Have been having a discussion about the fitted fold out step on caravans - the salesman is trying to tell us that the fitted step that pulls out from under the door is unsafe and slippery when wet. He is trying to sell us a much wider non slip separate step with folding legs. Mind you, this separate step is about a third of the price to the fitted one, but surely the ones fitted to vans can't be that unsafe or they would be banned from sale, and every van we have seen around the place has them.
Whilst the separate step is much cheaper, one would think that the convenience of the fitted slide out step far outways the cost especially if you are stopped on the side of the road and it is pouring with rain.
Would like some feedback and opinions please.
Dougwe said
06:07 PM Dec 9, 2013
I have a fitted slide out step fitted to the Avan but it never sees the light of day since I got my non slip fold up metal step. It travels just inside the door folded on a non slip matt. I tend to agree with your salesman to a point.
If you like the fitted slide out step why not get some non slip self adhesive safety strips and stick them to the stepping surface. I have seen them in Bunnings or similar places.
brian said
07:01 PM Dec 9, 2013
I'm not convinced that convenience is the main consideration here.
A slide out step is secured to the van so it can't tip over if you stand on it a bit funny, and it doesn't care how uneven the ground under it is.
Separate steps have a bad habit of landing people on the tail bones or worse, due to a foot being placed too far off centre, or the step being unstable due to ground unevenness.
Gerty Dancer said
07:05 PM Dec 9, 2013
brian wrote:
I'm not convinced that convenience is the main consideration here.
A slide out step is secured to the van so it can't tip over if you stand on it a bit funny, and it doesn't care how uneven the ground under it is.
Separate steps have a bad habit of landing people on the tail bones or worse, due to a foot being placed too far off centre, or the step being unstable due to ground unevenness.
Yep, my partner fell off one of those, didn't hurt himself except for his pride. There's a fitted step on our van, and no its not slippery even when wet. The caravan is high enough to need both steps unless we have a concrete slab, which is a pest.
Santa said
07:18 PM Dec 9, 2013
We have a spring loaded step on our Kea, have never had a problem with it, in fact we find it solid secure and easy to use, no, its not slippery, see pic.
As far as a separate step is concerned, in my opinion, just another piece of gear to find a place for when your on the move, and as others have mentioned, there is a danger of the thing, and you, going arse up if on uneven ground or if you misplace a foot.
PS Sorry about all of the edits, had a few problems with my image hosting site.
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:24:54 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:25:28 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:26:42 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:27:05 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:28:38 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:31:48 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:33:34 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:35:04 PM
hako said
11:33 PM Dec 9, 2013
We're in the process of making a separate box about twice as deep as the fitted fold out step on our Avan Cruiser. Reasons against the fold out step are:
slippery when wet....not a very large space to put your foot in the dark....makes the van move when you step on it....makes a noise when you step on it.
For the separate box we will stick rubber on the top which will be much larger than the fold out step and inside the box we'll keep our shoes and other stuff that carries dirt. It will fit just inside the door when travelling.
Reason for doing it now is that we've just returned from a few days at Esk with fellow Avanners and quite a few of these use the separate box. Some are a bit unsteady on their feet so it helps there as well.
So for us we see advantages.
Regards
Denis
blaze said
12:20 AM Dec 10, 2013
Fold out steps are made from chequer plate which is a non slip tread plate used in the industrial world, just look at the safety protocols used in mining these days, they still use chequer plate. I have glued a piece of sponge/soft like material on my step simmular to those click together floor sections we all use
cheers
blaze
reglynn said
01:25 AM Dec 10, 2013
We haven't a fold out step on our van but a step we brought from a caravan shop. The step has holes on each leg in which you can put a peg through it to hold the step firmly if one wish to.
I have all so seen a few of caravans traveling with their slide out steps still out, as well having some sort of a bungy cord holding it back in the fold in position. cheers reg
Jonathan said
02:14 AM Dec 10, 2013
Santa wrote:
PS Sorry about all of the edits, had a few problems with my image hosting site.
.. just for your info .. when you do go back to edit, you can also remove the previous reference to the last edit you did. This leaves only the one editing reference at any time ..
Radar said
07:39 AM Dec 10, 2013
I liked the idea of a fixed step but now I have changed my mind as the box is so handy we turn it up side down put shoes and the power cord in it, it is the first things you look for when you stop. We find you don't always need it our van is not super high or low.
I use it as step to release the pop top catches, just makes the lifes little jobs easier and then I will use it as a footstool when I am relaxing, best thing. Cheers
Santa said
11:43 AM Dec 10, 2013
Jonathan wrote:
Santa wrote:
PS Sorry about all of the edits, had a few problems with my image hosting site.
.. just for your info .. when you do go back to edit, you can also remove the previous reference to the last edit you did. This leaves only the one editing reference at any time ..
Must admit it didn't occur to me that I needed to do anything to tidy things up, other forums I belong to only leave a reference to the most recent edit.
Meredith said
12:44 PM Dec 10, 2013
We used to have a portable step, but it was one of the plastic ones and it felt flimsy and it moved a couple of times when using it. We installed a double pull out electric step as our van is quite high and we love it. Ours isn't slippery, but I think some brands may have that issue a bit. I've seen some people put synthetic grass type material on their stop to solve that.
Pejay said
05:47 PM Dec 10, 2013
Gracious, I didn't realise a step would create such a wide lot of opinions, but we are thankful to everyone for your thoughts. Pete has decided that we will go with the fitted step, buy some stuff (non stick tape?) from Bunnings or wherever and has told me in no uncertain terms that I must SLOW DOWN!!! That should help.
Santa said
06:26 PM Dec 10, 2013
Pejay wrote:
Gracious, I didn't realise a step would create such a wide lot of opinions, but we are thankful to everyone for your thoughts. Pete has decided that we will go with the fitted step, buy some stuff (non stick tape?) from Bunnings or wherever and has told me in no uncertain terms that I must SLOW DOWN!!! That should help.
I don't think you will regret the choice Peejay, keep us informed.
Regarding driving off with the step still extended, there is a micro switch arrangement fitted to ours which sounds a very audible alarm if you turn the ignition on with the step out, it won't stop until the step is stowed, I realize a caravan is different to a motor home, regardless in this day and age any auto electrician should be able to set an alarm up.
Enjoy your travels.
-- Edited by Santa on Tuesday 10th of December 2013 06:27:21 PM
Jonathan said
06:43 PM Dec 10, 2013
Santa wrote:
Must admit it didn't occur to me that I needed to do anything to tidy things up ..
You didn't Santa .. I wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't made a public apology .. Pardon me for trying to help !!
Santa said
06:49 PM Dec 10, 2013
Jonathan wrote:
Santa wrote:
You didn't Santa .. I wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't made a public apology .. Pardon me for trying to help !!
Ummmm, not sure what this is about, did I inadvertently step on your toes?
exa41 said
12:01 PM Dec 12, 2013
Hope you don't mind me butting in but my son found me a horribly bent one that he found in a work dumper , Its a Quikee , really well made (after I straightened it)with a limit switch and a master on/ off switch ,the wife (Yvonne) loves it as she has had one knee replaced and needs the other one done. however it works very well.
1. We used to have a stool with marine carpet applied- was good until we were parked behind the pub on KI. The grounds were covered with chip bark. Thought that we had the stool level but no- I fell into van badly bruising myself in chest as well as bark of shin.
2. Had to get a pull out step when we had van raised- it has two steps actually. After 1st rain realized how slippery so immediately added marine carpet again & now it is so safe & would never go back to s stool.
Have been having a discussion about the fitted fold out step on caravans - the salesman is trying to tell us that the fitted step that pulls out from under the door is unsafe and slippery when wet. He is trying to sell us a much wider non slip separate step with folding legs. Mind you, this separate step is about a third of the price to the fitted one, but surely the ones fitted to vans can't be that unsafe or they would be banned from sale, and every van we have seen around the place has them.
Whilst the separate step is much cheaper, one would think that the convenience of the fitted slide out step far outways the cost especially if you are stopped on the side of the road and it is pouring with rain.
Would like some feedback and opinions please.
If you like the fitted slide out step why not get some non slip self adhesive safety strips and stick them to the stepping surface. I have seen them in Bunnings or similar places.
I'm not convinced that convenience is the main consideration here.
A slide out step is secured to the van so it can't tip over if you stand on it a bit funny, and it doesn't care how uneven the ground under it is.
Separate steps have a bad habit of landing people on the tail bones or worse, due to a foot being placed too far off centre, or the step being unstable due to ground unevenness.
Yep, my partner fell off one of those, didn't hurt himself except for his pride.
There's a fitted step on our van, and no its not slippery even when wet. The caravan is high enough to need both steps unless we have a concrete slab, which is a pest.
We have a spring loaded step on our Kea, have never had a problem with it, in fact we find it solid secure and easy to use, no, its not slippery, see pic.
As far as a separate step is concerned, in my opinion, just another piece of gear to find a place for when your on the move, and as others have mentioned, there is a danger of the thing, and you, going arse up if on uneven ground or if you misplace a foot.
PS Sorry about all of the edits, had a few problems with my image hosting site.
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:23:46 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:24:54 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:25:28 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:26:42 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:27:05 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:28:38 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:31:48 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:33:34 PM
-- Edited by Santa on Monday 9th of December 2013 07:35:04 PM
slippery when wet....not a very large space to put your foot in the dark....makes the van move when you step on it....makes a noise when you step on it.
For the separate box we will stick rubber on the top which will be much larger than the fold out step and inside the box we'll keep our shoes and other stuff that carries dirt. It will fit just inside the door when travelling.
Reason for doing it now is that we've just returned from a few days at Esk with fellow Avanners and quite a few of these use the separate box. Some are a bit unsteady on their feet so it helps there as well.
So for us we see advantages.
Regards
Denis
cheers
blaze
We haven't a fold out step on our van but a step we brought from a caravan shop. The step has holes on each leg in which you can put a peg through it to hold the step firmly if one wish to.
I have all so seen a few of caravans traveling with their slide out steps still out, as well having some sort of a bungy cord holding it back in the fold in position. cheers reg
.. just for your info .. when you do go back to edit, you can also remove the previous reference to the last edit you did.
This leaves only the one editing reference at any time ..
I liked the idea of a fixed step but now I have changed my mind as the box is so handy we turn it up side down put shoes and the power cord in it, it is the first things you look for when you stop. We find you don't always need it our van is not super high or low.
I use it as step to release the pop top catches, just makes the lifes little jobs easier and then I will use it as a footstool when I am relaxing, best thing. Cheers
Must admit it didn't occur to me that I needed to do anything to tidy things up, other forums I belong to only leave a reference to the most recent edit.
We used to have a portable step, but it was one of the plastic ones and it felt flimsy and it moved a couple of times when using it. We installed a double pull out electric step as our van is quite high and we love it. Ours isn't slippery, but I think some brands may have that issue a bit. I've seen some people put synthetic grass type material on their stop to solve that.
I don't think you will regret the choice Peejay, keep us informed.
Yep, slowing down is a good idea, do you have a grab rail installed in your caravan? makes a world of difference when using the step, the three points of contact rule is also valuable in preventing falls http://safetytoolboxtopics.com/Slips-Trips-and-Falls/three-point-rule-avoid-falls.html
Regarding driving off with the step still extended, there is a micro switch arrangement fitted to ours which sounds a very audible alarm if you turn the ignition on with the step out, it won't stop until the step is stowed, I realize a caravan is different to a motor home, regardless in this day and age any auto electrician should be able to set an alarm up.
Enjoy your travels.
-- Edited by Santa on Tuesday 10th of December 2013 06:27:21 PM
You didn't Santa .. I wouldn't have said anything if you hadn't made a public apology .. Pardon me for trying to help !!
Ummmm, not sure what this is about, did I inadvertently step on your toes?
1. We used to have a stool with marine carpet applied- was good until we were parked behind the pub on KI. The grounds were covered with chip bark. Thought that we had the stool level but no- I fell into van badly bruising myself in chest as well as bark of shin.
2. Had to get a pull out step when we had van raised- it has two steps actually. After 1st rain realized how slippery so immediately added marine carpet again & now it is so safe & would never go back to s stool.
Shipwright