Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Anyone use ' "Solid Step" stairs? for Truck Camper

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Topic: Anyone use ' "Solid Step" stairs? for Truck Camper

Posted By: nord.nord on 12/22/17 02:11pm

Looking for a better solution for stairs, hate the scissors. Has anyone tried Lippert Components "Solid Step" stairs? They have one that's 20" which might fit, but it only has 4 steps and I probably need 5 or 4 with a block step under the bottom. All the applications I've seen were in trailers which are not tall. My door is at least 40 inches off the ground and put to 50 depending on the ground

Posted By: hedge on 12/22/17 02:29pm

I have no experience with those steps but like you said, not sure they are meant for a door that high off the ground.

My current camper has a nice built in step but on my last one I didn't like the scissor steps either so I used a Little giant safety steps. It's like a portable staircase. I'm thinking you'd probably want the 4 step model.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Ladd........&keywords=little+giant+safety+step&psc=1

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Posted By: WNYBob on 12/22/17 02:41pm

Here is what I looked at when I had a TC.

Wooden steps

Posted By: Kayteg1 on 12/22/17 02:46pm

Did you use the latest glow steps stow n'go bracket?
That made night a day when comes to using them. I made a thread about the upgrade and still have more mods to add to it at later time.

Posted By: SideHillSoup on 12/22/17 05:23pm

My buddy was over the other day talking about the same thing. What we did over a few afternoon cocktails that day was google “camper steps” and then clicked on “Photos” and tons of different pictures showed up that you can scroll through and get an idea of what to you can do. He chose one that slide in his receiver hitch that folds up....
Try that,,, see what shows up.
Soup.

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Posted By: nord.nord on 12/22/17 10:20pm

Hey thanks for the reply. I have used a ladder, but it doesn't work well on uneven ground, where I often camp. I own a Little Giant, but didn't know about this one. I heard from the MORryder guy and I hope to convince them TruckCamper folks need something like this.

Posted By: notsobigjoe on 12/23/17 08:45am

this is what I have. It is foldaway, when I travel it goes in the booth area. It is very sturdy and attaches to the camper via Velcro. It does not attach directly to the camper and is free standing. I Love it. He lives way up north and is closed until spring. Good luck!!!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-RV-Deck-with-steps-and-railings/222625719188

Posted By: SidecarFlip on 12/23/17 10:13am

Looks to me like just more stuff to carry in a limited TC carry space. Cannot beat the TL Stow and Go, they stay on the outside and take up no room.

I had the Little Giant ladder, the TL steps are much better, very stable and storage is no issue.

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Posted By: nord.nord on 12/24/17 04:44pm

Hi SidecarFlip, I am wondering how the TL Stow & Go is better than my factory provided scissor steps. My beef with the originals is they are rarely possible to get level when we camp outside RV parks (always) and they are always bouncy and precarious. So my question is not rhetorical, I just don't want to buy something and find I have a new version of the old with maybe a just a little better or not. Thanks for your reply!

Posted By: nord.nord on 12/24/17 04:46pm

Hi Notsobigjoe, I looked at the photo and I don't have room for one of those and I need at least 2 more steps. My doorway is always 40 inches to about 50 off the ground. Thanks for the idea.

Posted By: Kayteg1 on 12/24/17 05:06pm

nord.nord wrote:

How about the picture?
No TC manufacturer is producing steps, so you have something added.
TL Glow steps seems to be the most popular (not cheap, but not too many choices) and Stow n'go bracket is latest upgrade to them.
They have option of adjustable feet, handrail and other stuff, so can be customized to everybody needs.
As Flip pointed - hard to beat their storage.

Posted By: yblaw on 12/24/17 11:28pm

I just installed the Torklift Glow Step Revolution 6-step model on my Host Mammoth, side entry TC. With the adjustable feet and handrail, it's a very sturdy, easy to use system.

Posted By: HMS Beagle on 12/25/17 11:22am

With any scissors steps, a rigid connection to the camper is essential. If you just have them mounted on the typical hanger, they will feel quite flimsy. A good set, rigidly mounted, is as good as any RV steps. The problem with most RV steps intended for trailers and motorhomes is they do not have enough steps, making the first or last step very high.

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Posted By: yblaw on 12/25/17 12:51pm

I should have mentioned that the TL Glow Step Revolution system has an adjustable top step so it can be closer or further away from the entrance step; that, in addition to the independently adjustable height landing legs designed to compensate for unlevel ground, makes this the best step system I've used in more than 40 years of motorhome, 5th wheel, travel trailer and TC ownership.......

Posted By: TxGearhead on 12/25/17 09:13pm

I guess it was the solid step I saw on a 5th wheel a couple weeks ago. It is mounted vertically inside the door to the threshold. Open the door, unlatch it, and pull it down. I'm not sure if you could reach the latch on a TC with basement.
My scissors steps at OK. I assume the previous owner drilled and tapped the "hooks" on the camper part and the top bar on the step. Seems secure enough with a bolt in them. I wrap a cable around them with a carabiner when travelling.
I still think if you aren't happy with scissor steps, make your own steps out of plywood, cover with astroturf and store inside the camper while travelling.

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Posted By: nord.nord on 12/25/17 10:29pm

Thanks for the responses all. I'm still working on this idea. I now have a truck tool box on a custom receiver hitch carrier with a pair of steps up to this "porch". May weld another step to the Brophy hitch steps (https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Step/Brophy/RHS2.html) and add a step to the top of the box to split the difference. Its all quite stable, but the steps are too far between at this point.

Posted By: stevenal on 12/26/17 08:53am

Glow Step with modified Landing Gear:

[image]

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Posted By: nord.nord on 12/26/17 01:31pm

Your post says modified landing gear, so I guess you added the part with the black that has the aluminum feet coming down? and they adjust independently (can't see a pin).

Posted By: SidecarFlip on 12/26/17 01:56pm

The black part comes with them called 'landing gear' and they have a spring loaded detent clip that secures them plus the pads (feet) are removable. I got one the first sets made and I think they are the cat's meow.

Very stable, tuck up out of the way and deploy in about 5 seconds. Much better than a Little Giant ladder or any other steps in my opinion.

Just voted for them for 'accessory of the year' in Truck Camper Magazine Online.

Posted By: stevenal on 12/26/17 02:03pm

The Torklift Landing Gear as I received them were all black. I found some aluminum square tubing with the right corner curvature to cut into longer extensions.Un-modified Landing Gear

Posted By: SidecarFlip on 12/26/17 02:48pm

When I installed them on my TC I had to fabricate a mounting bracket which I welded to the roll formed channel that runs across the back of the camper underneath because my unit has no rear bumper and the steps require at least a 3" clear mount space below the door and I have less than 2". They came out better than I expected, well, not really in as much as I do metal fabrication I was confident it would come out ok and it did. They are very strong. I had an overweight (as in fat) friend test them for me. He weighs well over 280 and they never even flexed a bit with him not so nicely climbing up and down. I wanted to make sure they would bear the weight... They do.

I don't expect everyone to be able to weld and fabricate a custom mount (like I did) but they are a very well made and stable step.

Worth every penny TL wants for them.

Posted By: wnjj on 12/26/17 07:55pm

SidecarFlip wrote:

Much better than a Little Giant ladder or any other steps in my opinion.

For your purposes, it probably is and it's great that they work for you.

Since I usually tow a trailer, the Little Giant works where attached steps wouldn't. I also have a nice ladder to use around home or camp. It too deploys in about 5 seconds.

The ladder also works sideways when the truck/camper is in my shop parked within a couple feet of the back wall.

Posted By: JumboJet on 12/28/17 08:40am

I like the Torklift GlowSteps with the GlowGuide Handrail system. Lightweight. Attached. Glows in the dark for safe access.

Posted By: TxGearhead on 12/28/17 09:13am

So apparently no one has used the Lippert Solid Step?

Posted By: HMS Beagle on 12/28/17 04:06pm

The hanger bracket that comes with any of the scissors stairs makes a pretty flimsy connection to the camper. You want the pivot of the stair connected rigidly to the camper or truck. I've done it both ways and either works. On the last truck, I attached them to a hitch extension. On this camper and truck, I attached them to the camper bumper, since it had one. However you do it, this will make these steps (or any steps) much more stable feeling.

I personally find that if the steps are difficult to use (such as needing to drag them from the camper and set them up) you will dread using the camper. Too much work to get into it. With mine it is 2 seconds.

I wrote this up awhile ago but photobucket destroyed the effort. Here is part of it again. Here are all the pictures.

[image]

Posted By: SidecarFlip on 12/30/17 07:16am

wnjj wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

Much better than a Little Giant ladder or any other steps in my opinion.

I also tow a trailer about 90% of the time and I use a short drop ball hitch. Clears the steps in the stored position, close but clears. I jack knife the trailer to the drivers side when parked at the campsite and that way I can deploy the steps without removing the trailer at all.

I have one of those retractable ladders that goes along sometimes as well but my bunk ladder is usually the one that gets used the most. It's an aluminum one with rubber feet. Stromberg-Carlson I think.

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