BendPak Aluminum Ramp Storage Solutions?

[Woodyhfd]

I've recently installed a BendPak HD-9 and I'm looking for ideas on how to store my aluminum ramps.

I have the lift positioned close to the garage door to maximize the space at the other end of the garage, so I need to remove the approach ramps in order to close the door.

I also have a set of steel ramps, but I don't like the way that they hang down when the ramp is up in the air, so I don't use them.

I think that I want to hang them on the wall next to the lift and I have some ideas, but I'd like to see what other solutions people have come up with.

Any suggestions?

 

[nota4re]

Throw them away and buy some race ramps... you'll never look back!

 

[imaposer]

Throw them away and buy some race ramps... you'll never look back!

So then he'd be asking about storing race ramps instead.


I'll have the same situation in a week or so once I get my lift put together. I got 48" ramps with mine, I'll have to figure out what to do with them too.

 

[pbon]

I put them on the lift runners. My cars are shorter wheelbase and I have the long HD9 so there is room behind the rear wheels. But that is with a car on the lift and the lift up. Down, I leave them connected unless I need the room behind the lift and know I won’t need to drive off the lift right away. Hanging on a wall is another option.

There is a thread in which people discuss how they have used springs and or spacers to keep the ramps from dropping when attached and the lift is raised.

I have a version of 4’ race ramps but think I want to go to bendpak 4’ aluminum. I have damaged the race ramps — my fault — by leaving them attached when raising the lift and by driving off the lift with the lift maybe an inch off the ground. I must have them attached because they will skate across my floor otherwise. For me, the aluminum would have been a better choice. I think they are a pain to install and remove, though because the bar goes through them whereas the race ramps hook over the bar. At least that is my understanding of the aluminum ramps.

 

[Nolift911]

Resurrecting this - get any other ideas or solutions? I think there has to be a way to store them on the lift with a car on it and a car underneath it - was looking to fab up a system to hold then on the lift....?

 

[zeke67]

Sorry no new ideas, I keep them on the lift rails, either behind the rear wheels or in front. Tried to find a better storage solution, but one ends up carry, lifting and moving ramps too much IMO.

 

[Isabella]

I suggest you to buy race ramps instead of this.

 

[ace10]

$400 for two pieces of foam is completely, totally and ridiculously insane.

Sorry. It's foam. I looked at them for my race trailer and decided to make something better out of 2X10's.

Regarding storing the metal ramps... put them under the car on the top bunk if they'll fit.

 

[Nolift911]

Not exactly sure how "buying" race ramps solves the issue of storage? I investigated them and found them to be inadequate for my needs. While they would be able to handle the weight of my 911 no problem - I would question driving my 7000lb Land Rover on them - regardless of that do these somehow store differently, fold up or otherwise that I am missing? I was more interested in ingenious ideas folks had for storing the ramps on the lift (self contained) so that you can keep a car on the lift and under the lift and they somehow fit under the runners length wise or crosswise.

 

[infinkc]

i just put my ramps on the platform behind the car

 

[Dustball]

I think that I want to hang them on the wall next to the lift and I have some ideas, but I'd like to see what other solutions people have come up with.

Any suggestions?

How about some unistrut or equivalent screwed to the studs in your wall and using a stud nut secured in place on the strut with a square washer and nut. You'd drill a hole in the center line of your ramp to fit the stud through, hang it on the stud and use a wing nut to keep the ramp secured.

 

[Woodyhfd]

UPDATE:

I just rediscovered my old thread here.

This was a quick, early-pandemic quarantine project when I was looking for stuff to do. I ended up using some Rubbermaid Fastrack and hooks, and protected the wall with some leftover 1"x4" plastic lumber.

 

[finn]

Sorry no new ideas, I keep them on the lift rails, either behind the rear wheels or in front. Tried to find a better storage solution, but one ends up carry, lifting and moving ramps too much IMO.

Me too.

 

[gygeneral]

I just did a little cutting of the original steel ramps and I am able to lift them in place so they stay up instead of hanging down

 

[Nolift911]

I was thinking there would be a slick way to weld pockets on the lift so they slide/tuck in...on a ramp itself, there is room under there (non ram side)
You listening BendPak?

 

[05snopro440]

I was thinking there would be a slick way to weld pockets on the lift so they slide/tuck in...on a ramp itself, there is room under there (non ram side)
You listening BendPak?

Simple. Don't weld anything to any part of a lift.

 

[Nolift911]

Why?

 

[05snopro440]

Why?

It's a structure designed to carry a load. As soon as you start modifying it, you're guessing of whether it can withstand the new load. Welding to structural components when you don't know how it will impact the metallurgy, loading, and the material's ability to carry out it's original function is not recommended. Read the manual for the lift, it will undoubtedly tell you this.

 

[Nolift911]

umkay....its metal. A few tack welds here and there...pfft. Manual...is there one? Goes up and down.

Anyway..... would be interested in other ideas to weld some support brackets or pockets on the lift from others.

Now - off to run with scissors!

 

[05snopro440]

umkay....its metal. A few tack welds here and there...pfft. Manual...is there one? Goes up and down.

Anyway..... would be interested in other ideas to weld some support brackets or pockets on the lift from others.

Now - off to run with scissors!

I'm a metallurgist. It's not "just metal". It's a dangerous piece of lifting equipment, and should be treated as such.

Welding in the wrong place on a stressed member can create a stress concentration from which a failure can occur. Simple. Don't do it.

A lift also requires maintenance and safety considerations, which will be noted in the manual that you don't think is necessary.

 

[Theruse]

I'm a metallurgist. It's not "just metal". It's a dangerous piece of lifting equipment, and should be treated as such.

Welding in the wrong place on a stressed member can create a stress concentration from which a failure can occur. Simple. Don't do it.

A lift also requires maintenance and safety considerations, which will be noted in the manual that you don't think is necessary.

We're talking about tack welding on the ramps not the lift itself. A tack weld on the side of the ramp is not going to compromise the load factor for the ramp. There are many videos of tack welding under the ramp to either secure a spring loaded setup or locking device.

 

[Nolift911]

Agreed - I was just letting it go. That is ridiculously thick metal. You would have to do some serious plasma cutting to upset the integrity. I thought there was someone on here that lopped off the ears on the lock plates because his Ford GT would not fit width wise - I think he lived to tell.

 

[Cairo94507]

I hung my race-ramps (lite weight aluminum from BendPak) for my BP 4-post lift on the wall too.

 

[05snopro440]

I was thinking there would be a slick way to weld pockets on the lift so they slide/tuck in...on a ramp itself, there is room under there (non ram side)
You listening BendPak?

We're talking about tack welding on the ramps not the lift itself. A tack weld on the side of the ramp is not going to compromise the load factor for the ramp. There are many videos of tack welding under the ramp to either secure a spring loaded setup or locking device.

Welding on the ramps, like where he says in the quote above about welding pockets on the lift?

Regardless, it's an engineered piece of machinery.

Agreed - I was just letting it go. That is ridiculously thick metal. You would have to do some serious plasma cutting to upset the integrity. I thought there was someone on here that lopped off the ears on the lock plates because his Ford GT would not fit width wise - I think he lived to tell.

The attached is from the Bendpak manual. Regardless of what you think of the design, it's a safety concern.