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Ramp storage in bed build...


trimster

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Sketching my bed build and a really good suggestion from someone was to have the ramps IN the bed, not on top.

Can some of you who have ramp storage in the bed, post some photo of what yours looks like? And maybe a measurement from the truck rail to the top of the bed so I can get an idea how much lift I have to put in to clear the ramps over the tires. The ramps I am looking at are 6' long and 5" thick (when folded in half).

Also, what ga. or thickness is the ramp box build? I'm thinking 1/8" is enough...maybe.

Thanks.

 

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

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Trimster I put mine above the frame over the fuel tank. I put 1/4" by 10" plate on edge and made 2 tubes for the ramps. I made them 10 tall as I removed the pins from one set of 3 and put half with each full ramp. This also gave me plenty of room over the tires, I have a 4" tall toolbox over the tires so you could get away with 6" on my 630 Volvo.  I was going to cary a Spider before getting a Smart. I built most of my beds frame from 1/4" plate it is very strong and takes up almost no space. I have been very happy with it. 

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Poor planning has led us to carry the ramps in a box we built on the rear of the bed.  Imagine one of those cheap cargo carriers that folks throw on the back of a jeep to carry coolers and such.  But ours is bigger, has sides, and besides slipping into the receiver hitch, also has 4 - 3/8" bolts holding it at the ends.

I find it easier than wrestling the ramps so high.  It's big enough to carry two ramps and our tripod hitch stabilizer.  There's a lot of wasted space back there.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

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1 hour ago, Big5er said:

IMGP1146-600x450.jpg

 

Dang Phil how do you have that much space?  I follow the George Carlin rule “if you have empty space you need more stuff”.

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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1 hour ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Dang Phil how do you have that much space?  I follow the George Carlin rule “if you have empty space you need more stuff”.

That's where he keeps his trunk monkey. The monkey also took the picture for Phil to post.

 

2017 Kenworth T680
2015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites
2016 Smart Prime

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The less lifting the better ,mine were low and behind the drives - backbreaking.

They are now beside the car ,same height .Wish they were under the car,  beneath the car tires.

next time

Edited by hone eagle

2005 volvo 670 freedomline singled
Newmar Torrey Pine 34rsks
woot woot

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Bob,

     I think Phil pretty much has the right idea for you since you are not singled. My Volvo is singled and we never touched the length of the frame. This gave enough room behind the rear tires for another full size box. We put a tunnel between the back boxes and the ramps are inside that.

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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I think the best place would be directly under the car between deck and frame rails. You would remain upright handling them. Where Phil and I have ours, we have to bend over to get them out. I don't have enough clearance for that though.

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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I am in the process of redoing my motorcycle ramp again. First it was carried under the car and had to be drug to the truck box to unload the bike. Next I had it cut in half with a hinge and put it at least on the truck. This week I hope to have half of it placed directly under the bike loader device with the other half on the truck. I found it's much easier to handle one piece at a time and found a couple hitch pins that fit in the bolt holes where they had hinged. It worked once as a trial lifted off the box floor enough for 1/2 of the ramp to fit. 

Next will be the ramps for the car. They are heavy steel and so far I'm able to move them into place, but if I can find a loading dock I will use it to load the car and leave the ramps in place. I used to do that when the truck box was large enough for the car. 

Below, top photo is campground in Cape Girardeau, MO. 

Next is the temporary blocking at the front to get the height I want for the rack. The straps held everything in place for a single load and unloading to check for clearances. 

Last photo is the ramp halves ready to find their new homes. 

 

 

Rod

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Edited by lappir
added photo info.

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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I'm looking at Discount Ramps as well. The ramp system for trikes. So three 12' ramps that fold into 6' x 5.75" thick by 19.75" wide. The three storage slots under the bed would be some 60" wide. The  bed build would be 5 - 6" to clear the tires when the bags are empty, then 6" for the ramp slots/boxes. Then another inch for the for the decking. I'm leaning towards aluminum planks used for bleachers and those non-skid ramps found on U-Haul moving trucks. There's several non-skid tread patterns. They come in 1" x 12" wide x 12' long.

 The ramps weigh 65 lbs each if I recall properly. Not real heavy but enough one should brace.

 

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

LbjZhp0l.jpg

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I love my ramps that Charlie built for me. No lifting, slide in and out on rails. Can even put on actuators to make them fully automatic in the future if wanted. One of my favorite things of the bed re-do.

2003 International Eagle 9200i, Cummins ISX, Freedomline

2007 Teton Scottsdale XT4

 

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3 minutes ago, lockmup68 said:

I love my ramps that Charlie built for me. No lifting, slide in and out on rails. Can even put on actuators to make them fully automatic in the future if wanted. One of my favorite things of the bed re-do.

Pics please

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/4/2020 at 9:48 AM, GlennWest said:

I think the best place would be directly under the car between deck and frame rails. You would remain upright handling them. Where Phil and I have ours, we have to bend over to get them out. I don't have enough clearance for that though.

Glen:

Been doing some figgerin' on what it would take to put ramp storage like you suggested. So here's the tail-of-the-tape:

- I need 5" additional bed rail height to compensate for the air bag deflation.

- I need 6" more space for the ramps. They're 5.75" folded in half.

- The deck will be 1" thick (aluminum bleacher planks)

....so, that will be 12" (roughly) of additional height PLUS the rise when the bags inflate (+5"). That will be a fairly high bed it seems. But maybe not out of line considering some I have seen. I didn't measure any of them that had under-bed storage. Maybe someone who has that configuration could run a tape on the height and post it here?

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

LbjZhp0l.jpg

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Don't put your ramps over the wheels. Put them forward, saves the 5" of space the wheels take. You want the deck as low as possible, particularly for a smart car. They sit low, so break over becomes an issue.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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Don't have that option with dual axles & 110" wheel base.

Ramps I am looking at are 12' long with an arch.

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

LbjZhp0l.jpg

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6 hours ago, trimster said:

Don't have that option with dual axles & 110" wheel base.

Ramps I am looking at are 12' long with an arch.

Split the difference, one in front, one behind. You need to keep the finished deck height as low as possible. Our smart car donated it's belly pan to the transition from deck to ramp, even though I was watching it. It snagged a couple times, and was reattached, but the final time was the final time. It came out in enough pieces, there was no repairing it.

ETA: We carry the ramps in a cross body toolbox, behind the axle.

Edited by Darryl&Rita

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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Complicating things, we will have 3 21" wide ramps.  For a trike.  Smart car maybe later.

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

LbjZhp0l.jpg

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My bad. I thought you were building with a smart in mind. Still, check the break over angle on the trike, before gluing any metal.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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No problem.  I didn't specify what was going on the ramps. My Goldwing has the same problem .

Robert & Lisa
'14 Keystone Fuzion 315 38' 5er

2015 Volvo VNL 670, D13, iShift 'The Tartis' (ours)

2013 Smart Fortwo Passion 'K-9'

2011 CanAm Spyder RT Limited (Ours)

We are both USAF vets.

LbjZhp0l.jpg

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As soon as you said trike, I remembered you saying that previously. My mental block happens to be between my ears.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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1 hour ago, rickeieio said:

senior moment........

If only. More than a handful of years before I get my license to be grumpy, full time. I'm the kid, remember?

ETA: When Henry was reminiscing about early camping adventures with his plane and family, he revealed that I'm younger than them.

Edited by Darryl&Rita

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


Please e-mail us here.

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