We have just bought an F350 with a Bigfoot 2500 10.6 camper to continue our travels in South America and while everything is pretty straightforward, I do have a question regarding the extending steps on the back. Previous owners - and I have seen one other do it - just collapsed the steps and put a loop of steel cable around them with a padlock and travelled with them swinging back and forth. Another owner at least used a ratchet strap to snug them back firmly against the back of the camper.Given the long stretches of pretty terrible roads here, my inclination is to take them off and store them in the basement to avoid stressing the support bracket.Any thoughts please.------------------------Also - my stairs have 5 treads and are all-aluminium construction and are now quite distorted with the bottom step tilted towards the front and the top one tilted badly towards the back - and of course the middle step is roughly level. All the pivot points are nice and firm, but the extension is uneven top to bottom causing the variation in tread angle.Is this just a basic design deficiency that doesn't take account of corpulent owners clomping up and down over the years, or has it suffered a once-off damage caused by a forgetful owner driving off with it still extended.

Here's what I have done:The webbing strap passes through a footman's loop on the bumper.Unless something is bent, the stair treads should always be parallel to one another.Cheers,-Mark

The above example looks really solid. I would never drive around on rough dirt/gravel roads with them hangin. Driving down the highway, well that doesnt seem as bad. My old camper i would take them off and put them inside the door when traveling but i like the above method by misiminoff as the weight of them is resting on the bumper of the camper.

That is one of the problems with a basement storage camper, they are so tall you need a ladder to get inside, plus the taller C/G

Mine hang off the back bumper. Ive had no problems but my truck does sit high in the rear, so clearance is never a problem. I used to fasten them with a rubber bungee but dont anymore.

I just lift mine off and put them inside on a door mat. I don't have a basement model.

Rear steps swinging in the breeze - OK or bad practice

msiminoff
Explorer II
Feb 24, 2014
Here's what I have done:

The webbing strap passes through a footman's loop on the bumper.

Unless something is bent, the stair treads should always be parallel to one another.
Cheers,
-Mark
Dirtpig
Explorer
Feb 24, 2014
The above example looks really solid. I would never drive around on rough dirt/gravel roads with them hangin. Driving down the highway, well that doesnt seem as bad. My old camper i would take them off and put them inside the door when traveling but i like the above method by misiminoff as the weight of them is resting on the bumper of the camper.
805gregg
Explorer
Feb 24, 2014
That is one of the problems with a basement storage camper, they are so tall you need a ladder to get inside, plus the taller C/G
kerry4951
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
Mine hang off the back bumper. Ive had no problems but my truck does sit high in the rear, so clearance is never a problem. I used to fasten them with a rubber bungee but dont anymore.
tuna_fisher
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
I just lift mine off and put them inside on a door mat. I don't have a basement model.
MikeJinCO
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
We have had two Bigfoots and have had the steps hanging off the back for probably 150k miles,and probably 50k of that in Mexico, rougher roads(not washboard gravel)with unmarked topes, etc. Average fast speed down here is probably 50-55mph much higher than the 30-35 I'd expect on the non Pan America highway roads in SA. Our current model the 30C1002 probably has the same bottom shell as your 10.6 with the steps hanging from the molded fiberglass bumper/ledge. We use a raft strap similar to the one pictured above and have put a piece of split pipe insulation taped to the bottom rung as othewise it bounces on the basement door. We also use locking jam nuts on the step brackets.
Geewizard
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
I have a 5-step attached just under the door. All I do is bungee it to the rear hitch so it doesn't swing around. Never a problem in many miles.
MikeJinCO
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
Had some second thoughts. We typically have a light weight 4 step tied on as we always have a trailer or a towed. When parked we put on the 5 step which with triple side rails is much heavier. I would if possible drill thru mounting bracket fastened to the camper and use thru bolts of at least 5/16" or 8mm and as large a fender washer inside the basement that would fit. Don't remove the bracket to drill it as they are just lag screws going into a wood backing in there. If you do have to remove it put something on the screws to keep then from backing out.
MikeJinCO
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
More thoughts, I'd also carry a spare water pump, and frig control board, Dinosaur probably makes one. Never had a frig problem, but there is always a first time and supposedly the ones by Dinosaur(?) are better and cheaper the the original.
Mello_Mike
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
I have the Torklift Glowsteps. I leave mine hanging while on our trips. The mounted support bracket is rock solid and I've never had an issue even on rough roads and trails.