Ibeme
Surrey, B.C., Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/22/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
Well I finally had to do something about my dog having a hard time getting in & out of the TC. So I built a ramp (pictures to follow) and having tried it out for some time now I am well pleased with my first effort. As you can see its pretty crude but it does the job for us. This is the top side, with strips of spruce screwed on for traction.
This is the bottom. I made it out of 2 pcs of 2x10 spruce. I jointed one side of each board and then I put 7 or 8 biscuits in for good measure before glue up. Notice the 2 castors at the head of the ramp and the 4" piece I glued & screwed on to the foot.
I then used some aluminum edge molding left over for stairs to make a slip in connection for the ramp to fit where the steps used to. Notice that its bending under the stress so I could have used something a little thicker but that's all I had at the time. I'm also about 275lbs. so its got to support a lot.
Here it is on the truck.... sorry I don't have a better picture!
So that's it! We've used it for a while and will not be going back to steps but your mileage may vary as the saying goes. The ramp is just short enough to slide on the castors into the truck and close the door. We now put stuff that goes under the truck (chainsaw, etc) on the ramp before sliding it into the camper. This is just a first try and I will be improving it as I go along but for what its worth you are welcome to copy it if interested. Hope this helps someone as I've had a lot of good stuff come my way from this RV.net and would like to contribute if I can.
merlin
Edited to add last pic!
* This post was
edited 07/08/06 05:09pm by Ibeme *
Merlin, Dianne & Chimo
2001 F150 SCSB 4x4 etc.
Palomino 1250SB
Islander, Concours
|
snowhawkwoman
Lyons, KS
Senior Member
Joined: 12/27/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Ibeme - that's awesome!! You should post it in the pet forums - folks are often asking about ramps for their older or smaller dogs!! Great idea and looks nice too - bet your dog loves it!! I especially like the castors so you can just lift and slide.
 Snowhawkwoman
 Big Owl
 the traveling dogs Xena, Phoebe, Spooker, Skippy
Punky - the amazing insane Rving Squirrel
1997 Fleetwood Jamboree 29'
The traveling Zoo!
|
graypreach
Madison, WI usa
Full Member
Joined: 12/27/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
merlin...........
great idea and really great ideas (plural!)to build it the way you did ...great job and thanks for sharing...........dc & zz
|
Spott
Ypsilanti, MI
Senior Member
Joined: 12/03/2003
View Profile
|
Really good job, I have been thinking about the very same project. Our dog is getting a bit older and not quite as feisty as he once was, quite often he asks us to pick him up to get in the camper and the truck.
I will have to make a ramp for each, truck and camper.
Again, I like your project, I hope BradW puts it into the projects page.
Me - Kim - Spot
2006 F-350 4x4 DRW V10 - 2005 Northern Lite 10-2000CD
2005 204 ssi on the water - TCM article
What's behind the name? Screen name that is.
|
Ibeme
Surrey, B.C., Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/22/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks for the comments everyone. For us the folding steps had to go. DW and I both had troubles with the steps and Chimo seemed like he was going to crash every time he used them. This spruce ramp is fairly light but strong. Bye the way here's the old dog himself. He's still pretty spry for a big dog of 14 years.
merlin
|
|
|
Vikingo
Florida & Punta Abreojos BCS MX
New Member
Joined: 07/09/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
great
my two mexie mutts bring me more joy & smiles then I deserve..
will set up something similar thanks for the "contribution" gp
|
btggraphix
Golden, CO
Senior Member
Joined: 03/08/2005
View Profile
|
I like it too, except we tend to have some things on the floor in the camper. I wonder if I could figure out a way to store it under the wing of the camper, above the right side wheel well.....hmmmmmm. 20" might be too wide to fit in there.....in any case, nice job and thanks for sharing!
2006 LanceMax 1191 - loaded and well-used
2005 C4500/Kodiak 4x4, GVWR 17,500
|
Spott
Ypsilanti, MI
Senior Member
Joined: 12/03/2003
View Profile
|
I'm thinking about maybe a false floor in the camper that the ramp slides under.
|
Ripsnort
Lake Tapps, WA USA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/15/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Ibeme wrote:Thanks for the comments everyone. For us the folding steps had to go. DW and I both had troubles with the steps and Chimo seemed like he was going to crash every time he used them. This spruce ramp is fairly light but strong. Bye the way here's the old dog himself. He's still pretty spry for a big dog of 14 years.
merlin
LOL! That last picture tells the entire story!
THat's a great idea. Mine black lab just turned 15 on July 4th and he could use a ramp. I help him down the step stool but he's still able to get up.
Good idea.
Warming the globe, 1 mile at a time.
Rip's Garage!
1990 Fleetwood Jamboree 27 ft E350
|
Dustydew
Oregon
New Member
Joined: 05/31/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
We bought one of the folding hard plastic ramps for our dogs who are getting older and having trouble getting into our Arctic Fox. It is almost 6' long and folds in half. We carry it on the floor of the back seat so we can also use it to help the dogs into the back seat of the 1-ton dually crewcab. They love it!! The things we do for our critters... 
Cruisin' and ridin' the Wilderness areas of Oregon....
2002 F350 Dually w/6-speed & exhaust brake
2001 Arctic Fox 10-8 camper
1993 Sundowner 4-horse trailer
Medford, Oregon
www.ridejcha.com
|
|
|
