Dodgy ladder fixing, remove or re-fix?

M

MarionK

Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Posts
323
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Location
Essex UK (currently ;) )
Funster No
85,280
MH
Ducato Cheyenne 585
One of the four brackets for the external ladder has a screw missing, and the second screw in the same bracket just spins, so the bracket is loose, i.e. not sealed to the van. Obviously I don't want to leave it like that, but with the second screw not gripping in it's original hole, it's not just a matter of removing the ladder, applying fresh sealant, and screwing back in place. . .
All comments and suggestions appreciated.
 
Try larger diameter screws.
No idea of the screw size but If it has 4-40 screws try 5-40.
40 being the length in mm
4 being the screw diameter.

Failing that you could inject a little araldite into the hole then screw in a greased screw and allow to harden but it may not be removable later if the araldite finds its way through the grease onto the screw threads.
 
How about filling the hole with araldite, letting it set, then drilling a pilot hole in the usual way for screwing into wood? What is behind that hole anyway?
 
9 times out of 10, a ladder that has lost screws and others just spin, the wood behind the aluminium is rotten. Moving and resealing is no guarantee it is safe. If you don't use the ladder, remove it and seal the holes by pumping urethane sealant like sika flex in and stick a badge/plate over the top to stop further water getting in that way. At the same time, reseal the joint at the top of the wall/back of the roof

These ladders are more a curse than a benefit on most motorhomes, as they flex with weight applied and regularly cause leaks

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Sounds like some water has crept in... :frowny:

May have got by the screws and seal over time if there is no sign of damp anywhere else...

I would get some of this and try getting as much of this in the screw holes =

Amazon product ASIN B000H5VOR6..................................................................................................
 
Landy Andy said:
I would bin the ladder, and seal the holes.
Click to expand...
How do I get onto the roof without it?

There's no sign of damp anywhere, other than the spinning screw, but yea I figure the wood is rotten there. How much structural significance are the battens. (It's about 30cm in from the corner of the mh.)
I'm thinking I should use wood hardener, AND seal the holes. (Assuming I can find some other way of accessing the roof.)
Wood hardener is deffo going in w/e. Thanks old-mo
 
Remove the ladder and fit wellnuts as fixings as these will expand and grip as they are tightened.

I have used these to fit a waste bin to the thin plastic skin on our hab door where screws would not grip and pulled out.

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old-mo said:
Sounds like some water has crept in... :frowny:

May have got by the screws and seal over time if there is no sign of damp anywhere else...

I would get some of this and try getting as much of this in the screw holes =

Amazon product ASIN B000H5VOR6..................................................................................................
Click to expand...

I forgot to put the link on..... :doh:

Put some in a syringe and squirt it in the screw holes... (y)

High Performance Wet Rot Wood Hardener | Ronseal

Our Wet Rot Wood Hardener strengthens rotten wood and prevents more damage. It creates a strong base and makes it easy for you to fill holes and tidy up.
www.ronseal.com www.ronseal.com

.
 
MarionK said:
How do I get onto the roof without it?

There's no sign of damp anywhere, other than the spinning screw, but yea I figure the wood is rotten there. How much structural significance are the battens. (It's about 30cm in from the corner of the mh.)
I'm thinking I should use wood hardener, AND seal the holes. (Assuming I can find some other way of accessing the roof.)
Wood hardener is deffo going in w/e. Thanks old-mo
Click to expand...
Why do you want to get on your roof?
I don’t and would never walk on a Moho roof. It’s just something else to leak and allow any immigrants to climb up.

I would also be careful with using wood hardener. Unless waterbased it dissolves the polystyrene insulation in the walls.

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I've had some success using 'rawlpugs' tapped into screwholes that have gone oversize. To be fair, not for ladders, but that and some suitable adhesive in the hole might be worth a shot.
 
Landy Andy said:
Why do you want to get on your roof?
Click to expand...
Probably got a roof rack/box, it was what they did in the past before garages became popular.
 
MarionK said:
How do I get onto the roof without it?
Click to expand...
You could use a telescopic ladder but then you'd have to find somewhere to store it.
 
MarionK said:
How do I get onto the roof without it?
Click to expand...
The only reason I would need to access the roof on travels would be if I was transporting a canoe or the Mother-in-Law up there.
At home for the annual roof clean my Mother-in-Law uses a domestic ladder.
 
Being an autotrail, they leak like sieves, so don't need extra holes to add to the issues. The wooden frame inside the wall is about as strong as a garden trellis, so pretty weak. You would not think about climbing a ladder screwed to a trellis, but people are surprised when just a little weight pulls screws out

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Oops! Thought I edited out the 'onto' bit in favour of 'access'. My friend had problems with her (autotrail) roof leaking, and she figured it was from someone walking on it. So I've no intention of putting my 10st on it!
I've seen plenty of jokes on here about autotrails leaking. Mine is fine so far, and I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible! Previously I had been considering getting a roof box, but after all the jokes on here, (not just this thread) I am thinking of taking off the roof rails as well.
Currently owned ladders are either not tall enough, or won't fit in the van, so I'm looking at the 4x4 version of this:- https://www.laddersandscaffoldtower...MIm-_7hrv49QIVz-3tCh2KxAj1EAQYBCABEgJqevD_BwE

eta I still need to be able to get up to roof level to clean it.
 

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