horsebox ramp best way to do corners?

[phillip ainscough]

Making a new ramp for a friends horsebox the other one snaped in half. Been looking at a few other friends boxes that u can see the frames got the genral idear how big it is 2165mm x 2370mm got the steel on order making a basic square from 40x60x4mm box edges and 1 bit middle then 2 40x40x4mm. The main problem i'am unsure aboout how to do the 4 outside corner edges @ 90 deg not really bothered about looks. What would be best mitre @ 45 deg or just end to side or any other way?

 

[the snooper]

mitre will be stronger

 

[Robotstar5]

Just remember it's got to take the best part of a ton walking up it

 

[addjunkie]

Last one i fixed, i just copied the origional 3 mm angle and replaced it with 5mm angle. Square cutting the corners will make it easier to keep square.

I then added a center stiffner made from two pieces of 5 mm angle back to back like a girder. Little bit of flex when watching the big hunter go in and out but seems ok. Only really failed due to **** poor hinges , siezing. I made new with tube and a full length 20mm rod. Added grease nipples to so it wont sieze. Well assuming she ever greases it. Which i doubt.

Dont make it too heavy you still need to be able to lift it to close it.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Last one i fixed, i just copied the origional 3 mm angle and replaced it with 5mm angle. Square cutting the corners will make it easier to keep square.

I then added a center stiffner made from two pieces of 5 mm angle back to back like a girder. Little bit of flex when watching the big hunter go in and out but seems ok. Only really failed due to **** poor hinges , siezing. I made new with tube and a full length 20mm rod. Added grease nipples to so it wont sieze. Well assuming she ever greases it. Which i doubt.

Dont make it too heavy you still need to be able to lift it to close it.

Yes, this is the way I'd recommend.
(Having had the misfortune to mess around with them myself as well).

 

[zzr1200]

I know its a very very rough drawing but at least it answers the op's question, I'd cut the joint like this then the corner web plate can be welded to the edge of the angle iron, or cut larger and be welded to the underside surface as extra support..

 

[wyn]

This is a pic of one i renewed the floor on.
The box section just overlapped at the corners.
I added some more 25x5 flat to stop the plywood colapsing as it had done before.
I would try to keep the box section open as it is likely to fill up with horse urine through any screw or rivet holes.

 

[Brad93]

Mitre or butt in each corner, use a gusset of 5mm, then run two strengthening bars also of box or angle running up the length of the ramp, then smaller toe in box or even flat bar across

 

[penfold]

Last one i fixed, i just copied the origional 3 mm angle and replaced it with 5mm angle. Square cutting the corners will make it easier to keep square.

I then added a center stiffner made from two pieces of 5 mm angle back to back like a girder. Little bit of flex when watching the big hunter go in and out but seems ok. Only really failed due to **** poor hinges , siezing. I made new with tube and a full length 20mm rod. Added grease nipples to so it wont sieze. Well assuming she ever greases it. Which i doubt.

Dont make it too heavy you still need to be able to lift it to close it.

Aren't the decent ones fitted with counterweight springs these days?

 

[wyn]

Some use an air ram inside the springs just to close that last bit where the springs run out of umphh.

 

[Brad93]

If you can afford an Oakley they're hydraulic

 

[addjunkie]

If you can afford an Oakley they're hydraulic

This is the issues afford one. The one im on about was mid 80s, the person it belongs too paid 500 quid for it 5 years ago. Ive also agreed to make and weld on new brake mounting plates and fit all new brakes, ill need to give the drums a quick skim too. Just like my alpaca trailer, so i can use it as a prototype for mine

 

[phillip ainscough]

its just uses 2 compression springs at each side atm
wahts to best way to do hinges? like 5 weld on hinges on back of ramp and 5 on the back with a 16mm bar all the way through?

the hinges have snapped off well all but 2 on the right some 1 bodged it up ages ago with a pice of angle iron took the boars off and there a 2inch hole the other side

 

[phillip ainscough]

the hinge on the right snapped off before and some1 put a plate behind it then welded a new one on not really worth hydraulic / pneumatic rams on who ever welded it didn't do a good job don't even look like its got good penatration on the welds where its been fixed knew it was only a matter of time till it broke when she bought it

 

[wyn]

You could weld on something like these and use 16mm bar through them.

 

[addjunkie]

What i did was a 20mm round bar full width, the a length of tube to slide neatly over the bar.

I cut the tube up in to 8 pieces, 4 welded to the trailer, 4 to the bottom of the door. An r clip through each end. And grease nipples tapped in to allow hinges to be lubricated.