agree with everything you guys say. I added a slide topper shade (whatever it's called). First BIG rain that morning we had to leave. So I was motoring in the slide NOT thinking we had a LARGE amount of water on it. It made a terrible sound. I was in panic mode. I screamed a few words in terror. Luckly a few sites from us was a couple and he asked if I needed help. I said not sure what I need yet. Then he said I have a ladder you can use if it will help. I said in a happy voice "Yes thank you so much." The shade did that a few more times and would not work right. So one nice day I removed that POS. And still is laying in the drive. It's going to be repurposed. Oh and from now on I have a ladder packed. I made one drawer (92inches long)for the pass thru. It is capable of sliding in and out of either side. Also has a latch so it will NOT go thru the doors. THANK YOU BOTH. OH! have heard of putting a bag of ice in the black tank before you leave to travel. As you travel the ice will remove poop from sensors and melt. I have used this with our OLD TT seems to works.
Maybe I've been lucky, but I have not had any issues with my slide toppers or black tank sensors in the 7 years I've owned my current RV. One of the toppers is really long too. It does hold a swimming pool worth of water when it rains, but it has no problems expelling it when retracting the slide. The black tank sensor for us is pretty accurate. Using a lot of water helps, and ours has black tank sprayers that get it pretty clean in 3-4 flushes.
Just found you! So glad. 😎😎😎 As a newbie full-time RV’er I’m going to go binge watch your previous episodes. 👍🏼👍🏼
the slide toppers are needed and appreciated in most state parks in Ga. tons of pine needles and other tree debris kept off.. Out west I've stuffed insulation between the two and keeps the heat down. Although the sun out there quickly wears them out.
New RV owner - GD Reflection 28BH 5th Wheel. Your advice here and other videos provide a ton of useful tips and experience. Thanks!
We have 2 slides on our travel trailer. Often camp in the trees. Do not have slide toppers. Just go up on roof and sweep off trailer slides before pulling them in.. Heard that slide toppers were more trouble than benefit...glad you confirmed in this video.
I’m so glad you are back and doing well. I missed you guys. Thank you so much for these great tips. These are great tips. Thank you so much Brian and Erin. See I remembered who you were. Lol! Glad you are back. When I saw you were back I through my arms up and said yeah!!! They are back. You both have a great week and see you soon! Stay safe and safe travels.
Thanks Sherri!
We live in our 5th wheel full time and we had a person come out that knows rv he build cinder blocks put them all the way around and we are sitting on six to 8 pillars so we do not use our jacks and he got us level plus our 5th wheel came with a washer and dryer combo so we use ours a lot and we replace our hot water heater with a tankless hot water heater and today I remove the bypass valve on the hot water heater because it leaks and due to we live in our year around I tied the two lines and cap off the bypass line thanks for sharing the things you do not need it helps those that do not know anything about RVing and those that are starting out thanks for sharing
I did not have a slide topper on my 2011 Heartland Edge. When it rained, the water would run down the side of the slide and then run under. This caused the floor to rot. When this was discovered, the slide was barely being held together. The slide topper kept the water off the top of the slide and solved that issue, even if it was too late. The slide topper also makes it quieter when it rains, keeps the tree residue (leaves, pine needles, sap) off the roof of the slide and it keeps the hot sun from hitting the slide roof.
Have had very little trouble with slide toppers. Our long topper did start collecting water after a while. Got a cheap blow-up ball from Walmart, taped it to a stick and just stand on steps to rv and place it center of topper.
.problem solved.
Other problem of toilet paper.
After uncloging our pipe from toilet to tank 3 times with piece of fishtail in drill, we solved by using can with foot operated lid to throw used paper in. Solved all our problems. The problemn most of the women I know would rev the toilet paper roll up to 3000 rpm's (😀) causing a build up under the pipe entrance even with lots of water used.
Good vid thanks
TP can be checked by putting a couple sections in a jar with water, shake it, and if breaks up readily then it is safe to use. Much cheaper. Do like my clothes washer.
Most of what you say is good BUT I have a topper on mine not real big but tension and angle is what is critical to not have water build up. No issues not to mention less heat in the camper. Also sealed the whole roof in a white color to keep cooler. As far as the black tank I just hook another hose to my black rinse connection( if you have one) and put a gallon meter on it and turn it on .I usually do that in the middle of a weeks stay. The hose stays connected on my rinse the whole time were there.I flush the tank like you flush your toilet in the middle of the week more often if the toilet sees more action lol. and at the end before we leave. I have a Y at the water spout and turn it on without having to shut the rv fresh water. Just replenish the chemicals in the tank and good to go. 10 minute job while sitting by the camp fire lol when done that tank is clear water and no odor .love that black tank rinse connection.
The stabilizers are mainly for people who keep theirs open in one spot for a prolonged time so they don’t sag overtime
The issue is the sag itself. Everything tends to sag. Including the tires, etc. When there is support under the slide and the body of the rig drops for any reason, it will very likely cause damage to the slide and /or mechanism. It's a bit of a risk either way, I think. Can depend on the ground it's on, the tires, or even an adjustment forgetting they're in place. But, they sell them and people can use them as they wish. I have a set I used twice, and put in the garage. Just a choice. They didn't make enough difference to justify the risk.
Yep, and if you store a lot of heavy items in the slide out area then I would recommend them
Our first fifth wheel had slide toppers, 2nd one doesn't and we don't miss them, but we are stationary for 6 months. We just got a Valterra Sewer Solution, and it is the answer to the slinky snake. We parked in a different spot this fall, and had a long run under the fiver, weren't sure if it would drain well. Enter the Valterra! 35 feet, a 1 inch drain hose flat on the ground and it will drain both black and gray in 15 minutes, and cleans the hose and tank piping with clean water when done. So far I'd give it a 5 star rating, and they claim it will dump up to one hundred feet away. Why have I never heard of this thing before?
I understand that with a family of 5 you're better off using a laundromat but you better be there to move your clothes to the dryer when the washer stops and when the dryer stops or you run the risk of finding your clothes dumped someplace.
Slide toppers? The pros outweigh the negatives. If you're concerned about accumulated rain water, just tilt your RV towards the front or rear so the water rolls off.
You're correct about the TP but there's an inexpensive device you can use so that you don't use TP or very little TP. Its called a bidet. Costs about $20 and its easy to install if you've got one of those porcelain toilets. Most people don't need one of those fancy heated bidets. Its held in place by the 2 screws that holds the seat in place and add a sharkbite Tee into the toilet water supply pex. You'll use a little more water using one but you'll save water in the long run because you won't have to shower as ofter because a bidet lets you feel fresh. Also because you're using very little TP, your black tank sensors can read more accurately. Good luck!
5 Rv's and we regret not getting slideout awnings and miss them, especially the added shading it provided against heat and the sun cooking the seals.. we use a leaf blower to dry them, we use leaf blower to dry all slideouts before we slide them in.
Totally get the burp statement, that is the only way I determine if it’s full, but you can also learn the sound it makes when it drops to the tank so you can determine how long before it gets full, we do lots of camping with water and electricity only so we have it down to a science as to how long we can be there using the bathroom all the time or splitting time with on board and park restrooms.
If you slide a basketball soccer ball any blow up ball underneath the slide topper between the slide it create kind of a ridge line so that everything except for heavy snow runs off
I have had three instances where slide toppers were a major pain. All three involved unexpected ice or snow, and the hassle of trying to get rid of it so we could put the slides in and leave the campground. They can also be a real adventure if you are camping near the ocean and a big storm blows in. We have gotten in the habit of just pulling in all the slides when a really big storm is coming. I have to agree that they can be more trouble than they are worth. As for the toilet paper issue, the best thing I think they ever did was put macerator toilets in an RV. Second best is the turbo macerator system. You can use any toilet paper you want without worries. Even better, with the turbo macerator, you don't even have to set up your sewage hose up when you park. You just pull it out of the wet bay when you drain all your tanks, turn on the pump, drain the tanks, and then put it away. No hose and stinky slinky needed. Oddly enough, our new Dynamax super c has two macerator toilets and a turbo macerator system. Ok by me. I like overkill!
As a 5er owner with 15 years & something like 1900 nights behind us, can't argue with anything there. Yeah, we have the laundry area prep. Turned it into a whopping huge pantry. Every two weeks it is off to the laundry & 1 1/2hrs later it is done.
Great video. I do have a question, @Five2Go. You suggest, when hooked-up, that campers open their gray tank leaving their black tanks closed until opening to dump. My practice is to keep both tanks closed until I dump the black. The reason is that I open the black first, and flush the sewer hose with gray water to ensure the sewer hose doesn’t get mucky. Why do you suggest opening the gray tank even before the black is emptied?
When you dump grey is up to you. When we're somewhere for a week+ we leave grey open until a night or two before we leave. That gives it enough time to fill up a bit to use for flushing the hose after emptying black.
Great to see you're back. Hoping things are ok now. We have some things now that we say to ourselves now, "Why?". Hope to see you around in our travels. BTW, we love our ebikes as well !!!
Thanks Pat!
I am a engineer and l look at slide outs and say to myself these will be another problem l don't need
Slide toppers are supposed to be higher at one end and lower at the other so rain flows away and off the topper. And yes even the electric toppers can be adjusted so no water holds on them.
This is the first time I have tuned in to this channel and almost immediately my mind said…Tropical Palms Resort right by Old Town. I think it was the laundry area I recognized for confirmation! What great times I have had there! Carry on and enjoy!
I may have missed something but I let the black tank fill up or close to full before dumping. I was told to never leave the black valve open when hooked up. Also, we use Charmin but have a separate waste basket for poopie paper. We were told not to flush it.
I also disagree about with slide toppers. We are in south Florida. Slide toppers help to keep the hot sun from heating up the slide roofs. As an RV owner, its just one of many little jobs that must be performed to maintain your unit. Thats why most RVs have ladders to keep your roof and toppers clean. You might need to tighten up your springs as I have closed my slides and have some water roll off but not to the point it causes issues. I have a Fleetwood Southwind identical to your Bounder. If my toppers get to the point they need to be replaced, they will be. I love them.
People keep commenting about the TP.
They don't put it down the toilet they put it in the trash instead 😲😟🤮
I can't even imagine doing such a thing it just blows my mind 😳🤯
That has to be just as bad as living in an Rv with a Cat box!! 💩🥵🤮
Just... Yeah. We flush TP and always will. We don't get it either 😜
I agree! I read those comments and was like 🤯🤯🤮🤮
Toppers are essential in southern US. Need all the sun protection you can get. Make a HUGE difference with minimizing heat.
OMG we are literally finalizing the paperwork at the dealer Right Now?! You Guys have such perfect advice!!! We literally were about to get the slide stabilizers!!! 😂 We’re moving from our home into a 37 feet crossroads Volante Travel Trailer! I know it’s not one of the best lol but for a first one it’s good enough lol I’m hoping in couple of years we once were close to paying it off, we’ll rent it and update!!
I seriously appreciate this video. I just moved into a 2018 sand piper 372lok and this information is extremely helpful!
Our coach has 24' slide and we have never had a problem with it rolling up. It does not collect water, or anything else. If you are having a problem with that perhaps there was insufficient tension applied when it was installed. Ours is always tight. Ours does not have a protective shield that rolls up around it when the slide is in so, after 70,000 miles, it has become ragged. Also, some of the coating on the fabric flaked off and left small holes. I didn't know that and water dripped through & collected on top of the slide. Winnebago was adamant that the coach be level on the jacks when operating that slide. So it's bring the slide in and then raise the jacks. The water did not squeegee off and all flowed forward off the slide & into the coach. Since it's right behind the drivers seat, it went all over me. Lots more tape covered all those holes but the coach is at the shop as I write this to have that slide topper replaced. I'll have to check to make sure proper tension was applied.
Thanks awesome video, I was going to buy the slide support for two slides not knowing what can happen, thanks for the info you guys are awesome.
I was just talking with a RV mechanic about slide Jack's, I made a set and he suggested not to use them in case if your camper settles and you slide doesn't that's where you get into trouble...
Slide toppers are to reduce the radiant heat of the sun transmitted into the slideout. I did not have one on my bedroom pop-out and in Southern California on a sunny day it was impossible to sleep in the day until I installed one.
So glad that you're back! I hope your issues were resolved in a positive way!
I'd love to see you do a full review on the ebikes now that you've had them for a while. Are they only good on pavement or do they work on the gravel/ dirt roads in some of the campgrounds?
I don't know if we'll do another dedicated review video for them, but I can tell you that they work great on grass, dirt, and gravel with the fatter tires. We've had them on trails several times and they're a blast! We even took them out on the beach last month and cruised around for a while. It was a pretty firm-sand beach here in FL though, there isn't any of that fluffy mid-Atlantic sand down here.
@@Five2Go thank you!
Thanks for the info. My black tank always reads 2/3 to full, thanks for the money savings info on it. I have a smaller rig with no slide outs, so I'm a happy camper on that. My RV is a Toy Hauler, so I take along my bike, it's a Honda Shadow VT750 motorcycle. That gets close to the weight limit on my Jeep Wrangler.
My better half has a Radpower 2, She loves it, Saving to get me one too. Absolutely recommend it!
Hello. We added the Lippart toppers to 315RLTS Grand Design. We found We needed to roller topper out away to make it drop angle and run off the water. Works much better.
Slide Topper? I would get a tarp and keep my living room and space. Just like in baseball. When it rains snows sleets, cover the field. When there is forecast for rain, snow etc,, bring slide topper in early and still use a tarp. Just a thought. Good warning statement though. Thanks.
So glad you're back 🥰🥰Safe Travels guys 💙
Thanks Tanya!
For me toppers are a must have. I corrected the buckets of water on our extra long slide with a cradle kit.
My name is Damon I hope your day guys are super blessed iam not a Rv person but iam a supporter love you guys so thank you for your videos my friends.