[pairodice]

So I ventured in to the local ACE hardware store to find a 'Shoulder Bolt' but they did not have anything except a carriage bolt. The helpful hardware guy did suggest that I try Fastenal - I never would have thought about that. As it turns out Fastenal has every kind of bolt/nut/fastener known to man and now sells to the public! A very nice lady helped me find a 1/2" shank x 1" shoulder bolt (I also bought a few bolts in 3/4" just in case but the 1/2" worked fine) along with some washers and nuts. I brought home the bolt and tried it in the step and it fit perfectly! My step now works pretty much as it should although I need to bend it out straight and repaint it. When I get to a decent park that is not filled with mud and rock I will pull the whole thing off and fix it right. For now my wife is happy that the steps are working again!