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Dometic, Carefree, or Solera (Lippert) Slide Toppers?

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  • Dometic, Carefree, or Solera (Lippert) Slide Toppers?

    I stopped at my dealer on my recent trip (Campers Inn, Byron, GA) and spoke with the parts guy. He said that Grand Design is prepping their units to easily accept installation of Solera slide toppers. GDRV-Megan -- any truth to that statement?

    For everyone else, any experience with the three brands of slide toppers and why (or why not) choose them? (Question is not to get a slide topper or not--I'm going to get them. The question is which brand.)

    TIA!

    -Howard
    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

  • #2
    Howard,
    I have the Solera on my 18, 303. These are what my dealer was selling, and were on sales at the time. (Price wise, the awning were cheaper, labor is where they make up the money, unless you install them yourself).

    The springs in these Solera Toppers are very tight, to where you do not need the anti bellow handle. This might help as with the springs/fabric very tight, less chance of water polling on them. But, I do have water pool on the curb side only. This awning is off set due to the second patio awning on the 5er.

    What’s the better one of these awning? I think it comes down to price, opinion, looks, etc.
    If I had it to do over, I think I would of went to carefree (Looks).

    Steve
    Steve
    2018 Reflection 303
    2023 F350 Lariat, 4 x 4 CCSB.
    Diesel, Star White.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by howson View Post
      I stopped at my dealer on my recent trip (Campers Inn, Byron, GA) and spoke with the parts guy. He said that Grand Design is prepping their units to easily accept installation of Solera slide toppers. GDRV-Megan -- any truth to that statement?

      For everyone else, any experience with the three brands of slide toppers and why (or why not) choose them? (Question is not to get a slide topper or not--I'm going to get them. The question is which brand.)

      TIA!

      -Howard
      Hi Howard,

      I have put on a Solera slide topper on my 297RSTS. It was very easy to install and like Steve said the springs are very tight. I have not had the sagging, with water standing on my topper that I have had before on a Dometic unit. I did install the anti-billowing handle. Figure better to have it and not have a problem going down the road than have an issue.

      Rob
      Rob & Barb
      2022 RAM 3500 Big Horn, 6.7 Cummins HO/Aisin
      2022 Solitude 378MBS

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi everyone,
        Could either one of you, maybe both post pictures of the install. I have a 2017 303rls which I am going to install toppers myself, always interested in how it should look before I make a mess.

        Dave

        Comment


        • #5
          I have a 2015 Reflection 303 with Dometic slide toppers installed by the dealer (and re-installed by the Grand Design Service Center when they replaced the side walls)
          These toppers are far too "level" (in my opinion) and all three gather puddles. The one over the bedroom closet slide actually slopes down towards the wall! These were installed to the original gutter rails and I have read that for toppers, a new gutter rail as high as possible should be installed above the factory rail. Admittedly there is very little room to do this because of roof slope towards the aft end. BTW . . . topper puddles are not all bad . . . they stop the flapping .

          Fitting a slide topper to the curb side slide on a 303 is complicated because the recommended topper length for the length of the slide will interfere with the main awning arm. A topper "one size shorter" is required.

          Attached pictures show how flat these toppers are. Whatever can be done to lower the outer (roller) side and raise the inner (wall) side, should be done. Despite the installation problems/restrictions noted, these Dometic products have survived quite well for 5 years.

          Rob
          Attached Files
          Cate & Rob
          (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
          2015 Reflection 303RLS
          2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
          Bayham, Ontario, Canada

          Comment


          • #6
            Mine are in the garage. Install will happen after New Years.
            Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

            2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

            Comment


            • #7
              Alright, after looking at those pictures, then going out to my RV storage place, I have two awnings and it appears that I could easily put the mounting rails for the toppers above the gutters and have a good down angle. Now somebody will tell me why I can't mount them there. LOL

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by howson View Post
                Mine are in the garage. Install will happen after New Years.
                My newest ones still stored, too -- waiting for early spring. They are the Solera's, and that's what I installed over the bedroom slide-out. The bedroom slide-out project was EZ-PeeZee. I'm a little nervous about the unit I will install this spring. It's for the living room slide-out, and I think it requires two tracks that need to be mutually level. Definitely planning to get Renee involved in this project.

                Other than that, the Solera bedroom topper works great. Only issue has been some chafing on one corner. I'm planning to try some super-glue like adhesive to get that under control. . .

                -Steve
                2018 Solitude 310GK, disc brakes
                Morryde SRE4000/XFactor with heavy duty shackles, V-Brackets in spring hangers
                2012 Ram 3500 SRW 6.7 Diesel, air bags
                18k B&W Companion, non-slider
                640 watts solar, 400 amp-hour Lion Safari UT 1300 battery bank
                Aims 1500 watt inverter/charger with ATS
                Somerset, WI

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Slowtation View Post
                  Alright, after looking at those pictures, then going out to my RV storage place, I have two awnings and it appears that I could easily put the mounting rails for the toppers above the gutters and have a good down angle. Now somebody will tell me why I can't mount them there. LOL
                  Hi Dave,

                  The problem is at the aft end of the dining and kitchen slides and the forward end of the bedroom closet slide. The OE gutter is less than 2" below the roof edge, so not much room to improve this. If there is a way to lower the outer roller side (or manufacturers other than Dometic have a lower design) . . . this would help. My rollers seem to be higher above the outer slide wall than they need to be.

                  Rob
                  Cate & Rob
                  (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                  2015 Reflection 303RLS
                  2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                  Bayham, Ontario, Canada

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I just installed 3 Carefree slide toppers on my 320MKS. Installation was easy, even doing by myself, just need to be a bit creative. My problem is the same as everyone else's. water puddling on tops when it rains. To me, having to pull your slide in or any other remedy is just the results of poor designs. Dometic offers a center cradle to help with this problem and I have fabricated one of my own design for the Carefree units. While reading the comments on the site, I just had a brain fart. Why not have a mounting bracket, that could be used at one end or the other to facilitate the awning slopping to the left or right side when mounting, to allow water to drain, same as you do for your normal awnings. It would place one end 1" lower than the other, your choice, and you would then mount the retaining rail slopped in the same direction. This would allow for even roll-up of the awning and provide adequate slope for draining. Comments please, am I overlooking something?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I had the dealer install the toppers on our '21 2970RL before we picked it up. They installed the LCI Solera. I guess the biggest advantage is they match the awnings and if I need parts for the toppers or the awnings I can get all from one source. They work great - they go out when they're supposed to and they come back in when they're supposed to. Can't complain.

                      The topper on my door side does pool water but not a big deal. I can use a step stool and a broom to send it off the back. If there is water on there when I am breaking camp I raise the front of the TT to send it off the back. I am very happy I did get them and even happier my wife made me have the dealer install them!
                      Mike & Lisa
                      Central Florida
                      2021 Imagine 2970RL
                      1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Slowtation View Post
                        Hi everyone,
                        Could either one of you, maybe both post pictures of the install. I have a 2017 303rls which I am going to install toppers myself, always interested in how it should look before I make a mess.

                        Dave
                        Hi Slowtation , I went out and looked up the layout for the 303rls. It seems it has the same setup as my '21 2970RL doors slide next to the door with an awning on the door side slide and an awning over the door forward (2 awnings). If you are not already aware there are two things you should know - 1) It is pretty darn crowded on the front side of the slide where the topper (to be installed) the slide awning and the other awning meet. 2) On my install the dealer used two different bracket setups for the two slides. On the street side he used the standard bracket. On the door side they used a low profile (?) bracket. The low profile also provides a very little bit of slope. I have attached a picture showing the congestion point for the door side topper.

                        In the picture you can see that the topper bracket barely fits between the two awning uprights. At point 1 the bracket is right up against the slide awning. At point 2 the topper bracket barely clears the other awning upright. Saying there is 1/4" of clearance is being generous. I'm sure I wouldn't have taken that into consideration if I had done the install. So this is one time I am glad I paid somebody to do my work for me. They have obviously done more topper installs than I have which is zero.


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                        Mike & Lisa
                        Central Florida
                        2021 Imagine 2970RL
                        1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

                        Comment

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