Slide out topper spring recoil is weak and material does not retract.

[Andrew Shoen]

The front passenger slide out topper spring recoil is weak and doesn't roll up the material as the slide is coming in.

How do you get the recoil tension to increase so the roller will roll back the material and not create another sail going down the road? I had to bring the slide in a few inches at a time, then go up on the roof and "help the material retract" then go back down and bring the slide in another couple inches. Back and forth on the roof and then taped the roller to the exposed material so the wind would not blow out the topper from the roller going down the road. Not very efficient.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

[George Harwell]

Sounds like you have a broken spring in your awning. Like garage door springs these too will age and break. If you are mechanical minded you can get a new spring and change it but you should do your homework before jumping into this. Winding the new spring is dangerous if you are not experienced.

[Bill Sprague]

Andrew,

I had that with our '04 Monterey.  Spring tension is set by winding up one of the support arms.  It probably varies with topper model but I recall that it was the left arm.   If it's a Carefree, manuals are online. 

Be extremely careful or hire a pro.  The springs are strong and if your grip or procedure slips even a little, it is like have an airplane propeller in your way.  Fingers, wrists and arms are at serious risk. 

If it is just the topper and not an awning, consider removing it.  We had the left rear topper spring break while on the road.  I took it off.  That's when I learned how little toppers really do.  I later got it fixed and swore the next time it broke it would be permanently removed.

[Lee Welbanks]

 Who is the mfg of your slide toppers? I have all Girard toppers and they are a real b_tch to adjust the spring tension.

[Lee Ashley]

Admin:  delete

[Joel Ashley]

Andrew’s topper is a Carefree.  That same one on ours gave me fits when the coach was new.  Turned out it was a missing special bolt in the end of the front tube cover.  It was replaced under warranty but not without angst between repairmen and Carefree, and a week or more of waiting.  One mobile repairman wouldn’t even come look at it because experience with Carefree warranty reimbursement put him off;  turned out he wasn’t alone.  The company’s attitude may have recently changed as my last call to them this year went unusually well for once.

Which bolt was the problem I’m afraid I don’t know;  just what the shop told me.  But as Bill notes, manuals are at Carefree’s website.  If yours is the spring and not a loose bolt, check here and associated webpages at Carefree after determining exactly which product it is:  https://www.e-carefree.com/ecarefree30/ExplodedPartsViewController?productId=127

There is also the possibility that the issue is just pine needles or something else restricting the canopy or roller.

My guess that if it’s like ours it’s a “SideOut Kover III/Summit” (note the spelling, “side”, not “slide”) as per a search using our serial number provided by Monaco.

https://www.e-carefree.com/ecarefree30/ExplodedPartsViewController?productId=46

https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/documents/SOKIII-and-Summit-Service-Manual.pdf

But as I implied, be sure yours is that same model.  Just because I have the same year Monterey doesn’t mean the factory (or a previous owner) didn’t change something.

Joel

[Dennis Belfils]

Not sure if this will help, but our bedroom topper would not retract properly either. Thought it too was a weak/broken spring. While slide was out, used a broom handle & Friend to lift the topper up several times to remove a bunch of dirt & debris. Works great now.

[Fred Brooks]

   Andrew, Extend the room and inspect the debris awning. If there is no obvious restrictions, pinecones, dead squirrels, twigs, ect and the fabric is loose, the torsion assembly has a broken spring. It is located on the forward end of the tube and is accessed by removing the anti-billow ring and 2 screws holding the assembly inside the tube. I would replace the fabric and torsion assembly. Rewind with 6 turns and install an 1/8" drill bit thru the torsion & tube to retain tension. Slide the new fabric down the drip rail to the original location and secure. Remove the drill bit and run the room in and out several times to get the fabric centered with no wrinkles when retracted. Fred

[David T. Richelderfer]

Early last summer two of our topper awnings had a tear in one awning and stitching coming out of another, both in areas of the awning exposed to the sun when the slides were out.  When a friend and I removed the awnings there was plenty of material rolled onto the roller to simply slice off the damaged awning material exposed to the sun and restitch in the nylon bead.  We reinstalled the awnings with about a two-foot or narrower piece removed.  Now both are nice and tight with new-looking awning material exposed to the sun.  I did not need to purchase new topper awnings.