Trailer ramps

The trailer ramps I have are about 3.5 feet long. I'm sure they work great for most cars, but it's pretty tough getting the RX-7 up and down (undercarriage wants to scrape). I think the ramps would work great if they were about 2 feet longer.

Is there a grassroots method of extending ramps (that does not endanger life and property)? I had two ideas: buy a set of oil change ramps and devise a method of attaching them to my ramps or double layer 3 ft 2x12 bolted to the ramps and then supported by jack stands for roll on/roll off.

The non GRM solution is to get longer ramps or have someone weld 2-3 more feet on mine. I'd guess that would run at least a couple hundred.

Thanks,

J

2x12's do a dandy job. Include a piece of 4x4 to stuff under the center section to keep it from bowing excessively under the weight of the car.

foxtrapper wrote: Include a piece of 4x4 to stuff under the center section to keep it from bowing excessively under the weight of the car.

Would angle iron bolted every five inches or so do it as well?

I'm in the market myself.

Dan

Go pick up a couple of 10' long pressure treated 2X12s. Cut them into three pieces. One about four feet, one about three feet and one about 2 feet. Make the cuts on as big an angle as possible. Screw them together and use it as a pre ramp to get up onto metal trailer ramps. They also make good oil change ramps.

This also helps -- with the trailer hitched to your tow vehicle, drop the tongue jack down and crank it up as high as you can. You'll raise the front/lower the rear and make the incline a little less.

Also +1 on the DIY long ramps 2x12, 8 foot or longer with a 4 x 4 between the 2x12 and the steel ramp.

In my original bus i use 17 foot long 2x12 with 2x2 angle iron on the side bolted every 8 inches or so with 3/8 carage bolts used a jack stand in the middle hit the middle cross brace. middle and the two ends got side to side braces welded on.

Never a problem with a 1967 3150lbs big block dodge dart

44

I use a couple of 10 foot long 2 x 12's. I also keep a couple of wheels from a full size chevy truck in the back of my truck to let the ramps sit on when I unload a car. The back of my trailer sat low enough that with the ramps set up, the trailer was only a couple inches higher than the ramps.

Whenever I get some free time I'm going to look into a way to secure the ramps to the trailer to make it a little safer unloading cars.

Put the back of your tow vehicle on your oil change ramps. Problem solved.

914Driver wrote: Would angle iron bolted every five inches or so do it as well?

No. The 2x12's sag and bow a good bit under the weight of a vehicle on any unsupported span beyond about 3 feet. The only way the angle iron would help is if you run it along side the edges of the 2x12 from end to end. Which would make it quite heavy.

I rigged up a set with a permanent block attached to it. Made it darn awkward to move or carry around. Not to mention it didn't always line up with the ground.

You could also truss the 2x12 like a bridge. But again, that makes it darn awkward, as well much heavier.

So far, having a 4x4 chunk to stick under the board, somewhere around the middle, has worked the best for me. Cheap, effective and easy.

My plan is to hang "U" like brackets under the open section of the trailer, each U having a small boat roller on it; then slide the ramps into that. 4X4s may change that plan.

Thanks for the tip.

Dan

Thanks for the info guys. I also found a thread on a viper forum about backing the rear wheels of the tow car on small ramps (4-6 inches) to get a more favorable angle on the trailer. I will try a combination of these ideas. Once the monsoon stops .

914Driver wrote: My plan is to hang "U" like brackets under the open section of the trailer, each U having a small boat roller on it; then slide the ramps into that. 4X4s may change that plan.

Just carry the 4x4 pieces in the car and toss them under the ramp when you need them. No need to change your ramp storage idea.

foxtrapper wrote:

914Driver wrote: Would angle iron bolted every five inches or so do it as well?

So far, having a 4x4 chunk to stick under the board, somewhere around the middle, has worked the best for me. Cheap, effective and easy.

Got it. I pictured the 4X4 bolted under the 2 X 12 right on the centerline; thus decreasing the flex. What you have is a short 4 X 4 standing perpendicular to the plank, running from the ramp to the ground.

Sometimes I overthink....

Thanks, Dan

I extended mine by just adding on to the existing design. Mine are home-brew 2.5" square tubing with 2" angle as the treading. I made another 2 feet of the same thing and butt-welded it on, then reinforced it with some strap steel on the sides and bottom. That might not work for slide-in ramps, but mine hang on hooks on the side. It handled a suburban a couple times and a 66 Bonneville, so if you weld it right it would certainly handle an RX7

curtis73 wrote: I extended mine by just adding on to the existing design. Mine are home-brew 2.5" square tubing with 2" angle as the treading. I made another 2 feet of the same thing and butt-welded it on, then reinforced it with some strap steel on the sides and bottom. That might not work for slide-in ramps, but mine hang on hooks on the side. It handled a suburban a couple times and a 66 Bonneville, so if you weld it right it would certainly weigh as much as an RX7

Fixed it for ya there....

In reply to 914Driver:

Actually, the square tubing was thin gauge, and the angle was 1/8", so the ramps are heavy, but pretty easy to manage. They probably weigh 50-60 lbs each. Not something I want to do every day, but for the once a month I use the trailer it works just fine.