Installing MORryde’s second-generation StepAbove entry steps leads to greater safety and ease of use as compared with traditional suspended trailer steps.
By Bruce W. Smith
March 2022
(story with photos here)
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Getting in and out of travel trailers or fifth-wheels using the standard fold-out steps attached to the RV frame probably isn’t something those who have good balance and are in good physical health think much about. But when those types of entry steps become a safety concern because of age or physical impairments, it’s time to step up to a style that offers a more stable design.
One of the best and easiest step upgrades I’ve found is to replace the traditional travel trailer steps with second-generation MORryde StepAbove RV entry steps.
StepAbove models are available in two-, three-, and four-step versions and range in price from around $300 to $500. All have a more gradual drop/rise, so they are easier to navigate than traditional trailer steps. The second-generation steps also have a wide top step for better footing; quick-release adjustable feet to compensate for uneven terrain; and sturdy side supports that prevent bounce, wobble, or movement during exit or entry. The steps have a 500-pound weight capacity.
The MORryde steps also are easy to store and deploy. The lightweight aluminum/steel steps lock in place just behind the entry door for self-contained storage. Should the steps need to be detached, a quick-release hinge simplifies this. Two pins that secure the StepAbove at the top plate hinge can be pulled out and the step removed when in a tight spot or for storage.
“We install a lot of the MORryde steps for customers,” said Ryan Penny, operations manager for Bish’s RV, a large family-owned dealership in Meridian, Idaho. “Once they see how much more stable the steps are compared to the traditional trailer/camper steps, they have us put them on. Some RVers have the old steps removed and the resulting empty space turned into a storage box.”
We shadowed RV technician Craig Martinez as he installed a three-step version on a customer’s Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS trailer. The accompanying photos highlight the steps involved in the installation.
For those who want to consider this installation as a do-it-yourself project, Martinez offered some advice: “Before ordering these steps, go to MORryde’s website and read the detailed instructions on measuring and fit for your RV. That way you are assured the step will be the right model for your particular application, because they fit several different door widths and trailer heights.”
The MORryde website calls this “Step Qualifier,” and it walks prospective buyers through the process of selecting the right set of steps with questions about the step height; the rise of the threshold; whether room exists for the hinge plate; and the door width from the factory label or, failing that, by measuring the base of the door from flange to flange.
Regardless of who does the installation, the MORryde StepAbove should provide owners a more stable way of entering and exiting their travel trailer or fifth-wheel RV.
The Installation
1) MORryde’s StepAbove entry steps come preassembled and can be removed from the box and immediately centered in the RV entryway. MORryde installation instructions vary based on step hinge size/type. 2) Instructions say to position the steps’ hinged mounting plate 15/16-inch from the trailer door threshold and then 3) temporarily secure it with two of the four supplied mounting screws. 4) For this installation, the technician next lowered the steps and adjusted the feet so the steps rested securely on the floor; the RV must be level during installation. 5) The threshold cover didn’t fit flush with the factory-recommended 15/16-inch spacing and needed to be moved closer. It must lie flush on top of the original threshold for the door to close properly, per the instructions. 6) The technician relocated the StepAbove mounting hinge so it was ¼-inch from the original threshold. This allowed the cover to wrap tightly around the threshold. 7) The technician locked the screen door to the entry door and then checked the clearance between the StepAbove threshold plate and the bottom of the entry door. MORryde recommends at least a 3/8-inch gap between the two. 8) & 9) The locking mechanisms on each side of the steps are adjustable side-to-side. The two adjustment bolts can be loosened so the outer edge of the locking mechanism can slide in or out to clear the outside door jamb while catching the jamb’s inside lip. 10) The hinge-side locking mechanism must be adjusted so it just clears the entry door and screen door hinges. The two bolts allow it to slide and facilitate finite adjustments. 11) After adjusting the locking mechanisms, the tech finished securing the StepAbove mounting plate to the trailer floor using the two remaining supplied screws. The L-shaped pin just to the left of the screw being installed can be pulled out of the hinge, releasing the entry steps for removal if needed. 12) & 13) A final check was made to ensure that the steps operate properly and that the entry door opened and closed without interference. The steps rotate up and store inside the entry door.
Further Information
MORryde
morryde.com
(574) 293-1581
Story with photos here