Inside Stairs

[grammyof14]

Love our fifth wheel, we have a 37' Cedar Creek but we have a problem, at least it is for me

The stairs are too steep to go into the bedroom, my arthritis is begging me to quit climbing.

Has anyone replaced those stairs with ones not so intimidating????
Thanks

[grammyof14]

cpaulsen wrote:
Check with your manufacturer. On my Wildcat...which I bought used....there was a set of steps that fit over the original ones and took it from 2 steps to 3 steps along with a handrail. I was all factory made by Forest River. The steps were made of wood and removable. I took them out and tossed them as I did not need them.

Mine is a Forest river Cedar Creek and I have about a foot more of space before we reach the vent

[pcm1959]

JEBar wrote:

Brantime wrote:
It really comes down to what your floorplan is and where your stairs are located...Do they end near the door? Do they end near any openings such as air ducting? What room is there at the bottom of the stairway?

Mark

agree .... the older I get, the less I like steps .... for that reason, earlier today, we spent some time looking at Jayco Eagle Travel Trailers .... if we could find a well built travel trailer like the old Sunnybrook Titan 33FKS that had a space for a separate washer and dryer, we may well move in that direction .... till then, we'll hang on to what we have and may take a look at modifying the steps

Jim

Check out this Excel with the bath option "E". It's a quality travel trailer with space for washer/dryer. Good luck, Phillip

http://www.excelrvs.com/5th-wheels/excel-winslow//unit?m=33IKE

[cpaulsen]

Check with your manufacturer. On my Wildcat...which I bought used....there was a set of steps that fit over the original ones and took it from 2 steps to 3 steps along with a handrail. I was all factory made by Forest River. The steps were made of wood and removable. I took them out and tossed them as I did not need them.

[DennisG9]

Well so much for diagrams. . . . .

[DennisG9]

Retired JSO wrote:
We just traded our 2004 Sandpiper which had the same problem. There were 2 tread/risers then the landing which covered a 28" vertical rise, almost 10" high steps. I believe the code around here for residential is about 7 1/2" rise. What I did was build a set of steps over the existing ones which made 3 tread/risers and a landing. It made a world of difference.

Something like this turn 2 steps into 3. I did this for my wife when she had foot surgury and we liked it so much it has stayed. I carpeted it after we desided to keep it. Had to leave it just set over the existing steps so it can be pulled up to open a cabinet on the side of the second original step.
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[BigT]

It would not take a good carpenter very long to take out those stairs and rebuild them to your specs. If you like your trailer that would be something to consider. It's just not that hard to rebuild a short staircase.

[You_can_t_take_]

On our Laredo we had the high steps outside. I cut a 2"X10" to fit on top of the top step. Another (doubled up) 2"X10" on the middle step and triple layer 2"X10" on the bottom step. Then I built a platform in front of the bottom step so that I ended up with 8" steps instead of the original 9.5" steps. I carpeted them and screwed them to the OEM steps and they were much easier to negotiate. That should work inside as well... and if you carpet them before you screw them down on the existing steps they can be made to look pretty good as well!!

[grammyof14]

Thanks again everyone, but we live in this and can't afford to trade so we have to fix it.

[WyoTraveler]

DW has severe back problems & stairs is a problem. We have class A. for that reason. Climbing stairs in 5ver was a problem. In class A those stairs are only climbed in going in and out not going back and forth in the RV.

[JEBar]

Brantime wrote:
It really comes down to what your floorplan is and where your stairs are located...Do they end near the door? Do they end near any openings such as air ducting? What room is there at the bottom of the stairway?

Mark

agree .... the older I get, the less I like steps .... for that reason, earlier today, we spent some time looking at Jayco Eagle Travel Trailers .... if we could find a well built travel trailer like the old Sunnybrook Titan 33FKS that had a space for a separate washer and dryer, we may well move in that direction .... till then, we'll hang on to what we have and may take a look at modifying the steps

Jim

[Dave_H_M]

For sure, I gotta figure out some kind of grab handle / railing for a little assistance also.

[grammyof14]

Thanks everyone, we've added the railing but steps "are" 10" tall.

[SailingOn]

James Madison, 4th president, had rheumatoid arthritis; we toured his home today. His steps to the second floor, built intentionally low and wide, seemed to help him considerably, 200+ years ago.
Adding a short handrail might also help.

[Retired_JSO]

We just traded our 2004 Sandpiper which had the same problem. There were 2 tread/risers then the landing which covered a 28" vertical rise, almost 10" high steps. I believe the code around here for residential is about 7 1/2" rise. What I did was build a set of steps over the existing ones which made 3 tread/risers and a landing. It made a world of difference.