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Flatbed trailer ramp options.

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by ColoradoTJ, Apr 30, 2019.

  1. Apr 30, 2019 at 7:27 PM
    #1
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Calibrated Power 5 Tune pack, Allison 1000 tune, PPE deep trans pan, Cold/Hot CAC pipes, Banks CAI, PCV reroute, resonator delete, S&B 62 gal fuel tank, B&W GN hitch
    I special ordered my trailer in 2014 and tried to keep the weight down by cutting a few things out of the build.

    1) I didn’t go with a 102” deck and drive over fenders. This actually saved a bunch of weight.
    2) Ordered a 16’ instead of 18’+.
    3) I opted for the regular ramps instead of the fold up, spring assist.
    4) Trailer was ordered with rear ramp doors, but with the 16’ trailers, not enough deck space to not have clearance issues with the axles. Unfortunately I was not told this until to late. I would have just went with the 18’ then.



    02B42133-C49C-4D61-A56F-DAFD14866021.jpg

    As the trailer sits without the drive over fenders, spare tire, or D Rings, 2800 lbs. With spare tire and rings, we are a tad 2925 lbs.

    This equipment hauler is mainly a crawler hauler, and where we take these flatbeds could be considered “off roading” by some. This usually leaves the nice 75 lb, 5’ ramps in awkward positions to lift, and can cause back injuries (which I am now a three strike loser) due to these heavy ramps.

    Options:

    - Keep not using the ramps, crawling into the deck without ramps and only when needed. These are locked, but a set of bolt cutters can easily make off with the ramps (happens a lot).

    - Buy aluminum ramps. These are around 600.00 to support a load rated for this trailer. Again, easy theft, and with aluminum makes it even more tempting.

    - Cut ramps to 4’ and then make rear exit. This would limit what I could load on the trailer. Mainly a crawler hauler, but I do put skid steers, mini excavators, tractors, etc. This would make the trailer worthless for those duties.

    - Build fold up ramps.

    I decided to build fold up ramps. I can’t stand the look, but practicality is what I need.
    5114BDC9-903A-4866-8C0D-015ABBB5EE62.jpg

    So the build starts, but with my current back issues will take a bit. Started, but came to a stopping point.

    This project will cost ~210.00 in steel, assist spring, prefabbed ramp pin. I will use my old ramps to help on the cost.

    First up was removing the ramp angle iron and mounts off the back of the trailer.

    79C2C0F6-7779-4542-9F59-FF5F72580C9C.jpg

    I had to modify 6 brackets, sleeve the factory holes to fit the pins better. It was like a hotdog being tossed down a hallway.

    9E12D318-66E2-422F-9A31-621BDE547274.jpg

    I always grind a 30* bevel.
    Get that rod in there.

    F0FCF6A3-7407-47A6-927C-1BF64B20B7E7.jpg


    So far, the mounts to the trailer have been welded on, pin fits like a glove.

    998B4987-4EF5-48C5-8CED-CC36117BAC54.jpg
    7ACBF7B8-4F32-47D9-A34E-2EE23546BCEA.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2019
  2. Apr 30, 2019 at 7:27 PM
    #2
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Calibrated Power 5 Tune pack, Allison 1000 tune, PPE deep trans pan, Cold/Hot CAC pipes, Banks CAI, PCV reroute, resonator delete, S&B 62 gal fuel tank, B&W GN hitch
    Saved
     
    Pudge likes this.
  3. Apr 30, 2019 at 7:32 PM
    #3
    Pudge

    Pudge Super Secret Elite Member #7

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  4. Apr 30, 2019 at 7:36 PM
    #4
    Prostar 190

    Prostar 190 SSEM #9 I would rather be water skiing

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  5. Apr 30, 2019 at 8:08 PM
    #5
    landphil

    landphil Fish are food, not friends!

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    Uh-oh, not good about the back. Hope it improves for you, and quickly.

    I chuckled a bit to myself about not being able to stand the look of fold-up ramps. You ever notice how things old guys did or the ways they did things that you used to think were / looked awful eventually start to look like better and better ideas as the years go by? :spy:
     
    Black Wolf and ColoradoTJ[OP] like this.
  6. Apr 30, 2019 at 8:12 PM
    #6
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Calibrated Power 5 Tune pack, Allison 1000 tune, PPE deep trans pan, Cold/Hot CAC pipes, Banks CAI, PCV reroute, resonator delete, S&B 62 gal fuel tank, B&W GN hitch
    Such a true statement. Lol.
     
    landphil[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. May 6, 2019 at 3:26 PM
    #7
    Kaerntner

    Kaerntner New Member

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    Nice.
    Rod or mig?Looks mig from here.
    I've got a 20+2 with fold up ramps.14000#axles,14 ply tires,love it when it's loaded,empty pulls like cr8p.
    I also prefer slide-in ramps,got flip ups on mine.Looks don't bother me,but they are noisy,especially when I leave the house at dark thirty.
     
    BestGen and ColoradoTJ[OP] like this.
  8. May 7, 2019 at 7:59 AM
    #8
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    MIG for sure.

    So excited for the noise...:D

    347B5EA1-2EDA-4F24-A3C6-0FF4652C816C.jpg
    57D94C88-58EF-485E-9C99-A1589BDA1C08.jpg
    342ABBCD-0947-4969-AC21-D5C28C88E919.jpg
     
  9. May 7, 2019 at 8:00 AM
    #9
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Calibrated Power 5 Tune pack, Allison 1000 tune, PPE deep trans pan, Cold/Hot CAC pipes, Banks CAI, PCV reroute, resonator delete, S&B 62 gal fuel tank, B&W GN hitch
  10. May 9, 2019 at 7:45 AM
    #10
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Vehicle:
    LML 3500HD
    Calibrated Power 5 Tune pack, Allison 1000 tune, PPE deep trans pan, Cold/Hot CAC pipes, Banks CAI, PCV reroute, resonator delete, S&B 62 gal fuel tank, B&W GN hitch
    Snow was coming in, so I had to complete this job yesterday.

    After the design for the first ramp was completed, the second took only a couple hours. I added some expanded flat to the top of the ramp. Anyone that has loaded a skid steer or tractor on a flatbed and loses traction while going up the ramps knows that’s a good time.

    661E7090-8BD5-4EE7-8409-0F58550FA45C.jpg

    Cable lanyards were added to all pins, to help with them getting removed by others....Er, I mean falling off.

    E812EC20-33DB-48B0-8D63-940E23EDB1CC.jpg A38FDF28-D645-49F9-B3A5-F137E9CC315F.jpg

    Ramps move up and down very easily, and a new job for my kids when going with Dad for some rock crawling. I left myself about 2” of spacing between the ramp stands and the ground.

    57A1B48C-E269-4051-B5A6-6CE11BBF1114.jpg

    The breakaway emergency brake lanyard was needing a replacement, so I added a loop at the coupler to minimize pinching or dragging on the ground.

    9C95541E-2CEB-4D80-BBF8-4FAD7756610B.jpg

    All finished up and the snow started to blow. Ramps tilt back about 5*.

    BB77BE2F-9565-4231-868B-32420B81402B.jpg

    And done...

    0D2E559E-E5CE-4280-AA53-9754E367BF57.jpg

    Project cost me ~260.00 in steel and supplies. Not bad, since I was looking at prefabricated ramps for 285.00 each without hardware. That would have cost another 85.00 per ramp.
     
  11. May 9, 2019 at 7:49 AM
    #11
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Well done! Looks good to me.
     
  12. May 9, 2019 at 8:20 AM
    #12
    landphil

    landphil Fish are food, not friends!

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    Looks great to me Chris, nice work.
     
    ColoradoTJ[OP] likes this.
  13. May 9, 2019 at 7:43 PM
    #13
    Pudge

    Pudge Super Secret Elite Member #7

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    Nice welds and really nice ramps. a job well done, I need to learn to weld
     
    ColoradoTJ[OP] and landphil like this.

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