Ladder - Telescoping Type - PICTURES

bushpilot · 09-23-2011, 01:25 PM

My coach wasnt built w/ a Ladder. With the Rear (closet) slide out i would have had to have a 3 piece ladder & the coach builder wanted a CONSIDERABLE amount of $$$.

I bought a 15.5 foot Xtend & Climb ladder.

In the pictures you can see the 15.5 foot (next to a friends 8 foot)
The 15.5 has large base legs at 3.25 inches, where the 8 foot legs are only 2.25"

The 15.5 weighs 35lbs - and collapses to a stored size of 36" x 20"
The 8 foot collapses down to 28" x 20"

Wish the made a 13 or 14 footer...but they DONT - the make 8, 12.5, & 15.5 foot ladders.

hot rod · 09-23-2011, 01:59 PM

Hey, I have a silly question. What is it with RVers and ladders anyway? Every Old Fart (no offense to any of you other Old Farts out there, I'm one too) going down the road with an RV or 5th wheel has a ladder bungee corded to the back. Usually bungeed to the existing ladder. And I'll include your (very nice) stowable ladder in that category. What does the average RVer need to get on the roof for anyway? In my case I have a merchandise trailer and I have to fold up the signs on the roof, but what are the rest of you doing up there? Always curious about that one.

Sandmancw · 09-23-2011, 04:37 PM

A salesman asked me the same question when I told him that I wanted a ladder added on to my truck conversion. I told him that you have to get on the roof to check it out once in a while, have to caulk around vents, clean the roof, reapairs to a tear in a rubber roof,etc. The salesman told me that their roofs do not ever leak, right. Needless to say I had a ladder installed, they had to take off the endcap to reinforce the area to support the ladder.

#90-GTSC · 09-25-2011, 08:25 PM

I don't understand what the skeptics are thinking about. Don't motorhomes, RVr's, and trailer pullers always go where they shouldn't and get the clearance light lenses knocked off? Without a ladder, its impossible to replace them.

hot rod · 09-25-2011, 08:59 PM

Only those thinking in 2 dimensions knock stuff off the trailer, most of us are bright enough to think in 3 dimensions, thank you very much. lol. I was just curious what was up with all the folding ladders I see going down the road on the back of rv's.

Bob86ZZ4 · 09-26-2011, 03:27 PM

I'd bet the folders and portable ladders are used mostly to clean the windshield and side windows. I've actually seen guys take their step ladders off the back and clean windows. I have a 14' aluminum step ladder that I keep in my storage shop and use to clean the side windows and take a look up on the roof at stuff. I prefer to move the ladder around the outside and climb up and look around, rather than climb up the back and walk on the roof. I don't like walking on the roof. I also bought the biggest "Little Giant" and a extendable aluminum plank to make a way to get up to my cab overhang. I had to change my clearance lights since the builder used the rubber grommet ones that allow water into the wall. I put in l.e.d. ones that have a plastic molded housing that I sealed all the way around the hole with silicone. Anyhow, this is the only way I could figure to get up there. And I use this method to get up there to clean off the bugs after awhile too.

Sandmancw · 09-26-2011, 04:11 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but what kind of aluminum expandable plank did you get? I need something like that for a similar purpose. How much weight does it hold? What length does it expand to?

bushpilot · 09-26-2011, 07:54 PM

i think the point is that not EVERY REPAIR is 1) difficult or 2) one that can wait until youre home or you can take it to a shop & write a check (seems to be a lot of check writers among the RV set).

Just this weekend - i needed to re-configure a new (2nd) rear view camera after i installed it and had set the image orientation wrong...i didnt completely discover the limitation of my set up, so once we were at the campground an i had a moment - up on the roof i went to change the camera setting.

if i were to "spring" a leak on the roof i wouldnt want to WAIT til i got home - to make the repair EVEN if it were TEMPORARY.

Bob86ZZ4 · 09-26-2011, 09:30 PM

I agree Don. Good to have the ladder all the time. If you've got the room for it. I got the plank from Little Giant. I can't remember what length I got. Little Giant Ladder Work Plank | Work Plank Accessory

bushpilot · 09-26-2011, 10:52 PM

heres an interesting ladder that ive not seen before (this is on a haulmark garage coach)...so no ladder on the back - i guess they never thought of putting a ladder INSIDE the garage....anyway another option -

an interesting temporary solution that "hangs" from the upper railing - and has legs that "stand off" the coach wall.

hot rod · 09-28-2011, 12:07 AM

Pretty cool high wire act you've got going there Bob. You could consider the circus for a fall back job. lol.

Bob86ZZ4 · 09-28-2011, 07:13 AM

How do you guys get up there to clean the bugs off? That was a puzzler for me for awhile.

blizzardND · 09-28-2011, 11:50 PM

I clean the windshield the same way I've been doing it since jr high and Dad got that first L9000 Ford with a flip forward hood:I just flip the hood open and stand on the cyl head to wash the windshield..

Most of the race car transports have hatches in the roof with a ladder on the inside, that also keeps kids off your roof when you are not around.

blizz

Bob86ZZ4 · 09-29-2011, 08:49 AM

I don't have any trouble reaching the windshield while standing on the front tires with the hood flipped up. But I can't reach the motorhome overhang part. Got
ta use my setup to do that.

bushpilot · 09-29-2011, 12:38 PM

Im 6'0" and cant reach all of the windshield even standing on the tire, much less the "attic" bed over the cab.

I stand on the engine and scrub the bugs off (using the dryer sheet "trick") and do the same thing to clean the windshield.

FWIW the front end of our coach is covered in 3M "invisible bra" - including the "attic over hang" - so these areas are less susceptible to paint damage and much easier to clean.

Bob86ZZ4 · 09-29-2011, 12:59 PM

I never thought about the 3m stuff. Is that hard to put on? Can you buy it by the roll? Maybe I should cover that section with new film every spring and not worry so much about cleaning it? Hhhhmmm.

bushpilot · 09-29-2011, 01:07 PM

IMO the film should be professionally installed - its harder to apply then Window Tint (and ive applied plenty of that) !

3M Invisible bra - is applied over curved surfaces (around headlights, curved bumper and hood, etc)

my suggestion - youre better off having it professionally installed (let the professionals be the frustrated ones)

bushpilot · 10-24-2011, 03:39 PM

Needed our ladder TWICE this weekend....

once to adjust the awning (it was windy) and the awning shifted a little on the roller.

the 2nd time was when one of the roof vents was left open (one of the pins rattled loose and the vent cover came off)...

w/out a ladder i would have been hosed....an awning that wouldnt roll up (completely) and an open VENT could have presented bigger issues !

Bob86ZZ4 · 10-24-2011, 04:12 PM

Good deal. Hay, don't you have those Max Air covers over your vents? They allow you to leave the vents open when rolling down the road and in the rain. Very good. If you store your coach outside they are a must so you can leave your vents open.

bushpilot · 10-24-2011, 04:36 PM

no, dont have 'em - quite frankly, until you said it, i wasnt sure i saw the value in them

in texas we dont get to open our windows very often

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob86ZZ4

Good deal. Hay, don't you have those Max Air covers over your vents? They allow you to leave the vents open when rolling down the road and in the rain. Very good. If you store your coach outside they are a must so you can leave your vents open.

You may also like: