smart car ramps

[chiefneon]

1 minute ago, GlennWest said:

We headed there the 1st. You still there then

Howdy!

Glen, we have a home base here in Livingston at the Escapees. We’ll be here until around late March or April before heading out for Alaska. Just give me a call.

”Happy Teails”

Chiefneon

[GlennWest]

Cool. See you soon then.

[dennisvr]

When I started looking into these ramps they had a 10% off offer.  I got a email this morning that they have a 15% off offer.  So I ordered them along with the tire baskets.
These should work out great for when I do long trips I will put the car on the truck and the shorter trips I will put it in the Toyhauler.  Also now If I wanted to take the truck only I can take the car also.

[dennisvr]

Got my ramps and had to try them out.  Now I have to extend my frame 20" so I can get my clearance for turning.  Right now I only have 35".
I have to say it was a little spooky driving up, but not as bad as I thought.
Thanks Jack, I watched your video on loading and unloading a smart and how you used your mirror when backing off, it worked great.  I know I would have hung my head out the window.
 

[alan0043]

3 minutes ago, dennisvr said:

Got my ramps and had to try them out.  Now I have to extend my frame 20" so I can get my clearance for turning.  Right now I only have 35".
I have to say it was a little spooky driving up, but not as bad as I thought.
Thanks Jack, I watched your video on loading and unloading a smart and how you used your mirror when backing off, it worked great.  I know I would have hung my head out the window.
 

Hi Dennis,

Thank you for posting the picture. I am working on the bed of my truck so I can put a Smart car on it. I have a request of you for some more pictures. Is it possible to see a few pictures of the front and rear of the car showing the deck and your hold downs. I have a need to see how people place there cars on the deck and also hold them in place. I am looking to see more detail about your bed. I like how your truck is set-up. If the pictures are not possible I can understand. The deck of my truck is going to be my winter project.

Thank you for any help,
Al

[dennisvr]

No problem Al, I'll try to get some pictures of the bed today and post them.  I don't have the tie downs installed yet, I'm thinking of welding on some D rings to attach the wheel buckets I bought.
By the way the bed was on the truck when I bought it.  It is 66"x96" and made out of 2"x5" tube outside frame and (3) 2"x5" tubes running side to side in the middle and then some thick expanded metal on top.  I will be replacing the expanded metal with tread plate one of these days.

 

[GlennWest]

41 minutes ago, dennisvr said:

Got my ramps and had to try them out.  Now I have to extend my frame 20" so I can get my clearance for turning.  Right now I only have 35".
I have to say it was a little spooky driving up, but not as bad as I thought.
Thanks Jack, I watched your video on loading and unloading a smart and how you used your mirror when backing off, it worked great.  I know I would have hung my head out the window.
 

I have an issue with placement driving up. Can't see, as you realized, going up. I usually have to get bottle Jack and move it over. Seriously thinking about a winch.

[dennisvr]

Glen, I don't recall having a problem lining up.  I think I watched the left front wheel and used the edge of the bed as an indicator as I was driving it up. It ended up at the perfect position, maybe I got lucky.

[GlennWest]

Don't have an edge. Full bed. Could paint a line I reckon. 

[noteven]

Could a guy fab up a line up sight? Can’t draw a picture but imagine a light rod that sticks in the opposite side of the deck up about 4ft. The top would have two rods on a T at 90 degrees to the truck. smart would have a piece of tape on the back side of the sun visor. Visor down, keep the two rods and the mark on the visor in line and drive on. 

[GlennWest]

I would likely hit it with car. 

[hone eagle]

I drive up ,there aint no need to follow a line .If its not straight and the ramps not paralel  

make it so

,corrections underway  is beyond stupid .

[dennisvr]

4 hours ago, GlennWest said:

Don't have an edge. Full bed. Could paint a line I reckon. 

I'm thinking a paint line would work fine.  As I said when I drove on, I was able to watch the left front tire.

[Big5er]

That is the joy of winching it on backwards, just leave the door open and watch the wheels. 

And Hone Eagle, with the wide ramps turning, moving over or any other correction is just too easy. No as stupid as you make it sound. Actually you would be stupid not to make corrections. The car has to be in its' proper space.

[Jack Mayer]

Guys, it is just practice getting lined up. Not hard once you get used to it. It is rarely perfect, but usually within acceptable tie-down limits. If necessary you can hand push the car back, cock the wheels, and re-orient it. But that is rarely, rarely, required.

[hone eagle]

24 minutes ago, Big5er said:

That is the joy of winching it on backwards, just leave the door open and watch the wheels. 

And Hone Eagle, with the wide ramps turning, moving over or any other correction is just too easy. No as stupid as you make it sound. Actually you would be stupid not to make corrections. The car has to be in its' proper space.

"correct" it going up you need to duplicate backing down, really asking for a cluster. 

line up the ramps make sure they are parallel ,line up the car with the ramps, look from the top of the deck ,look again from behind the car ,bend over and look from underneath.

make sure the wheels are not cocked 

drive straight DO NOT EVER move the steering wheel, same going down. do with eyes closed or open don't matter

you can't see the ramps anyway, you don't have to to know they are there ,the car is going up and it will be straight and square to the deck.

we tend to over think around here 

my ramps are 12" wide , inside to inside distance is 39", measure at the top and bottom - do it twice ,car lined up exactly? then drive on. 

I don't lash them to the truck either ,once the front tires are on "it aint going anywhere"  

-redneck wisdom -

 

[GlennWest]

Guys i even use a square to make sure they straight. Not got it right yet. I have bought a winch and may put it to use.

[Big5er]

Like I said, I have the wide ramps (19") and winch mine on backwards. I have no issue at all in seeing the ramp, and making corrections. I get it lined up, perfectly and in the same spot on the deck, every time. I back up to the ramps and go. No aligning, no positioning. I simply steer it to where it needs to be...on the way up. There is nothing to "duplicate" on the way down. That doesn't even make sense. By the time my car in on the bed, it is straight and in the spot it needs to be. 

If your way works for you, I'm glad to hear it. Getting it exact, every time, by making minor steering adjustments is not, as you call it, stupid. I do not understand your insistence with not moving the wheel. That is just plain silly. Your way is not the only way, nor is it the right way. It is just the way that works for you.

You aren't the person loading on my truck. On my truck TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.  

[Hewhoknowslittle]

Well I am new to loading the smart on my truck, but I do drive it on forward, and back it off. I practiced it about 20 times one day, and today I loaded it again, getting ready to head to Lippert to get my jacks replaced on the DRV, first time up I was about an inch right of the line I have on the front chauk, and my nephew said, do it again I missed it, so down it goes drove it around the lot, lined it up again, up she goes and on the mark. 

First time I was a basket case, but now no sweat, I do drive my truck onto a 4x4 on the opposite side of the ramps to help with the angle.While I was talking to Larry Herrin he said that he used to put a pipe rail for the tires to rub as it helps to get it straight every time, and I might add this in the future, who knows.

Roger

[HERO Maker]

Roger, he used to do that, but he hasn't in a long time.

And remember, that rail will only be good for the rear tires on the 2015 and prior models.

Like others have said, practice makes perfect!  Make sure the ramps are perpendicular to the bed, parallel to each other, and winch or drive it up slowly.

I would though, (unlike someone else) drop a pin thru a hole in the top of your ramps, or bolt on like I do.  We have all seen those videos where the "redneck" loading of a bike caused the ramp to flex and spring away from the tailgate, or just drop.  Of course any and everything drops with it.

I'm like Phil and winch it up backwards, and drive off.  I'm using the 12" wide ramps.  And making any adjustments at the top, or near to it, really isn't a problem.  Sometimes I'm a little off on the load and I know it because I have a tough time getting the chocks set and bolts dropped into the holes.  A little wiggle here and there then presto!

Now my 12" ramps have a separation at the top of 40.25".  No need to remeasure that every time because my ramp holes never move!  I just make sure the bottom is the same.  And yes, even with bolting your ramps to your bed, you can still not be parallel at the bottom.  I can have the bottom of ramp move 2 inches either direction.  Use the tape.

[GlennWest]

13 hours ago, Big5er said:

Like I said, I have the wide ramps (19") and winch mine on backwards. I have no issue at all in seeing the ramp, and making corrections. I get it lined up, perfectly and in the same spot on the deck, every time. I back up to the ramps and go. No aligning, no positioning. I simply steer it to where it needs to be...on the way up. There is nothing to "duplicate" on the way down. That doesn't even make sense. By the time my car in on the bed, it is straight and in the spot it needs to be. 

If your way works for you, I'm glad to hear it. Getting it exact, every time, by making minor steering adjustments is not, as you call it, stupid. I do not understand your insistence with not moving the wheel. That is just plain silly. Your way is not the only way, nor is it the right way. It is just the way that works for you.

You aren't the person loading on my truck. On my truck TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS YOU WANT.  

Didn't you get a new Smartcar. If so, please share your hookup for winch. 

[Dollytrolley]

On 11/20/2017 at 5:08 AM, SuiteSuccess said:

Jim,

There was a forum member who’s ramps broke at the hinge, but he admitted to abusing them by dropping them off the bed several times.  Only ones I’ve ever heard of having issues.  Believe his were the 19” wide.  Saying that my wife used to sit in the car as it was winched off the truck (not on) in case my winch rope failed.  She could hit the brakes.  We don’t do that any longer in the event of ramp failure.  I have the Big Boy II (1000 lbs /ramp).  If I were going to drive the car on and off, would get the 12” 2000 lb per axle or if using the 19” would build some type of support at the hinge area in case it were to break.  Might be overkill and paranoia but a 4 ft fall in a smart isn’t going to end well for your back and neck.

Here is the broken ramp thread 

 

 

If ramps bother you try ......no ramps........just pick and place the rig......so simple.

 

https://imgur.com/a/WHKO4

 

Drive on........(to heck with ramps......)

 

 

[hone eagle]

sorry Phil  poor choice of words 

I just meant to lurkers and newbie's reading to not over think it, get it up ,get it straight, and strap it down.

I have a winch as well and 'maneuvering' on the deck (btdt) only results in delays and head scratching because  you then have to reverse the load path to get it off ,remember I have narrow big boy ramps ,absolutely no room for error, tends to concentrate the mind. 

I want to get on with the adult beverage intake asap.

[HERO Maker]

One thing I did forget to post was, based on the ramps that failed, I do a visual inspection each time the ramps get pulled out of my storage area.  When I pull them out, they get placed on the ground and then I unfold them.  This allows me to check out that hinge each time.  I know some guys kinda rotate the ramps on a pivot point and then place the top end on the bed.  I actually liked watching this way to open the ramps and thought it was pretty simple.  But now I want to see the bottom of the hinge each time.

[dennisvr]

Good idea Rocky.  I'll need to remember to inspect ramps, especially the hinges each time I use them.
I did notice after I used them the first time that where the tires ran up the ramps the rungs were bent down a little, is this normal?  Also these are the 19" wide "sissy ramps"