Rack-mounted ladder hooks?

[CafeRoaster]

Hey y'all. I have a telescoping ladder with hooks on the end. It came with my Desert Armor UL RTT. It came with mounts that attach to the underside of the tent, but it doesn't clear my Sherpa rack. I attached the ladder mounts to the side rail of the Sherpa rack but had to use spacers to get it out far enough for the ladder the clear the gap between the hooks and the tent. It feels sturdy, but I don't like the idea of weight being applied to those nylon spacers and the stainless bolts without any sort of support.

Any ideas?

 

[rtexpeditions]

Can the ladder length be locked when extended? If so, there would be no problem in loading those bolts as they would be in compression/extension unless the vehicle was in a serious front-to-back angle (side force).

Most things I build are over-engineered, but I would probably try and get some square section aluminium tube (thick walled?), long enough to go between the mounts + maybe 2-3 inches. and bolt it right through between the bracket and the rack. A couple of plastic end caps on the end of the tube would give it a professional finish.
You may have to make some holes to give clearance to the other bolts on the rack.

 

[socal66]

1. Drill two holes enough distance below the slot to accommodate the screws and to provide enough space for your ladder hooks to clear the bottom of your tent without the need for spacers.

or

2. Get aluminum plate the same thickness as the spacers and as wide and tall as the bracket and drill two holes in it. Sandwich that between the bracket and the rack.

 

[PsychonautExploration]

Stacked washers? Machine bushing with a single washer per bolt?

 

[Travelinjohnnie]

following as I have the same issue with my RTT / ladder attachment points with the Fuji rack. update if you find a solution that works better

 

[CafeRoaster]

Stacked washers? Machine bushing with a single washer per bolt?

I think what makes me untrusting of this setup is that all that weight is going to just the bolts. Would like to find a different mounting solution altogether.