Cheap Rear Ladder Repair

[George Boley]

I've been so dang busy with the Rally/Caravan Coordinator's job, I haven't had much time to tinker on the coach. However I did get to a project on my friend's BF that I need to share with you.

He just bought it, but the last owner backed into something and bent/broke the ladder in two places. After pricing a new ladder for $100, plus $150 to crate and about $100 to ship, I talked him into fixing it.

We removed the ladder, took a hack saw and cut off the tubing right at the breaks (4 cuts). The steps are attached with roll pins, pushed in from the back side of the step into a blind hole. We drilled a small hole in the front of the step so we could push the pin out with a drift. Then we temporarily pushed a 3/4" OD pipe into the ends of the ladder tubing just to get the kinks out, we were then able to push a 1/2" (7/8"OD) iron pipe up into the ladder's tubing about 7-8". It fit perfect and tight. Yes, we remembered to put the step back on before we did this. Two of the breaks were right where the step was. We pop rivited through into the iron pipe on the back side of the ladder ONLY, where the rivit heads would not be seen. Prior to putting the step back on we tapped the hole facing the front of the ladder and inserted a 1/4" 20 bolt in from the back of the step where the bolt head would not show, and filed the bolt flush where it came out of the front of the step. It is now stronger than it was when new.

I am rather pleased with the results and would only do one little thing different next time. But, the best part, which always gives me a high, is the total cost was less than $2 and some time pawing through the junk box. George B

PS. This coach will be at the Florida rally if you want to take a peak!