Just found this site while randomly looking round the net at work lol...
http://www.levo-artis.com/index.html
Thinking about getting one myself, looks really good value (http://www.japmids.co.uk/forum/images/smiles/biggrin.gif)(http://www.japmids.co.uk/forum/images/smiles/biggrin.gif)
i must admit they look cooooooool - but at over £600 - its not bloody cheap is it
there must be a better way of doing it ( or a cheaper way ! )
Quote from: grinder;530246i must admit they look cooooooool - but at over £600 - its not bloody cheap is it
there must be a better way of doing it ( or a cheaper way ! )
I thought that was pretty cheap actually.....
I was looking at hydraulics and for a system that fits flush you\'re looking at 4 grand odd :3Confused
i looked at these aswell - and thought they were cool
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-Display-Ramps-Stands-Automotive-Equipment-Tilting_W0QQitemZ290256113527QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290256113527&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A7|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
prob a lot heavier though
Blimey they look steep !!! Me Rex dont even get up my normal ramps lol, which is why the link i put up is good, cos at 8 degrees mine would get up it :D:D
i was trying to work out how it works
looks like you drive onto it - and then just jack up the back end - and put the wedges under it
just need to get someone who can weld and has loads of metal to copy it ( where is kev when you need him !! ) and see how little they can be made for !
is it the 2000kg one you are looking at or the 1350 one ???
just checking now and the FC weighs in at 1191~1424kg
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-Ramps-12-inch-lift-and-easy-to-use_W0QQitemZ300254971572QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300254971572&_trkparms=72%3A1121|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
these look cool - just a shame that they are SOOOOOOOOOO far away
or this even
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-ramps-2-post-lift-kit-car-restoration_W0QQitemZ300254790709QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300254790709&_trkparms=72%3A1121|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
hire a jcb for the day and dig your drive out by 5 foot, much cheaper
i think she would kill me if i did that :D
lol yeah i though of a pit but too much hassle and mess to be honest. I could prob make something anyway out of timber just as strong :D
Oh and it was the 2000kg, cos work on other people cars too heavier that the rex, not sure it\'s take the jag to be honest tho lol
The robbing bar stewards you could have then knocked up at a local engineering firm for peanuts Stu. Its just a sheet of ali chequer plate cut and bent in a sheet bender plus 4 lenghts of mild bar. Have a word with Shaun he\'ll tell you who can knock some up locally.
Kevin
Just need to find somebody with a 3m Press brake bed !
Shaun
yeah i think thats the prob shaun - finding a 3m bed - its a fair old size to be honest ??
http://www.at.trumpf.com/161.Produktuebersicht_Biegen.html
My previous employer did have capacity to fold 3m sheets and punch Chequer plate or upto 5mm Sheet steel !
Shaun
You dont necessarily need to fold it, you could just use a flat piece and fix it to suitable size support underneath, say angle iron or C Section steel bar might have a play on CAD today lol :D
so we can have the MRC ramp system ??
i like where this is going :D
Shaun - you got any contact details for your old company ?
I\'d probably suggest redesigning it. Doesn\'t look all that safe. Much better off with axle stands !
Shaun
lol yeah but axle stands are a pain in the ***e, plus i have to use 2 different jacks just to a trolley jack to fit under mine lol... Would be much simpler to drive onto something and then get on with the job :D
Its easy, just jack one side up with the scissor jack and then lift the front of the car up on the jack. Slide stands into position then do the back.
It also helps having one of these :
http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33579
Shaun
right then - found a local company with a 3m folder - whats the next question :D
Are you sure you want them making ??
Shaun
well there is always that i suppose
but a quote would be cool
no idea what costs i would be looking at to be honest
what i was wondering
could you put one end onto a car ramp - drive car up the 3 meter ramp and onto the car ramp - then jack it up and stick another paid under the back end
that way the car would be stood on car ramps - which as we all know are nice and strong
unless this is a non starter ??
Leave it with me, you may need only 2m press brake ! Will draw some 3d stuff up.
Shaun
Nice one :D group buy then lol, seems i stumbled on something interesting for a change lol
I deffo want something like this so would be nice to get an idea of money from you guys that can, and can prob do a better job of making it than me too :D
Thanks for your help Shaun :)
i have a company in chorley that can bend 3m stuff ( found them on the net ) - so we have a few options if you want to pursue this :D
Ok, Quick drawing up. Would want to add a 40x40x6 angle Iron frame into the construction and would need to beef up the support and add an extra plate for the lifting point for strength and add ribs into the support bar. Plus draw up the initial ramps :Giggle These are 2m in length and 300mm wide. Stands car 200mm off floor.
Just a quick render:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/shaunwil/ramp.jpg)
Shaun
It\'ll need to be higher than 200mm to be of any use wont it? Id guess 400 would be better, to allow getting underneath.
yeah i reckon 400mm would be better - thats just over a foot at the end of the day
shaun - how would those work - you take out the white bits - drive car on - jack up and stick the white bits back under to make it flat ?
nice drawing by the way
I assume thats what you would do although how would that work being only 2m in length and the FD wheelbase being 2426 mm ??
And yeah nice rendering :D What do you use ? i use Lightscape and AutoCAD although not that familiar as yet with it lol...
oops, didn\'t get the tape measure out :Giggle 3m it is then. Will do the mods and continue to draw it up. Yes would be a drive on with ramps, jack up and use the white bits as stops.
Just a quicky drawing to get feedback :Giggle
Shaun
If you\'re taking feedback, a couple of suggestions, from a safety viewpoint:
*) some sort of lip at the end, to help stop people driving off the front (yeah, numpties shouldn\'t be using them, but if it doesn\'t cost much, why not)
*) a notch or similar to show where the white bits should go, and to stop them moving if they accidentally get knocked... (would hate to think what would happen if they moved while someone was under the car)
*) similar to the above, a couple of links between runners to keep the two planks the correct distance apart (stop them shifting under load)...
*) a groove to allow a secondary ramp to hook in, to help get v.low cars up onto the ramp (without firing the secondary ramp out the garage when the back wheels get on)
also, how does the trolley jack get under them in order to lift them, and how do you ensure that both planks are lifted in parallel (or doesn\'t that matter)?
Other than that, they look pretty good - i\'d be havin a set, if I had anywhere to use/store them! ;)
or this (http://tinyurl.com/6dvmrr).... *grin*
Quote from: Archbish;532133or this (http://tinyurl.com/6dvmrr).... *grin*
Lol i looked at exactly the same thing, but the problem is i dont have 3 phase as most wont and single phase to 3 phase transformers are about a grand.... Chances are the electrics in a domestic house would need to be upgraded to the garage so further adding costs...
Not really sure if this is a goer anyway. Added some more detail as requested. I still need to add tie in starter ramps, a platform for the lifts and make sure everything is reasonably strong to do the job. Biggest worry that this will all weigh 250kg which isn\'t really workable. The one your looking at is much smaller and would still be very heavy to be strong enough to cope with the weight of a car.
The thought on on way you jack it up wouldn\'t be to bad. Just manufacture a handle that pumps both at the same time. An adjustable U shaped bar.
New image of concept design attached, still rough.
Shaun
Weight Quoted is in Steel, main platform 3mm thick with a 40x40x6 frame structure.
Aluminum can be a headache to cut, get the wrong grade and you can\'t laser it and it sticks to punches. Plus its more expensive than steel. Plus can crack when folded. Not a fan if steel is available.
Shaun
Deleted as my post was nonsense lol....
So each ramp will be 125kg... Thats heavy, surely if there\'s 40x40x6 frame angle iron then the ramp surface could be ali chequer plate ?? as it wont be really load bearing ??
The other thought was just to do the whole lot in 3mm steel without the frame. Would remove about 20kg per ramp.
The tie bars would just alow you to allign the ramps. 3m is a long thing to handle and store.
Will carry on tinkering with the model tommorrow. Spend 8hrs a day on this software as it is :Giggle
Shaun
I\'m going to take the unusual step of pasting a copy of a email team has just received from the company selling these ramps. It seems there could be a group buy in the offing if someone wants to organise it.
Regards Kevin
QuoteHi,
We have been watching with interest regarding the thread on you forum titled \'Useful Ramp System\' as we manufacture and have full European IP protection on our system.
One of your members was looking at purchasing and others decided they may be able to make a similar design themsevles (currently weighing at 120kg per ramp) where ours are less than 20kg.
We will be monitoring to ensure no infringement of our IP takes place.
Our systems are extreemly keenly priced when you consider the value of materials an manufacturing that goes into the systems.
It may well be dangerous for your members to come up with an untested design (ours are fully destructive safety tested).
Some people have intimated copying by simply bending alloy treadplate - they do not understand the heat treating and method to bend a high tensile grade aluminuium so as to prevent the bend from fracture and potential injury or fatality.
Could you please act on this information on our behalf for health and safety reasons.
If your members wish for a group buy of our systems I can offer a one off discount deal.
I look forward to hearing your reply.
Best regards,
Stu Sonley
Director
Levo-Artis Ltd
jesus..... is this guy special?
I\'d be very interested in how it is just 20kg. What overall dimensions is each ramp ?
I do understand that they may be worried over somebody copying it and being in breach of Patent but do they actually have one ?
I\'m not a fan of aluminum and would probably over engineer it using 3mm mild steel instead. This would be fine for strength as long as the ramp is well engineered.
If they want me not to bother then fine, I haven\'t actually produced anything ! Its more of a bit of fun.
Shaun
now thats impressive !! :D
Not sure if I should reply with this :
Hi,
Can you please email me your patent number so that I can cross reference it. What countries have you applied for it in ?
I\'m sorry if it has infringed a patent. I\'m not drawing any more on this for the time being, unit too gainly.
Also doesn\'t IP only denote Electrical safety and water protection level ? What IP level is it tested to and what testhouse did you use ? Could you email me Certificates of testing ?
What factor of safety have you applied to the ramps and how was it tested ? Was it tested in house by somebody with a Lifting devices safety certificate or by a testhouse ?
Yes I do understand about structural devices and how to design them. I would be inclined in using mild steel over aluminium for structural bodies. I have designed Bulk feed systems that carry over 150tonnes of materials and have manufactured quite a lot of heavy engineering items.
Best Regards
Shaun Wilmer
Hmmm - i think the \'full european IP protection\' wotnot they refer to is actually the Intellectual Property laws - ie if you like the look of it, and produce something that looks similar, and proceed to sell it, they can clobber you with UK and EU laws...
tbh tho - the idea of a couple of plates lifted by a jack isn\'t particularly new - so it would probably come down to whether you had used specific ideas from their system, not the basic idea itself...
I\'m just going to leave it ! Got plenty of other stuff to do !
Shaun
I bought these a while back. A compromise between " halfords ramps " and a full blown rack system. Well made , sturdy and flexible. Able to handle the low fronts and big cars, my 1980 Corvette had no problems. Plenty of height. Currently £250. No affiliation here....just a good product.
http://www.restorationramps.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/ramps?opendocument&part=3
Well, firstly to Levo-Artis Ltd, no harm or infringement was intended and i understand that developments take time and money and you wish this to be protected for your own safety and company.
I will contact them and see what discounts they have for a group buy if anyone is still interested, and whether it is worth it.
And thanks to buckman67 for the link also :D
I also have the restoration ramps "EZ UP" jobs and they actually work really well. My FD has lowered Teins and a full Burnout bodykit so it very low. These work very well.
BTW, having done some basic delving, it appears that the ramps in question are protected by the European Design Registration service, which is NOT a patent. It is a form of IP protection, but basically stops people designing a "me too" product (i.e. copying the design verbatim and producing a competitive product).
A patent is a lot more stringent and a lot more costly to maintain, and typically results in people licencing patentable property off the patent owner.
I would suspect that the design of a ramp system is too generic to be classed as patentable. You need to be able to demonstrate no "prior art", you also need to apply prior to making the product public, and it costs a wedge to protect & keep protected.
I Personally think the system is still pretty good value for money, is a lot more simple than many other systems and lighter although not as "storable" and they\'ve obv done the R&D on it.
Following the email to Kevin i have emailed the Director of the said company and will await a reply :D