Rear ladder

[Jeremy Parrett]

Hi,
 I have a Beaver Marquis Amethyst 2000.  I bought a 7 step hinging ladder. Can somebody tell me if there is blocking(areas with wood reinforcement ) on the cap to secure the screws to?   If anyone has an alternative way of securing the ladder please let me know. Thanks,  Jeremy

[Jeremy Parrett]

Now I have read the posts re ladders under another heading I am aware there are aluminum backing plates glassed into the rear cap for this purpose. If anyone has a dimensional diagram of the location of these pads please send it to me.  My ladder is the stock Topline 7 step hinged ladder .  Thanks,  Jeremy

[Edward Buker]

My thanks to Gerald for this info..... Check both the right and left side of the inside of the rear bumper from the engine hatch for wood blocking that is embedded in the fiberglass. You will have to feel and examine carefully. Once you find the block location you will know the side that Beaver reinforced for the ladder mount on your particular coach.  The mounting dimensions are attached for a full length ladder. I found these dimensions worked well but on my coach it would have been better to have the roof mounts go another 3/4 inch forward given several of the rearmost screws missed the backing plate. Probably coach to coach differences. I had a half ladder built which I mounted as shown in the photo below. Hope this helps.

Ed

[Gerald Farris]

Jeremy,
If you have the Topline ladder that fits your coach, all that you need to do is center the support legs that fit in the area above the engine  opening in the reinforced area and the other mounting legs will line up in the reinforced areas that you can not see.

The drawing that Ed posted is how a Topline ladder fit on my 2000 Marquis. .

Gerald

[Jeremy Parrett]

Many thanks everyone.  When the  ladder arrives next week it will be quite straightforward to install.  Jeremy

[Jeff Ramey]

Apologies for resurrecting an old post, but it contains pertinent information that I need some further advice about, and thought this would be the simplest means of compiling all the previously supplied data with my new question.
Additionally, it would be very beneficial to me if Jeremy (OP) was able to update the post with his findings. (I hate cliff hangers)
My 2000 Patriot Thunder did not come equipped with a ladder.
This is troubling to me on a number of fronts from roadside emergency access, to convenient access for periodic maintenance.
Near the top of my "to do" list is installing a ladder. I appreciate the previous respondents posts and have found them most helpful.
What I would like to know is:
Does the first attached picture illustrate the "thicker/reinforced" area for ladder installation discussed in previous posts? PHOTOS were rotated to the left upon upload for some reason. Just tilt your head to the left and it'll be clear. 
(this photo taken looking up into the engine bay, just above the engine hatch, on the driver side)
The second photo is provided for comparison and is of the same area and perspective only of the passenger side.

On a side note, I called BCS yesterday and spoke with Matt regarding this matter and he informed me that Monaco didn't keep any of the illustrated parts breakdown diagrams for coaches older than 2002. But that he has been busy scanning evvery old tech pub he comes across for the archive. (kudos to Matt!)
He said the ladder PRT# he had for my coach looked to be a Topline TL7 042. Which of course, is an obsolete number with no superseding number provided by Topline.
Matt said he's not completely sure he could even get one of these anymore as the last one he recalled getting was for a customer in 2014 and it was with difficulty and the part was around $500.
If  this is the case, perhaps we can combine all these ladder related posts and make them a "sticky topic" for future members to be able to access in the tech question section in order to avoid rehashing the same info over and over?

[Dale Barham]

Also looking at adding a rear ladder to our 2001 Beaver Patriot.  This topic should be updated and we will watch for any additional info/postings.

Thanks!

[Edward Buker]

Jeff, Dale,

The inside of the bumper was the best location to identify the reinforcement area. My 2002 had the mount area to the left of the rear hatch reinforced. The only way to find it is to feel and compare the two sides and locate the raised area. It was not so easy to spot...

If I remember right, Topline built mine and they may still have the drawing that I sent them. It should be either under my name or labeled for a 2002 Marquis.

It was a quality built unit and I did the half ladder version and used a folding ladder that collapsed to a 4 inch by 4 inch unit while on the road and a regular step ladder at home to make the transition. It worked well. The half ladder cost less to ship then the full unit and is not in the way of the hatch although the longer unit swings up with some release pins like Gerald's version.

Ladder... http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/6-double-sided-ladder/27661&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&scid=scplp27661&sc_intid=27661?utm_campaign=SC_Shopping_High&affiliateid=6313&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8ZSbj9ry1QIVj5V-Ch0bCQT5EAQYBCABEgIVH_D_BwE

The only Topline ladder issue I had were the rearmost roof mount screws missed the reinforcement plate. I would push the top mounts a bit deeper onto the roof (maybe 3/4 inch)  then they landed, as I had received it. There is a certain amount of available flex until it is all screwed in place. Even with two screws in the plate and two in the glass it was all very rigid.

I used lap sealant on the roof mounts and some of the rolled clay type putty with the paper separator on the rear mounts. For safety, you do need a ladder with the hand hold rails to safely get on and off the roof of these Beaver Coaches. There is just too much up there needing maintenance from time to time to not have access.

One last thing, the screws will have to cut some threads in glass and wood/aluminum depending on what the reinforcement was. I go through the threading part with quality steel screws in the same size and thread as the stainless, then back them out and replace with stainless. The stainless are not as strong and can shear off in a drilled hole, that can be a big pain...coat the screws with some Johnson Paste Wax and they will go in easier.

Later Ed

[Larry Williams]

Jim Sizemore of RV Outfitters in Bend told me sometime back that he got his start in the RV outfitting business by installing new ladders on the Beavers that at the time came with no ladder. He might have some information on the mounting locations for those Beavers.