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zippinbye · 02-25-2021, 06:08 PM

I'm hoping that my sig details are displayed. I think I have that dialed-in now, but I welcome comments stating otherwise. Just in case it's a "no," we're talking about a 2005 Newmar Dutch Star M-4023 on a Spartan MM chassis. Looks like a rogue branch hurt my ladder as I backed into a parking spot. I know a picture is worth a lot of words. None in hand now, so I'll try to describe.

The right vertical tube is bent left and severed within the top rung. The anchor point on the roof pulled out. That leaves about a 2 foot "semi-hoop" completely detached where I found it, laying on the roof. Its mate is bent somewhat left but not broken, and it's roof anchor is loosened. The appearance of damage seems to terminate below the uppermost stand-off tubes. So it's really the upper 30 inches or so that are impacted, pardon the pun. Even if I could make a safe structural repair to the broken tube, I expect I would not be able to make the upper portion of the ladder look straight.

The ladder appears to be made Kemberly Inc., which became an Atwood entity over the years. Poking around the Net, I find that plastic rung end caps are by far the most common parts that can be purchased. A few other peripheral parts are available, but nothing remotely similar to the vertical tube that's broken. I did find a vendor listing for a "repair sleeve" which is a piece of tubing I gather could slip inside 2 broken tube ends in order to tie them together. It's out of stock. Looks like a simple aluminum tube. maybe I could source something similar at a local supplier or fabricator.

I think the best and most expensive solution would be a total ladder replacement, but I'm skeptical that one with the correct dimensions/mounting point commonality exists. I won't say that I don't care about the cost. But I do want to make it look like new. I think I'll give the sleeve-mating technique a go, along with re-anchoring the stressed mounting points with bigger screws; then apply judicious pressure to realign the upper ladder area. It won't look great, but should be serviceable. Perhaps nobody but me will notice - it took me a week to be aware of the damage because it's so high up and I had not seen the rig from a far at the necessary angle. My wife is still unaware. Can't wait for the "told ya so" for not having her spot me in reverse!

I can't be the first RV owner to require a solution to this problem. Please share your experience or ideas. Thanks!

chuckftboy · 02-25-2021, 07:46 PM

Don't know what state you are in but if you are close to a shop that fabricates tops for boats, they use a lot of aluminum tubing for T-Tops and railings. They could probably supply a piece of tube for you to make a tube-in-tube repair.

I damaged a ladder backing into my garage a few years back and found it best to just replace the entire ladder. Cost was right at $500.00 so it isn't inexpensive by any means.

deffinba · 02-25-2021, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckftboy

Don't know what state you are in but if you are close to a shop that fabricates tops for boats, they use a lot of aluminum tubing for T-Tops and railings. They could probably supply a piece of tube for you to make a tube-in-tube repair.

I damaged a ladder backing into my garage a few years back and found it best to just replace the entire ladder. Cost was right at $500.00 so it isn't inexpensive by any means.

The steps are attached with a roll pin that is very difficult to remove. I ended up buying a new step. I used a large punch to round the tube sufficient to insert the splicing tube. Since the step covers the splice, it can't be seen.

sbleiweiss · 02-26-2021, 07:08 AM

We had a broken ladder. The design was terrible in that it extended too close to the ground and would bottom out over dips. Thor told us who manufactured the ladder. We called them and not only were able to get an exact replacement, but they were willing to make it a little shorter at the bottom but with the same exact connection points. Don't know if you can contact your manufacturer, but that would be the surest way.

rssnape · 02-27-2021, 04:24 PM

I have seen just the tubing on factoryrvsurplus but it appears that they don’t have it. The repair tube is 7/8 and the star nut is for 1 inch tubing.
If you were adventurous you could buy the tubing and a conduit bender and fabricate it your self.

It might be easier just to order it.