I drive an FM12 with an Andover Trailers beavertail body, the fold flat ramps are timber coated and as they are usually folded in good condition and clean.
The biggest problem is the lack of grip for the metal tracked piling rigs that I transport, they all go on OK but when they go over the knife edge it can be a bit dodgy.
We have a 14t Klemm rig that goes on and off and behaves fairly well, we have tacked on guide rails for the tracks and it generally only slips if the ramps are wet or muddy.
The big problem is when I occasionally have to collect one of our Hutte rigs which is smaller but has a trailer mounted powerpack, when the rig goes over the knife edge the weight of the power pack drags it down the ramps and will likely jacknife as the rig is only about 4’ wide. If there are no augers with the rig then I use the winch to hold it, but when there are augers they have to sit up front blocking the winch, as I can’t crane past the rig.
Has anyone any ideas on what we could do to the timber to increase the grip. Any useful ideas are welcome as these things are an accident waiting to happen. The smaller rigs are usually collected by another vehicle with a flat body and 39t crane, however on occasion I get lumbered and today was a good (or bad) example of the above.
HOW about putting metal ridges along the surface of the wooden ramp this would allow the track to get a good and solid grip,this is how the ramps of the trailers where laid out in the forces,The metal ridges should be made up like a triangle ,thats my tip ,so lets see if any one else offers something else,
are you putting it on a low loader trailer or the back of a rigid
It is an 8 wheeler which although has 8’ long ramps and air suspension, still makes for a fairly steep climb.
metal ridges along the surface of the wooden ramp
Thanks for this brit pete it is one of the ideas that I have thought about, another would be to get lengths of rebar fixed horizontally across the ramps. I will still welcome input as to the best solution. Whatever we do use we have got to be careful because we have some mini rigs with rubber tracks, and occasionally move a van on it, so we don’t want something that may damage tyres.
HAVE A SET of removeable ramps made up ,just for the use of metal tracked vehicles,this will then allow you to be more flexible as regards loading rubber tracked and wheeled vehicles,
if you put some flat strips of steel about 2 inch wide running vertical with the body bolt them to the beaver tail then some small pieces of angle iron running from side to side welded to the flat bar then on the knife edge a small strip of either checker plate or der bar bent to the angle and bolted down and paint the wooden ramps with the paint and sand
thats what i have used in the past and found it to be the best for me as for using rubber tracks on it it was ideal it was meatel tracks that used to slip a bit but it was better than nothing at all also i used to be abel to drive vans cars and tractors on with out problems
We use old conveyer belting out of a quarry.Its cut into lengths about 10 feet long,12 inches wide.We’re on step frame lowloaders so our ramps aren’t as steep though. You could try a few old car tyres.Both ways will protect your boards aswell.
Whatever you try you’ve still got to be carefull with muddy tracks.
The biggest problem is that the vehicle is not used solely for plant movement, and carries steel and other building supplies much of the time. It is unpractical to carry around things for specific jobs, the Klemm usually travels with matting for use on tarmac and is generally Ok on the ramps. The best solution would be to try and avoid moving the Hutte rigs, but sometimes I get lumbered.
I think that the combination of vertical strip and angle iron horizontally as suugested would be best.
I have been thinking about this for a couple of days, is it possible to use heavy duty punch decking, (like car transporters use)
I asked my mate who used to own a land drainage firm and they had to carry the drainage machine on a drawbar trailer behind a unimog, he said they put this perforated chequer plate down, but he also had a winch he could use if it was too steep or slippery
I have been thinking about this for a couple of days
Thanks WheelNut, It is nice to know that there are people out there who are interested in other peoples problems. I have had some good ideas from this post and need to discuss this with the plant department. I certainly seem to be making some sort of progress with the concept, the execution may be another matter but that is out of my hands.
