I have a type 24′ fiberglass type IA ladder made by Green Bull. It seems rugged but it has quite a twist to it. Is there any way to fix or perhaps decrease the amount of twist? If not, what the hell is it good for? I got this about 5 years ago after some one mentioned the quality of Green Bull. I am thinking about getting a new 28′ type IA fiberglass ladder to replace it but would like to know what brand you would recomend.
Thanks in advance turtle boy
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Replies
I just got a 1A 32' aluminum Louisville ladder... real nice. I was looking at the Werner fiberglass 1A's but went to aluminum due to one fact. When you have a stand-off set up on a fiberglass stick you can actually crack the frame of the ladder. No such problem with aluminum, as long as you stay away from the power lines :-O Hope that helps a bit - Nick
Pardon my ignorance. Is the standoff you refer to the u-shaped thingie that you strap to the ladder rails so as to span across a window? Why does it cause the rails to crack?
Yes, a standoff is the "U" shaped device used to place a ladder over windows and whatnot. A standoff CAN cause the rails to crack... particularly when you have someone like me (225lbs) standing on it. The standoff puts all the weight of the ladder directly onto the face of the rail which really isn't designed to take this sort of stress. There of course are ways to avoid this, such as putting a metal plate under the standoff which will spread out the load. Also, almost every fiberglass ladder that I have seen that has been left outdoors for any length of time (not great for any ladder) has suffered some degree of degredation. I can't help but think that this would lead to a decrease in the ladder's overall ability to carry the amount of weight that it is designed and certified to.
Safety ratings for ladders are on the order of three to one. Meaning that if it is designed and tested for a 250# rating, under ideal circumstances, it will handle 750#. This accounts for less than ideal placement, normal wear, and the added force from bounce in your step as you get it swaying. (I don't think they design in a factor for lunacy. ;-) )
Of course, we aren't supposed to know that or count on it, so don't take two of your 225# buddies up to look in the same window....
Excellence is its own reward!
What brand or type of stand off would you recomend?
Turtle
I'm afraid it wasn't me who refered to standoffs and you need to re-direct you question to whoever it was after re-reading the whole thread to find out..
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." --Marcus Aurelius
The standoff puts all the weight of the ladder directly onto the face of the rail When I lean my ladder against the wall, all the load is on two points of contact, typically the end of the rail. So what's the difference?
Outstanding Piffin, I was unaware of this. Elcid, the standoff does bear against both rails, however it can actually crack fiberglass if stressed enough... aluminum and wood will just dent slightly. Mind you, this is all information passed onto me from another source so I'm simply going on that. Hope that helps - Nick
I have never used a standoff, so my comments were based on imagination. Wasn't trying to snipe at you, just looking for clarification. I think the key may be related to how thight the mounting bolts are.
Elcid, didn't take it as a snipe at all :-)
I've always had good sevice life from Louisville aluminums.
Once a ladder has a twist in it the only thing it's good for is to lay across two sawhorses and use it for a paint drying rack.
Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin,
Wouldn't this be a product problem? I excitedly opened this thread because my 24' Werner 1A FG ladder has taken a twist and it's only 1.5 years old. I wrote to Werner and they said that they don't honor warranties from the factory anymore (not sure exactly what that meant) but I should take it to the retailer where I bought it. I have been dragging my feet by taking it back to HD for two reasons. 1. I don't think they would be as receptive to product compaints more than a year after the sale is made and 2. My guess is they wait for the Werner rep to come around to show it to him, and I need the ladder frequently.
Is this a common problem? Shouldn't a HD ladder be stable enough to keep from twisting?
Jon Blakemore
I suppose it couold be a factory problem. I don't have much experience with fibreglas ones.
There are two problems to deal with here. One is how to deal with the factory or dealer.
The other is to keep youself or crew from mounting up on the thing before someone gets killed.
I was painting my house this summer with my good 32' Louiseville and dropped it becauyse the wind caught me wrong on a move and my back isn't as strong as it used to be. The top six feet now hooks off to the left about 4". As soon as I dsaw that, I said to my self, " no more on the job with this one" I might take a chance myself, knowing what the limits are - maybe 22' but if I bring it to the job, someone will try to ride it for sure..
Excellence is its own reward!
Write them again, or call. Their first impulse is to deny everything. Couldn't have happened, not our responsibility, we make everything absolutely perfect. You're the only guy on the planet with this issue . . . If you believe in your case, push the issue. I dealt with them before regarding a *defect* that broke more than just a guys leg on a brand new ladder. It took a lot of patience, but I was right and I knew it, and so did they.
I have been dragging my feet by taking it back to HD for two reasons. 1. I don't think they would be as receptive to product compaints more than a year after the sale is made and 2. My guess is they wait for the Werner rep to come around to show it to him, and I need the ladder frequently.
Coincidentally, a couple of months ago I was standing in the return line at HD, with a rather scruffy looking bloke in front of me holding a 6' or so aluminum step ladder of fairly light construction (didn't notice the "type", but it looked to be HO grade). The ladder was even more scruffy looking than the guy; steps bent, paint all over it, the hinged braces bent, and a twist to the whole thing. He didn't have a receipt, and he said he had bought it a while back (don't remember how far, but I was surprised at how long ago he said he had bought it). To my astonishment, they not only accepted it back as defective, without an argument, but he walked out with a new one, on the spot! Now, granted in the NYC area where I'm originally from I'd expect he'd get the "what, are you kidding me?" treatment, but even here in upstate New York (it really is like "My Blue Heaven", and I feel a little like Vinnie) I wouldn't expect that. Sheesh! Take it back, tell 'em it's defective. The last thing they want is that you told them about it, they refused to do anything, someone gets hurt, and they get sued.
ps I'm not a lawyer; this is just stream-of-consciousness prattling.Be seeing you...
I was in the HD return line behind a decent looking guy who was returning a water heater. He took it home, installed it, and discovered three days later that it leaked. "The crease in the side, oh that's the way you sold it to me..."
All this time, I thought this was a ladder thread.
Now I find out it's just another chapter in our infinite HD saga....
.
Excellence is its own reward!
http://www.featherliteladders.com/
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I have heard that if a ladder is strapped down unevenly or with a twist the swaged ends of the steps, the parts actually resisting twisting, can slip. When the ladder is unstrapped it then holds the distorted position. By rights the ladder should be replaced. But we are tradesmen who know better, are cheap and dread the thought of throwing a ladder out that has a climb or two left in it.
In complete disregard of safety you could fasten the front of the ladder flat to your ladder rack. Grab a handy 2by4 to thread through the ladder perpendicular to its length and tie a weight on the end to stress the ladder opposite the twist. I would use an old transformer but you could use anything dense, inert and heavy. You might try that goldbrick helper. Assemble the rig at the end of the day and let it set overnight. If it doesn't help try a greater dead weight, like the boss man, over the week end.
I once corrected an aluminum ladder bent into a 'C' shape by spanning about 15' between the step bumpers of two service trucks and hanging cinder blocks on it. When I came back the next morning I thought I had just moves the direction of the curve because it was smiling at me but when we removed the blocks the ladder sprung back to just under straight. I used it for another 4 years and as far as I know it is still in regular use.
You had to know the outfit. The 'C' shaped ladder was the looker in the bunch and the boss wasn't buying anything new. Wood ladders held together with wire, duct tape and pieces of conduit were the norm.
Edited for grammar.
Edited 10/29/2002 6:25:41 PM ET by 4LORN1
Louisville without a doubt