Where have all the ladders gone?

My AVCO has a ladder installed and some one who had it before me backed into something and it is bent and broke the fiberglass skin and I am going to remove it and repair the fiberglass and never install it. this thread makes me feel better to not have a ladder. I want to get rid of anything that can cause leaks. I never see a need to go on the roof all the time. I will go up there for inspection once and a while. So I will use an external ladder. On my buses I use an extension ladder and I can walk on those roofs with no worries as they are as strong as the floor. I don't know if this AVCO has a strong roof. It is made of a tubular frame from what I have read. either way I don't want to have that ladder as it is bent and I want to get rid of all the penetrations that held it in place.

MRUSA wrote:

The problem with a portable ladder is that it can slide away as you go on or off the roof. It can fall back, or sideways. I want my ladder screwed in place for safety.

i tie my telescoping Extend-N-Climb to a railing on the roof to prevent it from sliding & eliminating the possibility of the ladder falling away - a problem easily remediated w/ a bit of rope !

William B wrote:
I had two previous coaches without a ladder and I can tell you it was a royal pain to try to get up there on the roof when something needed done. Our present coach has rails and a strong ladder built into the rear cap, and I wouldn't be without it now. Even if a branch needs trimming I can quickly climb up and take care of it along with washing the roof and doing any maintenance needed. The ladder would be a deal breaker for us. JMHO

I totally agree. For me an attached ladder is a must. My Entegra Anthem came with no ladder and I paid to have one added. Oddly, the lees expensive Entegra Aspire comes with a ladder.

The problem with a portable ladder is that it can slide away as you go on or off the roof. It can fall back, or sideways. I want my ladder screwed in place for safety.

Mine came with one. I use it all the time at age 64, 6' and 225 lbs. It is very solid you just have to be careful on the transition to the roof.

Mine came with one.

I am sure they are a liability for the manufacturer. Plus how many normal 60 plus year old dudes need to be climbing / walking around 14' in the air with no railing. if you own a $300k coach you should be able to hire someone to climb for you or old enough to know when to hire someone to climb for you. I got a buddy who laid on the ground unconscious for a while till neighbor found him. His coach did not have a ladder. folding ladder slipped out from under him. He now hires a mechanic to climb. Hard pill for him after years of doing his own work but probably added years to his life and no law suits from his widow on why the ladder enabled him to climb on top of a bus that did not provide any safety once on top.

Thats terrible news. No ladder? What will I hang my orange Home Depot ladder on now??????

Mr.Mark wrote:
bshpilot.... a slide out the back??... that is so cool! You don't see that very much.

Did you custom build your coach?

MM.

we did not build ours, its manufactured. I know plenty of folks over at Truck Conversion .net that have built their own.

Slide-outs on the rear of "race coaches" or "truck conversion" coaches are fairly common, and I've seen them w/ ladders on the side (that store in the basement bay) or on the rear (even when there is a rear slide out).

Our coaches don't have TAG axles - the 2nd Axle is actually a DRIVE axle and both drive axles can be locked independently or TOGETHER (ala 4 week drive). Each Drive axles on TruckConversion coaches are dually's (4 tires per axle).

We're purpose built Class 7 & 8 trucks (converted to coaches) - so we generally have large 13L or larger motors with a minimum of 450hp and go to 650 hp. We have 12 or 13 speed auto-shifts or smart-shift (dry clutch) transmissions (no torque converter, no clutch pedal).

We're rated to tow up to 40k lbs & Im on the lighter side - tipping the scales at 32k lbs (w/ 220g of fresh water & 140g of fuel) - but i know guys that tip the scales north of 45k.

Manufactures like Haulmark, Renegade, Showhauler (to name a few) build these coaches - and they'll configure them anyway you want up to 5 & 6 slides, with or without lift gate garages (6-12 feet of garage or even more).

HaulMark
Renegades
Showhauler

Equine Motor Coaches builds 'em to haul horses (in the garage) - Equine MC - YouTube Video Tour

I've got a top of the line Newmar King Aire and it came with no ladder. I really miss it.

I used to connect my cell phone antenna and portable satellite dish to it. Now, I've got nowhere to attach antennas. I've even seen people setup telescoping flag poles to their ladders and boost up wifi antennas on that. But I can't do that.

I bought the 15.5 foot extending ladder to reach the top of my 13'4" roof now.

I had two previous coaches without a ladder and I can tell you it was a royal pain to try to get up there on the roof when something needed done. Our present coach has rails and a strong ladder built into the rear cap, and I wouldn't be without it now. Even if a branch needs trimming I can quickly climb up and take care of it along with washing the roof and doing any maintenance needed. The ladder would be a deal breaker for us. JMHO