Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

slippery ramps help please


Boney

Recommended Posts

i have some of those 2x12 wooden ramps you make with those metal end kits. i would like to improve the traction on them and make them not so slippery. does anyone have any ideas for this without increasing the weight of them to much? thnx for any help
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about tacking some of that grip tape in place? The kind they use on skateboards and stairs. It has a sticky side which probably wouldn't hold, but maybe if you tack it in place it would do. I know they make some down to 80 grit.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kits are sold at TSC, Quality Farm & Fleet, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc. They have pre-fabricated metal strips, w/sharp edged holes, that you can screw to your ramp. They work great when it's wet.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about strips of rupper. I know on my metal gate, i'm going to use it for when I have my chains on. I just about make it up with them on. ELON
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put grip tape on mine. They work great except I can't go up them with tire chains on. I think the wood is too hard and the chains just slide. Also, I can't get up mine going backwards, which I would prefer with my snow blade on the front. I might look into the prefab kit with the sharp metal.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the prefab ones from Harbor Freight and would not go with anything else. They are not 8 feet long so the angle can be a problem but they have such great traction. As for the wooden ones, how about some stairs/porch paint with anti-slip compound. What they often do is add some sand to the paint and then you have to keep it agitated. Maybe even the driveway sealer with the sand.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All you need is a Skill saw. Set for 1/8" deep cut and put saw curfs in the plank in a cris cross tread pattern. This will also make them lighter. You could also Paint them with some floor and deck enamal with coarse sand in it for added traction.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have seen people nail shingles to their wooden ramps. Seemed to work ok, but don't know how long the shingles will last. Guess it depends on how much you use the ramps.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't want to spend the big bucks for quality factory made ramps either. I tried the wood plank route and had the same problems with insufficient traction. I tried screws, metal lath, and other non-slip surfaces. Nothing worked really satisfactory. Then the wood started to crack. Keep you eyes open for some suitable metal or take a trip to your local scrapyard. I made these ramps from milk cooler shelves discarded behind a convenience store. They work great. [img]/club2/attach/dutch/ramp1.jpg[/img] [img]/club2/attach/dutch/ramp2.jpg[/img]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have also seen wood lath strips nailed crossways on the ramps about 4 or 5 inches on center. Cheap, easy and effective.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like UCD said. We used "non skid" on board ships (USCG) take your paint and mix it with sand. Good luck, John H
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spend the 49>99 + tax and shipping and help prevent a broken ankle, wrenched back or ?? If you can find the racks like Dutch, so much the better. But here are the ones Harbor Freight sells. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44649
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We use to paint the wood and then put / sprinkle "Black Beauty" sand blasting compound on to the wet paint ,it worked fine .... Jim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...