don't buy this folding step

sourdough

Senior Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
179
Location
(805)
I've had this folding step for about a year with no problems until my foot went right through the top step. 300 lb. weight limit and I weigh 230. Yes, I was exiting my camper. It was an ugly fall and I was very lucky to only have sprained my wrist.
img_101102_0_d61bc6a7a9c1bab8e5c1097b31b9c204.jpg
 
Yeah, glad you are ok. Thanks for posting the tip. My wife was just looking at that stool to buy. I guess we will stick with our old folding step stool.
 
I've found few steps designed for slide-in campers. None were standouts. I'm thinking the slide-in camper industry should joint venture a bold new step design. One that works so well with their product and is priced so appealing it makes out sourcing a step, dangerous, un-necessary. FYI, my wife climbed into the FWC once and upon climbing out said never again, but have fun. Once inside she liked it well enough but getting there was a deal breaker. I've found it to be one of the biggest problems using a slide in camper. I've owned a full door hard side too. Steps are still the issue. Mines up for sale anyway. It's been fun but a used Lexus 430SC and a $100 motel room looks better every year. Rant over. Cheers
 
Saw a pop-up at Yellowstone using what looked like a six foot ladder with the steps perpendicular to the door - awkward. The owners came round just as we were finishing set-up and chatted for a bit and cast envious eyes on our 30 year old steel folding step stool. I mentioned the Cosco two step folding stool is pretty close as we bought one to use around the house when we found our old wedding present worked perfectly for the camper.

Alan
 
I bought that step - it broke the second day we used it. Weight was less than 175lbs.
 
longhorn1 said:
I purchased a 2-step trailer hitch step. The manufacturer is C.R. Brophy.

http://www.crbrophy.com/
I concur with John. I got mine from eTrailer.com. The steps are solid and secure. They're always in the same place so you don't even have to look at your feet (important for me as it is easier to exit the camper butt first.) They never shift or slide. I can stand on the bottom step and lean in to get something out of the fridge without worry.

The only problem is that if you use primitive roads you might drag and bend the bottom step up. I solved this by having a local welder hinge the bottom step. You can find my blog post on this here.
 
Nice solution to the step issue.
We still find though for us the sturdy step stool works best. Since I have a Tundra the truck bed is a few inches longer than the Bobcat camper so I can use the license plate area of the bumper for the first step.
A lot of the time we don't use the steps at all. When I do i bungee them to the trailer hitch so they don't shift.
BUT we always try to be cautious when exiting or entering. Sure don't want to fall.
Thanks Bill for posting your steps.
Frank
 
I'm holding on to my beloved 2-step folding steps as long as I can, because it seems like they're no longer available.
ID2504B%20ez%20folding%20step%20stool%20china-500x500.jpg

(just a pic I found on the web to link to).
It's borne my not-light-weight for several years and fits my needs.

The current version is smaller without the intermediate step:
0544257.jpg


A step that's connected to the truck -- hitch-mounted -- or the camper would be OK, too, and might be better than my current step because it doesn't depend on the ground.
But it would only be OK --for me -- if it didn't hang down at all while driving. I don't want to have to think about, worry about, dragging something when driving over rocky/bumpy ground.
 
MarkBC said:
I'm holding on to my beloved 2-step folding steps as long as I can, because it seems like they're no longer available.
ID2504B%20ez%20folding%20step%20stool%20china-500x500.jpg

(just a pic I found on the web to link to).
It's borne my not-light-weight for several years and fits my needs.

The current version is smaller without the intermediate step:
0544257.jpg


A step that's connected to the truck -- hitch-mounted -- or the camper would be OK, too, and might be better than my current step because it doesn't depend on the ground.
But it would only be OK --for me -- if it didn't hang down at all while driving. I don't want to have to think about, worry about, dragging something when driving over rocky/bumpy ground.

Me too! The lower step has cracked on mine but I will find a way to fix it. Sad they are no longer available.
 
I use a step that is built to put into the reciever hitch. I like it a lot but there is times when that is too high.
 
idahoron said:
I use a step that is built to put into the reciever hitch. I like it a lot but there is times when that is too high.
Only had my receiver step too high one time. I almost turned the truck around, if I did it would have been fine. I still carry the Rubbermade step that so many have so I just used it.


P1100647.JPG
 
I have the same step that MarkBC has, the lower step broke on my first one. The store where I purchased the step replaced it, so far it has done well. I am not sure why they don't sell them any longer, they fold up and are easy to use. On my new truck I am going to design and build a folding type step to attach to the receiver, so I can still tow my boat. Check out the Little Giant Ladders, they have a small two step and three step with wide steps. These would great for the campers.
 
billharr said:
Only had my receiver step too high one time. I almost turned the truck around, if I did it would have been fine. I still carry the Rubbermade step that so many have so I just used it.


P1100647.JPG
Bill I wondered at the time ,last year at Zion why you didn't turn the truck around.
Seemed like a long way down from the camper door.
Easy to get hurt.

Frank
 
Back
Top Bottom