A Ladder

[garmp]

Is a ladder really that useful? Looking to buy a new unit and want to know if you feel the ladder is really that essential. We don't plan on getting a roof rack or storing anything up there. We feel that the unit we are looking at looks a lot cleaner without one. It's an option, although not that expensive in the grand theme of things, but just one of those things that I never cared for the looks of. If it is useful and I can justify it's practicality, I can get over my dislikes.

[DrewE]

I would not care to be without a built-in ladder. Maintenance and cleaning are frequent enough needs on an RV to make it very handy indeed. (Cleaning may be something as simple as sweeping off pine needles.)

My last camping trip, I stopped at a strip mall to do a little bit of shopping and happened to notice that there was a six or eight foot long piece of branch that apparently had fallen onto the roof at the last campground and was now tagging along for the ride. There was no damage or anything, but it wasn't really something I wanted up there (and certainly didn't want to have suddenly fly off and cause a hazard to anybody who happened to be behind me). Having a built-in ladder made removing it and checking for possible damage a trivial job.

[pnichols]

You'll want a ladder to get up on the roof if you have a problem up there that occurs on a camping trip. There's a lot more things that can go wrong up there than on a residential roof.

I've had to go up on the roof of our Class C at least three times to fix/check unexpected issues that occured while traveling on trips a long way from home. Of course I use the built-in roof access ladder to safely get up on the roof of our Class C quite often when it's home in storage in the back yard. The reason I say "safely" is - no way am I going to step on/off a step ladder to get onto/off-of the curved and slippery RV roof. The same applies to a ladder propped against the side of the RV roof.

[Desert_Captain]

OK, I'll play the Devil's advocate here with a dissenting opinion based upon a few facts...

First of all most of the ladders that come with RV's, especially C's are very lightweight. Have yet to see one that would make me comfortable (I weigh just under 200#).

Having a permanent ladder is an invitation to bad guys to access your roof. Coaches can be burglarized by skinny burglars {or ones using a kid}, to drop down one of your rooftop hatches. If you store anything up there a fixed ladder is an invitation for thieves to help themselves.

I do have a 12' folding/extendable ladder at home which I use for routine inspections and subsequent maintenance. It is very sturdy and extends well above the roof line to make getting on or off much safer. Having a fiberglass roof {Thank you Nexus}, minimizes the need to be up there very often and I would never even think about storing anything up there.

Every campground/RV park I have ever visited had lots of Fivers and Class A's and most of them have a nice tall step ladder strapped to the their coach. Can't remember the last time I saw a camp host or ranger station that did not have a ladder or two as they use them all the time for various maintenance chores. I can't imagine it would be too tough to find a neighbor, host or ranger with a ladder you could borrow if you had some unforeseen emergency that required your presence up top.

Watched a guy in a Class A use his ladder once to aggressively trim the trees in his site from the roof. It worked pretty well right up to the point where he was thrown out of the CG in perpetuity for doing so... :S.

As far as resale it is a non issue just like slides, levelers etc.. Some folks can't live without them others just don't see the need.

As always.... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

[OldRadios]

We mostly camp and boondock, not much for RV parks. On a few occasions over the years I've had to get up there and trim a branch or two or at least look to see if I had clearance. Wouldn't be without one.

[Dick_B]

Do you plan to keep the rig until you tow it to the dump OR might you want to sell it down the road?

[You_can_t_take_]

korbe wrote:

Hemi RT wrote:
Just make it so children can't climb up the ladder and fall off the roof costing you more than the ladder is worth.

:h

Love my ladders and wouldn't do without one.
When my son-in-law was using one of my rigs and went up on the roof to check the A/C (while camping) his 3 year old followed him up without him realizing it. He took the bottom rung off for the rest of his vacation... and handed it to me when he was done with his vacation!!
:R

[Halmfamily]

I guess I'm the odd man out. Our new fiver does not have a rear ladder and I don't miss it. I carry a foldable 12' ladder that can setup on the back deck to access the roof. The installed ladders always felt flimsy and with my bad knees never liked climbing it.

[korbe]

Hemi RT wrote:
Just make it so children can't climb up the ladder and fall off the roof costing you more than the ladder is worth.

:h

[Hemi_RT]

Just make it so children can't climb up the ladder and fall off the roof costing you more than the ladder is worth.

[korbe]

I use mine 3 or 4 times a season. Last time was just to climb to near the top and look to see if I cranked my antenna down all the way. Love mine.

[gbopp]

BendOrLarry wrote:
If you take proper care of your roof, you will be up on top at least a couple times a year. I would not have a rig without one attached.

X2, I carry a step ladder. I would not want to carry a ladder high enough to reach the roof. And, you never know when you or someone else will have to get on the roof.

Get the attached ladder.

[lanerd]

As Larry mentioned....roof, AC, skylight, antennas, vents.... all require normal, and often, maintenance of one sort or another. Now, if you "have" that maintenance done by others... then getting up there is their problem.

Ron

[Two_Hands]

My current rv does not have an attached ladder, all my previous ones did. I really miss it. When I wash the coach I also wash the roof. It is very difficult to get up there without an attached ladder.

[Trackrig]

I'd go with the installed one. It seems I need to be on top several times a year and certainly don't want to carry a separate ladder like I see some people doing.

Bill