evac72•3mo ago

Someone told me my ramp was too steep and it changed everything

I built a portable ramp for my van last year using a 1:4 slope cause I just guessed. A guy at the hardware store saw me loading up and said "that angle is gonna wear out your shoulders in 6 months." He was right, I switched to 1:8 and now I don't even notice pushing up. Has anyone else gotten a good tip from a stranger that actually made your life easier?

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jordan3053mo ago

You know what, I used to be one of those people who thought getting unsolicited advice from strangers was just rude. Figured they were trying to insert themselves where they weren't wanted. But I had a guy at the dump tell me I was stacking my lumber wrong in the truck bed and it'd shift on the highway. He was dead right. That's five years ago and now I actually ask people for their random tips if they look like they know what they're doing. Hard to argue with real world results.

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fionaa353mo ago

Jumping off what you said about the dump guy, I actually gotta gently push back on that "1:8 slope" thing you mentioned. You said you switched to 1:8 and it feels way easier, but that's actually a pretty gentle ramp for a van. Like, 1:8 is about 7 degrees, which is nice for sure but most van ramps are closer to 1:6 or even 1:5 for shorter lengths. If you're using 1:8 and it's working, that's awesome, but just saying it might take up way more space than you need. Unless your van has a low ground clearance, you could probably go steeper and still save your shoulders. A 1:6 slope is still really easy on your body but means your ramp is a lot shorter to carry around. Just something to think about if you ever build another one or want to dial it in more.

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