evac72•9d 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?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordan3059d 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.

fionaa359d 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.