Can my roof support me?

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Mezmorized

Mezmorized

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 11, 2015
Posts
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Location
Pontiac, Qc. Canada
As it says in the title, can my roof support me? I'm just about 2 super sized meals away from 300 pounds... Will the ladder on the back of my 96 Dutch Star handle my weight? And if it does, will I be able to stand on my roof to do any maintenance, installs or repairs? A guy at work helped with the RV cover last fall/winter and he probably weighs 165 lbs., he's was the "elected" one to go on the roof with the cover. But what if I have nobody to help? Will I have to get up there and walk like I'm on thin ice? Or just be careful on certain spots?

Thanks in advance! :) :eek:
 
The official weight rating for RV roof ladders is 250 lbs, but a lot of that depends on how securely the manufacturer attached them to the RV wall.  There's a lot of downward force on the wall struts as the ladder flexes, and struts that are bolted into actual blocking are more secure than ones just screwed into the wall siding.

As far as walking on the roof, Dutch Star uses roof trusses at regular intervals with nothing but the rubber roof and thin plywood in between.  Pieces of thicker plywood to spread your weight between a couple of trusses may be useful.

Newmar maintains an archive of all of their sales brochures, they usually have an exploded view showing the roof structure.  Download the sales brochure and/or Owners Manual for your motorhome:

https://www.newmarcorp.com/owner-tools/brochures-archive/
 
You can always use a different ladder just to be sure. I usually do at home anyway. It is easier than using the mounted ladder
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
I would not rely on the rear ladder, but the roof should be fine.
Click to expand...

On most roofs I've seen, you can see the supporting rafters so at least try to walk on them. If it looks a little spongy, take 2 or 3 pieces of plywood (3" X 3") up with you to walk on and spread the weight over a larger area. m
 
I agree with Gary.  I'm also approaching 300lb, and I don't mind getting on the roof.  My on-board ladder makes a good place to carry the 16' extension ladder I use to do so.
 
Snowshoes.

Or boards with straps that fit over your feet and spread the weight.

It's pounds per square inch that will do damage. Do NOT tip toe. Don't walk on your heels either. Use your whole foot.

I'm making my Dr. happy. I'm down to 275 from 310 and loosing.

My RV user manual says max Roof Loading is 100 lbs of cargo and a 225 lbs person.

My common sense says "you're too old, get someone else to do it!" ;)
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
I would not rely on the rear ladder, but the roof should be fine.
Click to expand...
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I decided to remove my Factory ladder and do something different, So I used another ladder to get to the roof and cut the ladder where it attached there (Later I removed the mounts and caulked properly)
Then back on the ground grabbed the factory ladder with ONE HAND and pulled it off.
Fixed the holes left by the pulled off mounts and attached a ouple of custom made J hooks (lower case J ) made from very thich diamond plate bumper metal by my body man/metal smith.  Two quarter inch lag bolts into solid wood on each hook, I tossed a rope over 'em (just one at a time) and forming a stirrup did a few bounces (i'm over 300 pounds) and they held with just one lag bolt. So with two they won't be coming off any time soon.  Then I hung a convertable Step/extension ladder on 'em

A Shower grab bar at the bottom of the ladder keeps 'em from banging against the RV and a bicycle lock to the shower bar helps the ladder to "hang around" instead of growing legs and walking off. Some bungie keeps it from bouncing as well.

I think there are photos in Library
 
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