Attic Stairs in Need of Repair
Posted: August 18, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized 14 CommentsWe have a nice set of stairs to the attic that retract up into the attic. They do not need to fold up, they simply slide down and up as needed.
Unfortunately, starting this week, the mechanism to hold the stair panel in place flush with the ceiling has failed and now the attic door panel won’t close all the way, leaving ~2″ of air gap between the house and the attic. I’ve looked this up online and as best I can tell, this is a Bessler attic ladder. I’m posting my pictures and video here of the problem so that when I contact them for help, I can show the problem.
To be clear, I don’t know for sure this is a Bessler, as there don’t appear to be any identifying marks, but they are the only brand I’ve found so far that make this kind of attic ladder. Here are some additional photos of the ladder.
Carl Knerr 
Did you have any luck fixing this? My Bessler attic stairs in our 1928 home has a similar spring drum that just broke. I found out that Bessler went out of business and is no longer making these stairs.
Funny enough, I got the part and haven’t made the time to actually install it yet.
Where did you find the part. We have the same kind of stairs that slide up and one of the drum springs broke. We have had a 2×4 holding the door closed.
Sorry. I don’t recall.
Found the box. I got mine at http://www.americanstairways.com/
Can I ask where you were able to get the part / the drum wheel?
THANKS.
Apologies, I can’t find that information now. Very much unlike me.
Curious where you got the part?
Unfortunately, I can’t find any emails about it, so I can’t tell you. Sorry.
I called Bessler and that model is no longer available and they don’t sell/have any spare parts. The same drum on mine (model 40 left panel door drum) just broke as well. Am hoping I can adjust the tension on the right drum so that the door doesn’t drop.
I got my replacement part at http://www.americanstairways.com/
I also have a attic stairwell from 1928 I was repairing the wooden part of the ladder when the cable broke can I get just anyone 1/8 of an inch cable or do I need a cable with some kind of a funny end on the end so it doesn’t come out
Has anyone found a local repair company in Dallas, Texas to repair these Bessler attic stairs?
Not a fix, but a work around. My Bessler stairs had one of the cables break; the drums are covered so the cable cannot be replace without disassembling the entire stair. I duct-taped an approx. 5-lb. piece of metal to the top stepwhich more than made up for the support that was given by the failed cable.