Our favorite type of DIY RV project is one that’s both surprisingly manageable and also saves a lot of money. Slide topper replacement fits that description to a T by being much easier to accomplish than one might expect, while costing as little as 1/2 to 1/3 the price of having it done at an RV shop. If you thought that replacing your slide toppers was out of your league as a DIY RVer, watch this first and you just might change your mind!
UPDATE: Tough Top Awnings now offers a special discount for RVgeeks viewers. Enter the discount code “RVGEEKSROCK” at checkout and get 5% off your entire order!
Here we demonstrate how to replace the fabric on a Carefree of Colorado slide topper. If you have an A&E slide topper, or if you’d like to see the details about how to enter your measurements and order details at ToughTopAwnings.com, check out our video on those topics here:
After videoing the installation of the first topper (which takes a lot more time of course), we completed the remaining ones in just 25-30 minutes each. Even though it may look as though we’ve done this before, this video shows the very first time we’ve ever worked on a Carefree of Colorado slide topper. It was really that easy to figure out, so this project just might be easier that you thought (we know a lot of people are afraid of “The Spring!”). The spring tension was noticeably less than on A&E toppers (which still aren’t that strong) and wasn’t intimidating at all.
If you have a different Carefree of Colorado topper than the SOK II models that we’re replacing today (or if you simply want to see the “official” instructions for replacing the toppers), you can view all of Carefree’s replacement instructions here:
We purchased our first slide topper replacement fabric two years ago from Tough Top Awnings. When we opened the box, it was immediately obvious that it was superior to the original fabric (double-stitched, very tight weave and noticeably thicker) and less expensive than OEM replacement material.
Ray (Tough Top’s owner) was very responsive when we had questions during the ordering process and he obviously takes pride in making a superior product at a lower price. When we decided to replace our bedroom slide toppers last year, it was a no-brainer to order from Tough Top Awnings again. You can get more details by visiting their website:
Special thanks to Birgit & Greg for letting us use their 5th wheel as a guinea pig and to Jason & Nikki Wynn of Gone with the Wynns for letting us climb on their RV to get video of their Summit model slide topper. Follow their adventures here:
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john synco
Thursday 12th of November 2015
Have broken spring in sok11 slide topper have new spring, how do i put tension on new spring?
2yahoo.com
TheRVgeeks
Thursday 12th of November 2015
Hi John. The last time we saw Tyler at Tough Top Awnings, he showed us how to re-tension that spring. It wasn't difficult, but rather than try to relate exactly what he said, we'd rather put you directly in touch with the source.
Give Tyler a call at (360) 980-0537 and let him know that the RVgeeks suggested that he's the best person we know to describe how he does it. And tell him we said "Hi" too. :)