Thule step modification

As a fully paid up member of the dodgy knees club, I’m having a bit of a problem with our habitation access step, which is a Thule single step fitted to our Bourton. To step from the ground floor outside onto the extended Thule step is approx 18cm. The next step up into the van though, and onto the lower van step is approx 29cm. Then up onto the motorhome floor is again approx 20cm. So the first and third steps on entry and exit, pose no major problem. But that 29cm step is causing a fair bit of difficulty. The obvious get around is not to use the Thule step, and carry steps which better fit our needs. But, if at all possible, I’m trying to avoid that option, as we stop and move often rarely staying put for extended periods. 

So, the question is has anyone found some form of modification to the Thule step, or have any suggestions that decreases that 29cm step. ?

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Would a double step fit? only £333.

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I'd employ a bit of lateral thinking. 

I don't think it would be too difficult to make small horizontal hand rails just inside the hab door entrance. It could be made such that each side had a frame resting on the floor so it needed minimal fixing (and therefore screwholes etc.) to the fabric of the van.

The best height for the hand rail would come from trial and error, but it would work for my ancient knees. Just a bit of help from the arms would take the strain off the knees, and may well solve the problem with minimal expense, effort or modification to the van!

When you come to sell the van it should be possible to conceal any small screw holes with those sticky discs that A/S supply, so it would not detract from the value at all.
Just a thought. (And something I may have to do myself before long!!  )

what about one of these....a single slid out that would make the first step a little higher but the second a little lower?

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Another possibility could be to make up a simple block (with perimeter edging to stop it sliding off) that can be dropped in place to add, say 4cm to the height of the lowest step. This would give you gaps of 22, 25 and 20, which may be more manageable?

Of course you would need some mechanism to stop the step from being retracted with the block in place, but that could simply be an extra switch somewhere?

gef wrote:Folding steps are a reasonable price sturdy and work well. We have used them for ages
Gef

He's trying to avoid that option Gef, but it would be interesting to know which ones you recommend as I (and no doubt others) might need them soon!

Some models are useless on soft ground as the legs sink in, but if you've found some good ones . . . . 

Roopert wrote:Another possibility could be to make up a simple block (with perimeter edging to stop it sliding off) that can be dropped in place to add, say 4cm to the height of the lowest step. This would give you gaps of 22, 25 and 20, which may be more manageable?

Of course you would need some mechanism to stop the step from being retracted with the block in place, but that could simply be an extra switch somewhere?

Thanks all for the replies, but I think I’m going to try something along the lines here suggested by Roopert. There’s a Fiamma clean step product available.  I hope to be able to adapt this  to secure a block on top of the step, at a width of approx 4 to 5 cm. ( Where the red line is marked on the cross section). Which will even out the steps as above. I’m going to have to experiment a bit first though, to see how thick a block the step can carry. Problem being that on retraction, the gap above the step is closed. I’ll use some simple cardboard pieces initially, to see how much thickness I can get away with. Hopefully, if it all comes together, it’ll level off the steps, and go some way to solving the problem.

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Best money we ever spent! Useful around the house too when you don't want that little wobbly step ladder.

Hi Milvus.
I had the same problem so I fixed a piece of timber approx 25mm thick with an aluminium plate on the top, making approx 27 mm O/A, this still leaves the step approx 260 mm but is an improvement and the step can still be retracted. Hope this helps


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That’s exactly the sort of modification I had in mind. Much appreciated, particularly the measurements that the step can accommodate. Thank you. 

If you do this mod, due to the design of the step the timber must not be the full width of the step, mine is 490mm fixed centrally from underneath. Good luck.

I would not like to rely on the Fiamma Cleanstep fixings to hold a block in place.  You should be able to put some self tapping screws into the metal step itself for security and then cover with the Fiamma. The springs on my Fiamma are pulling the eyelets out of the fabric.  It has done 8 seasons though.

I was about to set about this task, but glad I waited a while, now that some more info has come in. Thanks both for your thoughts.