ladder question

[California562]

kind of a dumb question i know but just wondering if you all think ladders are worth it for the vanagons. have a westfalia. and, if so, which one you recommend I'll be putting a canoe on top of mine too - have the yakima extension on the side that comes out to help load and unload when solo. may want to put a storage box on top sometimes too. my other friend just uses a stool or stands on the tires or door sills or sliding door sill. are they worth it? anyone get one and think afterwards, 'damn, i wish i got that sooner'? i noticed GoWesty has one that telescopes for 100$ i think but maybe one that is mounted and permanent would be better? thanks

[jimf909]

Below is a fun thread that can help as you wonder about ladders. I prefer the telescoping ladder due to its versatility: it elevates me on the passenger side, then the driver's side, then near the tree in the campsite where I want to hang the tarp, etc.

Enjoy...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636529

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- Jim

[Steve M.]

Rocky Mountain Westy has a nice ladder the hangs off the gutter at the top and has the rod the gets inserted in the jacking point on the bottom. Works fairly well.
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[Andymon]

[dsdunbar]

we've been packing our 3 foot step stool ladder....and it works well (we have a westy w/ a Thule moutaineer roof box). I'm 5'7 and can reach 90% of everywhere in the roof box (can't reach the far back corner nor the far front corner).

The side mount RMW ladder seems nice, but due to my box opening on right side of the vehicle, moving the ladder over there to get in and then moving it away so the slider doesnt hit it seems like more work, but I've never used one so I have no idea how easy it is to setup and take off, might only take 5s.

But with all this said, I want to compare the telescoping ladder collapsed size to the folding step stool, if they take up the same internal space, I see myself purchasing that in the near future.

California562 - how long does it take to detach the RMW ladder and put back on? (I recall it is a peg at the bottom for the jack point and a raingutter clip for the top...I could see it being very fast to take on and off)
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'89 2WD Westy "Grey Goose" - Manual 4spd
Crozet VA
Vanaru EJ25, Peloquin

[joetiger]

I bought a Gary Lee side ladder from a Samba member. Solid as a rock, very stable, splits in two to pack away easily.

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/sladder/sladder.htm
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[Honuak]

I have and very much like the RMW side ladder. I had a telescoping unit like the one GW sells but after a weekend at the beach it stopped working, too many moving parts IMPO.

[Steve M.]

That telescopic ladder
We had one on one boat I was on and I thought it worked, it is a good idea, but it was more of a p.i.t.a to store it.

The RMW ladder is basically simple and light weight. breaks down easy to store if you do not have it permanently mounted. I do not like it permanently mounted, but others seem to like it.
What I do not like about it is the single point insertion rod going into the jack point- it does not support the ladder from swaying to one side of the other as you step on it. Yes-this is a picky little point but it could be improved upon.

The Gary Lee ladder works, but if you are on uneven ground how stable is it? Where as the RMW ladder inserted into the jacking point eliminates the two feet on the ground wobbling. It is easier to store being a flat design, whereas the RMW is made to fit around the curve of the body so it is not flat so you need to find a place to store it or mount it permanently.

All in all ladders are like anything else-subjective to the individual buying it. Opinions can go up and down!
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[joetiger]

[Steve M.]

[katstan]

Reviving this thread...

I'm trying to decide between the telescoping ladder from GoWesty vs. the Rocky Mountain Westy side ladder for more than twice the price.

We'd be using this to access the luggage rack to put our folding chairs and table up there when we go camping. I'm only 5'4" so while I can access it by stepping on the front seat it's not ideal. We have no roof rack at present.

I also want something that will make it possible for my daughter to get up to the luggage rack as she loves to sit up there and right now she is going out the front window of the pop top. She's a good climber and careful and steady on her feet so I don't worry about her up there but do want to give her a way to get up that doesn't require unzipping the front screen and window and or potentially ripping the new tent if she or one of her friends steps on the zipper area and pulls it too hard. Is the telescoping ladder pretty stable for a kid to climb on or would it be better to get the mounted side ladder and put it right behind the driver's side door (is that even possible)?

I don't love the idea of having one more thing to store so that puts a check in favor of the GMW side mounted ladder. But then the versatility of the telescoping ladder and the price puts 2 checks in that column. I guess my main question is do those who have either think they are safe and stable enough for a kid (who is a very good climber and will find a way up there either way)?

[bosstyn]

I just put the RMW ladder on my van. Honestly, i love the look, permanence and the face that i don't have to carry it elsewhere in the van. Its a bit expensive, but a fairly quality product for the money.

One thing though. the part that mounts in the jack point is BS. Its a smaller diameter tube thats expected to be held LOOSELY in place via 2 pins. Best case scenario, it rattles around when you drive. (i drove about 100 yards before i got pissed, went home and fixed it).
I recommend putting the tube into the jackpoint, lining up dead center on the ladder tube and drilling a hole though the bottom side of the jack point. Then, use a tap to tap the threads and use a bolt as a sort of set screw to hold the round ladder bar in place. You can also use a locker screw to keep the set screw from backing out.
Its a fairly easy fix, though i wish they had a better system for this portion of the ladder set up.

Other than that, i love the mounted RMW ladder.
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Donquita, 85 Westfalia GL

[ThankYouJerry]

I've had the RMW ladder for years. Love it. Never had a noise issue with it. The 2 pins are designed well so that you can either extend the ladder a few extra inches away from the body of the van (when climbing on it) or draw it closer to the body (when driving).

However, katstan, I don't know if it would suit your purposes as well as an extendable ladder because you want a ladder for accessing the luggage rack above the cab. The RMW ladder provides acces to the roof above the jack stand in front of the rear wheel. I don't think it's a good idea to climb up the middle/rear of the van and walk across the fiberglass roof to get to the luggage rack. The RMW ladder is really perfect for accessing Thule boxes or other roof rack mounted items, not so much for gaining access to the luggage rack.

The only other minor issue with the RMW ladder is when washing the van. You have to work around it a bit. Not an issue with a rag/sponge, more so with the "foamy brush" at a self serve car wash. Regardless, I wouldn't even want a roof rack without a RMW ladder.
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1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[sphet]

We bought a gowesty telescopic ladder for my 4 year old to get up and down from the pop top sleeping area by himself. We enjoy having it for getting up to the luggage rack, hanging line from a tree and putting tuck tape on the cracked leaking roof! It fits in the space inside the pop top, across tbe van so it's a zero-space loss for us. It also fits under the bench or behind the driver seat if you are so inclined. We don't have a Thule so I can't compare to the fixed ladder but I imagine the GoWesty ladder would be fine. Other than the awning this was the best van upgrade so far as it gave our child the independence to move around our van on his own.

I would be worried about sand or dust as a previous post mentioned as there are many moving parts.
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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee

[CanStan]

I know it wasn't one of the options you're looking at, but I'd recommend looking at the Gary Lee ladder. Probably one of the best purchases I made for my Vanagon. I was running cross bars with a Thule box, so I needed to be able to get to different areas of the roof, and the ladder is easy to move around to where you need it to be. It leans against the rain gutter, so you can place it anywhere along the side of the van from front to back depending on your needs. It also worked good inside for my kid to climb up to the top bunk.
The newer versions also have adjustable feet at the bottom to level it out on uneven ground. It's also easy to store- it breaks down in 1/2 and because it's only about 2" thick, it fits nicely under the rear mattress or under the back seat. It's super strong and sturdy, but not too heavy or bulky. All of Gary's stuff I've seen is top quality. It's not the cheapest ladder out there, but it will probably outlast you Vanagon.

[danfromsyr]

I know it's an extra step but it doesn't require any extra gear.

we access the westy storage rack from inside the van thru the front screen. it's a much shorter distance from the van floor to the bin than the ground to bin. though I'm 6ft, my SO stands on the cooler if needed.

[katstan]

[katstan]

[joetiger]

[E1]

My vote is the Gary Lee ladder we have. It is a little heavy but will never fail!

I called Gary to say "Man, brilliant that your ladder fits inch-perfect under the bench seat, even when the bed's made up!!!"

He went quiet a second and replied, "It does?"
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
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