Not a Fan of New Solid Steps

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 03:40 AM

I'm really not a fan of the new steps that fold into the trailer. I'm sure there are advantages, but I haven't found one yet. (Except for the occasional situation where there's a serious drop-off at the door. But I always had an adjustable step for those situations. It's a PITA to have to pull them down when you want to get into the trailer quickly and they extend way too far out in certain situations.

Now that I have a large dog that's getting up in age, he started finding it difficult to climb the steps - slipping on the metal stairs as he tried to go up - probably a little too quickly. Last trip he hurt himself going up and is now really hesitant to go in or out.

So I bought a set of these step covers and installed them. I hope they help him out.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0B6ZHSK...roduct_details

German Shepherd Guy · 10-31-2022, 05:16 AM

That should help for a little while. Eventually you will probably need a long carpeted ramp. Good luck.

dutchmensport · 10-31-2022, 05:25 AM

Those step covers are a huge help. Every trailer we've had, we've always put covers over the steps. We've had several dogs (all smaller) and they all had problems with the steps. Adding a cover helped them all.

My current Montana has the Moryde solid steps. But, I could not justify spending all that money for 8 steps. But, at the time, the dogs we had refused to use the steps. They were actually afraid of that open space between the steps.

We had 2 rubber backed floor mats with fibers on the top side we used in our kitchen under the table in the house. We changed things around and those mats were put away. I ended taking one of them and cut them length wise down the middle to make 2 runners that actually fit just perfect the width of the steps. And I got double lucky when the length fit very nice.

I punched 4 holes in the "runner" at the top of each step in the for corners and then ran a gigantic zip tie over the top and under the step and zip tied the first step down. The runner then draped down and made a back for the open gap and then I punched more holes for the next step, and continued for all 4 steps.

The end result? The steps have a solid runner on them, there is no visible gap between the steps, and the dogs (and people) have a slip free surface.

Here's some photos, maybe it will give you an idea. Our Montana has 2 doors, one on each side of the camper. We use the back door on the opposite side more than the normal position front door, especially when home.

The only down side to doing this is, the steps do have to be swept off before putting them up for travel, which is really no big deal. And when it snows, if we have the steps out, they have to be swept off before melting and forming a slick layer of ice.

One thing I've learned about the solid steps is how to carefully park the camper. With a 41 foot long camper and the doors 25 or more feet apart and on opposite sides of the camper, even a slight incline (North-South or East-West) on a campsite pad, can drastically change the distance between the bottom of the feet on the steps and the ground.

So, keeping a shovel to dig holes for the feet when they are too short is a standard part of our camping gear now. And I purchased extra long extensions that can be swapped out with the original step extensions for times when the ground IS simply too far.

Only once did we have a camp site that the feet could not reach. We could have left the steps up and used the other door, no problem. But we wanted the steps out of the way. I figured a creative way to lower the steps (but not use them, since we had the other door), but at least they were not dangling in air touching nothing on the ground. I used a combination of a both the originals and the long extensions and at least this combination supported them from the ground. Again, we did not use the steps this way, it was only to keep them from flopping in the wind, not touching the ground:

Here's the steps with the extra extension set:

Here's the "extreme" situation we had. These photos were taken before I added the runner.

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 05:50 AM

Thanks Dutchmensport. That runner is a great idea. I agree - I think the space between the steps is creating more of the fear of the steps. He used to bound up them with no problem, but now things are a little different.

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by German Shepherd Guy

That should help for a little while. Eventually you will probably need a long carpeted ramp. Good luck.

I was thinking of that. But I was wondering if that angle might be a problem. It would help though, I would think.

dutchmensport · 10-31-2022, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrhrdt

I was thinking of that. But I was wondering if that angle might be a problem. It would help though, I would think.

If you are considering a ramp, something else you need to consider with using a ramp, is how much space do you have left over for humans to use the steps.

My steps are not comfortable enough to support a ramp and give the space needed to walk up and down the steps.

Solution!

Forget the dog ramp. They are made to carry the weight of a small dog. Go to Tractor Supply or Amazon on-line or any store that sells automotive / towing / and hauling stuff and pick up a set of automotive style ramps.... you know, something would would support an ATV, or a snow mobile, or a golf cart. They are strong, sturdy, and then ... YOU as a human can walk on them too!

The problem is, you cannot not put them on the threshold of the door. They have to go on the first step down. So, you'll still need to step up on one step before entering the camper. If you try to put them on the threshold of the door, the door won't close.

I purchased these ramps so I could load my Cummins Onan P4500i Inverter Generators into the bed of my truck. They weigh over 100 pounds each. I cannot lift them. As a side kick, I found out they work very, very well on the trailer steps, and are strong enough to support human weight.

In my photo above, if I would have had them, I could have placed them on the top step. The long upright supports on the ground would have provided enough support to hold the steps stable. And the length of the ramps would have provided a "human" ramp capable of using that door then.

Please don't beat up the messenger here ... but I have since started carrying the generators inside the camper. (long story, I won't get into right now), but the ramps work so well, getting them inside and out of the camper, it's no problem at all. And the side benefit is, I have doggie ramps.

These ramps have sharp fins on them, so a rug or a blanket would be needed to protect the dog's feet. But that's no problem.

Anyway, before purchasing a dog ramp, do the measurements and make sure you have enough space that humans can still use the steps.

An alternative is something like I did:

**sourdough** · 10-31-2022, 09:07 AM

We've gone through this. Puppy tore the ligament in her left rear leg and doc said she was too old to do surgery and just let it heal with scar tissue which has worked out pretty well. Then she got cancer in her left front leg which we had removed (temporarily) in May. She travels with us all the time.

We had (have) the MorRyde step above fixed steps which we liked far better than the older suspended type steps. We could not open them in the storage barn so that presented a problem. I opted to get a set of Torklift Glowstep Revolution Uprising stairs and removed the MorRydes. I also bought a ramp for her in the event the new stairs were a problem. I always cover the steps so she won't slip.

She would use the ramp but it presented more of a problem for us than her. It supports 300lbs. so weight wasn't an issue. We never deployed it, just carried it with us one trip half way across the country and back. She uses the Torklift steps just fine. The Torklift steps are adjustable allowing you to set the length from the trailer to the ground. This allows us access into the trailer inside the barn and then when camping we extend them fully. The size that fit ours has 4 steps and a 5th that you pull out if you need the length or, as in our case, a reduced angle coming into the trailer. The Torklifts aren't as solid as the MorRydes but they have other redeeming factors so I leave them on the trailer.

https://www.torklift.com/rv/glowstep...ution-uprising

https://www.amazon.com/Solvit-PetSaf...66&sr=8-5&th=1

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Then she got cancer in her left front leg which we had removed (temporarily) in May.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not trying to pry and I know how much a part of the family a pet is but this statement left me a little puzzled.

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 12:38 PM

Thanks for all the great advice. Here's what I did.

Since I had already bought the step covers, I put them on, and then put long velcro strips on an old mat (didn't have to cut it) and attached it to the steps. I think the dog seeing the space between steps, as was mentioned, was as much of the problem as the slick metal steps were.

It managed to fool the dog and I made several trips in and out with him. I had to put him on his leash because he really wasn't interested in approaching the steps once he saw me open them. But at least he found out he could walk slowly and not slip and he's not trying to leap up there like he used to.

I'm thinking at some point, he'll get used to walking slowly up and down on the steps and won't really need the "rug background." But I'm not a dog whisperer, so we'll see.

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NH_Bulldog · 10-31-2022, 01:12 PM

Our dogs (both 50 lb English Bulldogs) like the MorRyde steps better than the original fold out triple step from the factory. On several occasions they got a toe stuck in the holes on the original steps (which are open in the back too) so they adapted and enjoy the new steps much better

dutchmensport · 10-31-2022, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrhrdt

Thanks for all the great advice. Here's what I did. ....

Brilliant and creative thinking! Looks good too! And used what you had readily available.... Great ingenuity. Nice job!

**sourdough** · 10-31-2022, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrhrdt

Thanks for the advice. I'm not trying to pry and I know how much a part of the family a pet is but this statement left me a little puzzled.

Good grief LOL! What a poor choice of words I used. I'm traveling and trying to think, type and run at the same time - not very well obviously.

Pup has hemangiopericytoma on her left front leg. Malignant but non metastatic. We have had it removed once but it will grow back (already started) so that's why I said "temporarily". Sorry for the confusion.

bgrhrdt · 10-31-2022, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Sorry for the confusion.

LOL I figured there was something I was missing.

jimd1050 · 11-06-2022, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrhrdt

I'm really not a fan of the new steps that fold into the trailer. I'm sure there are advantages, but I haven't found one yet. (Except for the occasional situation where there's a serious drop-off at the door. But I always had an adjustable step for those situations. It's a PITA to have to pull them down when you want to get into the trailer quickly and they extend way too far out in certain situations.

Now that I have a large dog that's getting up in age, he started finding it difficult to climb the steps - slipping on the metal stairs as he tried to go up - probably a little too quickly. Last trip he hurt himself going up and is now really hesitant to go in or out.

So I bought a set of these step covers and installed them. I hope they help him out.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0B6ZHSK...roduct_details

We've got the Amazon rugs on the steps of our 30RLS and love them... except when it rains! We've found that they hold water for a long time... I've actually wondered about drilling some 1/8" drain holes in each step, through the carpet and step (not enough to compromise strength).

Gunny Mike · 11-06-2022, 09:46 AM

I wish there was a way to padlock them up as a deterrent to thieves. Climbing over them might cause a needed trip to the ER.

jamtracy · 11-06-2022, 11:05 AM

I like the steps. Yeah it sucks when they have to be adjusted but they are solid and the dogs line them.
I wish they were Moryde steps though as they are easier to adjust and come with the assembly for easy lifting.

Dallasrules · 11-06-2022, 01:23 PM

I had the folding solid steps in the past and didn't like them. I liked the steps themselves. Just not the folding part. On my current camper we gor a set that attach to a bracket just under the door. We do have to stow them somewhere. We have a slot in the cargo bay. Now I can use my original fold out stairs when I want and can get in and out of my door. But have the better stairs when I choose to use them. It works out well for us.

Nickerbuddy · 11-06-2022, 07:06 PM

Solid steps:
Pros- don’t bounce, don’t hang low like the std pull out steps so they are not of risk of being hit while traveling.
That’s it.
Cons- too heavy to safely lower by someone small. Cannot park too close to a hill, wall, other camper. Can’t lower until all other adjustments are made to set up levels for a stay, must raise before making adjustments to set up to leave. Brings in a huge mess into camper.

I wish I could swap mine out. Oh well, it is what it is. Thanks for reading my 2 cents.

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