Am thinking of making a set of car ramps (like I need another project..) like a few other people have here. Does anyone know (or a site that can calculate) how much weight a certain thickness of metal can hold. I'm not looking at using anything really thin but I don't want it weighing too much that it can't be carried or moved.

Am thinking of using angle iron and 50x50 fencing square tube mainly if this helps.

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Zip off down to your local Repco and check out the commercial options. That will give you an idea of what a suitable structure looks like.

They built the Eiffel Tower without the beenfit of finite element analysis.

Cheers, Ian

My mate next door bought a near new pair of these at a Garage sale on the weekend for $15.00. Whay bother making a pair !

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DID I MENTION THAT I AM THE BEST SUPPLIER FOR MINI ELECTRICAL PARTS AND REPAIRS?
"Let us remove your "SHORTS"

Make sure your triangulate a few members (ie: create a truss) so you aren't relying entirely on your welding skills for rigidity.

I think some of the commercial ramps are crap for this reason. I have one of my ramps leaning on an angle now because it's got no diagonal bracing. Looks so dodgy, and probably is, but i still use it. If it's taken the weight of my 1.4 tonne Cressida it'll cope with a mini. (I still chuck a couple of wheels under the car before i get under there though ).

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- Simon -

Ah, I meant more of the tilting ramp type like this:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22250

Got a pair of normal ramps, cost a whole $13..... but want something that the whole car can go on and I don't see myself getting a hoist any time soon.



Yeah the triangulation adds a lot of stiffness, will probably use some angle iron on the outside for that

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