Help with ramps

[Blackmagic94]

I need to build a set of ramps to support a Yamaha YFZ450 quad plus 180 lbs of me.


12' long steel angle iron ramps


I called on steel prices and a 20' stick of 1.5x1.5" 3/16 thick is $23.50


Do you feel that this would be strong enough for sub 750 lbs divided by two ramps? Now I have thought about doing a hinged support leg if its not but honestly i think it would be strong enough but every steel shop refuses to quote tensil strength or specs so I figured this place might have an answer.

 

[Heath_h49008]

If you used 2 per and welded cross bars of flat every 8"-12" or so, you could put a 2x10 plank on the top with bolts. The structural risk is that angle iron twisting under load. But for that little weight you should be fine.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Well I would like to avoid using wood if I could, i was going to use the same angle iron as the support bars at 6" in distance from each beam and rotate them so they triangleuate to the support long beams so to speak.


So are you talking about using just flat metal strips as the supports then wood over that and angle on the sides?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Just find some U channel or a bus frame. I think the truck frame is what Stretch uses to load his jeep into the deuce.

 

[jatonka]

I went to U-Haul and bought 2 of their aluminum slide out ramps that had damage to the hooks for a cheap price and they are excellent for loading my son's Suzuki Samurai rock crawler buggy in one of my deuces, just a thought

 

[area52]

Or try going to a big box store that has pallet racks and see if they are getting rid of any of them. The cross supports make great ramps!

 

[Blackmagic94]

I can build these for under 150 for the pair.


But that is not a bad idea, buy the angle iron for the main beams then buy flat steel stock in 3.16 by like 1.5" and use that as the supports then place a 2x12 wooden beam inside and bolt.

 

[Heath_h49008]

Square tube would be far better. The angle iron would lose most of its capacity laid out the way I think you're talking, unless you topped the "open" side with more steel and created triangular tube. Even then, you would still need some sort of tread area between the two that securely located the main structure and transferred the load to them.

Angle is only rigid in two planes... parallel to the flats.

 

[rosco]

NO Way! Even if doubled! That is a long span and 750# in the middle is going to bend it. Try to shorten the length. Can you get away with 10 footers? Then you can get two out of one stick of material. Usually you can find a ditch to back into, or a bank , that lessens the hieght. By the time you get them strong enough, to carry that kind of weight SAFELY, they are going to be pretty hard to move around.

They need to hook onto the rear of the bed too, so they won't kick out. Tubing is the way to go. Much stronger then angle. 2"x3" with 1/8" wall would do it nicely. Weld 1" square tube between them.

I used to haul horses around in a M211, and had a set of stock racks on it. I made a couple of trusses that had 2x6 bolted to it, cross ways, to form a ramp that folded down. The ramp was only about 6' long and I used the bank/ditch trick. But my horses could jump too, so I wasn't too particular how big the bank was. Thats where the 6x6 w/winch part took over.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Ill draw out what I mean tonight.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Yes I could do 10' as that is cheaper with less sticks to buy it just goes from a 22 degree angle to 27 for loading but not a biggie i would think.


And like I said I can do a hinged leg support in the middle. And remember the weight is spread out amoung four tires so the load is never 750 lbs in one spot.

 

[Heath_h49008]

I can build these for under 150 for the pair.


But that is not a bad idea, buy the angle iron for the main beams then buy flat steel stock in 3.16 by like 1.5" and use that as the supports then place a 2x12 wooden beam inside and bolt.

That sounds perfect. Just weld the base plate to the angle, and bolt the board in. Simple, probably strong enough to load a car....

... a small car...

...but I wouldn't try it...

 

[Blackmagic94]

I bet that is cheaper as flat stock should be less then the angle pieces, and the weight might not be that bad.

 

[Blackmagic94]

How many inches apart should i weld the support pieces.

 

[Heath_h49008]

8-12 inches sounds about right. The wood is taking a compressive load, and the steel is taking a tensile load. So don't skimp on bolts between the two!

Each cross plate should be about 4" wide 12" long, and welded, not bolted, to the angle. Bolt through the plates and the wood, with decent sized carriage bolts, and put a furring strip on each side underneath to clear the nuts. (I'm guessing you're going to slide these under the bed of an M35 in that 2' x 6" space? If so, you don't want the heads sticking out and getting hung up.)

If this sounds insane to anyone, speak up.

 

[Blackmagic94]

What would you recommend for the bolts and how far apart for the steel supports in inches?

 

[Blackmagic94]

Oh ok 8-12" apart, ok easy enough.

 

[Heath_h49008]

The idea is that the angle iron and the base/tie plates form a "cup" that the wood rests in... as tightly as possible. The wood is taking the compressive load, and for it to break, the steel would have to exceed it's tensile load. You aren't going to do that with 750lbs + weight of the structure.

So for two ramps you need... (2) 12 foot 2"x12" boards, 4 12" 2"x2"x 3/16" angle sections, and 24 flat plates of 3/16 that are cut into 12"x4" rectangles, 48 bolts/washers/nuts (3/8 or 1/2) , and the welding rod and drill to assemble and make the holes. Oh yeah... you might want a couple of strips of 1x2 on the bottom so the bolt heads don't catch as you slide the ramps in and out.

If anybody thinks I'm forgetting something... again, please speak up.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Wonder how heavy they will be