[AT] Weekend issues

Tue Sep 20 05:54:05 PDT 2016

I had some homemade ramps fall out from under an ATV while unloading 
it.  I was lucky enough to brake and get back onto the truck before I 
fell off.  Next day I bought the folding ramp.  The cable to hold it to 
the vehicle is a good idea.
Cecil in OKla

On 9/20/2016 7:39 AM, Alan Nadeau wrote:
> My take on equipment ramps is that the safest thing going is the arched
> aluminum ramps.   While relatively expensive they have a lot going for them.
>
> Traction is very good because of the welded in crossbars.  Your machine
> won't lose traction and spin off the ramps, sideways when you are halfway
> up.
>
> The ones I have had small, attached cables with "S" hooks to hook under the
> truck bumper so they can't kick out from under you.
>
> They are light enough to be easily handled.  Granted they are thief bait
> unless you lock them up, pretty much a fact of life if you have anything
> valuable now-a-days.
>
> My biggest fear when loading anything on ramps is to have a ramp break, kick
> out, or let the machine slip off the side.  Any of those scenarios have the
> potential to put the machine partly or completely upside down with the
> operator underneath it in one degree or another.  That puts the operator in
> a position of being bruised & sore at the minimum or suffering from vastly
> more serious or even life threatening injuries.  There is pretty much no way
> anyone can get clear fast enough to hit the ground running if your ramps
> dump your sorry butt.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike M" <meulenms at gmx.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 2:16 AM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Weekend issues
>
>
>> Dennis, if you are spry enough to crawl under a truck and install and
>> modify then reinstall an oil sensor,  you are spry enough to lift what I
>> calculate to be a 50 lb ramp. Most of this list is made up of gents of
>> similar vintage. Farmers glue lam would be no lighter, neither would a
>> 2x8 oak board.
>>
>> Regard,
>>   Mike M
>>
>>
>> On 9/19/2016 10:59 PM, Dennis Johnson wrote:
>>> Mike,
>>>
>>> Being an old man, I get concerned about weight. Yes, it would work.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>>> On Sep 19, 2016, at 9:14 PM, Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Dennis, to borrow on Farmer's idea, what if you were to make a
>>>> sandwiched beam with (2) 2 x 8's screwed together with a plywood center
>>>> as a stiffener? Like a load bearing header.
>>>>
>>>> Mike M
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 9/19/2016 7:40 PM, Dennis Johnson wrote:
>>>>> Farmer,
>>>>>
>>>>> I agree that there are many solutions to this, engineered wood (but
>>>>> they would not like rain or elements), store bought aluminum ramps if I
>>>>> locked them in place, steel ramps, and combinations of wood and steel.
>>>>> Custom cut from a mill with full 2" thickness might be the best option
>>>>> if I can find a mill and take some time to go get them. Maybe it is
>>>>> time to switch to 2 X 12 boards but will need to carry them on edge
>>>>> because I do not want to have mower offset too much to the side.
>>>>>
>>>>> What is frustrating is that I have used 2 X 8 or 2 X 10's for 20 plus
>>>>> years to load LAWN MOWERS. That is why Cecil's comment about good wood
>>>>> going outside the USA got me to thinking that he may have a valid
>>>>> point. I switched to 2 X 10's when I got mowers a little bit heavier
>>>>> than what I had 20 years ago. Every 5 to 10 years something happens and
>>>>> I need to replace the wood. The center support method has some issues
>>>>> on dealing with truck and trailer suspension flex. When I have
>>>>> something a bit heavier (like my Bolens 1502H) I had done the center
>>>>> support blocks.
>>>>>
>>>>> I like this method because they are reasonably light, cheap, weather
>>>>> resistant if treated. They are quick to put up and down. And I have a
>>>>> post welded to the trailer and a hole in one end of the ramp where I
>>>>> can just put them down over the pin and drive off with no worry. I have
>>>>> not had problems with anyone trying to steal a board.
>>>>>
>>>>> Another thing that bothers me is that the new board has about 1 inch of
>>>>> extra deflection compared to the old 2 X 10 that has aged 3 or 4 years.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sep 19, 2016, at 3:27 PM, Indiana Robinson
>>>>>> <robinson46176 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If I wanted wood ramp boards I think I would consider laminated
>>>>>> engineered
>>>>>> lumber. Really strong stuff and no weak points.
>>>>>> If I ever was suspicious of loading boards / weight combinations I
>>>>>> reduced
>>>>>> their length by half with blocks under the middle but with a warning.
>>>>>> Blocking under the middle can make one end or the other lift (and
>>>>>> move) at
>>>>>> the end like at the truck bed. To prevent that movement the middle
>>>>>> blocks
>>>>>> should be low enough that the middle of the boards can flex down a
>>>>>> couple
>>>>>> of inches before contacting the support blocks. That keeps weight on
>>>>>> both
>>>>>> ends of the board.
>>>>>> I needed a shortish pair of ramps for loading my Cub several years ago
>>>>>> so I
>>>>>> made them out of a couple of pieces of light-ish "I" beam cut from a
>>>>>> removable mobile home hitch and used them flat. I cut a couple of 12"
>>>>>> pieces of an old "U" steel fence post and welded them across one end
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> each ramp cup down. That sits on a support across the back of several
>>>>>> trailers. They will also work to roll logs onto my little Woodmizer
>>>>>> sawmill
>>>>>> (if I ever get a chance to use it).
>>>>>> The Cub weighs about 1,800 pounds and it does not flex the ramps. They
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> maybe 5' long.
>>>>>> I have not shown anything for several years but I think I can next
>>>>>> year. I
>>>>>> finally completely quit the Atorvastatin and the Zetia both and at
>>>>>> long
>>>>>> last actually feel like I am really healing. The Atorvastatin
>>>>>> (Lipitor) was
>>>>>> really destructive on muscle tissue along with a whole basket-full of
>>>>>> other
>>>>>> bad side effects. The Zetia was causing severe shortness of breath. My
>>>>>> regular Dr. is quite open minded about treatments but the cardiac
>>>>>> folks all
>>>>>> seem to be playing a one string banjo... It largely involves a bad
>>>>>> case of
>>>>>> denial of any side effects of those two drugs.If I croak more quickly
>>>>>> from
>>>>>> not taking them it will still be better than the life I was living
>>>>>> with the
>>>>>> side effects...
>>>>>> I could have asked son Scott to haul a tractor to a show and he has in
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> past but he does a huge amount to keep us going as it is. He and I did
>>>>>> visit 3 nearby shows this summer together.
>>>>>> I saw a quote on-line this morning: "Sometimes it takes me all day to
>>>>>> accomplish nothing."  :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> .
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 1:07 PM, <tmehrkam at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> You need to borrow better equipment. :-}
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>      On Monday, September 19, 2016 8:44 AM, Cecil Bearden <
>>>>>>> crbearden at copper.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sounds like the typical quality problems we endure these days. Cover
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> bottom of those ramps with a 1/8 sheet of steel or aluminum and they
>>>>>>> will hold together.  All the good lumber in the US is shipped
>>>>>>> overseas.  We get the crap.  Those senders were probably made in
>>>>>>> China
>>>>>>> or India.  Parts houses don't carry the fittings they used to.
>>>>>>> Hardware
>>>>>>> stores are the best bet on that now...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cecil in Okla
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 9/19/2016 12:42 AM, Dennis Johnson wrote:
>>>>>>>> All
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The last few days I have been hit with stupid little stuff.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Borrowing my son's V10 Ram to haul some mowers to Okla. leaving 2
>>>>>>>> there
>>>>>>> with someone and hauling my Hustler back after doing some mowing
>>>>>>> there.
>>>>>>>> V10 failed an oil pressure sender Wednesday near Ennis Tx. Changed
>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> out in parts store parking lot, which was not fun on hot engine. This
>>>>>>> morning on the way to church the replacement sender also failed,
>>>>>>> putting a
>>>>>>> small stream of oil out the electrical connection, just like the
>>>>>>> first one
>>>>>>> did. Got replacement under warranty, but went to 6 places looking for
>>>>>>> 1/8
>>>>>>> NPT 45 elbow and could not find. Want to move sensor so I can get a
>>>>>>> wrench
>>>>>>> or sender socket on it. Finally found short nipple and coupling that
>>>>>>> should
>>>>>>> move it away from block slightly. Tomorrow morning will try to
>>>>>>> install the
>>>>>>> second sensor when engine is cool before I start it.
>>>>>>>> Yesterday I snapped one of the blade spindle housings in two pieces
>>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>> my Hustler Fastrack SD mower. Was able to fine some replacement parts
>>>>>>> just
>>>>>>> before store closed. Was able to finish mowing this afternoon.
>>>>>>>> This weekend the 2 X 10 ramps I use to load mower failed near a knot
>>>>>>> hole. Friday I got a new 2 X 10, and it snapped in two pieces on
>>>>>>> Saturday.
>>>>>>> Yesterday got a second replacement on that also.
>>>>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
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>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Francis Robinson
>>>>>> aka "farmer"
>>>>>> Central Indiana USA
>>>>>> robinson46176 at gmail.com
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