From all the very good discourse we've had on this particular thread, there are a few 'facts' that seem relevant for us to consider.
Occasionally, when an unusual or uncommon such-and-such equipment failure is posted on WTW, there are some folks that will generally dismiss it as a statistical outlier and, therefore, unimportant in the larger scheme of things. But, if you just happened to be the OP who experienced the unfortunate failure of the step, the view of the incident can look a whole lot different and very troubling. I believe what we'd all like to see in order to wrap up this thread is some kind of resolution in our understanding of what actually happened to that step, and I had understood the OP (Kifo4173) was going to be in contact with the step manufacturer about that. I resurrected the thread last week in hopes of getting more intel, since I'd really, really, really like to know whatever there is to know about how the step failed, preferably presented in understandable, analytical terms.
The knowledge that very similar steps (but forged in stainless solid steel?) are available on the market makes me think I'll consider replacing out my casted-coated steps one of these days when I'm feeling especially rich. On the same track, perhaps FWC can examine the pros/cons of a more upscale step in future product applications, and determine whether a switch from Al-coated/casted to solid SS steps might be warranted for longevity/safety reasons.
[Full disclosure] I've mostly used my steps for hanging trash sacks, bungees, mtn-bike transport supports, and other tiedowns. They are very useful for these things, but I'd still like to be reasonably assured I'm not facing an extremely gnarly 'accident' waiting for me in the queue at some inopportune moment in the future.
Rico
