Little House Customs sells a double entry step for our Casitas. Having an extra step is great for people with mobility issues or if you have a lifted Casita.
The steps are modified by LHC just to fit our Casitas. The first “step” is to cut out the existing step with a reciprocating saw and long metal blade. After cutting the round steel bar at each end, the old step drops out.
Cut line marked 
Metal trimmed
Next draw a line as pictured from below the C-channel to a point 1″ down from the top. Using a cut-off wheel or saw, make the cuts to remove the excess metal.
The instructions come with a paper template to mark the holes, but I found it tough to get all 6 holes in exactly the right spot. Next time I’ll locate the rear holes, temporarily install the step and mark the remaining 4 holes before drilling. This part of the trailer frame is made from thick metal. I started with 1/8″ pilot holes, and moved up to 3/8″ for the bolts. Cutting oil makes the job much easier as well as a few extra drill bits.
Finally the step is bolted in with the 6 bolts. I painted the exposed metal with Rustoleum satin black, which is a great match.
I’ve heard from some owners that the steps can be slippery when wet, so they add carpeted pads or more grip tape.
2 comments
These steps are a wonderful addition to your tv. My wife and I had them added you ours as a result of the extra lift added to the unit. They are phenomenal and make entering so much easier as my wife has bad knees.
Thank you very much for the time and effort you took to take pictures, write an article and post on your site. This was a great help for me because you offered more description and photos than the instructions that came with the steps. (I’m mostly pretty handy, but this project was my first experience with a reciprocating saw and an angle grinder.)
I agree that cutting oil makes a huge difference, and it’s good to have extra drill bits. I dulled 1 bit of each size, but had spares. With regard to getting the holes lined up, I didn’t experience any problems. However, I should mention that the instructions call for drilling 25/64″ holes. That probably gave me just enough wiggle room for the bolts to fit pretty easily.
When it came time to prop the steps up so I could insert bolts, I found a very convenient way to raise them. Under each side of the steps frame, I placed one .50 cal. steel ammo can, one of the OSB (chipboard) squares they bolt to the steps for shipping, and an 8″ piece of 2×6. From that position, I only had to lift each side about 1/2″ to start inserting bolts.
All-in-all, the project went well, thanks to this page on your site.