Bending Ladder...fix. Lots of pics.

[Tumbleweed44]

Well it seems that my ladder upright is bending, likely due to a screw in a rung. My fix is to install an additional stanchion/stand off near the bend. I couldn't find the proper stanchion so I decided to make my own. I had to order some parts, namely the plastic end caps that mate up to the ladder upright. I also needed some nut inserts that go inside the horizontal tube.
I'm waiting on the end caps and nut inserts, but I think the end result will be fine.

I tried to find out if there is anything structural behind the skin that I'll be screwing into. No luck finding a drawing, but it feels solid when pushed and tapped on. As long as I don't poke a pad sized hole in the skin, I'm good!

[t18skyguy]

Well, it looks like your committed with all the right parts. I suppose that's not
something you can fix at the rung? I get nervous when I see power drills near the body of the rig

[Tumbleweed44]

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

Well, it looks like your committed with all the right parts. I suppose that's not
something you can fix at the rung? I get nervous when I see power drills near the body of the rig

I don't see how. I could perhaps put a spline in it somehow. Or get a new ladder.
It seems solid where I want to mount the new, additional stanchion.

[whporwil]

I have a 2017 Seneca that I put a ladder on when I bought it. Yesterday I took the ladder off because it was pulling away from the second from the top mounts. The screws didn't move it was the brackets themselves bending.

[Tumbleweed44]

On my Seneca, there is a 5 foot gap between the uppermost stanchion and the next one down. I think that is too much space between. I think it'll be a couple weeks before I get the hardware to complete the fab work. We shall see if it works or not.

[whporwil]

To make it clear it was the mounts just above where yours is bent that were pulling away. On yours it looks like someone placed a second ladder against your ladder to access your roof.

[Tumbleweed44]

Originally Posted by whporwil

To make it clear it was the mounts just above where yours is bent that were pulling away. On yours it looks like someone placed a second ladder against your ladder to access your roof.

I guess that's possible, I did buy it used. In my opinion, I think that weight is pushing against the ladder rung towards the rear of the RV, when going up OR down from the roof. I've tried to determine if that's what's happening when I use the ladder. I just don't know for sure, but will add the extra stanchions when the parts come in.
I'll update when they do.
Thanks for your help.
Jerry

[Tumbleweed44]

Well as promised, here is the final result. Except for the proper, matching panhead Phillips-head screws. I don't have any long enough. This will work until a hardware store visit.


I used 3M 2-faced tape under the base where the pads meet the coach's skin. This does 3 things...it keeps steel away from fiberglas, helps secure the pad to the coach and somewhat waterproofs the screw holes in addition to the caulking around the pad perimeter.

Getting the tape/pad in the proper position was...interesting. I peeled the tape and put waxed paper under the pad. Once I was happy with the location I drilled some pilot holes and removed the waxed paper. It worked out well.



All-in-all, I am pleased with the results and more importantly it should prevent any further bending and/or breaking of the upright.

[ajboudreau24]

My ladder on our 2016 Precept has done the same thing. How did you insert the nuts to hold the screws?

[dwaynebmsg]

Same here. On my Seneca, the ladder support legs are simply screwed into the fiberglass with 2 screws on each pad. I can see up the backside of the end cap for about 5 feet and there are two sets of support legs and the screws are simply screwed into the fiberglass. How did you attach your support legs other than the tape and screws?