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12-29-2024, 04:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 785
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Mod: Storing a telescoping ladder above bins in storage bay
I've been storing a telescoping ladder on top of two plastic storage bins in the driver's side bay behind my inverters in my 2023 New Aire. The problem is that those are my storage bins for keeping all things black tank and additional fesh water seperate. Anytime I wanted to set up or break down the ladder is in my way.
I had my son, who is taking welding classes, add a couple of small tabs to a piece of 1/8" thick angle iron that I picked up at Home Depot. I measured the outside width of the bay's star foundation uprights to the back of the bay, cut the angle iron, cut two tabs, had him weld them to each end to make the angle iron now look like a 'T', drilled mounting holes, then painted it black with some rust preventing paint.
The first picture shows the angle iron mounted with the flat edge on top, to act as a small shelf, as viewed from the opposite bays on the passenger side. You can see where I had to remove the aluminum angle iron that holds the edge of the clear acrylic panels that protects the electrical items. This was then cut down to two brackets to create room for my ladder support to mount flush to the star foundation uprights.
Once that was mounted in place for the top of the ladder to lay down on, I then mounted some velcro based straps to the top of the bay near the doors where each of the ladder's two uprights are.
Now I can easily store my ladder up against the roof of the bay out of the way. Both bins can be removed and stored without worrying about the ladder.
When I want to retrieve and store the ladder I can also leave the storage bins in place. However it is easier if the first bin is removed as the bin furthest to the back can stay in place and act as a ramp to leverage the top of the ladder against when positioning on and off the newly added ladder support angle iron.
Hopefully others find this helpful. Note that I twisted off two self tapping stainless steel screws even though I predrilled the holes. Only use the very best if you don't want to go through the frustration I did dealing with crappy/cheap screws.
Best,
-Mark
__________________
2023 Newmar New Aire 3543
2018 Tiffin Wayfarer 24BW
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo Dinghy
2024- Present Secretary & Treasurer, NKK Oregon Explorers
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12-29-2024, 08:15 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,703
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If you have a 15 or newer MA,LA,ESSEX or KA your telescoping ladder will stow right in front of your gen. Turn the ladder up side down and when you drop it in the pads on the ladder legs will stop it from going all the way down. We do put a couple HD tie wraps to hold in place.
Newmar Man
__________________
Tom/Teri 16031 NKK 117995 FMCA
18 London Aire 4531 Spartan K-3 605
97-04 LA 04-18 Essex 2018 London Aire
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12-29-2024, 08:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: Phx AZ
Posts: 322
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Nice Mark. We have the same ladder and simply put it on two storage bins, a perfect fit for our setup. I like you idea though.
__________________
JD & Heather Harris
Newmar, 2022 Ventana, 4334
Toad 2020 F-350, 8' Bed
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12-30-2024, 08:43 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 785
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom chelbana
If you have a 15 or newer MA,LA,ESSEX or KA your telescoping ladder will stow right in front of your gen. Turn the ladder up side down and when you drop it in the pads on the ladder legs will stop it from going all the way down. We do put a couple HD tie wraps to hold in place.
Newmar Man
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Very jealous! Unfortunately on the New Aires the generator isn't on a sliding tray and the front access hatch is just small enough to make playing tetris with the ladder too difficult.
Best,
-Mark
__________________
2023 Newmar New Aire 3543
2018 Tiffin Wayfarer 24BW
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo Dinghy
2024- Present Secretary & Treasurer, NKK Oregon Explorers
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12-30-2024, 11:46 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: So Cal
Posts: 676
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Roof access via a ladder is mandatory for RV use. Still a mystery to me why Newmar no longer provides them on the rear of diesel pushers.
__________________
2017 Newmar Ventana 3709
2017 Jeep Wrangler (2 door) 2022 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
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12-30-2024, 05:36 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Full timers
Posts: 375
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom chelbana
If you have a 15 or newer MA,LA,ESSEX or KA your telescoping ladder will stow right in front of your gen. Turn the ladder up side down and when you drop it in the pads on the ladder legs will stop it from going all the way down. We do put a couple HD tie wraps to hold in place.
Newmar Man
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Unfortunately my larger telescoping ladder doesn't fit into this area. I have a 16.5 ft ladder and its too wide to fit into that gap.
__________________
2024 London Aire 4521
2023 Jeep GC Overland 4xe
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12-30-2024, 06:35 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: WATERBURY, CT.
Posts: 1,229
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Nice job, I always like seeing inovation to solve provlems.
I store mine on top of the frame rails in the front bay fits perfectly and never moves.
I also store my Genturi kit along side the ladder.
Ted
__________________
My name is Ted, My coach 2019 NEWMAR Ventana 4369 (Vickie) Cummins L9 451 Horsepower.
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12-31-2024, 01:57 AM
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#8
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Brad
Join Date: Oct 2024
Posts: 53
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This looks great, Mark! Gotta see if I can talk my son into taking some welding classes.
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12-31-2024, 07:58 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lenexa KS
Posts: 2,194
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Thanks for sharing the pics Mark. I need to do this as well.
__________________
Bill & Kelli 2015 Dutch Star 4366
2002 Safari Zanzibar 3906
1995 Fleetwood Bounder 36JD
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12-31-2024, 09:16 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 785
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rvwiththefam
This looks great, Mark! Gotta see if I can talk my son into taking some welding classes. 
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Thanks! I don't know if the welded tabs are necessary as a piece of unmodified angle iron without tabs should work given the light weight of the ladder. I was perhaps too cautious and overthought/overengineered that part...
Best,
-Mark
__________________
2023 Newmar New Aire 3543
2018 Tiffin Wayfarer 24BW
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo Dinghy
2024- Present Secretary & Treasurer, NKK Oregon Explorers
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01-07-2025, 03:40 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 67
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Based on suggestions of others I am able to store mine above the generator.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zZoonugLCtxQQdPQ7
__________________
2024 Newmar Dutch Star 4018
2016 Ventana 3436, 500Ah Lithium, 1200W solar
2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
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01-14-2025, 08:13 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Wales, FL (Lake Ashton RV Community)
Posts: 1,040
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When the coaches that you build are north of 13 feet tall they’re simply isn’t clearance for the traditional RV ladder.
__________________
Dan Leininger
2019 Mountain Aire 4534 and a 2017 Ford Expedition 4x4
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01-15-2025, 08:23 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Virginia
Posts: 29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danleininger
When the coaches that you build are north of 13 feet tall they’re simply isn’t clearance for the traditional RV ladder.
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Is a typical RV ladder really higher than the A/C units and Maxx Air vent fan covers? I thought it was more aesthetics related. Seems like they could put an extension on the ladder to overcome that issue if they wanted to. I think I saw one video where they put a couple of grab handles on the roof instead of extending the ladder up.
To back this up no ladder is available on the 12'3" New Aire but one is optional on the 12'11" or 13'1" Ventana and standard on the 12'10" to 12'11" Kountry Star / Northern Star. I think the assumption is if you are paying well over half a mil for a coach, you are paying someone else to climb up onto your roof and they can bring their own ladder.
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