I really couldnt sell the SnowRiver

[mdw60]

Two years ago my wife fell down the steps and was not happy with the steps. last year she fell again but this time she broke 2 bones in her ankle. took 3 monthes to heal. pushing me to sell it. but the NATCOA and this TC forum has help me with ideals on step rails.
I try many rails made by factorys and even try make my own homemade rails. but no luck.
this year she fell again, lucky not serious, but she knows I wont sell the SR. cuz my SR and few other TC are well build.I had fw and tt in the past and all they do is fall apart. I was thinking maybe best put the SR TC on a 16 ft flat trailer? will it be redneck nerd looking set up? any of you got laugh at?
like to see some picture of your set up on the trailer.
My boat will fit fine on the truckbed.
thanks....

[69_Avion]

If a person is going to use a Scissor Step, I suggest using the double arm TorkLift Glow Steps. I made a custom hand rail for mine since my wife demanded one. I couldn't find one I liked, so I ordered some nice aluminum tubing and designed one that fits our needs. It folds into three segments, and stores in front of the camper between the camper and the bed.

[AnEv942]

Think for the most part your preaching to the choir on the TC forum. But Id agree with the form over function. Though more comercially driven I think-most dont realized HOW much were shaped by that. Where form is driven by whats comercially produced and funtion limited by that. Many cant go beyond that, to the point if function demands a change in form it becomes 'hokey', irregardless if it functions better than anthing availalbe. Rather sad IMO. Coarse then again there are a lot of folks now who feel if you didnt 'buy it' its hokey. Oh well. Drifting way beyond OPs needs.

The only thing that comes to the top of head, since scissor or deck-some of the other options noted wont work is if there was room in the storage drawer. Replace existing with an extended step-or shallower angle. Could increase the step tread width, increase the run (step to step distance) keep the same rise (step to step height/number of steps) if that works generally. Full length handrail-tied back to camper like the Torklift to take full weight if balance lost.

[travelnutz]

That isn't "redneck", it's what you want and happy with. We all are entitled to have what we want as long as it doesn't actually harm others. If other don't like what you are happy with, tough do-do.

I design and make my own stuff because I can and i'm not happy with most of the commercial designs, the very thin barely strong enough on a good day materials used, and the construction of most boughten products. Cheap price doesn't influence me or us as we demand that our items last longer than we will and are well thought out for comfort and safety. The average American product purchaser is swayed the most by price and secondly the looks as in glitz and glamour and therefore find themselves deserving the results they experience.

Very short sighted thinking! Function is far more important!

[69_Avion]

I put my 1969 Avion on a trailer and it may be airless redneck but it has 80 gallons of water, 20 ons of gasoline, 100 pounds of propane, can carry one extra quad and has about 1,000 pounds is weight left over. I'll live with being redneck.
Also, I use the ToekLift Glow Steps with a custom made aluminum hand rail.

[travelnutz]

abslayer,

Quite similar to our step setup except in the 4 rear porches I've made, the porch itself varies from 22' to 24' wide behind the TC and the L to R size varies from 4' to 8' and are carpeted which further cleans shoes. Two of my builds have the flip up step off the porch to the ground in the rear like yours but no second step that lays on the ground and one has the flip up steps on the passenger's side only to the ground as in side mounted. One has the ability to have the lower step to the ground either in the rear or on the side so we can pull our boat or the enclosed vee nosed trailer behind and not have to deal with the trailer's tongue being in the way.

None of my porches are permanently attached to the TC as they use the truck's receiver extension and with L & R cables from the TC electric jack mounting plates to the ends of the porch which makes the porch feel rock solid and plenty of strength to handle the attached trailer tongue weight up to 500 lbs. My proches are very strong and yet reasonably light in weight. They are engineered to meet many criterias.

Why 4 different porch setups? Because we have had 8 different TC's and the porches can also be used without a TC on the truck. Also, some TC's have the rear door in the center L to R and some have it offest. The porches have a good sized lockable storage box on the driver's side with a sun proof Formica top which serves as a table. Next to the box is room for our Honda EU2000 generator to be cabled down to as some of our TC's did not have built in generators. We like being universal in designs and sectional in the build so we can pick and choose to use the best interchangeable combo for the task at hand.

[abslayer]

Buy a Adventure EC or Artic Fox

This is my step on a adventure
Best steps I have ever seen and very secure

[54suds]

travelnutz wrote:
54suds,

Quote:

"Snowriver did not use scissor stairs, their stairs were rigid and stored in the basement"

Doesn't matter as I've seen them and they are narrow and just like climbing or decending a narrow width cutoff aluminum ladder with narrow width treads to step on and quite vertical. Nothing to hang on to either especially when carrying something in one hand when going up or down. Hardly smart for getting into or out of a TC 3' to 4' off the ground or pavement that may or may not be even close to level. In and out many times a day in all weather conditions and doing it every day you use the TC! WHY??? There are so many better ways to make TC steps safe for ALL to use!

In reply to one poster: As for my being agile, yes very and we are always sober!

t-nuts it was- you- that wrote and specified "QUOTE
those very dangerous scissor steps to get into and out of a TC! A disaster just waiting to happen! and

If we personally had to have [COLOR=]scissor steps for any TC period, we'd never buy the TC


I only pointed out Snowriver's stairs were of an entirely different design and possibly safer for your wife .after readng your replys it sounds like you will never be satified with any stairs of any kind

[travelnutz]

54suds,

Quote:

"Snowriver did not use scissor stairs, their stairs were rigid and stored in the basement"

Doesn't matter as I've seen them and they are narrow and just like climbing or decending a narrow width cutoff aluminum ladder with narrow width treads to step on and quite vertical. Nothing to hang on to either especially when carrying something in one hand when going up or down. Hardly smart for getting into or out of a TC 3' to 4' off the ground or pavement that may or may not be even close to level. In and out many times a day in all weather conditions and doing it every day you use the TC! WHY??? There are so many better ways to make TC steps safe for ALL to use!

In reply to one poster: As for my being agile, yes very and we are always sober!

[Bedlam]

I know from my TC doorway to the ground is at least five steps when sitting on the truck - This due to the 4WD truck sitting on 33" tall tires and the additional height of the TC basement. Although I never had issues climbing the stairs, my DW was uneasy climbing that high without a hand rail. With the installation of the GlowGuide, that has helped her balance and confidence. I also tow a trailer behind me half the time - I usually don't bother unhitching and can cock the trailer over so the stairs clear the tongue but will still drop the jack. This leaves the jack handle available on the other side for a second handhold.

Terracing out the staircase to multiple platform levels does help when climbing stairs. Whether this is done with a deck hanging off the rear of the TC or the TC sitting on a large deck (flatbed trailer) accomplishes the same setup.

There are side entry TC's that are easier to enter and exit, but I know you are trying to keep yours since it has served you so well...

[mdw60]

first of all, my wife just has a bad balance and I love my wife more than the SR lol. the steps we have is safer than the scissors step. we did try in when someone had that. it was awful. I will stay with SR steps. also you guys offer decks, I tow the trailer to carry the boat or the motorcycles. and my wife need to take a leak, we always stop anywhere for her,we rather use our bathroom then the public restrooms, so the decks will be in the way. torklifts dont have anything for SR steps and its silly costy stuff. cant find a way to use forklift accach to the SR steps.
fox steps is nice might work but gotta add the bummpers and the steps will cost may too much.
Now 1MTNMAN had the pix of his homemade rail, I might look that up. gotta find out who sells that base? also the hand tighten bolts, who sells that too? I went to Lowes and homedepot, dont see them there.
Thanks guys for the reply, still have not seen pixs of campers on trailers. My wife thinks putting the SR on the trailer is too NERDY! LOL

[AnEv942]

wjkdan wrote:
have her go out of camper backward instead of forward. the way. of course if your wife is like mind she wanted listen to you. I tell mind all the time she is going to fall one day. sorry for your wife but glad you posted this so can show my wife.

That's what Margaret has always done-walks down the steps backwards when exiting. I think its silly but shes never fallen..
We recently installed the new scissor steps with the 8" treads from Torklift-night & day as far as walking up and down, they are nice. The run is the same though as the std 6" treads-but just more surface to plant your foot.
However they are still stairs. For me its a very concious 2-3 seconds going down or up-

Im unsure what setting camper on trailer would accomplish-shorter distance to fall? But then you've got another step off trailer? Why is she falling? just mistepping-carrying stuff?

[54suds]

kerry4951 wrote:
Torklift offers very sturdy Glow Steps and the optional Glow Guide to help people out with this problem. The investment for me was well worth it.

Torklift now offers 8" x 20 " steps, the increased depth may help ?

[wjkdan]

have her go out of camper backward instead of forward. the way. of course if your wife is like mind she wanted listen to you. I tell mind all the time she is going to fall one day. sorry for your wife but glad you posted this so can show my wife.

[CAJW]

Have you considered adapting something like the Fox Landing for your needs? Just a thought. Fox Landing