Looks great! Did you need shims? How do they compare to the OEM Steps?
Yes I made shims. I had on hand 1/8"X1.5" stock aluminum. Marked off the hole locations and drilled them oversized using a step drill. Took about 15 minuets to make using a step drill. Used one on each side. The second one went in a bit tight. If I did it again, I wound have used the 1/8" and then a 1/16" thick stock.
The stairs work well. Walking up the stairs you notice that they are quite solid. I spent some time in the fifth wheel and when stepping out for the first time, I did not get the “bounce” that I was used to. It was a welcome, but surprisingly different feeling. This is exactly what I was looking for. I became so used to the bounce I hit the first step hard! No need to do that any more. This will help my wife a lot. She has a prosthetic leg. She had a very high amputation when she was 15.
I took my time installing them. It took 15 minuets to remove the plastic support plates for the J panels. Several of the screws were stripped. I was able to do the instillation by myself by using two of my 6X24X24 inch blocks. I was able to set the blocks on their sides to support the step assembly. The step assembly width is about ¼” less then the stair mounting opening. Since the fifth wheel mounting frame is thin metal and would deform easily, I made the shims. The shims were slid up between the steps and the mounting plate using a piece of 1/16” aluminum stock that I had on hand. The second shim went in a bit tight. Two 3/32” shims or one 1/8” and one 1/16” shim would have made the task a bit easier. Prior to tightening the mounting bolts, I adjusted the front of the steps to be even with the front. I had to make sure that the locking pin can clear the side and trim. The whole process took about a half hour shims and all. It took about fifteen minuets to put the J panel support panels back since I wanted to match the holes and not add any. Adding new holes would have been quicker, but it may have allowed water to intrude. So total working time was about an hour. Add another 15 minuets for tool setup and cleanup.
If you want solid steps, I highly recommend the GlowStep Revolution. To deploy them pull the locking pin out and lift the locking lever which is easy. The lever lifts effortlessly. Hold the lever up for the first few inches while pulling the stairs straight out. This does not take much to pull them out. The movement is smooth and almost effortless. Set the stairs down and adjust the feet and the upper part of the stairs if required. The upper part of the stairs adjust by lifting the locking lever and the feet are adjusted by pushing in the spring locking pin.
I got rid of five pounds of metal, and then the 14 pounds of the portable/adjustable step as well. It was never an ideal set up.