DIY Ladder

[Nigel hawkes]

I've owned a VW Caravelle for over 10years and had always planned to buy a California when the kids left home. Last October I rented one from the lovely people at California Scotland it didn't disappoint in any way and led to me to buying one slightly sooner than I had planned. However, the one thing which did prove a challenge was getting up top! The problem was a total lack of anywhere to put your foot to get a leg up when the front seats are reversed and, invariably, I ended up nose into the mattress as somehow I made it up there. I wanted something which would be easy to use, could easily be put out of the way when not in use and didn't cost a fortune. It also needed to have minimum chance of causing any damage. I've ended up creating a ladder, albeit to use only one step, from 32mm solvent weld waste pipe and 2 broom handles, total cost about £20! Silicon sealant was used to fill part of the gap between the broom handle and tube to increase the stiffness. As the ladder is used in a fairly vertical position the lateral forces are quite small, I weight about 90Kg and it's perfectly strong enough for me. When not in use it is just laid along the centre of the mattress and the roof closed, it is just held in place by a slight compression of the mattress. I did create a prototype using 40mm waste pipe and aluminium tube which was significantly stronger but was tighter in the roof although I could still push my hand under it.

 

[ArunAlec]

I like it!

 

[motacyclist]

Hmmm - great idea but not sure I would trust the materials. Be handy to lead the pipes to the porta potty from the roof though, just need a funnel

 

[dannosail]

Did you get all those pieces for £20 - definitely from B&Q, their waste pipe is expensive!

 

[Nigel hawkes]

All components came from www.toolstation.com
Code, Description, Qty, Price
23243, PVC Pipe solvent cement 250ml, 1, £4.38
30010, Wooden brush handle, 2, £1.75
65399, Solvent weld waste pipe 3m 32mm black, 1, £3.53
73415, General purpose silicone 310ml, 1, £2.07
91119, Solvent weld tee 32mm, 10, £0.68

Total cost £20.28

 

[Nigel hawkes]

Hmmm - great idea but not sure I would trust the materials. Be handy to lead the pipes to the porta potty from the roof though, just need a funnel

The rungs are only 130mm wide so could support an elephant and all the forces are mainly compressive in the uprights. I wouldn't use it to cross a crevice though!

Like the idea of incorporating an upstairs loo - I'll look into it

 

[motacyclist]

Nice to see constructive original posts

Like it

 

[Denzilgts]

Clever use of plastic pipes

 

[ArunAlec]

All components came from www.toolstation.com
Code, Description, Qty, Price
23243, PVC Pipe solvent cement 250ml, 1, £4.38
30010, Wooden brush handle, 2, £1.75
65399, Solvent weld waste pipe 3m 32mm black, 1, £3.53
73415, General purpose silicone 310ml, 1, £2.07
91119, Solvent weld tee 32mm, 10, £0.68

Total cost £20.28

Thanks for the idea and parts list..... Just started on construction!

 

[Nigel hawkes]

We've just got back from our first trip with the ladder, it's difficult to express the simple pleasure of being able to get up top in one step

Good luck with the construction,

 

[Kmann]

Im driving around with a THULE box for my surfgear. My challenge was to gain easy access, so I found a solution with a telescope latter (http://dagensbolig.dk/produkt/teleskopstige-260-meter/). I had to modify a bit – shortening the legs – but now it fist perfect in the drawer under the seats. And as extra bonus it gives easy access to the "first floor".

 

[Baloni]

After reading the forum I spotted these https://www.amazon.de/dp/B009TPRV9A/ which could be an alternative!

 

[sidepod]

This forum just gets better.....

 

[Kmann]

This is actually the best solution I have found if one needs "Stairs to Heaven". Quite pricey though …

https://www.maxxcamp.de/de/shop/pro...mp.de/de/shop/produkte/228_aufstiegleiter.php

 

[Roger Boeken]

I got this one :
https://www.dewitschijndel.nl/stla-titta-aluminium-ladder/
I bought the 150 cm model and made it shorter and narrower. It is easy to dissasemble , all you need is a metal saw and cut the legs and steps according to your preferences. I made it a bit shorter for easier transport and narrower ((23cm if I remember well) to fit in between handbrake and passenger seat while upright . Good quality and ligthweight.

You can find it also here for example :
https://www.camping-kaufhaus.com/brunner-alkovenleiter-scala-3-150-x-28-cm-klappbar/a-21319/

The foldable version you can find also here for example :
https://www.campingshopwagner.de/pr...kovenleiter-Scala-3-150-x-28-cm-klappbar.html

 

[Milo4]

Wouldn't a little rope ladder do the trick and be easier to store?

 

[Hotel California]

Wouldn't a little rope ladder do the trick and be easier to store?

Rope ladder has been done DIY and posted by a member here before.
Problem is new posts on thesame issues keep poppin' up always giving about the same solutions....

 

[CSaville]

Hi all,
I don't want to really fork our £100+ on one of the proper ladders to get up into bed easier. Was wondering if anyone had come up with cheap DIY solution?

Thanks

 

[ArunAlec]

I copied this one but ended up not using it.

DIY Ladder

I've owned a VW Caravelle for over 10years and had always planned to buy a California when the kids left home. Last October I rented one from the lovely people at California Scotland it didn't disappoint in any way and led to me to buying one slightly sooner than I had planned. However, the one...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[trailtrotters]

We love the wooden ladder which my husband made, you can see my 2017 posting below, or search on the word 'ladder' to find it.

Our first 6 months and The Ladder

Cannot believe 6 months have passed since we took delivery of our ex-demo Ocean, we absolutely love it and are so glad we did not settle for one of the conversions. It was always intended to be a family asset for our millennial offspring to enjoy driving too, but with us being retired we have...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Tom Rae]

All components came from www.toolstation.com
Code, Description, Qty, Price
23243, PVC Pipe solvent cement 250ml, 1, £4.38
30010, Wooden brush handle, 2, £1.75
65399, Solvent weld waste pipe 3m 32mm black, 1, £3.53
73415, General purpose silicone 310ml, 1, £2.07
91119, Solvent weld tee 32mm, 10, £0.68

Total cost £20.28

Nigel, you say you store this up top when not in use, has that been satisfactory? I assume the 32mm pipe dimension is about the depth, the flanges will be a little more.

Tom

 

[Nigel hawkes]

Nigel, you say you store this up top when not in use, has that been satisfactory? I assume the 32mm pipe dimension is about the depth, the flanges will be a little more.

Tom

Hi Tom,
It worked perfectly, both in use and storage but at the end of the day the less you have to pack the better. With a bit more experience I’ve found that closing up the backrest (seat facing backwards) that the top of the backrest is suitable for me to climb up. It does take effort and I can imagine it getting harder at which time the ladder will come back in use.
With regard to the 32mm you are right the flanges take a little more but I did make an earlier version using 40mm pipe with aluminium tubes instead of the broom handles which was ok but felt a little tight.

Nigel

 

[soulstyledevon]

Im driving around with a THULE box for my surfgear. My challenge was to gain easy access, so I found a solution with a telescope latter (http://dagensbolig.dk/produkt/teleskopstige-260-meter/). I had to modify a bit – shortening the legs – but now it fist perfect in the drawer under the seats. And as extra bonus it gives easy access to the "first floor".

View attachment 12068

I have the same issue and use the same solution.
Again. The only issue with the ladder, is finding somewhere to store it.
Been trying to work out a way to make the ladder narrower, but not sure.

I do like the idea of trimming the legs down. Might then be possible to fit in the side of the chair adjacent the sliding door...?

 

[Kmann]

I have the same issue and use the same solution.
Again. The only issue with the ladder, is finding somewhere to store it.
Been trying to work out a way to make the ladder narrower, but not sure.

I do like the idea of trimming the legs down. Might then be possible to fit in the side of the chair adjacent the sliding door...?

I just took off the two rubber "feet" and cut off two centimetres with a hand saw, fitted the rubber again and voila it fitted in the drawer – where we keep all our camping accessories anyway.

 

[john eagle]

All components came from www.toolstation.com
Code, Description, Qty, Price
23243, PVC Pipe solvent cement 250ml, 1, £4.38
30010, Wooden brush handle, 2, £1.75
65399, Solvent weld waste pipe 3m 32mm black, 1, £3.53
73415, General purpose silicone 310ml, 1, £2.07
91119, Solvent weld tee 32mm, 10, £0.68

Total cost £20.28

Can you definitely close the roof with the ladder on top of the mattress?