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Yikes!! Fuel steps? You mean the little tiny ones that bolted to the side of the fuselage and strapped onto the strut?? YGTBSM I turned 75 two days ago. My idea of fuel steps is a three step aluminum folding ladder. LOL

Sounds like I may just be investing in a step ladder. Lol, I've been climbing on the struts and balancing to check my fuel on every preflight!

Like I said earlier, I have climbed up on the strut like that, Mike, but Elliot is right -- it gets a little more difficult as the years go by (just like about everything else!).

We carry one like this...step ladder [bedbathandbeyond.com] -- relatively inexpensive, pretty light and generally works when there isn't a ladder nearby to fuel up. Beats climbing on the strut and balancing on barrels.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I need a set of fuel steps but only the ones that go on the fuselage (I have the ones on the wings)... anyone know where to source those?

Alternatively, does anyone know the dimensions of the sheet metal so I could fabricate a pair?

I'm not sure of the dimensions but I don't think it's considered "sheet metal" per se due to its thickness.

I would think these were fabricated and roll formed in a hydraulic press and they're much more intricate than meets the eye even to the point where they have 2 dimples pressed in place on the backside. These dimples are in place to cover two fuselage solid bucked rivets which allows the step to sit flush against the skin.

The steps are bolted (not riveted) in place using two bolts (.25" bolts??) with washers and nuts on the backside inside the fuselage.

Since Ron Twente worked for Cessna in the manufacturing plant back in the day, maybe he can chime in with how they formed these.


At the end of the day it might be easier to source these from just about any salvage yard such as Dawson's in Clinton, Arkansas. Last time I was there, they had 50/60, 150/152's backed up against the fence in various levels of disassembly.

Thanks for the post Brian. I’m heading to BB&B later today to buy one. Just what I need for 05U.

I wonder if Jim ever actually used the fuel steps on his plane . When I looked at the picture of his fuel step, I thought "what the heck are the rows of rivets on the step?". Turned out, the paint of his step is so shiny it reflects the row of rivets on the cowling. Here's a picture of the step on my former 152, well used and all the paint scrubbed off.

Thanks Jim. I built a Sonex airframe so I'm pretty comfortable with bending/dimpling/forming aluminum, but you are correct that the compound curve that attaches to the fuselage might be a bit tricky.

I did check Dawson's and TAS and both do not have the fuel steps. I may just plug the holes with screws for now and do the stool method.

Any chance of getting a pic next to the plane for comparison? This looks about the same size as the smaller step ladder we have at the fuel farm at HNB, which is just about perfect despite my low stature