5th Wheel entry steps

I just don't park in a position that this can happen. At rest stops it's usually not an issue. I don't stop at a lot of places like cracker barrel but if I did, seems to me like any place that you would park a FW could offer enough space to park it in a way and far enough away from the majority where it can be avoided. Only time it's ever happened to me is when the knucklehead in my storage area parked his FW too close to mine.

If you are really worried, throw a couple orange cones in the doorway and put them off the edge of the trailer.

Yeah, the new style steps have some definite drawbacks. I've been several places where they wouldn't have worked as well as conventional steps. And they won't work at all when the trailer is in storage due to the closeness of the other units. Those are the reasons I don't care for them, and IMO the advantages, whatever they are, are outweighed by the disadvantage.

fj12ryder wrote:
Yeah, the new style steps have some definite drawbacks. I've been several places where they wouldn't have worked as well as conventional steps. And they won't work at all when the trailer is in storage due to the closeness of the other units. Those are the reasons I don't care for them, and IMO the advantages, whatever they are, are outweighed by the disadvantage.

Agree. We have the steps that fold up and tuck under the outside of the door under the frame. Yeah, they may not be as wide or deep as the new style, but we can exit and leave them out safely when overnighting.

Our Pinnacle came with the MorRyde steps that fold up in to the door, pretty much standard issue any more. We have an rv garage that is only 18 feet wide with an off centered door. I have to park it within 3 1/2 feet or so of the wall on the door side. There was not enough room to lower the MorRyde steps so after researching the issue I ordered the Tork Lift Revolution Uprising steps which scissor but also fold up inside the door. I got the 5 step type which is makes it easier on my worn out knees. They don't require much room to deploy and can be set pretty tight to the fifth wheel if needed. Very stable also.

A little pricey but I got about half my money back by selling the MorRyde steps.

I understand your dilemma. One of the most haves for us was regular folding steps. Sometimes you cannot get your fiver into a position at rest stops that you can safely leave those rigid steps out but since you already have them maybe you can rig them so once you are inside you can pull them up behind you.

I don't think I'd want those as the only steps on a 5er. We have a TT and have 2 sets of steps. I installed the solid steps at the rear door main entry. Left the fold outs at the bedroom door.
We only use the fold outs at pee stops or other stops.

Besides the issue of clearance you may have to adjust them as well because chances are you aren't as level as you were the last time you used them. So that means every time you stop they may or may not work.

Not a deal breaker but just more chit to deal with. Also if you're on uneven ground you can't deploy them until the coach is level.

Besides all that we love them vs the fold outs. If thats what came on the 5er and you/I really liked it then I'd deal with them since you're in and out of the 5er more once setup vs just stopping occasionally while traveling.

"Besides all that we love them vs the fold outs."

I'm curious why you love them, when it appears they are a bit of a hassle in all but perfect conditions. I can see if a person were a bit unsteady on their feet, that a solid step may be nice, but just for normal usage, what is the advantage?

I did replace our old 3 step fold out steps with 4 step fold out and that was a huge improvement over the old steps. But that was because the steps ended too far from the ground and made that last step a lulu.

Pull in and try to park as close to the left parking line as possible so as to leave room for the steps. Really like the concept of the solid steps but dislike the other problems they pose as already mentioned.

fj12ryder wrote:
"Besides all that we love them vs the fold outs."

I'm curious why you love them, when it appears they are a bit of a hassle in all but perfect conditions. I can see if a person were a bit unsteady on their feet, that a solid step may be nice, but just for normal usage, what is the advantage?

I did replace our old 3 step fold out steps with 4 step fold out and that was a huge improvement over the old steps. But that was because the steps ended too far from the ground and made that last step a lulu.

They don't just work in all but perfect conditions. In almost a year of ownership there was only one time it was an issue and that's when the guy parked too close to me in storage. I had so many problems with the electric steps on our previous MH's it seemed like they only wanted to work in perfect conditions.