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Rom · 05-08-2011, 05:26 PM

Posted this in the National RV groups at Yahoo and other than an E-bay recommendation, there's another possible source where I could buy a replacement roof ladder for my coach. That's the Topline Manufacturing @ Paramount, CA where they're supposedly selling National RV ladders. But they can't tell whether one is for a Tradewinds, Tropical, Dolphin or Seabreeze. Anyone here knows of any other possible source for roof ladders, specifically an OEM type for National?

njs42 · 05-08-2011, 05:55 PM

If anyone can help this will be important for others. Here is my experience.

I just went through this--it was an insurance claim, thankfully. Topline in order to make the ladder 03 Dolphin LX---had to have it cut into sections, shipped to them, they make the ladder and ship it back.. Because of the size etc; the heaviest cost is shipping. The guy that removed and replaced the ladder and mailed it---laughed outloud when I told him what we had to do. so did the insurance adjuster until he found out it was what was required.

Mine was an unbelievable $800 for the insurance co (no deductible) more than half was shipping.

I searched on line and found some generic ladders but they were all too short. Otherwise it would have been a DIY project.

For the life of me I cannot understand why Topline, the primary supplier to National RV did not keep at least some schematics or measurements so these could be made on order.

Vegasdan · 05-09-2011, 10:20 AM

Just an Idea, but you might check with Topline and see if they could do this: get a length of butcher's paper, lay your ladder on it's side on the paper and trace an outline also showing acurite measurements from point to point. Just an idea. Would save shipping the old one.

Rom · 05-09-2011, 10:31 PM

That's exactly what Topline told me when I called them; disassemble the ladder and mail it to them. I told them I can't do that since my Dolphin is parked outside and with all these rain in WA, I could not afford to have those screw holes open and exposed to the rain.

What I did, I measured the overall length, distances from each support to the chassis and also from the top to the leg support on the roof. Then I made a drawing indicating all the measurements, scan it and send as a PDF file to Topline. Did that this morning so I'm waiting for them to respond.