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2000-2003 Marquis Ladders

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Edward Buker:
I was hoping for some help regarding ladder info for my 2002 Marquis. I am trying to have a half ladder built that would terminate above the engine hatch. It looks like the rear cap was the same from 2000 to 2003, maybe longer.
I have gotten limited info from Monaco, Beaver Coach Sales, and the ladder manufacturers. There were two ladder manufacturers involved and I have the PNs. The issue is the location and size of the mounting plate in the rear cap at the camera level. If anyone has any knowledge of the size and location of this mounting pad area that would be appreciated. I have attached two photos of the two ladders, One seems to have the stanchions mounted lower and more to the left and the newer version stanchions are higher and more to the right on the coach.

What would help me is if a few kind souls with a ladder and this cap design from 2002 to 2003 would measure vertically from the engine hatch opening, as a reference point, to the tube of the stanchions just above the hatch and also up to the tube of the stanchions at the camera level. Measuring from the bottom side of the stanchion tube close to the body mount avoids the confusion of different size mounts. One more measurement please.....Measure the distance the right vertical ladder tube is from the right vertical edge of the engine hatch opening. A square may be helpful here but if you do not have one just do the best you can.

If anyone mounted their own ladder and knowingly hit the aluminum backing plate up at the camera level those dimensions and that info would really help. Hopefully this info will build a reference for myself and future ladder owners. Thanks in advance for any help.

Gerald Farris:
I purchased a Topline ladder from Beaver Coach Sales, and installed it myself. The reinforced mounting pads on my coach were located in the cap on the left (driver's) side of the coach. You can locate the mounting pads by opening the engine bay, and checking on the inside of the cap for an area that is about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thicker on one side than the other and about 6 inches above and below the engine bay opening.

The spacing on my latter is;
1 The bottom stand is centered 6 inches below the engine bay opening.
2 Next stand up is 6 inches above the engine bay opening and the outside of the stand is directly above the outside of the engine bay opening.
3 The next stand up is centered 42 inches above #2.

Edward Buker:
Gerald,

Thank you so much for your information. I had been concentrating so much on the right side of the engine hatch, given the photos i had gathered, that I was not even aware that they had put ladder mount reinforcing on the left side of some coaches. We have been away all day so I will check this out in the morning. So far I had found no mounting pads but this may be the answer as to why.

I carry a folding six foot ladder in the bay and planned on using that to transition to a half ladder. I did not want to deal with the unlatching and folding up of the ladder each time I wanted to get into the engine bay. I will probably be up on the roof 3 or 4 times a year and the engine hatch gets a daily visit while on the road. If you had a strong rational for why you would choose a full ladder and you think that I am headed in the wrong direction, let me know. When you mounted your ladder, do you think you hit a reinforced area on the roof also, or was that just standard thickness?

FYI I spoke with Topline and they would not alter anything from the print or template they had. Christianson's who built the follow on ladder (mid 2002 and on) would do a modified design for me. Thanks again.

Ed

Gerald Farris:
I had been carrying a 12 foot telescoping ladder in the basement for 2 years, and I installed a ladder to get away from the need to carry a ladder in the basement. So installing a half ladder would not have accomplished what I wanted. As for the need to fold the ladder to access the engine bay, it is no problem at all. You just pull 2 pins and lift it up. It takes less than 5 seconds, and there is no way that I will carry a ladder in the basement to avoid a 5 second task. Especially when dealing with the ladder in the basement will take so much more time, and take up valuable storage area to a fulltimer like me. The only reason that I ever saw for a half ladder is to make the ladder less accessible to children because of liability, or criminals for security reasons.

When I installed the mounting screws, I definitely hit a reinforced area every time, even on the roof. I know this because the screws were so hard to turn all of the way down that I was afraid of breaking them off.  

Gerald

Edward Buker:
Gerald,

I went out and did a close scrutiny on both sides of the rear of the coach above and below the engine hatch and I see no reinforced pad area for a ladder mount. My only thought is that these areas could be reinforced with backing plates when the ladder was mounted so they started to omit these. If anyone has a mid 2002 thru 2003 Marquis with a ladder mounted, would you be so kind as to see if the bumper level ladder mount and the mount just above the engine compartment has a moulded in reinforcement (thicker glass area with wood probably embedded) on the backside or just a plate of visible metal or wood on the backside that was put in place as the ladder was mounted or no extra reinforcement at all.

This is a mystery to me and I'm still at a loss as to how to sort out this ladder mounting location. Your ladder reinforcement being on the driver side was a surprise to me given the photos of the ladders that I have seen have been on the right side from the rear. Hate to be drilling holes on the wrong side....Any help and insight woud be appreciated.

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