Need help finding a folding stair for Bigfoot 17

[Michael Collins]

Hello again. We have an old 1988 Bigfoot 17 that we bought fairly cheap knowing that it needed some work. My latest project is the stairs. They are bent and severely rusted. I bought a double 20" step thinking they should all be standard, but the new one is an inch too wide. My bolt holes are 18.5" wide center to center. The steps I have found online show the mounting holes at 19.25". Does anyone know the manufacturer of the old stairs such as the ones on our Bigfoot? Any help would be appreciated.


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[cpaharley2008]

Mount them on the outside vs inside of the metal step frame....

[Carol H]

Have you checked out the ones they have at Vintage Trailer Supply to see if they have what you need?

Or you could try sending Bigfoot an email and ask what make/brand they used in the past. Many of the current staff worked there in the good old days but they do not have access to old files/info as to what was put on each trailer etc, but you never know they may know the answer to your question.

[Jack L]

Can you drill more holes in the new step or in the frame? Looking at mine , I've got lots of room for larger stairs on mine.

[Michael Collins]

I don't think I can. I'll take a better look at it tomorrow. The double step is too deep to mount under where the old steps were. I thought about cutting a bit of it away, and then I thought I'll just go with the single step. I looked at the specs and they aren't the same as my stock steps. The steps have an edge like an angle iron where they mount. There isn't enough area without modification to change the screw locations. I know anything is possible with a little work and ingenuity, but it might be beyond my ability. I work again tomorrow, but I'll take a pic on Thursday. Thx for the help


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[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Michael Collins

I don't think I can. I'll take a better look at it tomorrow. The double step is too deep to mount under where the old steps were. I thought about cutting a bit of it away, and then I thought I'll just go with the single step. I looked at the specs and they aren't the same as my stock steps. The steps have an edge like an angle iron where they mount. There isn't enough area without modification to change the screw locations. I know anything is possible with a little work and ingenuity, but it might be beyond my ability. I work again tomorrow, but I'll take a pic on Thursday. Thx for the help


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If you have a machine shop make up a spacer to fill in the added width they could put holes on both sides to match the mountings on the trailer on one side and the new steps on the other.

[Lee Senn]

I have to agree with the solution as stated by Tractor 1. I too have a Bigfoot 17 and need to replace the steps. I purchased a double step from Camping World and am having a steel plate made that will have a hole pattern that matches the Bigfoot pattern and will also be large enough to allow additional holes that will match the steps. Lee

[WaltP]

On my 2002 I mounted 20" Elkhart double steps. It did take drilling an extra hole on each side of the brackets and a spacer on one side but not a major job.

[Michael Collins]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I think I'm going to tackle this job. These double stairs are nice.


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[trainjunkie]

I'm pretty sure the OE supplier to Bigfoot for these is Elkhart Tool & Die. A lot of RV dealers sell these.

Elkhart Tool and Die : Single RV Step - RV Steps Since 1954 - Continuous Hinges - Custom Metal Fab

[WaltP]

Yeah, they're the only 20" wide version I've found.

Elkhart Tool & Die Double Steps

Walt

[Michael Collins]

Thanks for those links. I do indeed have the Elkhart double step I just purchased, and my stock step is also an Elkhart single. For simplicity sake, the single would be a bolt on install. The double would be nice for our young toddler kids. Our trailer has the spring over axle conversion so it sits fairly high. I'll head outside when the kids nap today, and take a look if the double can be easily modified to work. I thought about welding a piece of flat stock steel 1.5" wide on the inside of the existing stair bolting flange. Then I would still new holes to line up to the trailer mounts. I also had interference at the top rear of the stair. Cutting 2.5" down in an L pattern would make clearance. I'll report back in a bit. Thx again.


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[Michael Collins]

Well I crawled under the trailer today and there is no cutting involved to get double steps under the Bigfoot 17. The double steps hang an extra 2.5" lower than the single while stowed. This leaves me with 10" of clearance to the ground while trailering. This concerns me a little. I'm going to add material to one side and drill new holes to make up the extra 1.25" difference in mounting width. Would the 10" of clearance concern you guys?


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[Michael Collins]

Thanks Lee and Walt for the idea.


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[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Michael Collins

Well I crawled under the trailer today and there is no cutting involved to get double steps under the Bigfoot 17. The double steps hang an extra 2.5" lower than the single while stowed. This leaves me with 10" of clearance to the ground while trailering. This concerns me a little. I'm going to add material to one side and drill new holes to make up the extra 1.25" difference in mounting width. Would the 10" of clearance concern you guys?


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No worry. Probably about the same clearance as the low point of your axle.......

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Michael Collins

Well I crawled under the trailer today and there is no cutting involved to get double steps under the Bigfoot 17. The double steps hang an extra 2.5" lower than the single while stowed. This leaves me with 10" of clearance to the ground while trailering. This concerns me a little. I'm going to add material to one side and drill new holes to make up the extra 1.25" difference in mounting width. Would the 10" of clearance concern you guys?


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Originally Posted by tractors1

No worry. Probably about the same clearance as the low point of your axle.......

Could be a concern based upon location of axle(s) in relation to step when going over speed bumps/tables, which axle(s), for obvious reasons would not be jeopardized. But the step unlike an axle theoretically could contact a high bump.


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[trainjunkie]

Originally Posted by CPW

Could be a concern based upon location of axle(s) in relation to step when going over speed bumps/tables, which axle(s), for obvious reasons would not be jeopardized. But the step unlike an axle theoretically could contact a high bump.

^^^This^^^

Axle clearance is not the same as other things hanging off the trailer. When the tires go over a bump ( a speed bump, for instance), the axle rises with the tire. Other under-body appliances do not have this advantage. I don't know what kind of camping you do but 10-inches of clearance on a fixed appliance would be a concern to me.

My BF was lifted too (drop to straight axle conversion) but I kept the single step and just put a little step stool under it when I needed it for the kids and dogs. Most of the time we didn't though.

[Jack L]

When I did the same conversion, I kept the single step and carry a wooden box I built to use like a step stool as trainjunkie suggested.

[Michael Collins]

My original single step is pretty much garbage. I'm going to buy new rims and tires soon, and these will be 15". This should raise the trailer another .5".


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[trainjunkie]

If you want to keep that new step in good shape, consider making a mud guard for it like I did here...

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...oot-68092.html

It really helps keep it clean and functional.