JUST FYI: an EBAY seller is linking to this, our slide topper replacement page. Not that I mind, just I find it curious. Because I actually reference another dealer, the folks who I bought ours from. It is simple to replace your own fabric which is why I assume this page was linked but I've had no dealings with the seller, do not know good or bad anything bout them. Just FYI.

    Replace slide topper fabric


    A maintenance item. The A&E slide topper fabric started delaminating over a year ago. I'm gathering I should consider my self lucky as I've seen where some folks have had to replace at 3-5 years. Installed this one bout 7 years ago. Last trip out a whole section of vinyl peeled off. Got up and looked at it. The fabric itself is disintegrating. So when we got home 1st thing I did was take the old one off.

    If you search the web you'll find A&E has an elaborate procedure, you'll also find many sites listing other how to remove & reinstall, also how to measure and/or where the A&E part numbers are (its on the tube under fabric or when fully unwound.) Not wanting to mess with the springs I decided I had better idea
    (oh yea...)

    Have 2 6D common x2 1/2 nails handy.Take the slide out, remove screws at ends of fabric beads. Manually unroll tube to expose roller tube fabric slot and count the revolutions required, roll tube back to slide out position, pin the tube. (to minimize manually winding tube) Cant see why that wont work. After figuring it out got on line again and found others recommend the same procedure.

    EXTREME SPRING TENSION USE CAUTION-there's enough force to break a hand.

    To be safe you really need 2 people So I took slide all the way out, open position . Remove the screws in the beads. While holding the tube, wound the tube (against spring tension) until the fabric slot was up and fabric completely unrolled. All the time counting the revolutions. Then slowly let roller wind itself back to org (slide out) position, repinned. Counting again. Mine is 4 1/2more turns past when slide is all the way out. The spring tension gets pretty stiff toward the end.

    I pinned tube at the slide out open position instead of full fabric unwound position cause I wasn't sure how long before I ordered new top, didn't want the springs setting in that over wound position. The springs get REALLy strong nearing the end. Again Use extreme CAUTION and 2 people. When I get new fabric Ill just wind the tube 4 1/2 turns (against spring tension-tighter). Tube is pinned in slide out postilion so slide can be in or out), Pin, install fabric then carefully let it rewind. Hopefully it'll work

    On the fabric, my original plan was to cut off bad section and rehem. There's about 2' that's never seen daylight. Flip roof and camper side beads so the fabric that had never been unrolled would be the new exposed lead edge. However after a lot of looking at it I decide the hemming wasn't within my abilities, No way could I ensure it be square, not sure if my machine could even do it, or if it could might nick the vinyl. Plus the beads are different sizes. I really wanted to try but just don't think its worth the effort or if Id even be successful after spending the energy. So we went shopping

      SHADE PRO.net Good Pricing-free shipping and GREAT folks! Carefree fabric vs A&E fabric, which some say is a better product. Don't usually really endorse folks but the lady who answered the phone at Shade Pro really made the effort to help get our fabric shipped same day. Calling from work I hadn't the fabric measurements, only the part numbers (most want the actual measurement of the fabric and/or the A&E part numbers). She said they really needed the measurement to make sure we got the right top. Told her I was hoping to get for weekend install, Kinda bummed, Ill have to try again to order tomorrow which means probably wont get here for the weekend but I guess it'll wait. She offered to call A& E to cross reference the P/N#s for the fabric length. Which she did-she said it was 116", I remembered either 115 1/2" or 117 1/2" (on 120" tube assy, I also remembered seeing somewhere the fabric was 4 to 5" shorter than tube) so 116" is on a truck as I write. Anyway highly recommend the folks at ShadePro.

    Install:
    Basically, all I need to do is as noted, wind the tube 4 1/2 turns from its current position (doesnt matter whether slide is in or out), pin the tube (match the holes going thru the tube, insert a nail/cotter pin etc, both ends. Fixes tube from unwinding while you work on it). Open the camper aluminum bead channel a bit, clean any burrs, gently feed both sides/beads of fabric beads into camper and roller tube until its all the way in. Center it, then while holding the tube remove the pins and then slowly let the tube wind itself back up, trying to keep fabric smooth. If all goes well the tension will be correct and the fabric rolls on smoothly. I imagine though it make take a time or two of rewinding to get fabric tightly wound. Hopefully I'm correct in assuming that the tension will be correct. After its appears correct, Ill reinstall the locking screws.

    Yep it was that simple. If the fabric had been on hand would have taken maybe 30 min for the whole process. I removed pins, overwound 4 1/2 turns, repinned. Margaret & I reinstalled new fabric in about 10 minutes. I tucked the fabric down between the roller tube & camper so the fabric could hang. Carefully unpinned and while holding the tube let it slowly rewind itself back up. Looks Good. Took slide in, tension looks good. Took slide in & out a few times to make sure fabric stayed centered. Reinstall the screws in the beads. Done!

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