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Old 03-12-2016, 02:10 PM   #1
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Roof &a ladder weight rating

We just purchased a 2016 Hurricane 31s. I weigh 280lbs, and would like to know if the roof and ladder will support my weight.

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Old 03-12-2016, 02:24 PM   #2
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Look on ladder steps bottom and back side. There should be a weight lable.
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:29 PM   #3
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Will do, thanks. My unit is at the dealer having warranty items addressed. I will look when I get it back.
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Old 03-12-2016, 08:42 PM   #4
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Just as a suggestion, if you have a space on top of the bumper to the next stip above the bumper, I bought a think length of hard rubber, 5" x 3" x 3", actually two of them and I put that between that step and the bumper just to give it extra support but not rigid support, as in using steel or alumimun. It supports the ladder well. Mine actually started pulling out of the wall is the reason I did this and I weight 175. But, I was installing solar so I was going up and down a lot too.
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Old 03-13-2016, 01:16 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hurricane8 View Post
We just purchased a 2016 Hurricane 31s. I weigh 280lbs, and would like to know if the roof and ladder will support my weight.
I saw a ladder broken by a mobile RV tech that may have been about your size. (The roof air had stopped because a wasp nest jammed the fan.) My Vegas 25.2, and my previous Class A both had no roof ladder, so I bought a collapsing ladder on Ebay. It is sturdy, yet doesn't add all that much cargo weight.

You might consider ignoring the flimsy ladder and using one of these instead.
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Old 03-13-2016, 01:33 AM   #6
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I have a collapsible 12' 350 lb. ladder in one of my storage compartments. I realize I am an old 6' 4" 280 lb. college offensive lineman, but I would hope at the very least the roof could hold my weight. But I do not know the weight rating for the roof.
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Old 03-13-2016, 03:12 AM   #7
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Methinks the roof load bearing capacity is a question for Thor customer service. You won't find any sticker with that info. If that fails, PM me for the phone number of one of the district reps.
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Old 03-13-2016, 03:16 AM   #8
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Ok. I will try that. Thanks for your help
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Old 03-13-2016, 12:33 PM   #9
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As to the ladder, mine is rated for 250 pounds but I wouldn't trust it over 200.

The Thor propaganda videos from MHSRV and Thor state you can have a tailgate party on the roof and not worry about it. This link is for the Hurricane but at the 12 minute mark they talk about the "walk on roof" taking coolers to the roof with a bunch of NASCAR fans.

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Old 03-13-2016, 01:08 PM   #10
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I agree with your comments on the ladder. I don't trust it at all, especially at my size. I have emailed Thor about roof and ladder. I will post their reply when I receive it. Thank you for your involvement on this forum.
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Old 03-14-2016, 02:53 PM   #11
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unless something has changed in the last year or two I think its 250 for the roof and ladder
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Old 03-14-2016, 03:46 PM   #12
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Don't trust the ladder if you are using it considerably even if you only weight 170. I had to get mine fixed as it was pulling out of the wall. If you use your own ladder be mindful of the radius edges, they are not reinforced except for the ribs that go from side to side. You can crack that area fairly easily, don't step on it, and don't ask me how I know You can always put a sheet of 3/8" ply cut to 24" by 96" and use it to walk on it will displace your weight that way, kind of like what roofers do when installing a new roof on an old house. Be careful.
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Old 03-14-2016, 06:16 PM   #13
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Manufacturers obviously have to rate a ladder by placing a weight limit on it, and we shouldn't exceed it because of possible injury. However, in real-world applications, we can't ignore that a human being going up or down a ladder creates a dynamic load on ladder that can far exceed their own weight. It's very possible that a 170-pound man can place a higher peak load on a ladder than a 280-pound man.

Hopefully manufacturers take this variation into account when rating ladders by adding a significant safety factor, but I expect some people will load ladders a lot more than others (given same body weight) possibly exceeding even that.

I'm not in any way suggesting to exceed ladder ratings; but rather provide a possible explanation as to why some things fail when it appears they shouldn't have.
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Old 03-14-2016, 07:13 PM   #14
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I just spoke with customer service. The weight rating on the ladder is 250lbs. He did not know where to begin looking for a weight rating on the roof. He said it would handle my weight with no worries at all. I have sent Thor an email to this question as well, so we will see if they have a definitive number for the roof. Thank you all for your replies.
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Old 03-14-2016, 07:29 PM   #15
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If I was going to use the ladder anyway, I would go up and particularly down slowly and with deliberate movement. As little jerky motion as possible should help reduce peak loads on ladder.
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Old 03-14-2016, 10:05 PM   #16
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Ladder weight rating

I also do not trust the ladder our Windsport. I have used it a few times over the last two years, but very cautiously. I have had to tighten the stand off screws that attach the rails to the rear cap. As soon as the weather breaks I plan on investigating ways that I might be able to add support below the lowest rung. I will be looking for ways to attach something to the frame and bring it out under the end cap up to support the bottom rung. Without a bumper that may prove to be a challenge. Has anyone done this or seen it done?? Ideas??
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Old 03-14-2016, 10:31 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by John & Diane View Post
I also do not trust the ladder our Windsport. I have used it a few times over the last two years, but very cautiously. I have had to tighten the stand off screws that attach the rails to the rear cap. As soon as the weather breaks I plan on investigating ways that I might be able to add support below the lowest rung. I will be looking for ways to attach something to the frame and bring it out under the end cap up to support the bottom rung. Without a bumper that may prove to be a challenge. Has anyone done this or seen it done?? Ideas??
Looking at doing something here too...
Was thinking able an adjustable frame to place under the ladder - and extend/lock to the ground (adjustable because obviously depends on jack extension and terrain...)
Hadn't though about coming from the frame... will crawl under the RV and look.
It needs some support in my opinion... and really don't have the space to carry another ladder to get to the roof.

Ideas from others welcome.
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Old 03-14-2016, 11:15 PM   #18
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I weight about 250 and do not trust he ladder or the stand-offs where the ladder is mounted. The standoffs are loose and slightly sagging on both the ladder and the RV. After using the ladder just once, I started placing a motorcycle/ATV lift jack under the bottom step. Now I use a 12 foot step ladder as well, and only climb up on the last two steps of the ladder. Our past RVs had real ladders that would easily hold my weight.
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Old 04-02-2016, 01:08 AM   #19
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Ladder support

I Finally got around to fabricating a support for the ladder on our Windsport 27K. I used the open tube that is on the right side of the trailer hitch. I fabricated a square tube by welding two hitch ball mounts together at the ball ends. I did this because I needed a indentation to go under a sewer tube that I have running down the right side of the frame. I inserted the bar I made into the open tube in the side of the hitch. (If the sewer tube wasn't there I would have used a straight piece of 2x2 tubing.) In line with the center of the bottom rung of the ladder I welded a 1 1/2" I beam on top of the tube that extends from the bar to under the rung. When I had everything assembled I found that by adding a piece of 1x1 between the bottom rung and the support I was actually raising the ladder so the bottom stand-offs are perpendicular to the back of the MH. instead of angling down. Going up the ladder is much better.
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Old 04-02-2016, 01:58 AM   #20
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Looks good...
Just winterized and put Hurricane back in storage for a few weeks at least (winter hasn't quite left) - but will look at what I need to do something similar on mine.
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