Community Forums

Mageksl · 06-05-2015, 06:59 AM

I read a post over in the General Discussion forum on where to source a new rear ladder for a Monaco. Not wanting to hi-jack their thread I'll post here.

My ladder has some minor damage but looks like a real heavyweight has been going up and down. The anchors/mounts have started to pull away from the coach body bending the bases. The bases are held on with pop rivets which are tight to the coach.

My question is are these rivets just into the fiberglass rear cap? I would think there must be some sort of backer, probably a metal strip or fender washers, behind the cap to spread the load. If there is a backer what are the materials? Is it encapsulated into the cap or will it fall out onto the ground when the rivets are removed? Suggestions for fasteners other than rivets or just stay with them?

Has anybody run into this?

Thanks in advance.

Happycarz · 06-05-2015, 09:49 AM

See if these folks have the parts you need.

https://www.factoryrvsurplus.com/cat...ategory_id=155

Mageksl · 06-06-2015, 07:03 AM

Thanks, Happycarz. That's another source of materials.

What I was really looking for was the construction of the attachment points. What do the stand-offs and foot pads connect to? What's structural behind the fiberglass that they attach to?

Johnontheroad · 06-06-2015, 08:04 AM

The ladder supports were starting to come loose on or '09 Camelot so I removed the 4 screws holding the base on. These screws were heavy duty self tapping screws, not sure if there was a backing or not. Doesn't give you much confidence. But at least now the base is tight on the rear cap...

I also have one loose on the top, don't know how to get to that one (even if I were to remove the sealant) because the only way I could see to lift that up would be to remove all support below it...

Willie300s · 06-06-2015, 11:07 AM

My ladder sections were not bolted together so they would slide apart and put all the weight on just a couple of mounting brackets. Adding the bolts distributes the weight evenly over all the brackets.

windsorbill · 06-07-2015, 11:11 AM

Concerning the backers for the ladder supports, my coach has plywood pieces fiberglassed in place when it was built. How do I know?, when I was replacing my rear flood lights (up high on the rear cap), I took a camera on a flexible rod and looked around inside that rear cap. There is really no other access to that hollow area--at least on mine. BTW, My ladder is attached with screws, I saw someone had posted their ladder was attached with rivets.

Happycarz · 06-07-2015, 04:00 PM

My ladder is screwed into the fiberglass with no backer, pretty thin for supporting someone on the ladder, but it does work well for me.

I make sure the screws are tight, being careful not to strip the fiberglass. Periodically, I have to take off the whole standoff off to tighten the internal nut that holds the mounting bracket to the standoff. I use a step ladder and remove the screws holding the standoff to the ladder on at least 4 to be able to flex the ladder enough to get the standoff out, after removing the screws on each bracket. Then I tighten the nut and reverse the procedure.

It is wise to use marking and make matching stripes on the standoff at the bracket, as they are canted to match the motorhome. Also, don't mix them up as they are often not interchangeable with each other.

Once the ladder becomes loose, pieces start braking and/or screws stripping out of the fiberglass. If everything is snug, the ladder will work as designed.