I just bought a 20 ft. extension ladder and it came with a rope and pulley system. How do you operate this. If I untie the knot, it seems like I can just push the ladder up and lock it in place. Is the rope just another alternative to extendind the ladder or is it a safety mechanism that I need to do something with. If not, it is necessary to tie the rope around one of the lower steps after extension to secure or just let it dangle in place.
Thanks for all the advice.
Well then, why don't you first ask the sales rep?
Then DAGS on, say, "extension ladder" and "rope".
Then maybe search your library.
Sorry, but this question indicates an extreme newbie who didn't exercise due-diligence at point-of-sale.
Clue: rope is means of hoisting upper section when it's extended some, by pulling down.
J
J...I don't know where you live, but near me trying to find help in HD on a Saturday morning is like finding a needle in a haystack. Finding anyone is a chore. Due-diligence, I bought a ladder, I'm not doing a corporate acquisition. Just wanted a quick clarification. That's what this group is for. So what are you saying, the only questions that can be posted here are the ones you like, if you didn't like it, ignore it.
Pop' - Thank you so much for the response. It was very helpful. Much Apprecated.
The rope is INTENDED just to extend the ladder, since you can't reach the extended section when it's extended. I ALSO wrap it around two overlapping rungs and tie it off once the ladder is in place, but that's more to keep the rope under control than anything else. I also tie the ladder to something near the top (a screw eye driven into the eave, for instance), because I get enough wind that I could easily loose the ladder while I'm on the roof, or have it blow over while I've gone into the house after a brush. Falling ladders break things.
For me, the rope and pulley are a royal PITA. I generally do the ladder extending on the ground and walk it up into place, so a rope/ pulley serves no purpose. Best kept in place for anti-wind tie-offs, though. Walkng the ladder back down and collapsing on the ground is much less hassle than trying to do it on the house or other work site and risk damaging fresh paint, siding or whatever. Of course YMMV, so always work safely as best you can. Incidentally, I see some pro roofers driving around with no ropes on any equipment on their ladder racks.
Joe
I'd love to see how you "walk up" an extended 32' heavy duty ladder.
Bob
It's used to extend the ladder. You can let it hang, but I usually tie it off so that it doesn't blow in the wind and wind around the ladder where my feet will eventually look for a footing.
Speaking of footing....
Here's a tip some of you may want to use.
Take a few moments to pray paint the bottom rungs of all your ladders with day-glo orange paint.
You'll decrease your chance of mistaking the second rung for the first, and stepping off the ladder two feet from the ground. So, you won't end up on your ass with an open bucket of paint splashed all over the place and a sprained ankle or worse. (DAMHIKT)
It works particularly well if the bottom of the ladder is partially obstructed by shrubbery or when dusk is setting in.
Jeff
I learned my ladder handling in the fire service and we tend to be more rigid about our procedures then homeowners or trades people. We wrap the lowest overlapping rungs of the ladder with two turns of rope and then tie the rope off to a rung at waist height with a clove hitch and an overhand safety. Do not tie a clove hitch around two rungs as a clove hitch will not hold against any internal strain.
The reason that is probably not really necessary for your ladder is that your not using it under emergency conditions and the rope that is provided with your ladder is not rated to hold the same weight as the ladder is. With fire service ladder halyards the ropes are selected and maintained to support the ladders five hundred pound load rating.
Out of pure habit I use all ladders the same way and the tied off rope prevented a ladder collapse when the pawls were not properly engaged on one ladder due to the tree branches it had been extended through.
-- Tom Horne
Well we aren't no th> I just bought a 20 ft. extension ladder and it came with a rope and
I took the rope off of my 20 foot ladder many years ago. It was really more trouble than it was worth. If you plan to use it fully extended (that's 16 feet) you might need the rope for the last rung or maybe 2. For what I do I never need to extend it that far. I can push it up by hand to over head height and that is far enough.
Bill Gill
Nope. Just pointing to reasonable first-search-steps.
And ... since so many people suffer serious injuries on ladders, but that's another story. I'd ask a neighbor or a friend before strangers.
Thanks for explaining "what the group is for."
Ever hear "RTFM"?
J
I don't walk up anything taller than 25' and I wouldn't even bother with a 32' or taller HD ladder. With the latter (ladder?) it's time to get out the scaffolding and do the job faster. The OP was concerned with a 20' ladder, and with a light weight tool like that a rope is little use. You are right in pointing out that very tall heavy ladders are best extended with rope and pulley.
Joe
Hey J......look at all the great responses to my question and the wonderful ideas & suggestions people have about using an extension ladder. These are the "normal" kinds of responses I was looking for; never expected RTFM; which is somewhat in line with what what I was hoping for...just even better. BTW, the jig is up, thanks to you, this thread is definitely going to be the centerpiece of my Masters thesis...why did you think it was such a basic, moronic post...and you fell for the bait...thanks for what I'm sure will be an "A".
As it appears that no one has attempted to answer your question I shall attempt to .
Let us call the two sections of the ladder the base and the extension. at the top of the base mount the pulley, and then secure one end of the rope to the bottom of the extension section.
Now when the ladder is upright but shorter than you desire you pull on the rope and the extension section will move up, effectively making your ladder longer.
Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way when the sections are sliding.
Does that help at all?
If you don't want to be helpful, just go back to kicking the dog for fun, probably don't need to RTFM for that, and let someone that may actually knows something answer the man... CK
Speaking of knowing something, do you know the thread you're replying to ended 7 years ago?
Hmm, Whoa! need to read the manual or help from some one else to figure out that? Amazing!
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