Rusted/stripped ladder bolts

[Madmom82]

Hello! We inherited a very old (35+ years) Vinyl inground pool when we bought our house 5 years ago. Many issues and I fear it will need a total re-do in the next couple years.

On to the current issue-two of the four bolts that hold the ladder in place by the deep end are completely stripped so we cannot use the ladder. I am attaching a picture because everything I google has a different attachment. My husband decided he was going to just twist the bolts out of the concrete ? and one snapped. Any way to fix this to hold for a year or two without cutting up the concrete? He wants to cut them all down and install some heavy concrete anchors a bit offset from the current bolts to attach it in the same spot. The only thing I could find searching the forum for that was regarding a diving board and that’s a no but obviously that is a whole different weight/usage.
Any ideas? Do you think his plan will work?

 

[ajw22]

I think your husband has the right idea.

@jimmythegreek @Rich D ideas?

 

[Rich D]

He wants to cut them all down and install some heavy concrete anchors a bit offset from the current bolts to attach it in the same spot

I assume you mean he will slide the ladder towards the pool a bit? That of course will change the angle which might cause the rails to not sit flat back into there original cradle and put more stress on everything. What is also most likely to happen is the new lags will break the concrete around the old lags and you will most likely end up using epoxy to hold them in. What I have done in the past is find a commercial rental outfit that has a hand held core drilling machine (not very expensive to rent) and core drill the entire lag out and epoxy or hydrolic cement new lags in. Really not much more work and a much better product.

EDIT...
I forgot about the bonding. Any fix should include proper bonding. I do not see how proper bonding could be done with the core drill idea.

 

[jimmythegreek]

This is easy...grind down the 2 snapped bolts. Measure 2 inches forward or backwards depending on condition of concrete amd drill right thru the ladder frame. Place ladder on old bolts amd mark the deck. Use hilti type expansion amchores the same size as current bolts into deck leaving same height exposed. Gomma tale some lookimg in store for right length anchors. Bolt up ladder amd if bonded the bomd will still go thru the old bolts. Also need concrete drill bit amd capable drill. Cam be rented if need be

 

[Madmom82]

Thank you everyone. He went to the pool store to ask their opinion and they just wanted to sell him the current style ladder and cups (not sure if that’s the name) to install instead. For over $500 total...then said if he wants to use the current ladder he could drill new holes and install rebar to attach it to. I can’t find a single ladder that looks like mine so that style must’ve been discontinued many years ago...it’s probably not bonded, all previous Homeowners were DIYers and have messed up countless other things in this house such as nailing trim through sewer pipes so I’m assuming the same with the pool. But it seems like Jimmythegreek’s response is confirming his plan with the additional touch to the old bolts just in case it is bonded. So he will try that, or we just cut down or cover the bolts for this year and not use the ladder, and add this to our remodel next year. Pretty sure the return near this ladder has a leak, so chances are pretty good the concrete will need to be redone anyway.