Thread: Building Steel Loading Ramp for ~350kg max. Capacity?

50 X 25 X 1.6 RHS should do the trick with expanded mesh in between.
Kryn

Seen these?
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=130698112584

I have them ramps, they work ok but theres no way the weight rating is anywhere near what they quote.
They support my ride on mower with me ok, the center screw jack supports are terrible to use pretty
crudely made.
You will need to attach them some how, they give you small pull tight straps dunno how they'd hook up in a van(I have a tray back ute)

Cheers Kryn, I was hoping I could use 50x25x1.6mm. That is what a friend mentioned as well, except he was talking about 2" x 1" RHS and I only just realised they're the same thing. Haha.

Bryan I've got a set of those Bullet loading ramps, but the ones with the scalloped treads rather than those flat bars across the ramp. They are completely fine for what I need (the safety straps just attach to the nearest D-ring tie down points), but now that I want to change my setup to be able to slide a single piece ramp into the van the big hinge on those ally ones would be a nuisance.

I think I have a fixation with aluminium or something, I keep coming back to the thought of whether or not it's better to buy a new welder with a spool gun so I can do ally, then wouldn't have to paint them either. But I should probably just be sensible & use steel. Playing around with ally will have to wait for a future project I think.

Hopefully I get this underway before too long - I'll post back with pics when it's done as well.

I welded up a pair of ramps 2.4m long and 300mm wide to load ATV onto ute. Used 50x25 RHS on each side with 20x20 angle welded across every 100mm up the ramps. Welding onto just the top edges of the RHS caused it to defect 50mm into a gentle curve as the welded side of the RHS grew in length which is what I wanted but it means I need a 100mm gap into which I slide the ramps rather than just a 50mm gap which would work in theory. So depending how you weld any mesh on, be prepared for either some deflection or else some hidden inner tensions which may induce a failure of some welds under load.

Wow 50mm deflection is a fair bit... I will be trying to minimise that effect.

Did you paint your ramps? If so, how is that holding up - and what kind of paint?

When you use the RHS, welding it on the bottom will give you a lip to stop the wheels coming off. If you have access to some heating gear, oxy acet/propane, heating on the top about 1" 25 mm spot every 200 mm will/should pull it straight again. If you don't want to paint it, check the pricing on getting it galvanised.
Kryn

Hi Mugget - I welded the angle treads on the bottom so the RHS provides an edge to drive within. I welded a thin strip of flat steel under the angle treads along each side which makes it slide in and out of the ute easier. The welded edge of the RHS got shorter, not longer. Heating opposite edge should compensate.I think I used an olive coloured zinc chromate primer but never got around to a top coat. Nothing but surface rust on a few scratches after 20 years but we have dry non salty air here. Cheers

Change of plans now... won't be needing such a high weight rating, more like 200-220kg per "plank".

Also I was at the steel shop, checked out expanded mesh and that's not exactly cheap either, so all up, I would only come out about $30 ahead if I build it out of steel, but that would be 10x the work and many times the weight. So I've ditched the steel ramps idea, back to the original plan of using aluminium scaffold planks. Lighter, will be heaps easier to build. Rated for 245kg over 2.6m span so that will do me fine. Last time I asked at the ally shop they said that V8 supercar teams use them for ramps (even though they shouldn't!) So I think they will hold up just fine. Haha

So I will have a couple of ramps all up, one about 2.7m long and another probably around 1.5-1.7m long. The longer one made up of 3 planks with about a 40-50mm gap in between each plank. All the planks attached at both ends so they can be extended/stowed away as one piece.

I got to thinking about saving a few more dollars - used planks. Are there any downsides to this? I mean if they're visibly in good condition with no damage, no cracks etc. then I can't see there being any problems? I think I will just go ahead and give them a shot!