Door latches are generally designed with very small tolerances in newer vehicles. It only takes a small distortion to generate a fault warning. In my truck I had to fiddle a bit to prevent an open door message.
We were given a pair of door latch steps as an appreciation gift, but found a folding step stool to be a better option for the rear saddles. Standing in the doorway was sufficient for the front.
Home Depot offers these as a step stool either as a single step stool, a pair, or a short and a taller model for a very low price.
No, that is too practical. I would rather balance myself on a 4 square inch platform, while holding on with one arm while reaching with the other arm trying yo get what needs to be done, done single handedly. Then get down without breaking my ankle.
Iāll take a look at some, and see if I can attach a piece of rubber to the part where it contacts the car below the latch. Itās a big step up, but I can check to see if I can do it. I usually step on the side or the doorway; this would be much cleaner.
Being vertically challenged, Iāve used a similar latch-step thingy (a ToonJay) for a couple of years. It certainly requires a certain level of flexibility and strength but enables me to see and adjust things on the roof of the vehicle without taking up as much space as a folding step stool. We no longer need the ToonJay for strapping down the kayaks but it is small so it still goes in the car with the other kayaking gear just in case I ever need to see or adjust something on the roof of the car. I like it.
I ended up with a torn Meniscus and knee surgery stepping up to the bumper on my 4 x 4 F150, so a big step like that is out of the question now. My side bars run past the rear door and stop before the wheel well. I stand on the sidebar, step over to the tire and then can even get on the bedrails without issue. Iām pushing 70 so there is that!
And then thereās also something to be said for buying vehicles with a low roof line to support our kayak habitsā¦ Roof height was one of my search criteria during my last two car buying cycles, and I ended up with roof lines of 57.3" and 61".
Yes there is. As soon as I retire I may have to retire the F150 for a small SUV with Roof Rack for hauling the yaks. Or even better build a light kayak trailer for two to four kayaks.
Iāll have to consider a lower roof line next time around. Seventy is in my rear view mirror and stepping from my 4Runnerās rear door sill to the tire isnāt as fun as it once was. The medicare nannies wouldnāt approve either.
I cut about four inches off my ladder rack uprights. That helps me with lifting the boats onto the crossbars, but now I. Have to duck four inches lower as I walk the bed to lash the boats down. That contributes to staying limber. Probably the reason I look like Iām 73 1/2 years old rather than 73 1/4.
