Opinions on folding entrance steps

[SidecarFlip]

My TC don't have a rear step bumper, it's a pop up and I've been contemplating a set of fold up steps because it's a PITA to get into and out of with my always present step stool.

Anyone have any recommendations on what is best?

I see there are a number of brands available but I have no clue as to what is best, easiest to install, easiest to store and how sturdy they are.

Guess I need some first hand advice before making the purchase in as much as none are inexpensive.

[SidecarFlip]

wnjj wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
All well and good. Problem is, I have no bumper / step. I'm like Whizbang but my TC overhangs the rear a bit. I have about 2" below the door sill and thats it. and it's camper body (Filon), not steel. I think my answer will be a Little Giant folding ladder but I have no idea where to get one...

Amazon. Search for other sizes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005V5MF/ref=asc_df_B00005V5MF4953183/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&cre...

We love ours. Sturdiest ladder I've ever used. Maybe you can rig a way to store it up under the rear overhang you have. Maybe a hitch rack?

The handle folds down, or you can drill the rivets and remove it for good.

My question is, what do you do with the top bar. It's in the way. Do you cut it off or is it removable?

[whizbang]

This is the step I just bought...

Maybe you could put it in a 12 or 18 inch hitch extension, and, use it in tandem with a small folding step stool.


You can also get "slack" tighteners or adjusters that eliminate the looseness or wiggle in the hitch.

Saturday, after I get loaded up, I will photograph both the one step and two step hitch steps.

Last year, a fishing buddy and I where going to have a beer in my camper to get out of the eastern WA wind. With his bad knees, he could make it up with just the one step.

These little pop-ups with no rear bumpers are a PITA as far as steps go.

[wnjj]

SidecarFlip wrote:
All well and good. Problem is, I have no bumper / step. I'm like Whizbang but my TC overhangs the rear a bit. I have about 2" below the door sill and thats it. and it's camper body (Filon), not steel. I think my answer will be a Little Giant folding ladder but I have no idea where to get one...

Amazon. Search for other sizes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005V5MF/ref=asc_df_B00005V5MF4953183/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&cre...

We love ours. Sturdiest ladder I've ever used. Maybe you can rig a way to store it up under the rear overhang you have. Maybe a hitch rack?

The handle folds down, or you can drill the rivets and remove it for good.

[SidecarFlip]

All well and good. Problem is, I have no bumper / step. I'm like Whizbang but my TC overhangs the rear a bit. I have about 2" below the door sill and thats it. and it's camper body (Filon), not steel. I think my answer will be a Little Giant folding ladder but I have no idea where to get one...

[AnEv942]

When setting up our 20" GloSteps I split the mount bracket. Ours is tread mounted flush to bumper, used extra mount arms to capture both sides of mount ears reducing side leverage on mount pins. (top tread shown rotated 180°)
Depending on how wide space you have, might be an option.


20 1/2" between inside of mount 'ears'
24 3/8" cl/cl inside bolts

[SidecarFlip]

whizbang wrote:
Timely question. I now have 3 different steps for my pop-up.

One , is a single step made from a 5 inch piece pressure treated 4x4 bolted to a hitch extension. This is the step I most often use.

I have a 3 step Brophy scissor step. I like it. My wife hates it.

I just purchased a Brophy 2 step hitch step. Heck, I don't even know if it fits my truck/camper. Ask me on Saturday...

You are lucky. Your outfit is about 14" lower than mine. My pop up sits in the bed of a lifted (6 over stock) F 350 4x4. Between the lift and the 33 x 12.5 tires, it way up there...

Mine is a real pizzer getting into and out of. Looked at the TorkLift glo steps but I don't have enough room below the door to mount the attachment plate.

I don't want to buy steps and then not be able to mount them. The other issue is my Palomino overhangs the back of the bed a foot (because my wife insisted on a crapper and shower) so a hitch step isn't in the cards. Been using a step ladder to get in and out but stowing the ladder is a pita too. I have to find a solution. I'm sure there is one out there...

[whizbang]

Timely question. I now have 3 different steps for my pop-up.

One , is a single step made from a 5 inch piece pressure treated 4x4 bolted to a hitch extension. This is the step I most often use.

I have a 3 step Brophy scissor step. I like it. My wife hates it.

I just purchased a Brophy 2 step hitch step. Heck, I don't even know if it fits my truck/camper. Ask me on Saturday...

[towpro]

PS: I used to hang my 4 step little giant step ladder on the ladder with one of those chairs hangers, held on with velcro straps

[Jack_Hart]

Another vote for Little Giant. It's also useful for more than just getting into and out of the camper.

[lakeside013104]

Mr Sidecar,

Check this out


A set of these came with my Palomino when I purchased it. Easy to install and sturdy. Adjustable to many different height configurations.

Hope this helps.

Lakeside

[HMS_Beagle]

If you go with the scissors steps I encourage you to find a way to firmly attach them to the camper. If they are just resting on a hook, both the top and bottom are floppy and now the middle is too. It makes a very big difference in how they feel if one end is secured properly (no matter what the brand).

The easier it is to deploy the steps, the more you will use your camper.

[hedge]

I also had a little giant ladder (it's more like a portable staircase) and it was miles better than the scissor steps I had before (not glow steps).

I now have the Adventurer specific large bumper with built in steps and it's great but does hang a long way off the back so I needed a longer supertruss extension.

[sharkman]

We had the 3 step little giant on our popup and i really like them, just fold them up and put "em" on the rug insde the back door, we have the 4 scissor step now on our lance and i don't really care for them, DW really likes them though.

[Kayteg1]

You will find several topics with working search, including my topic how I attached glow steps to my bumper step to make it universal for each situation.
Didn't I know at the time, glow steps come in 2 depths and I got the narrower one, who gives some insecure feeling.
Go for the widest one you can get.

[towpro]

for our wolf Creek we had a little giant step ladder. now our Arctic fox has a fox landing.

The fox landing is nice, but it and its bumper also eats up a good amount of space behind the RV when you measuring for a Hitch extension.

my 990 is 10" longer than my Wolf creek was. in wolf creak I could tow without an extension. but in the 990 with fox landing I can't tow with extension at 24", I need to run my extension at 34".
(this year I am switching to weight equalizer hitch which is a couple inches longer than my standard receiver. maybe I can move this extension back to 24"?)