Slide top brush

[Flcruiser2]

I rigged up a floor brush with some pipe and a 90, that my painters pole will fit into.  Seems to work good, it's quick and keeps me off the ladder.  Pipe is 10" (12" would be better)3/4, 90 is 3/4 to 1/2, with a 1/4" hitch pin to secure the pole.  Here's some pics

[EdJ]

Neat idea....  But, how do you know if there is anything on top of the slide before you start?  Also, after brushing, how do you know if you got all the branches/leaves off without climbing up the ladder?

[Exploring Wises]

You are a clever fellow but it does seem like a lot of work to clean off the top of an end table!

Stacy (sorry, couldn't resist)

[dandg]

I'm gonna make sure DH sees this!

Gerry

[Flcruiser2]

You are a clever fellow but it does seem like a lot of work to clean off the top of an end table!

Stacy (sorry, couldn't resist)

Yeah, but you should have see the debris left over from the previous nights happy hour!

[Exploring Wises]

Dang!  I always seem to miss the really good Happy Hours... 

Stacy (I'll try to do better in the future)

[sarge]

Great idea Rich, I love it.  I will be planning to make one.  Hey wouldn't it be great to have a periscope on the end to see if it is cleaned off?
Have a wonderful trip to Alaska, hope you will be doing a blog.

[Flcruiser2]

Great idea Rich, I love it.  I will be planning to make one.  Hey wouldn't it be great to have a periscope on the end to see if it is cleaned off?
Have a wonderful trip to Alaska, hope you will be doing a blog.

yes, yes, that's what it needs-- a wireless camera broadcasting to a set of video goggles, or, or, I could duct tape my cell phone camera to the brush--I shouldn't get started. But then I'm so afraid of ladders.  Yes, tinkering consumes too much happy hour time.
Re. Alaska, we'll try to keep up our Good Sam travel log

[xtravel1979]

Flcruiser2 ,
    I like your idea. Would you share the measurement of the brush and pipe over all measurements, before you pin the handle?Will your measurements that you are using reach the inside edge and outside edge of the slide roof, without the handle touching the side of the slide wall?........Again, good idea....Xtravel

[EdJ]

Great idea Rich, I love it.  I will be planning to make one.  Hey wouldn't it be great to have a periscope on the end to see if it is cleaned off?
Have a wonderful trip to Alaska, hope you will be doing a blog.

yes, yes, that's what it needs-- a wireless camera broadcasting to a set of video goggles, or, or, I could duct tape my cell phone camera to the brush--I shouldn't get started. But then I'm so afraid of ladders.  Yes, tinkering consumes too much happy hour time.
Re. Alaska, we'll try to keep up our Good Sam travel log

Maybe a convex mirror attached to the top of the handle at the appropriate angle would give a clear view of the top of the slide...

[JimB]

Neat idea, but our bedroom slide is a different depth from our living room slides.  Seems to me that it would be tough to get front-to-back coverage with that brush.  Perhaps an adjustable arm on the horizontal piece?  I do climb up on top of our HH when we've been in a site with overhanging trees.  Our previous motorhome had slide awnings, and it was a real rarity we had anything on top of the slide.  With no coverage up there on the HH, there's frequently debris that needs to be swept off... and it goes edge-to-edge.  I often have to "work" the broom a bit to get leaves, twigs, and pine cones away from the slide seal.  I have been on top of our HH more than the past three motorhomes combined.  After a rain, there always seems to be some standing water that needs to be swept away.

Our dealer recommended not having slide awnings because of the flap in the wind.  Always some kind of compromise... our choice means I'm going to climb up on top once in a while.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[Hut]

The broom handle looks like a good idea. From what I have seen most debris ends up resting along the flange/outside edge. I don't mind going on top and cleaning it off though.
We have never had slide awnings before. I wonder how those people clean off the top of their slides?
I know they must still get covered in dust and even some debris from the wind. I like to wash ours off once in awhile to keep the dirt from getting dragged into the seals and inside the trailer.

[Jeff Collingwood]

I bought something like this years ago.  It was steel, very heavy and bulky.  I got rid of it because it was too much trouble.  Rich's model looks superior to the one I bought and threw away.  I don't do anything anymore.  The worse that can happen is the leaves, needles and nuts come inside.  It is actually easier to clean off the top of the slide from inside the trailer.
...Jeff....

[RJOL]

....The worse that can happen is the leaves, needles and nuts come inside.  It is actually easier to clean off the top of the slide from inside the trailer.
...Jeff....

Jeff... You might change your mind if you do a lot of camping in the great Northwest.  After a week of camping, I have seen the slides literally covered with leafs, needles, and usually a stray branch... 

[skihoser]

Our living room slide was a bit creepy on a trip and not moving smoothly.  Put it in and got my 2-step stool and looked up there from the inside.  There was a pair of adjustable pliers, a 25-ft tape measure, 2 screwdrivers, and about 50 different size screws  .  I know the squirrels didn't leave that stuff up there so it must have been the last time I had service on the trailer.  Kept the tools, threw away the screws, and will have the factory replace the top rubber strip on my next trip there.  Maybe I should have kept the screws also    I know the strip and labor will far exceed the value of the rusty tools.  I most always climb up and check the slides since then.

[Jeff Collingwood]

I have....... It is not that bid of a deal.  I will be in British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska this summer, so I will have even more experience.  But I will be with Rich, so I can always borrow his new brush. 
...Jeff.....

....The worse that can happen is the leaves, needles and nuts come inside.  It is actually easier to clean off the top of the slide from inside the trailer.
...Jeff....

Jeff... You might change your mind if you do a lot of camping in the great Northwest.  After a week of camping, I have seen the slides literally covered with leafs, needles, and usually a stray branch... 

[Hut]

You should spend a winter next to me sometime, the trick is to brush the snow off before it freezes to the slide roof.  

[Jeff Collingwood]

Impossible.  Where I camp there can be no problem with snow.  It is possible to be in a freak snow storm, but it will melt pretty quick.  We ran into some snow last year in Albuquerque last year but it melted a few hours later.  Our plans are to camp in ideal weather conditions.  South in winter and North in summer.
...Jeff....

You should spend a winter next to me sometime, the trick is to brush the snow off before it freezes to the slide roof.  

[RJOL]

I've thought about using my Harbor Freight aluminum air tank and rigging up a blower attachment on an air hose.  The tank is pretty light and can be filled up to 160psi.  I'd just put my portable ladder up next to the slide and blow the junk off.  Of course if it were real wet, this method may not work... 

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItemList.do?search.keyword=aluminum+air+tank

[Flcruiser2]

Flcruiser2 ,
    I like your idea. Would you share the measurement of the brush and pipe over all measurements, before you pin the handle?Will your measurements that you are using reach the inside edge and outside edge of the slide roof, without the handle touching the side of the slide wall?........Again, good idea....Xtravel

the brush I found at Home Depot is 22" long and has 4" bristles, so it will reach over the flange, my widest slide is 35" so you need approximately 24" of pipe (pvc works best for weight) so you have enough to fix to the brush and have 14" or so between the brush and the painter pole.  As you can tell, this is a work in progress.

[xtravel1979]

Thanks Rich, For shareing...........Xtravel