Replace Slide Toppers Like a Pro

Slide topper replacement. Sixty bucks for the fabric. Two hours of your time. Dealer charges six hundred. Let's do it.

Step one — extend the slide. You'll need access to both ends of the rail, the one on the wall and the one on the slide.

Step two — release the spring tension on the roller. Same as an awning — pin or latch at the end cap. Slowly. The spring is preloaded.

Step three — slide the old topper fabric out of both channels. The beaded edge slides like a curtain rod.

Step four — slide the new fabric in. Both ends. Step five — re-tension the spring. Same number of turns as before.

Test — retract the slide. The topper should roll up tight to the wall. If it sags, more spring tension. If it binds, less. Trial and error.