Ladder Mounting Pop Rivets Causing Cracks

[FLynes]

8 minutes ago, Paul J A said:

Perhaps a CALL to Stromberg Carlson may provide what they recommend. 

The correct mounting hardware has to be addressed during the design of the product. 

Given my dissatisfaction with Stromberg Carlson's aftermarket ladders, which was on our coach when we bought it, I'd rather call Christianson, one of the OEMs of our ladders. Aladdin was also an OEM, but Christianson now owns them.

[Paul J A]

12 minutes ago, FLynes said:

Given my dissatisfaction with Stromberg Carlson's aftermarket ladders, which was on our coach when we bought it, I'd rather call Christianson, one of the OEMs of our ladders. Aladdin was also an OEM, but Christianson now owns them.

Have you called  Christianson?   Try IRV2 site. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Paul J A

[FLynes]

10 minutes ago, Paul J A said:

Have you called  Christianson?   Try IRV2 site. 

I did, and I will tell you their customer service is second to none. I was originally going to have Christianson make a new ladder for me, but there were slight differences between the years, and I couldn't confirm that the numbers I had would have worked on our coach, so I opted to go the more expensive route and buy a Christianson ladder from REV....it fit like a glove. What I detested about the old Stromberg Carlson ladder was that it terminated on the fiberglass cap and not the aluminum roof, like the original ladder did. The replacement Christianson ladder terminates in the exact same spot  on the roof as the original ladder.

[Paul J A]

2 minutes ago, FLynes said:

I did, and I will tell you their customer service is second to none. I was originally going to have Christianson make a new ladder for me, but there were slight differences between the years, and I couldn't confirm that the numbers I had would have worked on our coach, so I opted to go the more expensive route and buy a Christianson ladder from REV....it fit like a glove. What I detested about the old Stromberg Carlson ladder was that it terminated on the fiberglass cap and not the aluminum roof, like the original ladder did. The replacement Christianson ladder terminates in the exact same spot  on the roof as the original ladder.

Did Christianson say or did you ask them what fasteners should be used for your installation? 

[FLynes]

5 hours ago, Paul J A said:

Did Christianson say or did you ask them what fasteners should be used for your installation? 

You know, I never thought to ask, because I assumed the hardware to install the ladder was included…it was not. I still think that using longer and bigger aluminum rivets is better in the long run, since the rest of the ladder is aluminum, and galvanic corrosion is an issue.

Edited September 4, 2023 by FLynes

[VinceB]

9 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

Pardon the formatting…..this might be interesting.  It also makes one think that the clamping force needed for the presently instslled SS rivets resulted in the stress crack in the picture….admittedly my conclusion…..

Maybe the simple solution is to drill out and replace with larger 1/4” “tri arm” aluminum rivets and then use the same technique of controlled cinching and not letting the mandrel elongate enough to final “fail” or normally break off.

If you watch the video, the butyl (?) tape/sealer on the back of the mounting plate seems like a good idea….

Look at the screen shot below.  Didn’t know there was a repair kit for the standoff mounts….

 

 

 

FWIW: I refurbed my ladder myself while it was off.  The guy in the video does not install the star washers correctly. He has the assembly correct but not the installation. They are meant to be tightened from behind the plate with the bolt before installing the plate on the coach.  This will draw the ladder to the plate very tightly.

Pushing the ladder onto the plate after the plate is installed on the coach is the wrong way and will not result in a secure, tight, snug installation.

Good find on the ladder repair kit - wish I knew about it instead of purchasing everything seperately. Thanks to everyone that has contributed so far.

Edited September 4, 2023 by VinceB

[dl_racing427]

On 9/4/2023 at 10:17 AM, FLynes said:

I can't remember if I posted the pic or not, and I of course deleted it from my phone, but I have roven woving on top of the sprayed chop in the areas where the brackets are supposed to attach...I'm pretty sure it's thicker than 3/8".

True, and it could even have a plywood block sandwiched in that area as well.

[VinceB]

Update. Here are some pix and what I've done so far which is to drill a 1/8" hole as sugessted.  Then filled with white silicone.

We'll see if it spreads from there.

[Tom Cherry]

1 minute ago, VinceB said:

Update. Here are some pix and what I've done so far which is to drill a 1/8" hole as sugessted.  Then filled with white silicone.

We'll see if it spreads from there.

That should do the trick.  I experimented and talked to folks.  I would actually "cover" the existing crack with a thin bead or layer of white silicone.  That low, it will not be visible. That is what I did on my longer and more serious crack...and once I drilled the hole....it fixed it....and has been stable for maybe 6 years.

[VinceB]

2 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

That should do the trick.  I experimented and talked to folks.  I would actually "cover" the existing crack with a thin bead or layer of white silicone.  That low, it will not be visible. That is what I did on my longer and more serious crack...and once I drilled the hole....it fixed it....and has been stable for maybe 6 years.

It sure pained me to drill a hole like that on a freshly painted surface. I tried to push some silicone into the crack and it just wouldn't go in - pretty narrow crack. That's a 1/8" hole and the crack is darned narrow if you compare it to the hole.

And FWIW it is about eye-level.

[Tom Cherry]

15 hours ago, VinceB said:

It sure pained me to drill a hole like that on a freshly painted surface. I tried to push some silicone into the crack and it just wouldn't go in - pretty narrow crack. That's a 1/8" hole and the crack is darned narrow if you compare it to the hole.

And FWIW it is about eye-level.

No doubt.  Mine was at the top.  I thought this was the lower mount. Your call on putting a small bead of white silicone over it.  Couple of “off the wall”, if it bothers you ideas.

Most marine stores or online vendors sell a “fiberglass color repair kit”.  It is basically nothing more than resin and hardener and several small tubes of pigment.  We, at the boat factory, when I worked there prior to college, used them.  I have used them to repair a FG tub that had a hole that would not be covered when I installed a new faucet. You could mix a smidge….keeping up with how many “dots” or the amount of each pigment and test it on a lower surface….them use it to fill in and end up with a slight “bump” over the crack.  Sand with 300, then 600 “water” and finish off with a finer grit.

Your “hole” may pop on you.  The trick is take a small stick or even a piece of cloth or a small piece of a “tuffy” scrubbing pad.  Use 2 pieces of dental floss and tie a “tail” on it.  Force it into the hole….so it becomes a “backer”.  Then backfill the hole with the dental floss hanging out.  Don’t level…just let it have a slight depression.  Cut off the floss and finish off…

OR….in a few years….put in a white painted 1/8” pop rivet….

OR….leave as is….

[VinceB]

56 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

No doubt.  Mine was at the top.  I thought this was the lower mount. Your call on putting a small bead of white silicone over it.  Couple of “off the wall”, if it bothers you ideas.

Most marine stores or online vendors sell a “fiberglass color repair kit”.  It is basically nothing more than resin and hardener and several small tubes of pigment.  We, at the boat factory, when I worked there prior to college, used them.  I have used them to repair a FG tub that had a hole that would not be covered when I installed a new faucet. You could mix a smidge….keeping up with how many “dots” or the amount of each pigment and test it on a lower surface….them use it to fill in and end up with a slight “bump” over the crack.  Sand with 300, then 600 “water” and finish off with a finer grit.

Your “hole” may pop on you.  The trick is take a small stick or even a piece of cloth or a small piece of a “tuffy” scrubbing pad.  Use 2 pieces of dental floss and tie a “tail” on it.  Force it into the hole….so it becomes a “backer”.  Then backfill the hole with the dental floss hanging out.  Don’t level…just let it have a slight depression.  Cut off the floss and finish off…

OR….in a few years….put in a white painted 1/8” pop rivet….

OR….leave as is….

Thanks for the ideas. 

[strangebird]

On 8/31/2023 at 6:26 PM, Martinvz said:

I agree with Ivan in the use of the washers, especially with the ss rivets needing much more force to install, possibly the cause of the cracks, jmho

 I agree you need the washers but you also need SS washers ti match the SS rivets, other wise you have dissimilar metals touching, yu can also buy some plastic washer for the same purpose, go to aircraft spruce, theuy have all kinds and sizes of rivets washers, and aircraft hardware.

Sounds like Ivan is right on about the force needed to install SS rivets leading to the cracks.