Warning for those with older lorry

[DavidH]

Are you sure your ramp is safe?
I mention it as the mounting plate for one of the under body ramp springs broke on mine.
Fortunately I have acess to a large factory and full workshop at weekends so stripped it down.
Prior to the failure there was no indication that all was not well except a slight flexing as horses were loaded.
Here's a pic of the state of the metal when stripped down. This is the rail that takes the brackets to mount ramp to box
Very Scary.

And the new metalwork.

 

[Showjumper]

Blimey that's scary!

 

[Black Beastie]

WOW!!! That just makes you think about looking at that sort of thing when your going to buy an plder lorry!!!

Freaking Scary!!!

Nikki xxxx

 

[DavidH]

WOW!!! That just makes you think about looking at that sort of thing when your going to buy an plder lorry!!!

Ah but you cant see the metal work as its between the inner and outer skins

 

[connieD]

funny you say that, mine the same reg as yours, i had the ramp totally re done last year (cost a bomb!!)

feel much happier about it now though, as you have done i had the metal stripped back and all the boards/rubber replaced, can be costly but i just couldnt take the risk with my horses.

im a bit over worried with my lorry, the rubber mats are lifed every year and the the floor checked, full service etc

 

[eventerbabe]

that's exactly what freaks me out about buying a lorry glad you got it sorted DavidH. A family friend used to build horseboxes as a hobby and he always told me the ramps were the most expensive part. He was going to build me a box for £4000, and the ramp would have eaten up £1500 of that!

 

[Mareish]

Lucky you enjoy tinkering with your box Dave (God that sounds a bit wrong !! ) or you may have had a nasty accident by not knowing.

At least your ramp will take Travis safely now then

 

[DavidH]

I didn't enjoy the ramp replacement. 27 hours work between 5am Sat and 8pm sun. Had to get lorry out of factory before the first shift started sunday night.
Still, it was on my 'to do' list anyway so only the living refit to go.

 

[phyzelda]

We had the same on our trailer, was only when my dad took all the wood off, it was found. Lucky, very lucky!!

 

[Haphazard]

I can vouch for the need to check these things out. Last week i lowered the ramp on my lorry and the weld holding the ramp frame onto the back of the lorry chasis broke. At this point the ramp spring was under full tension and being a very strong spring pushed the ramp fram, complete with ramp out of the back of one side of the lorry causing a "little" damage!. Not that would be OK except Hazza was still in the lorry and i now have a ramp that is only fixed to one side of the lorry with a 3 foot gap at the other side and the frame hanging out of the lorry. This was when i realised how good it was that Hazza is fairly unflappable. all the noise of the weld breaking and the ramp frame exiting the lorry only disturbed is haylage eating for about 3 seconds. We then had to get a tractor with a fork lift attachment on to push the ramp back to the lorry and support it whilst i unloaded Hazza. Anyway after all the trauma we had a good jumping lesson and then some kind sole gave us a lift home. I have Mr Mechanic/welder coming to assess the situation on Monday but it isn't going to be cheap BUT i want a proper job done as i dread to think what might have been if Hazza had been on the ramp at the time. Having spoken at length to the mechanic he said the biggest problem is when people buy lorries is that all they are interested in is the living and internal horse area and very few bother to look at the condition of tha chassis, sub floor etc and this is where the problems are

 

[minihorse]

Hi does make you think,need ours done thought could get away with just changing a few bits of wood but they say the whole lot needs done going to cost a lot.

 

[chickyd444]

christ that is dangerous , lovely work on the new metal david, you jack of all trades you - very impressed