Rear steps swinging in the breeze - OK or bad practice

I was offered the Torklift glow steps when I bought my new Lance 850 on 1/30/14.

Heavy, a pita to deploy and store, and $300+. I declined.

I bought a Werner 2' stepladder. $43, including tax, at the local hardware store.

It is the pure business. I never collapse it; just put it in in the camper, and it awaits my next need for it.

It is never in the wrong place. When I need it to get out, there it is, right where I left it.

When I need it to get in, it is right inside the door.

A faithful little ladder.

And $43..

Joe

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

Thats what we used to do with the Northstar TC. It was 4 steps and all were parallel. My new AF990 has the Fox landing....Nice.

Been messing around with the step this morning. Mounting bracket was bent and one of the ladder-securing screws was seized and sheared and the coach screw on one end of the bracket wasn't holding so have sorted that out. Three of the fasteners were already bolts through into the basement.

Given that we stop for a coffee break or meal break every hour or so, the idea of removing the ladder and storing it (my initial thought)6 times a day doesn't appeal very much. Nor does getting down on my knees to tie the ladder forward to the tow hitch.
So I will add a couple of tie points to the bottom of the slinky storage tube (bumper-bar) and use a ratchet strap to keep it from moving around. Has to be heaps better than what was there.

As for the different slopes on each tread. I tightened all the bolts up so the ladder was very stiff to collapse and extend but it made little difference other than making the steps feel a little more solid.

The problem is that every bolt is slightly smaller than the holes so the whole structure bends quite a bit as can be seen by sighting down the treads - and this departure from a straight line is what causes each step to be at a slightly different angle to the next. I did find another post where a member had exactly the same problem and the only solution was to buy new steps. Given that my middle name is Scrooge, and we are a loooong way from an RV accessories store, I will probably put up with it. When it gets too bad, I will probably replace it with a chopped up builders' stepladder like we use in the OKA. Half the weight, a fraction of the cost and deploys in about 5 seconds from its travel position on the floor just inside the door.

Mello Mike wrote:
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.

X2, I have the steps if anyone wants to buy them. The hardware is attached to my camper that was totaled and no longer have.