Rubber Mats on Slides?? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Rubber Mats on Slides??

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Trace, us guys have long employed what women find very irritating.... selective hearing. Just ignore it.

"Don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That drip drip drip, it's driving me crazy!"

"I don't hear anything."

"You can't hear that?"

"Sorry, did you say something?"

"Arrrg!"

"I love you too, dear. Good Night."

biggrin biggrin biggrin

Look at the bright side, at least it's not police sirens, jet airplanes flying right over your house, kids doing burnouts in their cars, or one of a hundred other sounds us city-folk still have to contend with everyday. Falling rain would be rather soothing by comparison.

Sorry I don't have a solution... just levity and perspective.

Brian

JonRV · RV-Dreams Family Member

There are a few spray on liquid noise dampeners. Most of the time they are used in noisy factories with offices in the same building.
Might be an option but have no idea as far as cost.

ticat900 · RV-Dreams Family Member

why wont you have toppers ? most every good Rv out there uses slide toppers. I would not be without them.

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

ticat900 wrote:
... most every good Rv out there uses slide toppers.

Really?

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Second Chance wrote:
ticat900 wrote:
... most every good Rv out there uses slide toppers.
Really?

Paul,

A lot of us, especially those from windy areas, wouldn't have them. If the winds get high enough, they can literally tear the toppers apart. When we were researching for our RV, our dealer told us that they NEVER order a stock unit with slide toppers simply because of that. Now, if one can guarantee that they would never be in a place with high winds, it would be different. In addition to the wind-tearing issue, a lot don't like them because of the added noise when they are subjected to wind.

We lived in Oklahoma at the time of our research and planning, so when we ordered our fifth wheel, we opted to not get the slide toppers. And, to be truthful, more than once I've been glad that we don't have them.

Terry

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

ticat900 wrote:
why wont you have toppers ? most every good Rv out there uses slide toppers. I would not be without them.

Had them on one 5er last two were without. I will never have them again.

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
Second Chance wrote:
ticat900 wrote:
... most every good Rv out there uses slide toppers.
Really?
Paul,
A lot of us, especially those from windy areas, wouldn't have them. If the winds get high enough, they can literally tear the toppers apart. When we were researching for our RV, our dealer told us that they NEVER order a stock unit with slide toppers simply because of that. Now, if one can guarantee that they would never be in a place with high winds, it would be different. In addition to the wind-tearing issue, a lot don't like them because of the added noise when they are subjected to wind.
We lived in Oklahoma at the time of our research and planning, so when we ordered our fifth wheel, we opted to not get the slide toppers. And, to be truthful, more than once I've been glad that we don't have them.
Terry

As I said I have had them and now I don't. But having them I never experienced all the noise people talk about.

People say they have to get on the roof and sweep the slides without toppers, I had to do so with toppers when it was raining and where the leaves and needles were falling.

So from having both I am a NO TOPPER kind of guy!

ticat900 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I love them and wont be without. never had any wind rip them. they come on most all diesel pusher Mh. maybe out west things are different?
I have one real large one 30 inch by 14 feet.If Iam in a windy area I slide a 2x4 through the middle and stops the wind noise
I guess Im thinking more Diesel pusher MH than trailers.

It appears that people that live in areas of constant wind and rain choose to not have them and I can see that

-- Edited by ticat900 on Friday 11th of December 2015 09:51:56 AM

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

There are slide designs that do not need and/or would not benefit from a slide topper. Beaver motorhomes had such a design on their diesel pushers, before Monaco bought them. A friend says toppers are not needed on his Carriage fifth wheel.

I know a couple people who replaced the slide topper fabric with mesh and swear it is a great improvement.

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

We went to a hardware last night to try heavy duty tool box liner and ended up buying a portable folding multi-use mat , like the kind used at the beach or on a tent floor. It was only $19, 60 x 78 in size and we put it on the bedroom slide. Wow what a difference. Lee used his decibel meter and it was 10 decibels quieter under that slide than the ones not covered. Plus I got a good nights sleep for the first night in days. The sound is there but it deadens it so it is not a high tinny ping noise. Anyways it's woven and weather resistant so we will see how it holds up over time and of course he had to pull the ladder out to get it up there, but we liked it enough we are going back and buying a couple more for the front slide outs.

Plus I like that the fact it could be used for multiple purposes and it folds up into a pretty small square.

Trace

http://www.amazon.com/Wenzel-Multi-Purpose-Ground-Stripes/dp/B000HA9HES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449942784&sr=8-1&keywords=wenzel+multi+mat

-- Edited by Lee and Trace on Saturday 12th of December 2015 11:56:37 AM

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glad you found at least some type of solution to help - and not too pricey!

I like the idea of the mesh slide toppers - ours have never gotten torn but the noise can sometimes get really loud when they flap.

Jo And Craig · RV-Dreams Family Member

I was going to suggest ear plugs for sleeping.

mds1 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Is it possible to sleep with the slide closed on real noisy nights?

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good ideas Jo and Mark. For me ear plugs give me a terrible ear ache, I just can't use them. Bringing the slide in is a real possibility, never really though about that. I will definitely give that a try the next time it gets super bad.

Trace

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

The sound of rain on the bedroom slide - no matter how loud - is one of the things my wife likes best about living in the RV. It has a different timbre, but it reminds her of rain on the metal roofs in Costa Rica where she grew up as an MK. Neither of us has trouble sleeping with the sound. Even if we were pro-slide toppers (which we are not), she would probably veto the idea on this point alone.

Rob