Customer Reviews

Werner PK80-2 Level-Master Automatic Ladder Leveler

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I just received my 40 foot Werner type 1A aluminum extension ladder (300 lb duty rating), and the Werner automatic ladder levelers. The ladder is great, but the ladder levelers are not what I expected.

1. First, and most importantly, the ladder needs to be modified (feet cut off & holes drilled into it) in order to install the levelers. This obviously permanently modifies the ladder, and does not allow you to convert the ladder back to its original configuration.

2. Second, the installation is rather involved, the measuring & drilling need to very precise, and the installation will take you a couple of hours to complete. This is much more time & effort than I had planned to modify the ladder.

3. Third, depending of the type of Werner ladder you have (aluminum 1500 series), the instructions mention that the working height of the ladder will be reduced by 7 inches. Not alot, but sometimes every inch counts!

4. Fourth, after opening the ladder leveler box, and reading the instructions, they said that I needed an additional kit to complete the installation on my aluminum extension ladder.

I regularly remove, rebuild, and install automobile engines...as well as other complicated electrical, plumbing, and carpentry projects around the house...so I am very capable of installing the ladder levelers.

I just feel that when I spend $79.99 for ladder levelers (a large percentage of the cost of the ladder itself) that these things should be easy to install, should not require permanent modification of the ladder, should not require me to purchase additional installation kits (different kits for different ladder types), and should not reduce the working height of the ladder.

After reading the other reviews, I am sure that these levelers work great once installed...I just would have liked to have known about the items I mentioned above before purchasing them!

As advertised, the PK80-2 Automatic Ladder Leveler easily adjusts to uneven ground. If you frequently use your stepladder in these conditions, this accessory is indispensible. This accessory does have the following disadvantages:

1. Installation should be done by an experienced handyman. Allocate a few hours to do the installation. Messing up the install may ruin the ladder, as the original ladder feet must be cut off.

2. The ladder will be somewhat heavier with the levelers installed. Before the levelers, I was able to easily move my 26-foot fiberglass extension ladder; with the levelers, I typically require help handling the ladder.

3. Installing the levelers widens the ladder foot spacing, as the levelers are placed outboard of the ladder rails. The resulting width is greater than the depth of two standard stair step depths, and the adjustment range of the leveler won't span two standard step heights; so, if your expecting to use the ladder against a wall with the feet on different steps of a stair, you'll likely have to still need some sort of platform/spacing under the lower foot.

The tools required for the install are: Power drill, 5/32", 3/16", and 9/32" drill bits, two 7/16" wrenches or sockets, #2 Phillips screwdriver, a hacksaw (I used an air-driven cuttoff tool), center punch, square, straight edge (2' or longer), scissors, pencil or marking pen, tape measure, metal file (sandpaper is also usable), adhesive tape, goggles, dust mask and gloves (for fiberglass ladders), and a 1-1/4" hole saw (for fiberglass ladders with rungs riveted to side rails).

Other tools listed in the instructions (for 2-section D1500 series ladder only, which I don't have) are 5/16" wrench or socket, 3/8" wrench or socket, 1/8" diameter punch, chisel, and C-clamp.

IMHO, the install is easier to do if you use air tools (i.e.: cut-off wheel, air drill, butterfly wrench). Also, the reattachment of the spacer sleeves is easier with rivets, instead of screws. I'd also suggest drilling pilot holes for the side rails as the 9/32" drill bit easily drifts off center when drilling through fiberglass; even after using a center punch.

The instructions are detailed and didn't leave anything to the imagination. The instructions have different sections for the different ladders and require a careful study before and during the installation. At least the instructions are only in English, having multilingual instructions would make it way too confusing.

Installation took about 3 hours to accomplish for my D6020-2 20' fiberglass ladder and its a little scary permanently modifying such a nice ladder knowing that if you mess up the ladder can be permanently damaged or made useless. Take your time. Here is my list of things to be aware of going into this installation.

1) Be very careful aligning the drilling templates!!!

2) Center punch the hole positions good then your drill bit shouldn't wander. I didn't need to do this but you might pre-drill the holes with a smaller bit if necessary. You have 6 holes to drill over about 14" x 3" area so the drilling must be done very precisely if the side rail is to align correctly. The rail bracket doesn't have any give in it for error.

3) Double or triple check your measurements/instructions and drill bit sizes. Be very careful sawing off the square aluminum bar that runs through the rung as it has to be within 1/8" accuracy.

4) Don't remove the black electrical tape that comes on the side rails, this is done near the end of the installation.

5) Hack-sawing the side rail is the easy part. Previous review recommends a cutoff wheel which I'm sure works well but isn't necessary. Before doing this I'd mount the side rails to check your drilling accuracy. This is the point of no return before cutting off the existing ladder feet. If you messed up the drilling which I'm sure you won't if you are careful you can always abort the project here if necessary. The holes shouldn't hurt the ladder but cut off the feet and their side rails supports and, game over.

6) Drilling out the heavy rivets from the bottom rung is a royal pain and maybe a cutoff wheel would remove the head faster. I don't do that everyday so I'm sure there are better methods.

7) Have a good clutched drill and a 7/16" socket and it will speed up putting the 14 nuts on the side rails and the two feet.

8) Make sure you have good sharp drill bits, the sizes are indicated in a previous review and note they are less common drill bit sizes.

9) Wear a mask for the fiberglass drilling.

Good product, the ladder is definitely better and even stronger when the project is finished!

Update August 2004

Having used this product for some time now I love it. I can level the ladder on almost any uneven surface. Even the bottom of my pool. Just pick the ladder up about 2-3" and drop it. Repeat that a few times until the ladder's levelers ratchet enough to level the ladder. The ladder locks in place when weight is put on it. It works great, well worth the 3 hours of work to put the levelers on. Makes the ladder so much easier to use.

Before buying these, I was not very confident with makeshift supports to level the ladder. If I were to add up all the time required to manually level the ladder with wood and stakes, it would make the 3 hour install of these seem like nothing!

Adding an $80 accessory to a $200 ladder did initially seem extreme. Now that I see much easier it is to use my ladder, I can't imagine having an extension without auto-levelers.

Moving along the gutters on my uneven grade is so easy now. Just give the ladder a little lift so that it is level, let it back down and the legs automatically engage!

I must admit having to permanently modify my ladder and making precise markings/drillings did have me worried. The instructions were very clear and the template provided helped to foolproof the process. If you're handy enough to have an extension ladder, I would assume you should be able to pull this off. This weeekend-warrior did.

If you use ladders on a regular basis, you have to have these. I have them on all of my ladders...even different brand ladders. These are so easy to set up and stable that you will wonder how you ever worked without them. No more finding sraps of wood to place under legs, digging holes or having ladders shift. they are so much safer and faster to use than a standard setup. I have used them to set up on roofs to work on overhead gables, on steps, and most any incline. They are well worth the investment if you value your time or your safety.

I have a pair of the PK80 Level Master Automatic Ladder Levelers on my 28 foot ladder and I am purchasing a pair for my 40 foot ladder. This product really works !! It's just too hard to hold a 40 foot ladder up with one hand and adjust with the manual type levelers with the other hand. That's why the automatic type levelers are a must !!! They are well worth the money and easy to install.

I have a set of these on my 20 ft. ladder, and I am in the process of purchasing a set for my 32 footer.........I don't want to paint another day without them. They save time, work great, and most of all I don't worry that a block of wood will slip out from under the ladder leg . This is one product that can make your job much safer and easier if you use ladders a lot.

Attaching this leveler involves destroying your existing ladder!!! You have to drill off rivets and hacksaw off the legs. Plus you may need additional parts, but (they) doesn't tell you that! I'd love a level ladder, but I know if I screw up installing this, I've just destroyed a (pricey) ladder.

I installed the PK80-2 ladder leveler on my Werner D1228-2 aluminum ladder this weekend in a bit over 2 hours. Instructions were very clear and easy to follow. Just lay all the parts and make sure you understand how they all work before you start! The levelers work very, very nicely. This was a good addition to my ladder.

For "comment search purposes", if you have a D1100 series ladder you will need an additional kit numbered D36-9. The D1500 series ladders need kit 36-14.

The install was basically a matter of drilling 6 holes for each leveler mechanism. In exactly the right place though! Other folks have covered the "how-to" very well so I won't repeat. One hint that I did follow was (after center-punching the holes) to drill a 1/8" pilot hole and then the larger 9/32" hole. That was easier than drilling the 9/32" hole in one step - the bit wandered some.

On an interesting side note, the instructions are to install the levelers on the second rung and to saw off the bottom 15" or so (making the working height of the ladder shorter than when I started). I found that on my ladder (D1228-2) it could be installed on the bottom rung just fine. I wound up cutting off only 4" or so of the side rail which made the working height a few inches MORE than when I started. Your mileage may vary, but it made no sense whatsoever to chop off a perfectly good rung when it could be properly installed on the very bottom rung. I did not have any interfering diagonal "knee braces" and plastic sleeves to move / reinstall, so it made sense to do it this way. Again I say, your mileage may vary!

I have these on all three of my ladders, and wouldn't use a ladder without it. It makes it very easy to use the ladder on an uneven surface.