Friday, July 1, 2011

Sagging steps

One thing I have notices is that there are several products on the market to prevent the folding steps from sagging. Most are legs that go under the steps and have to ge adjusted every time the camper is moved. After looking at the problem and the many options on the market I came up with my own idea. Almost all the campers I looked at had the steps installed in the same way. I understand that the different manufacturers use standard steps. This very practice is the reason the steps sag. The steps are made to fit many different models of campers so there is a space between the rear of the steps and the frame. Most are only attached to the floor of the camper which puts alot of stress on the connecting hardware as well as the floor.
To fix this problem I used two pieces of one inch aluminum angle, which can be purchased at any warehouse store like Home Depot or Lowes. And four 1/4 inch bolts that where one inch long.
You have to have the camper leveled and then level the steps. Once the steps are level measure the distance between the rear of the steps and the frame. Add about four inches to this measurement, for attachement hardware. Then cut your angles, aluminum angle can be cut with a hacksaw, skill saw, or miter saw (NO SPECIAL BLADES NEEDED). Then clamp the angles into place, making sure they are placed all the way to the frame bridging the gap. Drill two holes in each side for the bolts, install bolts, and tighten.
The finished fix will keep the steps on the same level as the camper without any extra adjustments. It also made the steps much more stable, and was cheaper than any of the products on the market. In all it took about one hour to complete, and cost about ten dollars.

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