RIDGID SLIDING LADDER RACK 250 - Manual (Page 6)

Tools For The Professional TM
SLIDING LADDER RACK
Ridge Tool Company 5
• Always attach safety cable around ladder step. Safety cable reduces the risk of the ladder coming free during a vehicle
accident.
• Inspect ladder before each use. Ladder can be damaged from road shock and vehicle vibration. Bouncing and side-to-side
motion may cause wear and weaken the ladder. Using a damaged ladder could lead to structural collapse and result in
serious injury or death.
• Keep hands clear of area where ladder engages rack.
Loading ladder into rack:
1. Ensure the ladder is clean and dry.
2. Open van’s rear doors or truck hatch to access rack.
3. Pull on elastic cords to move the sliding catch toward the
rear.
4. Position the ladder with the step side down (non-step
side up).
5. Lift the top of the ladder and place it in the front cradle.
See Figure 7.
6. Moving to the foot of the ladder, lift and push forward,
causing the sliding mount to move forward and the elastic
cords to become tight. Stop if elastic cords become tan-
gled with the ladder. Straighten cords and continue.
7. With a firm two hand grip on the ladder, push and lift so
that the undersize of the bottom step is aligned with the
face of the fixed catch. Ease your forward pressure and
Un-Loading ladder from rack:
1. To un-load ladder from rack, reverse the loading process
above while following these steps.
2. Make sure you have secure footing and a clear path
behind your vehicle to walk the ladder out.
3. Check that the ladder has not shifted in the rack and is
still securely held by the fixed catch.
4. Remove the safety cable from around the step.
Figure 7 Figure 8
allow the elastic cords to push the step against the fixed
catch.
Note: The face of the fixed catch is designed to engage a
variety of step designs. If the bottom step on your
ladder does not engage securely with the fixed catch
try to reposition the step. If you need to adjust the
fixed catch’s mounting position, refer to the installa-
tion instructions in Step 4 on page 3.
8. Ensure the ladder is properly engaged with the fixed
catch.
9. Loop the safety cable around the bottom step and clip
it back on itself as shown in Figure 8. Always attach the
safety cable around a step. Other parts of the ladder may
not be strong enough to hold the ladder in a vehicle ac-
cident.
5. Push the ladder forward and then down to disengage the
step from the face of the fixed catch. Be prepared for the
push-back from the elastic cords.
6.Walk away from the vehicle until the top of the ladder has
slid to near the fixed catch.
7. For long or heavy ladders, set the bottom of the ladder
down to the ground and then move up the side of the lad-
der to a position and lift the top from the front cradle.
• Do Not operate vehicle without the safety cable in place. Safety cable reduces the risk of the ladder from ladder falling or
becoming a projectile during a vehicle accident.
• Never allow persons to sit below or near the stowed ladder while vehicle is in motion.
• If your vehicle is involved in an accident or you have applied your brakes excessively hard, STOP immediately and check
to make sure ladder has not moved out of position in rack.
• Travel over rough terrain or a hard, jarring bump may cause the ladder to fall. Additional securing of the ladder may be
required to insure the ladder stays in place.
WARNING
WARNING
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