74 replies to this topic

[Wallowa]

I read this tonight and it scared the hell out of me that's for sure.  I have the same steps which came with my Fleet. I have only folded them down and have not put any weight on them yet.  I have only used a step ladder to get to the roof to clean my solar and the top.  I agree with others that the picture certainly doesn't look like the metal is solid and the color variation is quite different from the outer to the inner.  It looks to me (and a friend I showed this to) that the center is pot-metal and then the aluminum is casted over it.  If you look closely, the rust color is surrounded by the aluminum.  I doubt that a crack could make it rust like that.  But I am no metallurgist.  I would think the factory guys will not be happy with their supplier and now will want solid core units for the future.  The liability could be scary if someone really gets hurt.  Kifo, thank you so much for putting this up here, whether bad or not, safety is number one in my book.  Be careful folks.  I probably would have really "klutzed" and been hospitalized.

 

 

This has been hashed and re-hashed but the sky is not falling in my opinion...

 

How many steps have failed either by breaking or tearing off FWC?  

 

Has anyone actually taken the broken step that started this tread to FWC for an analysis and if so what was the conclusion?

 

Lots to go wrong but this one seems to be a rarity and add to that how few actually use the steps to climb up on...

 

If there is a design or casting weakness of course it should be corrected...but first the problem must be identified by expert, hands-on, analysis...until then this is all conjecture.  A WAG.

 

But hey, I could be wrong..

 

Phil 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I've been here at Four Wheel Campers for 15 years now and have never heard of one breaking on a customer before (until this thread).

 

Either new or used campers.

 

I did see 1 broken step years ago after they installed in on a new camper on the production line, but it was defective from the get go (after the step was installed on the camper, they flipped it down to test it and it fell off). Just a bad step out of the box. But other than that, they have been really really good. I have seem some corrosion on the steps if the customers lives near salt or salt water, but the steps still held fast even in those environments.

 

But that said, I am glad to be aware of this, as now I will think twice when demonstrating the steps in the showroom. Better to be a little cautious, than not at all. They don't worry me, I don't expect any of them to break, but I'm a big guy and have always been cautious anyway over the years putting all my weight on just one of the steps. We'll keep any eye on it as time goes by.

[PaulT]

IIRC, only one failure on one step on one vehicle has been reported here. However, many are concerned due general anxiety of climbing that high with few small steps that are not inherently predictable locations by muscle memory, combined with few good handholds for stability while keeping at least one hand free to do what one climbed up there to do. Hence, the related discussion of ladders.

On the other hand, I would hate to do without their usefulness for clothesline/trash bags/hammock anchor etc. it would seem that a much cheaper option should be available.

Paul

[RicoV]

 

From all the very good discourse we've had on this particular thread, there are a few 'facts' that seem relevant for us to consider.

 

Occasionally, when an unusual or uncommon such-and-such equipment failure is posted on WTW, there are some folks that will generally dismiss it as a statistical outlier and, therefore, unimportant in the larger scheme of things.  But, if you just happened to be the OP who experienced the unfortunate failure of the step, the view of the incident can look a whole lot different and very troubling.  I believe what we'd all like to see in order to wrap up this thread is some kind of resolution in our understanding of what actually happened to that step, and I had understood the OP (Kifo4173) was going to be in contact with the step manufacturer about that.  I resurrected the thread last week in hopes of getting more intel, since I'd really, really, really like to know whatever there is to know about how the step failed, preferably presented in understandable, analytical terms.

 

The knowledge that very similar steps (but forged in stainless solid steel?) are available on the market makes me think I'll consider replacing out my casted-coated steps one of these days when I'm feeling especially rich.  On the same track, perhaps FWC can examine the pros/cons of a more upscale step in future product applications, and determine whether a switch from Al-coated/casted to solid SS steps might be warranted for longevity/safety reasons.

 

[Full disclosure]  I've mostly used my steps for hanging trash sacks, bungees, mtn-bike transport supports, and other tiedowns.  They are very useful for these things, but I'd still like to be reasonably assured I'm not facing an extremely gnarly 'accident' waiting for me in the queue at some inopportune moment in the future.

 

Rico

[Squatch]

Sharx they are not pot metal, What most people refer to as pot metal is these days a branded alloy zinc casting. Zinc doesn't rust. It's not often used for weight bearing structures. The steps are the same metal through out.

[Bombsight]

BobD said it best on the "Broken Hold Down Eyelet" thread ...

 

 

"Once guilty, always suspect..."

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by Bombsight, 25 August 2017 - 02:53 PM.

[Wallowa]

BobD said it best on the "Broken Hold Down Eyelet" thread ...

 

 

"Once guilty, always suspect..."

 

 

Really?  'Fear everything' could be a similar cliche...to each their own but I will go with "trust with verification"...my FWC steps have not corroded, fractured or shown any signs of weakness/damage/degradation....so far so good. Life is about probabilities and the chance of a FWC step failing is darn near zero...just my take and I could be wrong..

 

Phil

 

Ps...Stainless steel steps do look cool; what did they cost and where were they bought?  Any issues using same fasteners [bolts] in the pre-existing holes?

Edited by Wallowa, 25 August 2017 - 04:32 PM.

[nikonron]

If you look into it you will more than likely find that the Stainless steel steps are also cast and just as likely to fail. One bad casting in thousands, I'm not at all concerned about mine failing.  Ron

[Wallowa]

If you look into it you will more than likely find that the Stainless steel steps are also cast and just as likely to fail. One bad casting in thousands, I'm not at all concerned about mine failing.  Ron

 

 

No doubt...but the SS steps do "look cool" 

[Bombsight]

Really?   what did they cost and where were they bought?  Any issues using same fasteners [bolts] in the pre-existing holes?

Really? ... read previous pages in this thread (page 3).

Edited by Bombsight, 25 August 2017 - 11:29 PM.