 Writers' Community! |
|
| Home Page Two Columnists Q&A Submit an Article FAQs Contact Author Login |
Mike's wonderful loading and hauling industry talk.MikeN (295)    MikeN    Discount Ramps.com Yard Ramps for ForkliftsPosted Friday, March 21, 2008 (1 year 248 days ago.) Viewed 45 times. What is a yard ramp? Yard ramps are designed for loading and unloading cargo from truck trailers with a forklift. In addition to truck trailers yard ramps can be used on loading docks and platforms, rail cars, and more. Typically yard ramps are constructed of steel with large weight capacities from 15,000 lbs all the way up to 30,000 lbs. Most yard ramps have wheels for moving and setting up in a yard or lot and have a raising and lowering mechanism for setting up on the loading surface. Yard ramps with wheels also offer a transport device such as a tow bar, allowing the ramp to be transported with a forklift. Some yard ramps available can be setup as permanent structures with stationary support stands allowing trucks to back up to it, similar to a standard loading dock. There are also yard ramps that have optional hand rails that can be attached allowing for use as walk ramps into and out of trailers. Below is a picture of a forklift being used with one of the yard ramps.
 Standard Yard Ramps vs. "Level Off" Yard Ramps You may have heard the term "level off" in regards to yard ramps. The difference between a standard yard ramp and a level off yard ramp is quite simple. The level off yard ramp has a flat end which allows for greater maneuverability of forklifts and a standard yard ramp has the same incline throughout the entire ramp. An example of when to use a level off yard ramp is if you are unloading a rail car next to a door. If you turn the corner with a pallet on the forklift with no level off on the ramp you could potentially loose the cargo on the pallet due to the awkward sudden incline of the ramp. With the level off you have a solid level surface to maneuver the forklift around before you begin your decent down the ramp. Below is a picture of yard ramps with a level off or without it.
 How do I know what kind of yard ramp I will need? When it comes to deciding the specifications of a yard ramp for your needs, you first will need to know what weight capacity is required. To determine the required weight capacity, you need to know the weight of the heaviest forklift that will be used on the ramp combined with the heaviest load the forklift will carry. The ramp you will need should have a weight capacity no less than your calculated combined weight. Another important factor is the width of the ramp. You will need to know the width of the widest equipment / cargo that will be used on the ramp. The right yard ramp should be 15", or more, wider than the widest equipment / cargo. Also take into consideration the straight ramp or level off design. This is completely dependent upon the loading / unloading application. See "Standard Yard Ramps vs. Level Off Yard Ramps" section above. Note: If you plan on using a yard ramp on a rail car, measure the rail car door opening to make sure the ramp will fit and also make sure the yard ramp is wide enough to prevent the forklift from hitting the curbs. Safety Note! Using heavy duty equipment such as a yard ramp or forklift always requires the highest amount of safety. When using a yard ramp on a truck trailer, always make sure the truck is stopped, the wheels are chocked, and the safety chains are attached before using the ramp. Taking the time to do this could prevent a potentially dangerous accident. *This article about yard ramps was composed by the staff at DiscountRamps.com*
Permalink Comments (1) Deciphering the Many Different Motorcycle Ramps That Are On the Market.Posted Friday, August 17, 2007 (2 years 100 days ago.) Viewed 777 times. Single runner ramps are designed for manual loading and unloading of motorcycles. Single ramps should NEVER be used for riding the motorcycle into the truck bed or onto a trailer. Single runners are for pushing the bike up only!
These motorcycle ramps work well for loading smaller light weight street bikes and off road dirt bikes. The very nature of manual loading limits the height at which you can load and thus manual loading is usually limited to trailers and small two wheel drive trucks. There are several styles of single runner ramps to choose from including non-folding, folding, two piece collapsing, and combination ramp and bed extender. There are straight ramps and arched ramps. Surface options include rung, solid surface, and mesh. Non-folding ramps - These ramps require more storage room than folding ramps, but are quicker to set up and take down. If you are interested in a non-folding ramp, please measure the available storage space inside your truck bed, trailer bed, or the rear of your SUV or car trunk as you may not have the necessary length available to store the ramp. Folding ramps - These single ramps typically fold to slightly more than ½ their gross length. These ramps may take a few seconds longer to set up, but require less room for storage. Two piece collapsing ramps - These collapsing ramps are designed with two panels that can be separated so storage options increase. Combination ramp and bed extenders - These multi use single ramps are available for pickup trucks. These ramps have large rungs and attach directly to the stock tailgate hardware with the tailgate down. Set up and take down time is longer than with other ramps. However, these ramps have the added benefits of increasing the storage length of your box while assisting in retaining the load in the box of your pickup and ramp storage space is not needed, freeing up space that otherwise would be used for ramp storage or other items. All other factors being equal, a straight ramp will need to be longer than an arched ramp to avoid "bottoming out" the motorcycle where the top of the ramp and the truck bed or trailer bed meet. Rung surfaces are available on most models. Rung spacing typically ranges for three to four inches. The rungs typically have a serrated surface and provide excellent traction. Solid surfaces ramps and perforated decking over the support structure. The perforations are raised slightly to provide traction. The traction is marginally less than the rung surface when dry, but can become somewhat "slippery" when the ramps are wet or mud covered. There are very few Mesh offerings available. These ramps provide adequate traction and may be a good option for small wheeled scooters that would have a bumpy ride on a ramp with rungs. The number of single runner ramps available is substantial. However, if you analyze your situation carefully you should be able to narrow your choices and find a ramp that best fits your needs. Ramp Examples: Folding Ramp Non-Folding Ramp   
Permalink Comments (0) Proper method to mounting a MC-CH motorcycle wheel chock.Posted Monday, July 02, 2007 (2 years 146 days ago.) Viewed 1,502 times. What is the procedure for
mounting a MC-CH wheel chock to your truck or
trailer?  Surface Mounting Instructions Step 1: Remove all parts and hardware from
package Note: Wheel chock is held in place when the bike tire is in the chock and the proper tie down straps are used to pull the bike forward. (Author: George H. the wheel chock specialist from DiscountRamps.com)
Permalink Comments (0) |
Archives:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home |
Page Two |
FAQ's |
Contact |
Terms of Service |
Article Submission Guidelines |
Questions & Answers |
Privacy |
Mission / About
Copyright © 1999-2009 SearchWarp.com, All Rights Reserved - SearchWarp.com is an IcoLogic, Inc. Company