Ladder Storage Rack Under Camper with pics

[JohnB]

Hi Folks

To clean off my slide roof I use a multi position ladder and I use it every campout. Do not have a slide topper yet so up we go each campout. Where we camp there is always “stuff” falling on the slide roof and I’m picky about bringing in the slide that is not dry and no foreign objects on the roof….

I had this ladder before we had the slide camper so I have been using it for the camper and at home where ever I need it. It also allows me to get up on the roof if I have an issue at camp. The only problem is dealing with it in the truck bed. It is on the bottom and things go in the rungs and on top. Come break camp day the truck bed gets rearranged twice, getting it out and back in. Since I have a short bed truck it is about 3/4 of the bed length so a lot of stuff has to move.

Been planning this storage shelf under the camper for some time now and this weekend I finished it up. Since a substantially stable RV portable ladder to do the slide and main roof is over the $100 bill, figured I would just keep using the one I have and create a storage shelf under the camper. I was contemplating metal verse wood and ended up with pressure treated wood.

Here is the mod in pics. They sort of tell it all.

The ladder


The beginning of the rack










A test fit


Added stiffeners at the pivot and support points




The TT frame brackets

The rear side brackets before painting


The front loading side


Now the ladder rack in place. The pivot end.




The loading end






Lift and put the pin in.






Tucked out of the way under the camper near the entry steps.


Ladder is up inside the frame




I now have my truck bed back and DW will not have to listen to be ramble…. about shifting 1/2 of everything in the truck to get the ladder out….

The rack itself is about 35# and so is the ladder so it is a 70# increase in GCW. On this heavier camper the added weight is not a problem. On the smaller campers the frame width may be more of an issue. I had 10” of frame to work in. Or you have a different ladder that folds smaller shorter in stacked height.

Maybe this may spark someone Else's storage ideas. Hope this helps.

John

[Sunline Fan]

You know John, if you got a slide topper mounted up there, you wouldn't need the ladder so bad

[Jim-Bev-2363]

Neat idea John. I have a picture in my folder for a metal rack under the frame on our TT. I slide a 5' step ladder in it and hold it with a bungie. I can't climb as high as you but I don't need the height. I do like the fact you can let the rack down and slide the ladder in. On ours I have to lift one end of the ladder, slide it in one holder and then insert the other end and slide ladder in place. I use two bungies because I don't think both would break at the same time, like a safety measure. Another thing, on the T2363 I have the lower frame and the ladder needs to be high as possible. I have the metal holder but did install some rubber hose on it to stop rattleing.





Jim

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

You know John, if you got a slide topper mounted up there, you wouldn't need the ladder so bad

LOL

I suspected one of my buds would suggest that.... Your right on cue!

I actually have the hardware for the topper and it even came off a Sunline. Think Martinsburg WV....

The thought process on the topper is our winter camping habit and the need to extend and retract the slide. I don't know what a frozen topper will turn into. Ideally I need to be able to simply unhook it so it will not deploy when I so choose. I have been looking at some MH's that use a cloth type of topper and have arms on the side and the whole thing hinges sort of over the slide and hangs down like an awning over the windows. Like this


That was a camp hosts rig at a local campground. The water run off on top look a lot better too.

I'm still tossing around how to do the slide topper. By getting up there each campout I look at everything while I'm up there too. Slide seals, roof etc. In time the topper shall come. Then I can use the ladder to clean the topper.....LOL

John

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Jim-Bev-2363

Neat idea John. I have a picture in my folder for a metal rack under the frame on our TT. I slide a 5' step ladder in it and hold it with a bungie. I can't climb as high as you but I don't need the height. I do like the fact you can let the rack down and slide the ladder in. On ours I have to lift one end of the ladder, slide it in one holder and then insert the other end and slide ladder in place. I use two bungies because I don't think both would break at the same time, like a safety measure. Another thing, on the T2363 I have the lower frame and the ladder needs to be high as possible. I have the metal holder but did install some rubber hose on it to stop rattleing.

Jim

Thanks Jim. Yes I remember yours had a rack under it too. All good ideas we can build off of.

Thanks for the good words.

John

[MACK C-85]

The thought process on the topper is our winter camping habit and the need to extend and retract the slide. I don't know what a frozen topper will turn into.

Probably a lot less problems than slipping off a frozen ladder!!

We've camped in PA every November since taking delivery of our camper in '06 and done several February excursions...several times the temps were in the single digits, and we've never had an issue with the slide topper.

Mack

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by MACK C-85

Probably a lot less problems than slipping off a frozen ladder!!

We've camped in PA every November since taking delivery of our camper in '06 and done several February excursions...several times the temps were in the single digits, and we've never had an issue with the slide topper.

Mack

Hi Mack

My concern was the strange weather we have around here during the winter. I have no clue what normal weather is any more as the last few years has been all over the place. But this is the issue I have "preconceived" in my head anyway.

Camper lives outside still right now. During December we can have rain, snow or nothing. After enough rain water wicks into my main awning so what wouldn't it do the same thing on the slide topper? It sits in there and for several weeks and it is below freezing so it is froze.

Come one nice day above 32 on a weekend with sun and no snow, (it takes a long time to see sun here in Ohio....) and we are gone with the camper. Generally right after the 1st of the year. When we are at camp I never open the main 21 foot awning as I really do not need it. But the slide, do not want to camp with the slide in. If the temps are only 35 odds are not great the topper is all thawed out. Knowing how a tire cover will split to death in the winter even thinking about removing it from the tire what does a vinyl topper do?

If the days warm up enough (38 to 45) then I see no problem, but if it down close to freezing and has been for weeks odds may not be in my favor.

Has any one opened a frozen vinyl topper? What happens?

I might be worried over nothing but that was the preconceived notion.

John

[JohnB]

Hi Folks

Reporting back on this mod after using it for most of the season. It works well and I'm glad I did it.

But I have had 2 modifications. Towing in the rain and this showed up about a month after the install as I ended up towing in the rain. The issue was I had no mud flaps and the steps and the ladder rack ended got getting plastered. So I added the mud flaps and that took care of the issue.







If you want to see the entire Mud Flap mod, see here.
Mud Flaps on a Slide Camper (long - lots of pics)

The second learning. Don't be so precise on drilling holes for the pin that locks the rack up in place. From my machine shop back ground I'm use to 1/32" clearance holes. In this case they need to be pushing 1/16" to 3/32".

While the precision hole works, everything has to be way too lined up. Remember John, this is an RV... not a machine. So added a little clearance and that solved the problem.

Thought I would post back on this in case someone is doing this that if is is behind the wheels, be thinking mud flaps from the get go.

Thanks

John