adept99 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Found a Smart we think we'd like to purchase. 2013 model, appears to be a Brabus version. Still have a few mods to make on the truck, and I have found a set of 14' ramps that are plenty sturdy. The bed on our truck is pretty low as these things go, around 3-1/2' . So the question is, knowing that a standard Passion would load & unload just fine, how about the Brabus with the air dams in place? Guess's on whether they will drag coming down? Could not find any info on ground clearance on this model. Anybody live close to the Macon, GA dealer that could maybe slip over & take a peek? I have to go down next Saturday or pass on the deal and lose a deposit. Thanks, Paul & Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 I think bmzero has one and shows it on the fourth page of his bed build thread. I think Mr Cob has one also. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Mine is a Gen 1 smart with the air dam. Ramps are 12' and I dump the air bags as well as put a shim in the ramp hinge. My air dam clears the ground by about 2 inches...maybe a little less. With your wheelbase and ramps being longer you should be OK. If in doubt get some 2x 8's or 10's and block up the dirt end of the ramps. My gen 1 is 98" long, I think yours is at least 106". Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis M Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 "If in doubt get some 2x 8's or 10's and block up the dirt end of the ramps." That is what I did when I went from an '05 450 to a '11 451. Not a Brabus but front air dam is lower on the '11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Brabus also has side skirts that hang a little lower, affecting clearance at break-over point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Put a shim in the hinge to reduce breakover point....but it at the same time it will make the bottom half steeper causing the nose to be closer to the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERO Maker Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 You can do all the things that everyone mentioned. And since you have 14' ramps, you might get by a little easier. And yes, that Brabus is lowered on the front end as told to me by a smart mechanic turned sales guy. But 14 ft, and 2x6's on the ground and a 3/8s inch angle piece added to the hinge section should get you the amount of clearance you need. Maybe those with an actual Brabus will chime in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 All of the above..... You can certainly come up with a loading method that will work with a Brabus, so I'd just plan on buying it and experimenting with the off-load. Which, IMO will be the biggest challenge. I think that if yo have arched ramps your breakover will work, especially if you dump your air on the truck suspension. The Brabus IS lower,but I clear easily with my ramp on the load. I come very close sometimes to the front air dams unloading. You need to try to unload on the same "plane" as the truck, or slightly higher up. I can unload on ground falling off - but you would not make it with a Brabus. You can buy "racing" mini-ramps to put the ends of the main ramps on and that should do it....or just cut some 2x lumber. But you will find something that works.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis M Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 As I said above I did a couple 2 x 8 extensions. For each ramp I took a 2 foot and a 1 foot piece, beveled one end of each, and screwed them together. The end of the ramps sit on the 3" thick end and that is enough to level the car out before the front air dam hits the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adept99 Posted February 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Well, by next Saturday, we will be the proud owners of a 2013 Smart. Brabus version, 13.5K miles. Ya'll getting better at spending our money... Thanks for all the info. Paul & Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Ya'll getting better at spending our money... Dang Paul, if we had all known THAT was the sort of help you were needing, a lot more of us would have been a lot more helpful a whole lot sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adept99 Posted February 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Why does that not surprise me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr. cob Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Howdy All, I have a Barbus but don't carry it on the deck of the truck, I load it into a toy hauler that has a very steep ramp angle, I did make a couple of two foot long ramps that I place under the ramp, this makes the angle better and so far I haven't had any problems loading the car into the trailer. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Here's me loading my Brabus with my prototype ramps. Worked well except for a slight drag at the end. That will be resolved by shortening the bottom support slightly. That's why I used wooden supports for the testing. They're easy to shorten. The production supports will be aluminum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 That's a lot of ramp there That is why I like the 12ft long Big Boy II ramps, no supports, all one piece and fairly light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 They don't seen very lite to m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adept99 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 5er, you should know by now that I never do anything the easy way, even if I have to break something to get back to cursing the lousy, no good, SOB. To clarify, we're actually buying 3 ramps. Need two to load the smart, and at 14', that's a no sweat proposition. With my Street Glide, I need three, one for the wheels & two for my chicken feet. For the DW's Spyder trike, one for each front wheel, and one for the single rear wheel. The spyder is what's driving the long ramps. It only has about 3.5" of ground clearance with a rider aboard. Even with shims at the hinge point, 2x ramps, etc, it is still a PITA. Have had to use shorty 2X ramps in the garage of the toyhauler because the ducktail angle is too steep to clear. Did I mention PITA? BTW - I'm hearing rumors that there is a store waaaaay out in the North Carolina country, just as you pass the banjo music, that specializes in 10-2-4, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Get one of those Uber expensive hydraulic loaders. This is rapidly developing into the definition of an elephant....a mouse built to govt specs. Canadian or American, it makes no difference. I am buying my Moms Toyota Corolla from the estate so now I have 4 vehicles to plate and insure.....much simpler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 That's a lot of ramp there That is why I like the 12ft long Big Boy II ramps, no supports, all one piece and fairly light. These are designed so that they fold up and store under the bed surface in what would ordinarily be dead space. They don't seen very lite to m These prototypes are steel. The production ramps will be aluminum. It was significantly cheaper to cut them out of steel to prove the concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC and Angie Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 My brabus has hit a couple times coming down the ramp. But, you have to almost ne laying on the ground to see the scape marks on the air damn. I don't dump my air, just never think about it. In my opinion it's not a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJW Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Paul Just send the receipts for all the money spent on the smart to Dennis M. He is the one that started this whole mess with "I think I will put a smart car on the back of my HDT" He is personally responsible for costing all of us lots of money. On the flip side he is also responsible for proving that it was doable and it made a huge difference in the HDT RVing experience. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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