# Need more traction!!!



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

I have a gravel base leading up to my ramp that leads to my shed. The lip going into the shed is a little high, and my tractor with chains on it digs up the gravel (actually recycled hot top) and then slips and digs up the wooden ramp. 

I put metal angle iron on the shed floor/lip so the wood would not get chewed up.. I also plan to adjust the lip going into the shed so it is not so high



I am looking for suggestions on something i can put on the wood and the metal angle iron on the doorway lip so i get more traction and the chains dont just spin and dig up the wood. 


Also is there a better base to use than the recycled hot top.. when the front tires hit the lip going into the shed, the rear tires 1st dig up the gravel, then tear up the wood...

So i am looking for a decent product to put on the ramp/metal lip and some suggestion on a gravel or stone at the base of the ramp... 

Thanks 
SJ
sorry not the best pic, but it shows the gravel base, along with the lip and the metal angle iron on it...


----------



## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

*Make a longer ramp*

I would say make your ramp longer so that your back wheels or on the ramp instead of on the gravel. I take it your front wheels are hitting the drop lip and your back are still on the gravel:question: A longer ramp would sovle it i think.
Jody


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

Duh, good idea jody.... i am numb... I will just add a few ft extension to the ramp that should get me over the 1st bump...


----------



## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

OR.... if you can, raise the ramp at the connection point. Extending should solve it, but that lip seems tall too.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

the lip is too tall. the eyelets that the ramp sets into are down too low.. the reason is they are screwed into a side board, that has a 2*4 on top of it... i can not explain it well but i plan to put a 2*6 board on the face of the shed and put the eyelets into that.. i can raise them then.. but prior to doing that i need to cut about 1.5" off of the doors... hopefully next weekend will be nice.


----------



## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

I put a 2 X 6 (or 2 X 8) on the front of mine and then attached the ramp to it. Due to the overlap of the door, I had to lower the ramp about an inch to an inch and a half. Something must have settled and now my deck is banging when I drive over it. I need to look into that asap.

For your transition based on height of the floor as it compares to the ground, adding more ramp will fix the problem, but I would see about adjusting the connection point first if it is not a pain. It might look funny with 8 feet of ramp to only go up 6 inches of transition.

I wonder if that Herculiner stuff would help. Sounds silly, but that was your original question. There is also rib'ed hard plastic flooring stuff that is used on wheel chair ramps and steps.

Fix the lip first, then decide if you need to address the traction issue still. I think once you get rid of the lip, you should spin less. The fix may be to put 5/4 (or 2 X6's) ontop of the existing ramp you have now. That would raise the ramp while decreasing the lip. It would make the ramp stronger. Just another idea.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

that flooring stuff is what i was looking for... or something with some friction.. When it goes over the angle iron it slips too.. 

i wonder if i could get the flooring stuff at Home depot? or what its even called..


----------



## tisenberg (Sep 20, 2003)

Most of that flooring stuff works great when dry, but not so great when wet.... I think, but really not sure. Now that I'm thinking about it more, I remember seeing a paint type of substance that actually had grains of sand or something in it. That's probably even better. You could even go real cheap and buy underlayment for cerimac tiles. Spread it with a trowel, but not smooth. Hard like cement and if you lay the trowel on it and pick it straight up, it will create a rough finish. Designed to bond with wood. Sounds like a fit.


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

*Re: Make a longer ramp*



> _Originally posted by jodyand _
> 
> *I would say make your ramp longer so that your back wheels or on the ramp instead of on the gravel. I take it your front wheels or hitting the drop lip and your back are still on the gravel:question: A longer ramp would sovle it i think.
> Jody *


SJ,
That's basically what I said in the lost thread. Give yourself a longer approach.

Why such a tall lip at the bottom of the door?


----------



## Gromulus (Sep 16, 2003)

*Anti-Skid Paint*

You can coat the ramp with anti-skid/skid-resistant paint. This is commonly available at your local paint dealer as well as HD and s'ewoL. I used Amercian Traditions (VAlspar) water-based anti-skid from HD. These paints contain a texturing agent for anti-skid properties. As with any paint, the wear and tear on the ramp will necessitate re-painting every couple of years or so.


----------



## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*simple john*

go to your hardware store and buy a piece of expanded metal plaster lath and stapple it down to your ramp,stuff is brite metal and does not rust easy or you can paint it. It will give you great traction .


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

hey slip, 
i am on line looking at that stuff... do you think tires with chains would have traction going over that stuff? 

Argee: The reason for the lip is tough to explain.. there is a 2*4 that is part of the frame but it is face down.. so the next thing to screw the eyelet into was the kickboard which is facing out... ill get a closeup pic to explain.. 
this weekend im gonna see about:

1. either raising the ramp up by adding a new kickboard
2. Putting some 2*8's on the ramp this would strengthen it and get rid of the lip
or 3: getting some of that lath stuff slip was talking about.. 

or maybe all 3... ill see ...

im concerned that if im slipping now... how it will be on ice and snow... getting into the shed... its a tight squeeze so i can not really get too much of a running start, or ill go through the back wall..


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> 
> *
> im concerned that if im slipping now... how it will be on ice and snow... getting into the shed... its a tight squeeze so i can not really get too much of a running start, or ill go through the back wall.. *


Well then you'll have it where you need it, so in the spring you'll just need to do the finish work...:lmao:


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

*still need traction*

still having problems getting int othe shed with my thrower attachment on. The Ramp is still a little too steep to climb without the thrower scraping the ramp. (there is only about 4" of clearance between the thrower and the ground) 

I got 2 ton of recycled hot top that i hope to shovel tonight to raise the base of the ramp and the surrounding area so there is not as steep of a pitch to climb into the shed. 

after that I am done.. before it snows, i still need to get a trailer full of salt&sand to spread on the driveway...


----------



## leolav (Sep 16, 2003)

Do what I do, back in. It solved my problems that was similar to yours.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

problem is when i backed in, the front of the thrower would scrap into the ground prior to making it up the ramp.. also there are shelves in the shed and with the tight squeeze, the seat would bang against them. I plan to level the ground around the ramp (decrease the the angle) so i may be able to back in after i add the hot top...

i like the idea of adding a box to the back side of the shed. i may do that next year but im shooting for a garage.. so i may not need to do it.


sj


----------



## leolav (Sep 16, 2003)

I'm planning on building a three bay carriage house in the spring.

That should hold all my projects and tractors. 

I also kept my older Craftsman. I will use that to plow and my other one to snow blow.

YEEE HAAAA!


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

The shed I keep my tractor w/ blower over the winter doesn't have a door so the blower sticks out about a foot. Any blowing snow getting into the shed is minimal. Of course the floor is sand, so moisture isn't a problem.


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Hey SJ,
As an after thought, why don't you just fill your rear tires with washer solvent and remove the weight bracket from the rear end. Then you'll have more than enough room in your shed. You can get about 70 - 80 Lbs. per tire and all the weight will be on the ground for improved traction.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

it just barely fits with the weights & brackets off of the tractor. I keep them on to get up the ramp and then pull them off. Its sort of a pain seeing as i have 200 lbs of weights to remove and put on each time.. but it will be incentive to do something in the spring.. a. more room in the shed. b. get a garage..

im shooting for the 3 car garage, as if i got a 2 car and put my truck, boat & tractor in it.. im fairly sure my lady would kill me... if i made room for my tractor and not her car...


----------



## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *im shooting for the 3 car garage, as if i got a 2 car and put my truck, boat & tractor in it.. im fairly sure my lady would kill me... if i made room for my tractor and not her car... *


Smart move that will insure your longevity. :lmao:


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

*a few shed photos*

This is the before: i had problems getting into the shed, the ramp was too steep and the lip in the shed was tough to get over...


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

After: I changed the sides of the ramp, put a kickboard on and new eyelets and raised the ramp up so the lip was gone.


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

the bottom of the ramp lip was still too high, i painted sand paint on the ramp but still needed a lift


----------



## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

*i love recycled hot top...*

a quick 2 ton of recycled hot top solved the problem... 

i rasied the ramp and the surrounding area by a few inches.. so no lip, no steep ramp... Ready to go...


Let it snow.... let it snow... let it snow!!


----------



## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

*Re: i love recycled hot top...*



> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *a quick 2 ton of recycled hot top solved the problem...
> 
> i rasied the ramp and the surrounding area by a few inches.. so no lip, no steep ramp... Ready to go...
> ...


So no more problems getting in the shed now thats great i have a peace of steel catwalk grating i use for my ramp. I nailed a 2x4 to the front and the grate lays on top flush with the floor.
Jody


----------

