heavy ramps are too heavy

[LD1]

It should say on the tire what the rating is. 2,540# for singles if I remember correctly and 12% less for duals. It should be on the side wall.

Chris

My point is that not all load range D tires are the same. They arent ALL 2540# rated. Some more, some less. Same goes for E tires.

Yes, every highway tire I have ever seen has the "actual" load rating on the sidewall. And THAT is what should be used.

But some load range D tires, are indeed 3000# rated. Not many, but some are. So the assumption that 4 load range D tires = a 10k load capacity is incorrect. While only incorrect maybe 5 or 10% of the time, it is still incorrect.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My point is that not all load range D tires are the same. They arent ALL 2540# rated. Some more, some less. Same goes for E tires.

Yes, every highway tire I have ever seen has the "actual" load rating on the sidewall. And THAT is what should be used.

But some load range D tires, are indeed 3000# rated. Not many, but some are. So the assumption that 4 load range D tires = a 10k load capacity is incorrect. While only incorrect maybe 5 or 10% of the time, it is still incorrect.

I have been in the trailer business for nearly 20 years part time and every load range D Tire I have seen on a 6 lug wheel is either 215 or 225. 95% of the time its a 225 and all them were rated at 2540# if load range D.


Not saying your wrong but in probably over 1000 tires of which 75% were 225/75/15's I have dealt with had a xxxx# rating clearly marked on them, albeit small print, and they were consistent among load ranges. I guess there can be a oddball or two but I have never ran across it.

Chris

 

[Peacock]

A D rating in a certain size is gonna be rated the same. An E in the same size is gonna be rated higher.

Generally the wider the tire the higher the rating. Every 215 D is rated the same. A D at a certain size is rated for a certain amount. Some D rated tires are over 3k, but they are much larger than what a trailer would use.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

My ramps are not that long and slide under the deck with a simple latch to hold them in. Works well for me (I don't use my trailer every day like some).

Never liked the slide-in ramps personally. I always smash my fingers between the last rung and the trailer!

can you rig something like the pull out ramps found on the back of moving vans? then you only have to move half the weight at a time.

otherwise perhaps you can rig up bifold versions.

FELLING BI-FOLD RAMPS - Mobile.m4v - YouTube

if you run hydrulics on the first section you can manually pull out the second section as it unfolds.

Was daydreaming about hydraulic ramps a while back for my trailer, but it just has single 5' long ramps (full width and hinged at the tail). Just because I'm lazy though.
(actually what would be really handy is a liftgate on one side, ahead of the wheels)

I went through this hassle deciding which ramps to get for my 2004 Isuzu NPR stakebed (8 x 14 ft Supreme bed). The bed is about 38" high and I need 10 ft ramps with 5000 lb capacity to load my parade tractors (~4000 lb). After considering fabricating them myself out of steel using my stick welder, I decided to go with aluminum ramps from Discount Ramps.

Loading Ramps, Hauling, Transport, & Skateboard Ramp Superstore - Discount Ramps.com

View attachment 337556

Thanks for the link, that might come in handy
These ramps weigh 49 lb each and cost $550 plus shipping. Considering the cost of steel and my time, I figure I'm ahead by buying instead of building.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I went through this hassle deciding which ramps to get for my 2004 Isuzu NPR stakebed (8 x 14 ft Supreme bed). The bed is about 38" high and I need 10 ft ramps with 5000 lb capacity to load my parade tractors (~4000 lb). After considering fabricating them myself out of steel using my stick welder, I decided to go with aluminum ramps from Discount Ramps.

Loading Ramps, Hauling, Transport, & Skateboard Ramp Superstore - Discount Ramps.com

View attachment 337556

These ramps weigh 49 lb each and cost $550 plus shipping. Considering the cost of steel and my time, I figure I'm ahead by buying instead of building.

I have a set of these and they are suppose to be 5000lbs per axle.. They did load the weighted 3400 w/loader without even a squeak.

 

[LD1]

A D rating in a certain size is gonna be rated the same. An E in the same size is gonna be rated higher.

Generally the wider the tire the higher the rating. Every 215 D is rated the same. A D at a certain size is rated for a certain amount. Some D rated tires are over 3k, but they are much larger than what a trailer would use.

Thats kinda the point I was trying to make. The "D" rating by itself dont tell the whole story. I wasnt sure if the load rating was directly tied to tire size, but it did seem to change with different sizes.

There are about 50 different "load index" ratings just within the B, C, D, and E classification. Those load index ratings are directly tied to the load rating. The letter, or ply rating IMO is an old outdated system.

I had a set of 265/75r16 tires on my chevy. The D rated tires were 3000# per tire (give or take a couple of pounds). The E tires were rated 400# higher.

I didnt mean to hijack the thread. I think we have beat this horse enough for now. But bottom line, look at the weight rating on the tire. Dont just go by the ply rating.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Well... just to confuse things farther, tire OEMs use a 'Load Index' now anyways... But, if you wanna know your load ratings per size and PSI: http://www.goodyeartrucktires.com/pdf/resources/publications/2010_loadinflation.pdf

 

[LD1]

Well... just to confuse things farther, tire OEMs use a 'Load Index' now anyways... But, if you wanna know your load ratings per size and PSI: http://www.goodyeartrucktires.com/pdf/resources/publications/2010_loadinflation.pdf

The load index is what I eluded to in my earlier post. The ply or letter rating is a bit dated.

Interesting chart though. If kept under 55mph, you can increase the weight rating by 9%, and if under 45mph, you can increase 16%.

So if the guy with 2500# tires on a 12k trailer keeps it under 55mph, he has 11k capacity.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Yes.. the max load is at max psi AND max speed cause its the flexing of the sidewalls that kills the tires.. Reduce speed to zero and the load rating goes to near infinite...

 

[sacmarata]

Well heres the best pic I could get.