Stair rail for Monty bedroom steps. - Montana Owners Club

Wrenchtraveller · 03-14-2006, 02:27 AM

I want to put a rail or a handle on my Monty's bedroom step. My Dad will be 80 this summer and has trouble going up steps with out a handle or handrail to help himself up .
Him and Mom will come and visit us once in a while
I want something that is practical and still looks good. I have thought of buying the narrow oak handrail and attaching it with wood or brass brackets to the TV cabinet and the wall of the little toilet room. That would look good but the sliding door would not be able to close all the way. Then I have thought of an Oak grab handle attached to the wall partition beside the shower. These two places both have good solid anchor points for the rail or handle.

We all know that stair falls are a major cause of accidents so I was wondering if any of you folks have come up with a better idea so I am open to suggestions and thanks for so many great ideas in that favorite improvement thread. This website is fantastic. Take care.

Bill and Ann · 03-14-2006, 02:39 AM

We purchased a hand grip similar to the one on the inside of the entrance door to unit. It is oak, and similar in shape and size. It works for us as Mark also has trouble on stairs.

Dano · 03-14-2006, 03:17 AM

We orderd one from our dealer that is the same as the entry door. I havent installed it yet but its gonna fit just perfect and still be able to shut the door.

Parrothead · 03-14-2006, 04:57 AM

We have installed one at the stairs (forgot to mention that in my improvements). It is the same as the one at the entrance and came from Keystone. On the 3400 we installed it on the wall of the pantry. Keystone cautioned us about installing on the wall of the washer/dryer closet because of all the wiring in that wall. We did a few trials of what heighth to use. I like it because I can use it to go up but also I can hold on to it going down the stairs for stability (my foot does not always pick up all the way so going down is just as hard as going up). The nice thing is that it does not interfere with anything and really looks like it belongs there.
Happy trails...........................

richfaa · 03-14-2006, 05:57 AM

The stair rail a very good idea..however what did you attach it to..the interior walls of a RV are so flimsy they would not hold anything.We thought about doing that because I have a very bad knee but if we screwed it to the wall the first time we put any weight on it we would rip the wall out???? I missed the anchor points mentioned...

bob n pam · 03-14-2006, 10:14 AM

Ours is an oak round rail with a brass fitting at each end. It does keep the sliding door from closing all the way, but we just open the potty room door to completely block the view from below. Ours was installed by the dealer.

Parrothead · 03-14-2006, 10:42 AM

Rich
On the 3400 you can install into the wood of the pantry cupboard. I'll take a picture soon and post.
Happy trails..................

richfaa · 03-14-2006, 11:17 AM

There are times when I wish the 3400 was in the driveway so i could look at these things..but then I look outside and the snow is falling////

Wrenchtraveller · 03-14-2006, 01:48 PM

Thanks for all the great replies. Rich, I have not done this mod yet, just getting ideas and right now I am leaning to a wooden handle like at our outside door. If I go to a railing the corner of the TV cabinet on a 2955RL is a solid member as well as the doorway to the biffy room and they would be my anchor points. If I go to a handle, then the opposite side has a good middle anchor point at the wall next to the shower.
Every model probably has a different place to anchor a railing or handle but it sounds like an important enough improvement that Keystone should at least offer it as an option. Most Fiver buyers are not on the sunny side of 40 and stairs on a fiver make many people choose a TT instead.
Me, I love the headroom and feeling of ceiling space in a high profile Fifth Wheel so I would like to make those stairs a little safer.

richfaa · 03-14-2006, 02:35 PM

Yes we have got to do the Railing thing..All the fun we had playing city league baseball, flag football, etc and all the injuries we shook off when we were 20 /30 years old are now coming back to haunt us.At times my knee will just not work and I've got to have electric start everything because of a rotator cuff injury years ago.But I'm feeling good..yes I am..agghhhh.

Wrenchtraveller · 03-15-2006, 01:27 AM

One of the Companies I work for bought into a safety plan that was endorsed by Dupont.
Dupont supposedly has the best safety record around and they have a very strict policy on going up and down stairs. They insist that their employees always have one hand on a railing and they enforce this rule. Statistics show that injuries that are caused by falls on stairs don't only
happen to folks with worn out parts, they happen to everybody.

Along the same subject, we only considered 5th wheels that had bedroom-bath areas that are all on one level like our Montys. It is incredible how many Fivers built have more than one level up in the bedroom. Some Keystone lines have these two level bedrooms also and you have to wonder how many people have got up in the middle of the night to answer a call to nature and ended up doing a face-plant from one of these traps.

jpf · 03-15-2006, 09:43 AM

We picked an oak one at an RV store in Pahrump Nevada. Similar to the interior oak handle at the entrance door however it is longer and has double openings for two grips. Helps with both going up and down. Height placement is per DW's comfort level. Fastened to the forward side edge of the pantry wall (3400) to what passes for a stud with sheetrock screws. Very stable. ($19.95 plus tax).

tbhd · 03-15-2006, 03:05 PM

We have a 3670 and before we picked up our 5th wheel from the dealer, we had them install another matching handle below the one at the entry door. Also added one at the stairs going up to the bedroom. Very secure and really helps getting up and down.

Kathi · 03-15-2006, 03:13 PM

I needed a handle before Paul had his stroke but now I know we will be needing one for both of us. We will probably have our friend Jim put it in for us. As long as we tell him how to do it, he can. We just have to know what we are doing, then we can direct him. He is a tremendous help since Paul's stroke....

tbhd · 03-15-2006, 03:45 PM

Here's a picture of the one going into the bedroom. Now if I could just remember how to make the picture smaller.

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