Tightening Ladder Bolts

[timandsusan]

Looks like some of the bolts holding my rear ladder to the roof are loose--it looks like I will have to remove the bolts holding the ladder to the RV to get access to the bolts that tighten the ladder joints (where the steps meet the vertical supports). Any one done this one?

[washley1]

Yeah, I thought long and hard and took it to my dealer and let them do it!

[Irlpguy]

Depending on how many are loose it is not that big a job. I recall 4 screws attach the bracket to the RV and one screw through the ladder rail. I had several that were loose from the factory and with a battery operated nut driver it did not take long.

I replaced the caulking and you will likely need to replace it at the RV as well, and be careful you don't over tighten those screws as they only go into the fiberglass cap.

Certainly not a job I would haul my RV to the dealer for.

[hunts800]

On mine, several of the expandable nuts the bolts go into disintegrated. Replaced entire ladder under extended warranty. I believe my error was tying my Lab on a 12 foot lead to the mlladder when sitting outside, and the sideways force to the ladder when the dog would bounce around when a pup. Don't do that anymore, no more problems.

[1retired06]

Those ladders are fairly flimsey. I alway lean my telescoptic ladder against it and use that to get to the roof.

[bigskyjimmy]

Yep,I was always nervous about the ladder because I weigh 230 so just to be sure I checked them and a few were loose not bad but I cinched them down tight, all good now been up there many times with no problems.....YET but I always have a KUNG FU grip on each rung when I go up

[ols1932]

When mine came loose I was unable to get them to retighten so I opted to have the entire ladder repaired by D & T RV Repair in Goshen, IN in 2006 and it has been solid ever since.

Orv

[DQDick]

Since I weigh 250# and have feet too big to comfortably use it anyway, my ladder just holds my real ladder and I've never used it, after my first try, to access anything.

[timandsusan]

I will take the electric drill approach and tighten slowly! Also caulk. I am more concerned that my strapped on ladder will go bouncing down the road when the RV ladder fails! My climbing skills on ladders was honed on climbing the masts of US Navy Cruiser and Frigates for the antennas that my company made and we installed on the top of the mast. Always have 3 firms points before moving the last firm hold or step to the next one.

[Exnavydiver]

I would use a hand screw driver to reinstall the screws, so many of the screws on our rig were stripped during the build because they got aggressive with the drill.