Roof and rear ladder question - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Waggin Tails · RV-Dreams Family Member

Roof and rear ladder question

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

This would be good question for the Manufacturer, G

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

I climb my rear ladder and walk on my roof all the time, no problem here. My roof is fiberglass and it does not sag when I walk on it, very stable. I did read someplace that some roof materials should be avoided as much as possible, might have been rubber. I'd agree with Gene, call the manufacturer and see what they say...

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

The rear ladders are good (but dangerous) for most folks but I agree with Jerry that using one if you weigh 310 might be questionable. As to most roofs I don't think the weight would be an issue. While Janet and I don't stand in the same place at the same time, we work together on the roof at the same time and only once or twice that felt a little weak under our feet. We have had 4-5 people on the roof together a number of times. It's certainly worth a call to the manufacturer but I suspect that you will get a CYA type answer. The ladder we have says it will support 250 pounds. I suspect that is the same CYA type post as the Little Giant ladders are very strong but they had to put some limit somewhere. I can't imagine that you would not be able to use one of these very substantial ladders safely and successfully.

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jerry,

When we took a factory tour at the Big Horn factory there were 4 or 5 people at a time on the roofs installing the "stuff" up there. It should be fine. I used to weigh quite a bit more than you and was up on our roof a few times with no problems.
The RV ladder, well that's a horse of a different color, they all seem pretty flimsy to me. I bought a Cosco ladder that is along the same lines as the little Giant and use it to climb onto our roof. Feels a lot more stable than the RV ladder.

Waggin Tails · RV-Dreams Family Member

I found a Werner ladder similar to Little Giant that is less expensive and available at Home Depot. They are rated for 300 lbs. I've left a message at Forest River. While I don't plan to party on the roof, I do need to get up there the make sure things that are sealed remain sealed. Sometimes I worry too much over things that I should not worry about. Thanks for the feedback.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

I use the ladder often and walk on the roof as well. The ladder holds my weight but I try not to make any aggressive moves and use a 5ft step ladder to get onto the RV ladder. I'm a tad plus plus heavier than you are.

The roof on our 5th wheel consists of a rubber membrane over 3/8" plywood supported by joists spaced every 12". I can see where the joists are, I am careful to step on the joists as I walk across the roof. I have stepped in between the joists with no damage but a lot of creaking from the plywood.

If I'm doing any sort of work on the roof, I will take up a couple of 2'X2' pieces of plywood to place on the roof to kneal or sit on.

Howard · Host

As the others have said, the roof strength shouldn't be a problem on most rigs. You might feel "soft spots" where there is more give. We have those and I'm more comfortable avoiding them. smile

I was never very comfortable with our rear ladder. Not from a "would it hold me" standpoint as much as from not having anything above the roof line to hold onto when climbing up or down.

We have a 17' Gorilla Ladder much like the Little Giant & Werner.

It's about 5 pounds heavier than the Werner (44 vs. 39 pounds), so it's not light. And at full extension, it's top heavy and requires just the right technique. But I love the fact that it extends above the roof line, so I can step off of it and still have something to hang on to. And, of course, it's easier to climb back down.

Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

Extends well above roof line (17' model)
Solid construction
Fits nicely right in the back of the truck between the tailgate and fifth wheel hitch (4' long when storing)
Versatile with numerous positions for use as step ladder, extension ladder, or scaffold
Flared at bottom for better stability

Cons:

Heavy
Awkward at full extension (good technique and care required to keep it from falling when moving it)
Risk of pinching (or worse) if you don't have your hands in the right place when extending or retracting
Takes getting used to when at full extension (there is give in the middle due to the hinge, but it's solid)

Trade-offs. Just like everything else in RVing. smile

Waggin Tails · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for comments. I'll be shopping for the ladder this week after I get back to S/B.