rear hatch ladder - pics

[SyCo]

deffinitely look into that, then sell your design to a company that has time and people to make them, RR or Rustys, with a condition that you get like $5 for everyone produced. you'd be getting like 250 a month, just for that...

Good luck, patents are crazy expensive. That's why alot of small guys who fabricate products have their ideas stolen by bigger companies (Kilby gas tank skid, jacked by Warn, BPI bumpers, jacked by MORE). It sucks to see the small guy get owned like that, but unless you have big bucks and/or a lawyer, it's gonna happen.

Might be better off like ranger said and sell the designs to another company, so you can at least make some profit.

Either way, your ladder looks sweet, nice work.

 

[Capt. Nemo]

Very nice ladder. It's fun to see others fabricating, and even better when it's done well. Very professional looking. I'm not sure I'd trust it on an older fiberglass hatch, but for the new steel ones it looks like it works out very well. I can see you put alot of thought into how to mount the top and still have the hatch open. Cool.

 

[sarvermr]

i looked into patents. holy $hit! over $2000 just for application and processing fees. yes 2 thousand, not hundred. i can't even imagine how much a patent attorney would charge to do it. thats definitely not going to happen.

and thanks some more for the compliments.

 

[toyworx]

i looked into patents. holy $hit! over $2000 just for application and processing fees. yes 2 thousand, not hundred. i can't even imagine how much a patent attorney would charge to do it. thats definitely not going to happen.

and thanks some more for the compliments.

First...nice work.

On that patent, don't bother. I've been through it. It'd be a waste of time for you. It would take any one of those companies about 5 minutes to make one variation that would get them around your patent. All it takes is one very small change for them to claim theirs is different and therefore doesn't violate the patent.

 

[Chris S]

Yep, and about $15,000 to try to fight it even if they make an exact copy.

 

[Chris S]

Who needs a ladder? you can get at the rack real easy in that last pic.

 

[casm]

correct. thats really the only time the force isn't going down. its getting pulled back too. thats why i put the attachments directly on either side of the hinge. thats definitely the strongest point of the hatch. when all of my 260 lbs is leaning back on it you can't even see it deflect. i'm confident it will hold. time will tell.

Just thinking out loud here... What about using the bolt points inside the top of the hatch that the stock hinges affix to?

Basically, you'd drill holes inline with the existing hinge bolt mounts through the top lip of the hatch and then use longer bolts to fasten the ladder and stock hinge through them. A couple more drilled in parallel with that and the whole thing hangs off of an existing stress point.

I'm not sure if this would provide more or less integrity than the way you've already done it, but it might be worth considering. FWIW, though, I still think that's a damn nice job.

Also, you mentioned doubling up the struts... Can you please post pics of that once it's done? I'd like to see what an install looks like.

 

[scoobyxj]

inside, i need to make some backing plates for these bolts still:

If you where to add a bracket to tie the bolts to the sheet metal. It would greatly increase the streangth of it not wanting to pull back. Do you see what im talking about? A "L" bracket from the bolts to the sheet metal where the sticker is on the right side.

BTW that is a very good looking ladder. If it ever comes up missing don't come looking on my jeep.:angel:

 

[sarvermr]

Just thinking out loud here... What about using the bolt points inside the top of the hatch that the stock hinges affix to?

Basically, you'd drill holes inline with the existing hinge bolt mounts through the top lip of the hatch and then use longer bolts to fasten the ladder and stock hinge through them. A couple more drilled in parallel with that and the whole thing hangs off of an existing stress point.

I'm not sure if this would provide more or less integrity than the way you've already done it, but it might be worth considering. FWIW, though, I still think that's a damn nice job.

Also, you mentioned doubling up the struts... Can you please post pics of that once it's done? I'd like to see what an install looks like.

that might work. the bolts mount to the face of the bumper, not the top, so the ladder design would have to be slightly different.

sa far as the struts, i'll post up the pics when i get the time to finish it.

If you where to add a bracket to tie the bolts to the sheet metal. It would greatly increase the streangth of it not wanting to pull back. Do you see what im talking about? A "L" bracket from the bolts to the sheet metal where the sticker is on the right side.

thats a really good idea. i'm definitely going to do that. i'll bend a piece of angle untill its at the correct angle and then use sheetmetal screws to attach it to the other face you are looking at. thanks!

 

[bknudtsen]

Here's another idea for people who do not want to attach the ladder to the rear liftgate.

http://ultra.litpixel.com:90/index....ghlight=&sid=2f3470a98d1e60aa49a0e92023ca9ece

 

[dogtired]

Here's another idea for people who do not want to attach the ladder to the rear liftgate.

http://ultra.litpixel.com:90/index....ghlight=&sid=2f3470a98d1e60aa49a0e92023ca9ece

slick! very cool design in making the attachment to a "one" piece that hooks up to the rack. Very nice in not making holes to the XJ. Sweet!

:viking:

 

[sarvermr]

slick! very cool design in making the attachment to a "one" piece that hooks up to the rack. Very nice in not making holes to the XJ. Sweet!

:viking:

it would be even sweeter if it actually was an XJ!

that is really nice. if i had a tire carrier i'd want one of those instead. but i do think that top latch would suck. it sucks bad enough just getting into the hatch of suv's with a tire carrier.

 

[bknudtsen]

it would be even sweeter if it actually was an XJ!

I thought it was cool too. I found it cruising the Xterra forums trying to figure out a problem with my girlfriend's rig.

that is really nice. if i had a tire carrier i'd want one of those instead. but i do think that top latch would suck. it sucks bad enough just getting into the hatch of suv's with a tire carrier.

Looks like he tied it into the spare tire carrier upright, so that should provide some strength when you climb up and pull the top pin. Maybe you could use a door striker pin and door handle at the top. That way you would could just open it like a door and slam it shut when closing it.

I agree that it would be a pain to use if you got into the rear hatch a lot, but if you already have to deal with the spare tire carrier, this does not complicate it that much. Although, if you have a high lift, then the climb would get old. Still it's just more food for thought.

Brad

 

[xjj33p3r]

That ladder on the Xterra looks a bit hard to climb up. The tire seems to be covering about half of the step! I like the xj ladder much better.

 

[OT]

Am I the only one that thinks this guy is crazy for putting his dogs up on the rack with his gear? Sicko.

 

[sarvermr]

Am I the only one that thinks this guy is crazy for putting his dogs up on the rack with his gear? Sicko.

i assume you are talking about me?

my xj is still a DD, and between people, 2 big dogs, and gear, my roof rack gets used quite frequently.

i hope you are just kidding, but if not i'll clarify.

between people and 2 big dogs, there isn't much room in my XJ for gear. therefore, the roof rack gets used quite frequently FOR GEAR. hence the need for the ladder.

summary: living things go INSIDE the XJ.
non-living things go on the roof rack
the only exception to that is when my girlfriend ****es me off. then she rides on the rack.

 

[MaXJohnson]

Am I the only one that thinks this guy is crazy for putting his dogs up on the rack with his gear? Sicko.

No, the dogs agree with you

sarvermr, your ladder looks great, by the way. Nice clean design and workmanship.

 

[sarvermr]

why can't i type pi$$e$? when i type pi$$e$ it automatically changes to ****es. whats this world coming to? you can type fuck all you want, but can't type ****es!

 

[Yucca-Man]

Ladder? It's a Cherokee...not an RV. If I have to reach above the roofline I stand on the tire or on the step-rails and reach whatever I need.

 

[bknudtsen]

Ladder? It's a Cherokee...not an RV. If I have to reach above the roofline I stand on the tire or on the step-rails and reach whatever I need.

True, however I believe that he said that he and his wife sleep up top on the roof rack, so the ladder would be appropriate and useful mod in his situation. IMO

Brad