USE YOU OWN BEST JUDGEMENT :
While getting into my RV-12 to fly to a fly-in breakfast in Wisc., my step broke off. I am in fairly decent shape, and was awake, and caught myself from falling all the way backward to the concrete. I was not hurt. About me. I am 6' tall, and weigh 210 - 215#. In the winter with full winter clothes, I'd guess 225# would be about correct. I have 535 hours on my plane. Simple math would seem to indicate I have gotten into and out of it at least 1,000 times roughly. I feel the metal fatigued and it broke where the cut out is for the mounting surface. I bent it back as straight as I could BEFORE I took the first picture, but the step was straight down. A small area on the bottom was all that was holding it.
I wire welded it, then ground it to a fairly smooth surface, then bent some 1/8" steel strap to fit the curve of the piece. I put a strap on top and bottom. I ground the welds down decently, then put body filler over the area to make it less noticeable. I fit it by cutting the fuse opening to allow the thicker piece, and tried it out by jumping on it a few times. Very solid now. I then took it home and painted it and put it back on. MY OPINION IS ; if you weigh less than 200#, I would think you have little to worry about. If you are over 200#, you might want to consider doing something such as I did. I sent a note to Vans. They asked if I had seen any cracks. HONESTLY, you have to be down on your knees to see the area that failed, so I don't think it would be something many would do normally. I am offering this for your information only.
https://picasaweb.google.com/107137346756760260138/RV12StepBroke?authkey=Gv1sRgCNP_zJ3ow6mthgE#
While getting into my RV-12 to fly to a fly-in breakfast in Wisc., my step broke off. I am in fairly decent shape, and was awake, and caught myself from falling all the way backward to the concrete. I was not hurt. About me. I am 6' tall, and weigh 210 - 215#. In the winter with full winter clothes, I'd guess 225# would be about correct. I have 535 hours on my plane. Simple math would seem to indicate I have gotten into and out of it at least 1,000 times roughly. I feel the metal fatigued and it broke where the cut out is for the mounting surface. I bent it back as straight as I could BEFORE I took the first picture, but the step was straight down. A small area on the bottom was all that was holding it.
I wire welded it, then ground it to a fairly smooth surface, then bent some 1/8" steel strap to fit the curve of the piece. I put a strap on top and bottom. I ground the welds down decently, then put body filler over the area to make it less noticeable. I fit it by cutting the fuse opening to allow the thicker piece, and tried it out by jumping on it a few times. Very solid now. I then took it home and painted it and put it back on. MY OPINION IS ; if you weigh less than 200#, I would think you have little to worry about. If you are over 200#, you might want to consider doing something such as I did. I sent a note to Vans. They asked if I had seen any cracks. HONESTLY, you have to be down on your knees to see the area that failed, so I don't think it would be something many would do normally. I am offering this for your information only.
https://picasaweb.google.com/107137346756760260138/RV12StepBroke?authkey=Gv1sRgCNP_zJ3ow6mthgE#