Four Winds Majestic roof ladder and storage

[cencerrita]

Hi
Looking at buying a Four Winds Majestic from Cruise America who do not fit a rear ladder for roof access. Has anyone fitted one on these RV's and is there any safe storage area on top?

Thanks
Alan

[Oldme]

I was told by the dealer that the ladder is only
rated at 140 lbs. SO I have never tried it.
I have not been able to find a real rating.

[DaHose]

My roof had a storage box at the front and a "rack" area at the back when I bought it. I HATE the idea of roof top storage on an RV. The rear rack area is beat to hell and has to be carefully sealed each year. The top box caused anodic corrosion of the aluminum roof, so I did not put it back on when I rebuilt the cabover. When I rebuild the rear of the roof (damage thanks to the water leaks created by the rack) I ABSOLUTELY will not put the rack back on.

I do use my ladder, but it scares me to climb it and be on the roof because I weigh 260. I am looking for a better option. The convertible ladder mentioned is really appealing because it can also become a scaffold, but the collapsing type would be WAY easier to pack around and could live in the RV.

Jose

[Jack_Diane_Free]

Just borrow a ladder once in a while when you need to go onto roof.

[cencerrita]

Thanks for all the advice and as I suspected roof is not strong enough and no proper supports for a ladder. Sounds like one of these collapsible type ladders would be good just for inspecting the roof at times.
Alan

[Jim_Shoe]

jillhop wrote:
I use the ladder on the back of my MH regularly (any time I need to get up on the roof). Is that a problem??

It is for me. I tried it once and found that when I got to the top step, the hand hold only came up to my shins. I use my ladder to attach a four part articulated ladder that I can turn into a step ladder or a flat platform to reach the awning rail. I don't need to be on the roof. I suspect that I'm over the weight limit.

[jillhop]

I use the ladder on the back of my MH regularly (any time I need to get up on the roof). Is that a problem??

[rockhillmanor]

I wouldn't worry about the RV not having a ladder. No one ever uses it anyway except to strap on a ladder on it that they DO use! :B

[gotsmart]

There is no safe storage area on the roof of a CA motorhome (assuming the roof construction hasn't changed since my 2005 unit was built). The roof is mostly made up of high density styrofoam between 2 pieces of luann. There is a CruiseAmerica youtube video from about 2007 that shows an optional ladder and roof cargo rack. CA no longer offers it. Most RV shops that I know of do not recommend them. The mounting points get stressed from the cargo that is strapped to them and become a source of water penetration.

A CA motorhome has no jacks, no slides, no awning, no ladder, no outside steps, and no over-the air TV aerial. They might drive off with the stairs extended or the batwing raised. These are the things that renters break. CA does not renters up on the roof, so there is no ladder.

A ladder can only be added if the coach was built with the structure in the back wall to support a ladder. If an RV does not come from the factory with a ladder installed then it is very likely that the factory did not include the structural reinforcement in the wall for a ladder. The reinforcement is not for the ladder as much as it is for the weight being loaded on the ladder - bicycles, chairs, 1 (or 2 people) climbing the ladder. Without a reinforced rear wall, the ladder's mounting bolts would start to tear away from the wall from the vertical load placed upon the ladder.