Long story, but I've had a new toy hauler fall in my lap. Not ideal, but the budget is a little tight right now and I don't feel like springing for a trailer. Also sort of like having an "extra garage" in the back yard.

Not ideal, because it's an Isuzu NPR cargo truck. Heavy duty enough, long enough (even to have a workbench area in front of the Willys) and tall enough (by about 1/2 an inch.)
Big problem is it's about a 34" climb to the bed.

I'm planning on fabbing up some ramps that slide up into the bed when not in use. What should I use for them? Angle iron or channel for the sides? Angle for the cross pieces? What size angle/channel? How thick? I'm looking at running a 10' span at least, and possibly 12', so I hate to under-build and buckle it in the middle - on the other hand I have to be able to lift the damn things back in.

So - any structural engineers out there want to give me some guidance?

Build a support stand halfway down the ramp that attaches to the ramp and goes to the ground. Make it adjustable, because in the perfect world you'd always be loading and unloading in a paved parking lot...

When Rockwild built his toter from a box truck, we started with ramps that were just angle iron on the sides and treads. They would bend under the load of his toyota so we added another piece of angle to create a C channel. It was heavy gage material too. That is what I would recommend to do.

Does it have the six or four cylinder? If it has the six, you've got a great truck with nuts. Not fast mind you, but it'll run forever. Tough damn ruff riding old things.

well from an engineering standpoint what kind of load will the ramp see? (How heavy is your rig). Damn, 12' ramp??

Weld beaver tail on back of truck then hinge ramps. Makes needed ramp length shorter/more manageable.
The ones on the (I think) attached picture are actually aluminum. Painted them red so the theiving junkers think they are steel and leave their dirty dick beaters off them.
Ramps are hinged, and I just strap them in the up position. (keep them from tipping down, AND keep them from rattling going down the road). No sliding them under the bed.

without to much math:

put a hidged support in the middle of the ramp.

3 inch C channel, find somethign heavy, 3/16 web kinda size. use 2x2x.25 angle side to side.

edit: that assumes the willies is around 5k lbs

Build a support stand halfway down the ramp that attaches to the ramp and goes to the ground. Make it adjustable, because in the perfect world you'd always be loading and unloading in a paved parking lot...

x2 Just add a kick stand in the middle. Use some tube with a tube that slided up an down in the inside and holes drilled every couple of inches and pin it in place. Wood blocks can be used under the feet for uneven ground. I'm running 2" C channel heavy weight version with 1.5" 3/16 angle iron cross members and I've run bobcats and mini excavators up them without an issue. Mine are like 6' vs your being 12' Most everyone else is running 3" channel, but I not loading a dozer. You can add an arc to the ramp to take more weight with lighter material too.
You should also consider a support stand at the back of the trucks deck too. Think of it this way. Take a 12' cheeter bar and apply 1,000 lbs to one end and what will that do to your axle and springs.:eek:


Or get fancy and build a set of these
http://www.ramps-ramps-ramps.com/JPEGs/pickup-truck-ramp-drawing.gif

that is a good idea.....loooks like some ome has stared at handy capped ramps too much:flipoff2:

my question is why 10-12 feet? if you are 34" off the ground and only loading a willies you could go alot shorter span and still not have problems. that would allow you to build lighter easier to move ramps, just a thought.

Thanks all. I thought about the mid-way support, and will probably end up doing this. It would have to be adjustable somehow - don't know that it would ever be unloaded on actual pavement...

Willys is very light. Old school build - longleaf springs, 34" swampers, d44s, Ford v6 - and damned little else. I'll eat my left shoe if it ends up over 3000 pounds, but haven't weighed it yet.

Honestly doesn't have to be 10-12 feet, but I thought if I was going to build a hauler I might as well be able to load something in it other than a jeep. Unfortunately I like RX-7s, and they break too. I may just be over-thinking and over-building though.

Love the ideas. Feel free to post more - I won't start building it until next weekend.

Oh - and it's a turbo diesel four. Not ideal - it's not over-powered even when it's empty. Company truck, it's an extra and the first Isuzu I ever bought. Unwisely put a new engine in it when we blew one up, so it's old, high-miles, not worth a damned nickel right now and it's still useful to me. I could only get $800 trading it against a new one, so I told them to screw it, and I'm renting it to myself for $1. Company still pays the insurance.

Maybe you could find some old military runway decking and use a couple of those to start with. search Marston Mat


these look to be aluminum and are modular
http://www.discountramps.com/hdImages/step-deck-modular-ramps.jpg

How hard would it be to make the back end of the truck kneel down? Maybe use semi airbags to do it?

Build a support stand halfway down the ramp that attaches to the ramp and goes to the ground. Make it adjustable, because in the perfect world you'd always be loading and unloading in a paved parking lot...

If I was building a 10 foot long ramp, I'd build in two pieces with a sawhorse type support in the middle.