Boarding ladder mounts

[Nick]

I am brainstorming for how to be able to use my boarding ladder with my M101 whan camping, or just needing to get in with the tailgate closed.

What Im thinking is, since I dont want to cut holes in the tailgate or frame, I have bent the tabs on the top of the ladder flat. I then would take two of the tailgate hinge tabs, drill into the frame, install them flat, with the hole horizontal. then I can drill a hole in the ladder tabs and have a way to secure the ladder so it wont slip or become disengaged.

I am talking using two seprate tabs, not the ones used for the tailgate. So does anyone happen to have two extra they would be willing to let go? Theres one on ebay now, but its 15 bucks and theres only one.

Whattya think??

Thanks
Nick

 

[papakb]

Nick,

I'd just leave the tabs on the ladder flat and and set it on the lowerlip of the tailgate. Then use the close line tensioners that came with the boarding ladder originally and hook them to the shackles to keep the ladder in place.

Kurt

 

[Nick]

I didnt know there were tensioners that came with the ladder. I dont have em. If i put it on the lower lip of the tailgate, wouldnt it bend the lip down when its climbed? The bad thing is there are no shackles on the rear of the trailer frame. I dont know what happened to them, when I got it it didnt have em.

Nick

 

[papakb]

Nick,

At the lower end of the boarding ladder there should be two attaching points for the tensioners. They were just green rope running thru a clothesline tensioner to a clip that attached to the vehicle. This kept the ladders bottom from sliding away fron the vehicle. Here's a link to a spot where you can buy them:

Amazon.com: Franklin Mfg. 70BL Clothesline Tightener: Home Improvement

I wouldn't worry about denting the tailgate but if you're worried about it then buy a piece of square stock steel tubing and slip it inside the lower rail of the tailgate.

Kurt

 

[gunboy1656]

You can get the tighteners at wally world pretty cheap.