[Tippyman]

A few weeks ago I decided to build an RTI ramp as a fun project, and to play with my welder, which desperately needs more use. I figured it'd be useful to check for binding/interference/bumpstops on the Jeep after I add goodies to it.

I decided to build a 30* ramp because I didn't want to make it huge, and heavily modified rigs and buggies go a long way on a 20* ramp. I wanted the ramp to be portable so it could be taken to events, shows, Crozet, etc. so I'm making it into a trailer. The actual face of the ramp will measure 110", and the height will be 55".

It started as some super professional CAD drawings, a harbor freight trailer, and some sticks of steel from RWF:




Tore the trailer down. Pretty much the only thing I'm using off of it will be the axle and the tongue that has the VIN plate stamped to it. Might reuse the lights and fenders if I'm feeling ambitious:



Professional fabrication shop:



Main face of the ramp and braces cut & positioned:




Putting the Hobart 140 to work:



Stood the ramp up and made the main support:





How the axle will be mounted: (High enough to clear the hubs, but low enough so that when there are tires on, it doesn't touch the road.)



That's as much as I felt like doing today. Still need to make the mid-brace and some other supports. I don't know how much bottle pressure you need for good solid core wire welds, (I'm down to about 700) but I was getting almost no penetration trying to tack things together. I switched over to flux-core and they stuck like glue. Looks like crap, but I might flux-core the whole thing.

[wushaw]

700psi for bottle pressure is good. I only use 20psi for my line pressure. Since your welding outside you may have issues with wind blowing away your shielding gas.

[Tippyman]

Originally Posted by wushaw

700psi for bottle pressure is good. I only use 20psi for my line pressure. Since your welding outside you may have issues with wind blowing away your shielding gas.

Thought about that. It was alot of "Pop pop pop" then a nice buzz. No penetration though.

[underpowered]

line pressure should be low. we use a flow rate gauge at work, not a pressure gauge, but we weld just find till the tank is actually empty and shows 0 on the main gauge. as long we our flow rate is good, the weld should be good.

[my-jeep-earl]

Did you reverse the polarity of your machine for solid wire or leave it as is for flux core? You should be using about 20-27 cu ft/hr and not PSI. Check out the door of the machine for polarity if not sure . Looks good, nice job so far!

[BESRK]

I don't worry about PSI. It's the Flow in cubic feet per hour that matters.. somewhere around 20cfh. I run my tanks till they start to dip down between 15-20cfh.. then I change them out.

Keep in mind, with a single stage regulator, as PSI goes down, the flow will go up. So, to avoid wasting gas, occasionally adjust gas flow back down to 20.

[Tippyman]

Flow was a little over 20, I'm just thinking maybe I didn't have good shielding due to being outside? Wasn't that windy though.

Polarity was correct. I switched it when I went to flux core, and it was fine. I read the manual, haha.

[Vinman]

Since you don't have the axle installed already, I strongly suggest you reconsider where you are positioning it.

I designed and helped build our local clubs ramp about 12 years ago and also positioned the axle at the very back.

Tongue weight is a b**ch, way too heavy for one person to comfortably lift and is a bugger to tow with a TJ.

If I did another ramp, I would position the axle about 2 feet further forward for a much better balanced trailer.

For a trailer, the tongue weight should be between 10-15 % of total weight.
The ramp I designed is closer to 50%!

I really like your idea of putting the axle on top of the frame for clearance when the wheels are removed.

Good luck.

Vince

[Tippyman]

Originally Posted by Vinman

Since you don't have the axle installed already, I strongly suggest you reconsider where you are positioning it.

Too late!

Burned the axle into its new home:



Threw some wheels on to check clearance:



Bout as good as I can do with flux-core wire. I don't think it came out too bad:



She's coming along!

[Technohead]

Looks good.

With 110v, you will never get the penetration you need using gas.

I've been thinking about building one for a while. Struggling to get past the thinking phase though . . .

[Tippyman]

Do it man! It's becoming a fun, yet not too mentally stimulating project.

Picked up a spare and jack today. Harbor Freight wanted $12 for a spare mounting kit. I think I'll just weld two or three bolts to the side of the ramp and use them like wheel-studs to mount the spare.

[rdsk8ter]

it should be a neat project for sure. I only have one question why not make it fold up? towing would be alot easier and I dont see how it would be to hard to do.

[ZJFABN]

If your not sure that your getting good penetration then I would redo it either with someone that knows what they are doing or with a larger welder. I would hate to think of the aftermath if it comes apart on the road or with the weight of a rig on it. At the very least I would gusset the axle to the ramp. Good luck with it all.

[Tippyman]

I'm not concerned with the penetration of the flux wire, only with the gas.

The axle will be gussted and also bolted on just because the axle bolts from the trailer still fit so might as well.

[Spuznick242]

What does RTI mean? I googled it but theres too many nonsense things that come up.