The OCTA version has Champaign cup holders attached to hold your drink while the camp person goes up to get your tent. And the truck will not list to one side when ladder is in use. Originally designed for military use.

 

If it was originally designed for the military, then it would be obscenely expensive and not fit any cups that are not available through military procurement. For perspective, ash trays, yes airplanes had ash trays installed back in the Jurassic. Somebody asked for a replacement to be ordered and it was $800 in the 80's to get a new one. It was just a can, with a slip on top that opened and closed with a bent piece of sheet metal to fit the poorly designed receptacle in the yoke. A part any high school metal shop student could make with tin snips and pliers. Military buys only poorly designed overpriced items. Including the aircraft I flew. Built by the low bidder and maintained by teenagers.

 

I was poking about on Expedition Portal, I listed some of my excess Pelican cases, for equipment I no longer use. Lo, there was this clever Front Runner strap onto your rear wheel ladder kind of thing. Well for $50, or the equivalent of 5 Starbucks coffees I thought I would buy it from the guy. Really nothing to loose and my telescoping ladder is a tiny bit of a pain if I have all the stuff for the RTK Ground Station in the back of the 90, big survey tripod and really long Nanuk case for the ground station itself. This kind of makes the clutter more manageable, in theory. The steps were actually for a Forerunner, which apparently has the tire considerably lower. Or it could be that South Africans have more cricket like legs than I do. They tend to be very tall people. The women are as well, like my friend Hanna, "Hanna like puny man!"

I realistically cannot lift my non-cricket like legs that high, well not without dislocating my hip. I turned to my stupidly large stash of infrequently used climbing gear. I was able to fashion an etrier out of the various bits and pieces. Now that worked better, except for the swingy thing that started up as I tried to advance to the first step. Argh, I ended up fashioning a kind of handle out of some webbing to strap further down the tire circumference. Eureka! Now it works and does not appear as if I am having carnal relations with the spare and I can get to the top of the expedition rack. Which lately has basically been the survey drone's landing pad. Since most of the places I have been running them is anything but flat.

 

Ladders breaking

More owners are affected. Tread lightly

http://www.facebook.com/groups/68627...5529244258288/

I had a very helpful member try their hardest to repair my hinge. No success. the weak Zinc casting does not lend itself to repair. I much appreciate the all the effort @outcast and generous gift of your time and expertise.

 

More owners with broken ladders, and this saga showing up on social media is bound to attract the attention of class action attorneys. It is just a matter of time...Land Rover needs to step up and do the right thing by issuing a recall on these ladders before anyone gets a serious injury. It would save you money Land Rover, by doing the right thing!

 

Has anyone thought of sending it to send cut send? Do you think they can make if out of stainless steel? I probably won’t use my ladder for about a year or so. I will inquire with them on Monday. If they do it. I am on my second ladder first was replaced under warranty and second has held up well. If mine breaks and I can’t find the hinges, I’ll go with the Lucky8 one made of steel. Not as easy to use but it won’t break. I have there rockslides and those things are tough.

 

Wow, one of my hinges broke last week and I was wondering what I would find here! I took it to a local weld shop, they were going to attempt it and charge me $135, but the lead guy knew his metals and said it would never hold. I agreed and took a pass on the work. I think there were some bad castings, I have those same bubbles, a crack, then a break.



This explains why there are so many new ladders on Ebay asking $230! Check it out. I'm thinking to buy one and keep the old one for parts or at least the extra hinge. Gavin's zip-tie job has good temporary potential as well.

I think you're on to something with Simon, he'll come up with a good replacement. Not going to be cheap, but worth it. I hate wasting things.

Does anyone have another ladder they like? I really like the OEM design and function, plus it makes a great footstool from the RTT. I like the look of the Proud Rhino version, but it doesn't look like it will mesh well with the RTT coming up the corner like that. Not to mention my 270 degree awning...

 

it’s a weak zinc alloy. Doesn’t lend itself to any sort of repair.

im actually liking my 3 Rung ladder. Gets the job done.

Praise be the zip-tie. May her never ending reparative bounty over-floweth.

 

@Dogpilot - I'm re-reading this older thread to bring myself up to speed. Your post #82 is a "freaking" CLASSIC. I'll laugh all day about that one. Thanks.

 

If someone has an undamaged original to send me, I can whip up a model in Onshape then send it to eMachineshop for a quote. Won't be cheap to do it in machined billet steel or stainless but I think that's what it will take.