DIY car ramps

[tbitz]

I have some metal car ramps, but they are not wide enough for my 245 rear wheels. Also the angle is very steep and the front spoiler needs to be removed to go up. I've looked for a while to find ramps wide enough and with a shallow angle, but nothing came up locally.

So I decide to make my own out of wood. Once all the glue dries I need to find a 5000lb truck to test them. If that passes then the 2500lb 911 should be safe.

Total cost, $10 plus some wood lying aroung in the shed for a few years. Here are some pics:

[Bob's Flat-Six]

Beautiful work,
I don't think you need a test they look very capable of a 911's weight.

[dean]

If I were you I would close the back end with a piece of 3/4" plywood so they can't colapse sideways

[bell]

nice work
are you planning on doing something for better traction? should something get wet you may spin your tires, i've used "griptape" (what they put on skateboards) and works very well, can be found online for less than $20.

[tbitz]

I've put two sets of cross members internally to prevent them from collapsing sideways. I left the back open so I have a place to lift them. I might just do what you recommend, though. Closing the back will make them more rigid. Maybe I'll make a hole just so I have a place to pick them up.

My plan was to glue a coarse grit sandpaper on top to prevent slipping. I might paint them too..

[dean]

I just thought in wood, I wouldn't trust the cross members. I would also glue and screw the plywood on.

[trj911]

They look great! I like the idea of DIY for $10. Snap a picture or two when you get the car on them.

[Steve W]

They look nice, but instead of depending on the cross braces or one backplate, I would remove the cross members and replace them with full rectangular blocks glued and screwed to all three sides. I'd use the same thickness lumber as what you used for the sides and place at least 3 to 4 at even intervals from front to back. They would not only be shear members, but load bearing, bacause I can tell you, that thing looks like it's too susceptible to collapsing. Take it from a former structural engineer. You might also consider putting a stop block at the end of the ramp, so you don't accidentally roll off the end of the ramp when you drive up it.

[banjomike]

Actually the easiest sure way to do this is to take a 2x8 and cut it into several pieces of decreasing length, it helps to make the cuts at an angle. Anyway stack them and use longs screws to screw them together like:


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It's easy to pick your incline, by selecting different lengths.
I've seen 30' equipment trailers weighing many tons propped on these for weeks.

[Silveresrty911S]

Ditto what Blown said, and use plywood gussets on the interior. You can also screw ply @ 3"-4" on center to give greater shear value.
Good Job!

[Rick Lee]

Well, they look nice and $10 is hard to beat. But my Rhino ramps cost $30 at Wal Mart, took five minutes to buy, are very lightweight, next to indestructible and have just the perfect slope for my lowered p-cars. Looks like you put some time into these.

[ted]

What are wood ramps for wooden cars??

Originally posted by banjomike
Anyway stack them and use longs screws to screw them together like:
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The above is the only wood ramp I'd consider.
Your's are pretty but could be a liability.
Don't lend them out.

I've seen the cheap metal ramps fail too.

[5axis]

Originally posted by banjomike
Actually the easiest sure way to do this is to take a 2x8 and cut it into several pieces of decreasing length, it helps to make the cuts at an angle. Anyway stack them and use longs screws to screw them together like:


---------------
---------------------
---------------------------
-------------------------------------

It's easy to pick your incline, by selecting different lengths.
I've seen 30' equipment trailers weighing many tons propped on these for weeks.

I am using a set like that. My dad built them before he built me sometime pre 1966. Not a bad investment in lumber.

[targa80]

My compliments on your project, the ramps look well made and it look's like you put a lot of time and effort into them. Unfortunately, I'm skeptical that your project is safe for supporting the rear end of a Porsche using 2X2's and plywood. May I suggest getting the steel ramps and build the wood ramps around the steel frame. This would give you the strenghth of the steel ramps and the width you require from the wood portion.

[Reg]

The ones I have are 8 2 x 10's screwed and nailed together to get the desired width. Then I screwed a 2 x 4 on top to stop the car once up and another piece on the thick end along with a p[iece of 3/4" ply extended to provide even more stability. If you want to go higher, you'd use 2 x 12's. Much more wood required, but its easy to cut any angle on each piece before you sandwich them together. While they are heavy, they are solid as a rock and I am cofortable crawling under the car. Much higher than the metal onces I had.

[tbitz]

Thanks for all the input guys.

I've beefed up the ramps with some of your recommendations and then I tested them with my mini-van (3800lbs).



Here are the mods. I capped the end with a piece of ply. It was screwed and glued.



Then a row of 2x3s were screwed and glued. One right under the location where the car would rest. These will be taking up all the bearing load when the car is at rest on top. A second set of 2x3s was placed in the middle of the ramps. These takeup some load when the car is going up, and then keep the ramps from collapsing sideways.




And finally here is my baby up on the ramps. You could probably guess what my first project is going to be with these. (look at the soiled cardboard.)



It did end up taking a full day to make these ramps. It is not worth the time if you can find low angle ramps at Walmart for $30US, but I always say "it's the journey that counts, not the arrival....".

Cheers,

[dean]

Good job. Walmart blows

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

wallfart is horrible!!!

I would not trust these, though they look wonderful. I would use 2x10 or 2x12 and cut them as per above. this is much more stable and less likely to collapse with you under the vehicle. Safety is NEVER too expensive!!! Just watch one steel pipe fall on a person and you will understand. I use railroad ties but I'm from East Texas...

[Bryantch]

they look nice...i would hope your family has adequate health/life insurance on you though ...i hope i dont see you on "Real life" with ahmad rashad someday...

"Safety is NEVER too expensive!!!"...nor is it too time consuming ...couldnt agree more.

[Bill Douglas]

You're braver than me Tony.

I use my steel ones with a couple of boards to ease the angle at the start of the ramp.