Trailer Ramps

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I completed this project early this year and figured I would share.Background on the project-My customer has two dual axle landscape type trailers that he uses for fire wood hauling and moving equipment.  After some misuse and overloading, the light duty ramps where pretty bent up.  I went over to his yard and took a look.  The main culprit appeared to be the New Holland TC30 tractor, more on that later.  So after some discussion he decided that he wanted new Heavy Duty ramps built and installed.  He made it clear that he did not want them to bend and they must be able to with stand some abuse.Materials-2"x2"x 3/16" sq tube2"x2" x 3/16" angleRaised expanded metal meshI cut the tube to length with my wilton band saw (5x8).  I have since upgraded to an Ellis 1600. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:More pics of the build.I used a milwaukee steel cutting circular saw to cut the heavy expaned metal.It was to cold to paint outside so I cranked the heat up in the garage and gave them a good coat of CAT black equipment paint.I will post some more pics of the install later. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:Here is the install on the first trailer.  Someone had attempted to strengthen the existing ramps with some flat stock but it did not work.  Some of the welds where cold and where broken.  In the end the new ramp was the strongest part of the trailer and the customer was happy. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:Trailer #2 install.  This one was a little wider and my customer had already removed the damaged gates.  Instead trying to cut off the other half of the hinge from the damaged gate I just made new ones (shd40 pipe and 1/4" plate). My customer was happy to have both ramps installed and both trailers back in working order.  All was good until weeks later I get a call.  He was stating that the gate broke off the smaller trailer and he needed it fixed right away....  More pics to follow on that repair, and the rest of the story. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:Very nice looking ramps. I'd bet those things are heavy! But it sounds like that's what was called for.StephenMillermatic 251Miller Syncrowave 200Miller 30A SpoolgunHypertherm Powermax 30Etc., etc., etc.............Cancer Sucks!
Reply:Yes Sir they are a handful for one person, but still liftable.  I thought about splitting them but the customer wanted a one piece ramp.  I guess they work on uneven ground quite a but and the original gates did not fare well when loading equipment.BrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:Looks damn good! how in the hell did he manage to break it? "...My pappy was a pistol I'm a son of a gun...""...God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy..."
Reply:First of all nice job on the work, but I'm not sold on the design (which you already stated was the customer's request and not your design).  In addition to not working so well on unlevel ground, and being very heavy to lift, all that additional weight in the very back of the trailer might make it pull bad when empty.  If anyone out there is thinking of copying the design, proceed with caution.Last edited by Chuck; 09-01-2010 at 10:38 AM.Miller 250x & Lincoln V205-TSmith Oxy-Prop torch
Reply:Those look very sturdy.  I realize the customer specified the build - if you did the spec yourself would you have gone with angle instead of square tube?  I am constantly surprised at the strength 1/8" angle gives when it is welded into a frame - and that would have cut the weight of the frame in half.I notice that ramps on equipment trailers and car haulers are usually angle iron.   I suppose it has another advantage in that you can paint all the surfaces where with the tube you might end up with rust from the inside out.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:The original ramps where mostly 1/8" angle. If I remember correctly, the top where the hinge mounts was box but the sides, bottom and interior pieces where angle.  I'm probably could have made the perimeter out of box and the interior and reinforcements from 3/16" angle.  But when I saw what the tractor, stump grinder, and who knows what else did to the original ramps I figured we should error on the side of overbuilt.  So, now back to the "Repair" after the phone call stating the ramp broken off the trailer.So I run down there with my truck and get the rest of the story.  Turns out that it was not anything I had worked on....  One of his workers hooked up the trailer to the truck with the wrong size ball.  I think he had a 2" on the truck and the trailer takes a 2-5/16. Oh it gets better, the guy loaded the TC30 on to the trailer without settting the brake or securing the tractor.  So when the worker slowed down for a traffic light the tractor rolled forward into the front of the trailer and when he got back onto the gas...... yup out the back she went.  The tractor hit the gate with enough force to break the 1/2" pins causing the gate to crash to the ground and the tractor rolled off into the street.  Thankfully no one was hurt, and the tractor did not suffer and damage.  So after getting the story I hooked it up and took it home to fix the damage.Next post will be the repair pics.....BrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:So after looking at the damage more closely, two of the hinge welds where broke on the trailer.  I just decided to cut them off and reinforce the whole area.I spanned the width with 2"x2" box and made some gussets out of some 1/4" drops I had laying around. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:I added a few pieces of 2"x2" angle to tie the rear to the next crossmember.The new latches where 1/4" flat stock.The repair is still in service.  He mentioned doing the same to the other trailer if it breaks....I told him he needs to start looking at some heavier duty trailers.  I mentioned my dump trailer that I built and he said he was looking to purchase one of those in the future. Attached ImagesBrianLincoln Mig 215Miller 211Victor Torch SetMiller Maxstar 200SDMiller Syncrowave 250DX Tig runnerMiller Trailblazer 302 running on LPMiller Extreme 12 VS SuitcaseEllis 1600 BandsawMiller xmt350 CC/CVLincoln Vantage 300
Reply:I was waiting for the rest of the 'story'.  Yikes.  re: angle iron as a structural item.Yes it is possible to make structural things out of angle iron, but it is not always the best choice of shape to use.  The problem with angle iron in a structural sense is that -when- (not if, but when) the angle iron twists or otherwise distorts under load, then the loading can get rather complicated instantly.  Because when the angle iron twists or distorts during loading, the sectional properties and the orientation of the angle iron section change.  And -that- means that a section supposedly strong enough to handle X load can now only handle a load of 0.75X (or whatnot) without failure.  But if the load was actually X+ and now the section can only handle 0.75X, then that means InstaFail.  (numbers are for example purposes only, etc, etc).Brian,  it looks like you ran vertical down welds on the gussets on the trailer reinforcment?  Why?  Vert down is -usually- a faster lower-powered lower fusion procedure for 'thinner' material.Next, personal preference, but I usually like to close off tubing used in outdoors stuff.  Helps to keep it from rusting out from the inside, and keeps wasps and such from setting up residence insode when you aren't looking.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseI was waiting for the rest of the 'story'.  Yikes.  re: angle iron as a structural item.Yes it is possible to make structural things out of angle iron, but it is not always the best choice of shape to use.  The problem with angle iron in a structural sense is that -when- (not if, but when) the angle iron twists or otherwise distorts under load, then the loading can get rather complicated instantly.  Because when the angle iron twists or distorts during loading, the sectional properties and the orientation of the angle iron section change.  And -that- means that a section supposedly strong enough to handle X load can now only handle a load of 0.75X (or whatnot) without failure.  But if the load was actually X+ and now the section can only handle 0.75X, then that means InstaFail.  (numbers are for example purposes only, etc, etc).Brian,  it looks like you ran vertical down welds on the gussets on the trailer reinforcment?  Why?  Vert down is -usually- a faster lower-powered lower fusion procedure for 'thinner' material.Next, personal preference, but I usually like to close off tubing used in outdoors stuff.  Helps to keep it from rusting out from the inside, and keeps wasps and such from setting up residence insode when you aren't looking.
Reply:great work how much for a ramp like that
Reply:I like it it looks really good!!!One thing though..Post 4 pic #3...How big is that ground clamp compaired to the ground cable??Looks as if you could use a much thicker cable.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterI like it it looks really good!!!One thing though..Post 4 pic #3...How big is that ground clamp compaired to the ground cable??Looks as if you could use a much thicker cable.....zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by ed macgreat work how much for a ramp like that