Welding Practice?

SimonWright · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:31 pm

Would anyone out there like to practice their mad welding skillz on a simple project with me? We have mislaid one of the ramps from our trailer (don't ask) and I need to replace it. It's the type of ramp that slides up into the trailer and is a ladder style constructed from lengths of angle-iron (well that's what I call the stuff - L-shaped bars) welded together.

Simon

BretLuter · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:29 pm

Simon,

if you can supply the steel and a 12 pk of lager, I'll take care of it for you.

I'll need some measurements- or the remaining ramp to make the "new" one match........

Bret.

SimonWright · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:31 pm

Sounds like a deal to me - I'll be in touch.

Simon

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:17 pm

Simon, a word of wisdom...if your ramps are the ones that are held in place by a "pin" through a hole in the ramp and one in the trailer, we've found them very good at busting those pins and getting lost. The best thing we've found to not have to worry about is using a large padlock. We use the ones with a four digit combination on those little rollers. They aren't the most secure locks in the world, but the hardened steel makes for a great pin that seems to hold up to the abuse.

A friend had to do just what you're doing now due to losing one when a pin busted (and he almost lost another to the same thing...he assumed the first pin breaking was a fluke!).

--Donnie

SimonWright · **Posted:** Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:10 am

Thanks for the heads-up Donnie. These were secured by what I thought were tough padlocks. I suppose there's a chance one of them didn't latch properly. I like the idea of a combination lock - we're always asking who has the keys.

Simon

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:48 am

Get whatever is so big it'll just barely fit the hole. Should be something thicker than your typical Master padlock, anyway. That next size up, at least.

We've had good luck with the brass housing combo locks out in the weather for a few years. Still work fine. You can set your own combo on those, too, so you can make them match.

I can't believe how those ramps bust those things.

--Donnie

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:19 pm

To hijack a little here, but bridging to the Kraftsman discussion in another thread, Kraftsman has changed the design of those retension tabs recently. My trailer (bought in March/April) has hinged flip-down diamond plate doors that cover the entire opening the ramp slides into. That door has 2 slots (one on each side of the ramp) that close over tabs that protrude out from the trailer frame, not the ramp, which can be pinned/locked. I suspect this reduces the loading on that single pin - though Kraftsman still recommended using locks instead of the pins they provided. I use one of each on each side.

THSCC Forums

Welding Practice?

Who is online