WARNING !!! Fold down steps

[Bill_C]

My son purchased a new 2013 Forest River 28 foot Surveyor Sport. After less than a week of ownership he stepped onto outside step and POP! the stair flipped backward and him forward. He was unharmed. A rivet had let go from the side bar to the step frame.

Last week on our holiday in our 2012 5th wheel Rockwood signature my wife stepped out of the trailer and onto the second step and POP! a rivet let go same place as our sons did on his unit. Her foot and leg went down behind the step. Her drop was checked when she hit the bottom of the stair case, leg wedged between the top step and the folded back second step. She escaped with bruises. On checking the rest of the rivets I have found two more ready to let go.

This really is a safety issue and Forest River needs to address it ASAP before someone gets hurt.

[dblr]

We had the same thing happen on ours on a Cedar Creek 3 steps, I repaired it with bolts and still was not happy with it so at the FROG rally last week I showed the techs and they replaced them, a good fix for me but plan to keep an eye on that it does not happen again.

[Buck1032]

We too have a Surveyor Sport SP260 and if there a wasn't thunder storm happening I would head out and check mine. It may be worth drilling out the rivets and installing some grade 8 hardware.

[rlocicero]

I have had to drill out all of the rivets on my front step on my 829fkss Flagstaff and replace them with bolts. IMHO, this is a crappy design. Why would the step manufacturer use light weight rivets on something that is load bearing. We had a friend fall to the ground and injure himself.. I think I may take further action. He did incur some medical bills.

[Buck1032]

I checked mine after the storm passed and the pivot rivets were fine, but I have a working rivet in the top step plate. Just add that to my list of things to do that is growing way faster than I can get the items on the list worked off.

[tomjsas]

On my previous camper I had rivets fail after 3 years. Replaced them with bolts. On the new camper I have started using a step support. It helps steady the step, less rocking and takes some pressure off the rivets too.

[Herk7769]

All rivets replaced with GRADE 8 Bolts.