If those were welded correctly (obviously they were not) and they were rated based on the fatigue curve rather than the yield strength, I'd have no problem using them. I'm very suspicious that 10,000 pounds is not taking fatigue life into account. Hell, I'd be very surprised if you could actually put 5,000 pounds on the middle of one of those (10,000 pounds is for BOTH right??) without yielding it. There's no reason aluminum can't support plenty of weight if it's designed, manufactured, and used properly. I want to know who the hell signed off on those welds.
I build mountain bike frames and there is no way I would use Aluminum for anything over 500kg and if I made a set of ramps they would not look like that
For sure, if cant do it.... Dont do it.... I build a 10 meters long harvest conveyor belt prototyp, mounted on a big Traktor Trailer. It can move by hydraulic. All Aluminium....
I'm a structural stress analysis engineer. I've no problem using aluminum so long as the stress is kept well under the yield point, and there is an appropriate factor of safety employed. Lot's of successful aluminum structures out there that weigh and support a lot more than 500 kilos. And we should all be thankful for that - because a steel passenger jet wouldn't be a thing.
This comment makes no sense. There is no inherent limitation for aluminum or steel. Again, it’s about the design that determines the loadbearing capacity.
Alot of those cheapo ramps are rated "for the pair", and you well know AL does not like flexing (as it clearly does here). The guy has 5 figures into that skid steer, but saving what, $500 off something sturdier. And AL could work for this if it was like double the dimensions, heck dirtbikes went to AL frames - but there was a whole lot of engineering and testing behind that.
Aluminum flexes just fine. Like every other engineering material it has a modulus that dictates how much strain you get for any given amount of stress. As Sir Henry Royce once said: "When you get right down to it, every engineering material is rubber". The key is understanding where and how much stress develops in the structure during anticipated loads, ensuring the structure is not exposed to stress that exceeds the yield point, and for structures that deal with lots of repeated cycles - that you've considered fatigue.
Don’t think those ramps quite meet their rating, but here in oz aluminium ramps for skids and small excavators up to seven or eight tonnes are the norm.
I think I'd trust them as far as I could chuck em. Typical Ali mig welds cold starts then no crater fill but I think it'd be fine for a car or better yet a quad bike or motorcycle ramp but there's no way they'll hold up loading that skid steer off and on time and time again.
I would have to do the math on that to see if they can take that repetitive load, but just from looks I don't think there is much more than 1.5x safety margin in that design, I would prefer 3x for aluminium in that application, so double the size and maybe.
I mean, "rated to 10k lbs" until they start plastically deform stretch or a catastrophic failure? In any case I'd rather not wait until either of them and get something of steel tubing cage design with vulcanized rubber/urethane tracks for the wheels to grip onto
The "formula": (breaking load of the profile + breaking load of the sheet + a bit 'cause they are "in a structure") x 2, because there are two of them, and rounded up to a nice fat number 🤣
I have an aluminum motorcycle fold out ramp that looks to be 20 times stronger than those. Mine are made from extruded box sections but welded at the a couple of joints but then fish plated 5mm plate And that’s built to load a frigging dirt bike. Yeah the ones in the video are an accident waiting to happen.
It's a short fall when this fails, but most likely with rollover, and while I hope not, a bit of driver crushing during rollover. Aluminum cargo trailer frames crack, no one pays attention, then snap. After that snap, people might start paying attention.
GMAW weld. Nothing wrong with mig welding aluminum. After all GMAW is : ---> "Originally developed in the 1940s for welding aluminium and other non-ferrous materials". So if done right it'll be strong. The start doesn't look good either. If the wire machine don't have advanced settings i would start outside of the joint to develop heat then weld through the joint , when the joint is covered i'll continue the bead for a second outside of the joint but will quickly increasing the travel speed before releasing the trigger, i wud also increase the leading angle just before ending the weld. Then just need to sand smooth the lead-in and lead-out mess .🤔GMAW is king 🤥
Ever fly in a jet? Ever notice how the wings actually bow up and down (cyclically) while flying? Those are aluminum and they work just fine. There is a moody diagram that provides engineers the tools to "design for infinite life"; to keep the stress levels low enough to avoid fatigue failures.
And to think that people complain about how engineers "overdesign" things. But no doubt, the person who built these is going, See! They work! Although the welds that hold the treads on are a concern, I am more concerned about low cycle fatigue failures on the longitudinal members of the ramps.
I was actually blown away that the skid steer made it up the ramps without collapsing. That's super impressive!!
Ramps designed by OceanGate
Give me steel.
That's why the skid steer cage is steel.
Not a chance I'd use those for heavy equipment. An ATV, sure.
Like speakers 🔊 max 5k watts….but….. usually rated for blurp…. Short burst to achieve high decibels. But after that, run for a minute or more ❤️🔥
10,000lb distributed load, maybe.
Repeating load at centre of ramp…Not a snowball’s chance in Hades
i feel your hurt Aaron, i feel it fam.
If those were welded correctly (obviously they were not) and they were rated based on the fatigue curve rather than the yield strength, I'd have no problem using them. I'm very suspicious that 10,000 pounds is not taking fatigue life into account. Hell, I'd be very surprised if you could actually put 5,000 pounds on the middle of one of those (10,000 pounds is for BOTH right??) without yielding it. There's no reason aluminum can't support plenty of weight if it's designed, manufactured, and used properly. I want to know who the hell signed off on those welds.
I guess they'll learn soon enough.
I build mountain bike frames and there is no way I would use Aluminum for anything over 500kg and if I made a set of ramps they would not look like that
For sure, if cant do it.... Dont do it....
I build a 10 meters long harvest conveyor belt prototyp, mounted on a big Traktor Trailer. It can move by hydraulic. All Aluminium....
I'm a structural stress analysis engineer. I've no problem using aluminum so long as the stress is kept well under the yield point, and there is an appropriate factor of safety employed. Lot's of successful aluminum structures out there that weigh and support a lot more than 500 kilos. And we should all be thankful for that - because a steel passenger jet wouldn't be a thing.
This comment makes no sense. There is no inherent limitation for aluminum or steel. Again, it’s about the design that determines the loadbearing capacity.
Entire large trailers are made from aluminum. Properly engineered and constructed, of course.
Aluminum ramps for a four wheeler or motorcycle. I wouldn't trust it for a skid steer.
I've seen stouter looking ramps for dirtbikes
I bent a set with a golf cart!
Alot of those cheapo ramps are rated "for the pair", and you well know AL does not like flexing (as it clearly does here). The guy has 5 figures into that skid steer, but saving what, $500 off something sturdier. And AL could work for this if it was like double the dimensions, heck dirtbikes went to AL frames - but there was a whole lot of engineering and testing behind that.
Aluminum flexes just fine. Like every other engineering material it has a modulus that dictates how much strain you get for any given amount of stress. As Sir Henry Royce once said: "When you get right down to it, every engineering material is rubber". The key is understanding where and how much stress develops in the structure during anticipated loads, ensuring the structure is not exposed to stress that exceeds the yield point, and for structures that deal with lots of repeated cycles - that you've considered fatigue.
Noting how easy you moved them, even without crater cracks I'm not sure I would drive my zero turn over those.
Aluminum is fine for those ramps. But those ramps aren't fine for aluminum.
Don’t think those ramps quite meet their rating, but here in oz aluminium ramps for skids and small excavators up to seven or eight tonnes are the norm.
Consistency. It's only a virtue if you are not a screwup.
Nice video 😊❤
Steel for sure, but what were those ramps made of? Looks like extruded ribbed flat bar and 3x2 rectangular tubing? 4x2?
I think I'd trust them as far as I could chuck em. Typical Ali mig welds cold starts then no crater fill but I think it'd be fine for a car or better yet a quad bike or motorcycle ramp but there's no way they'll hold up loading that skid steer off and on time and time again.
I would have to do the math on that to see if they can take that repetitive load, but just from looks I don't think there is much more than 1.5x safety margin in that design, I would prefer 3x for aluminium in that application, so double the size and maybe.
hell no!
I mean, "rated to 10k lbs" until they start plastically deform stretch or a catastrophic failure? In any case I'd rather not wait until either of them and get something of steel tubing cage design with vulcanized rubber/urethane tracks for the wheels to grip onto
The "formula": (breaking load of the profile + breaking load of the sheet + a bit 'cause they are "in a structure") x 2, because there are two of them, and rounded up to a nice fat number 🤣
Ooh Mr fancy pants using big words.. you _must_ be smart
I thought this video was going to be a failure demonstration.
I can't believe they held up.
Given we didn't get to see what the underside looked like, I can see it. All depends on what alloy and cross section.
I'd say fine for loading an ATV or lawn tractor, but that's about it
That’s wild
I have a set just like that and they have performed flawlessly for the last 8 years. 430 Bobcat excavator is my heaviest load though.
I was waiting for the buckle,dump, and tip skid steer yard sale. In an emergency, sure thing. Repeated use, noooooope.
Wellllll. When there cheaper and you know a guy that welds... He's not worried about it.
Perhaps, add additional supports to ground under middle of the ramps?
Yes. Or just use steel.
I have an aluminum motorcycle fold out ramp that looks to be 20 times stronger than those. Mine are made from extruded box sections but welded at the a couple of joints but then fish plated 5mm plate And that’s built to load a frigging dirt bike. Yeah the ones in the video are an accident waiting to happen.
Run 4-1/2 metric up & down my ally ramps , but they were made here Ireland so no bother , those ones look feeble
❤❤❤
It's a short fall when this fails, but most likely with rollover, and while I hope not, a bit of driver crushing during rollover. Aluminum cargo trailer frames crack, no one pays attention, then snap. After that snap, people might start paying attention.
Driver of a skidsteer is protected in case of a rollover. I've seen them cartwheeling down the mountain. Both driver and machine were fine after.
I heard skid steers are heavy so dont think I would go over 5k lbs on those ramps.........
Hell no 🤦♂️
Is that heat treated aluminum?
Most likely 6061-t6
Everywhere except for the heat affected zones
i would use steel!
All modern transport aviation made from alu, sometimes even from plastic (composites) on glue, and almost nobody died.
Why aluminum?
GMAW weld. Nothing wrong with mig welding aluminum. After all GMAW is : ---> "Originally developed in the 1940s for welding aluminium and other non-ferrous materials". So if done right it'll be strong. The start doesn't look good either. If the wire machine don't have advanced settings i would start outside of the joint to develop heat then weld through the joint , when the joint is covered i'll continue the bead for a second outside of the joint but will quickly increasing the travel speed before releasing the trigger, i wud also increase the leading angle just before ending the weld. Then just need to sand smooth the lead-in and lead-out mess .🤔GMAW is king 🤥
I'll sticking to my chalk ramps
If they were boxed at the sides with tubing I'd trust them
👍
Yep, key word here is repetitive. Anything that work hardens+cyclic loads=nope
Ever fly in a jet? Ever notice how the wings actually bow up and down (cyclically) while flying? Those are aluminum and they work just fine. There is a moody diagram that provides engineers the tools to "design for infinite life"; to keep the stress levels low enough to avoid fatigue failures.
Nope . :(
the welder i have doesnt let me taper off amperage so i kind of have no choice but to leave a crater in whatever im welding
Not true. I'll make a video on it. Stay tuned.
Seems like a good way to damage your skid steer
I wouldn't trust them that first time😂.
Everyone knows the saying, STEEL is REAL. Alu is great but use it with care.
“Rated to 10,000 pounds,” if laid flat on concrete.
These are Quad Ramps not Skid steer ones.
Not my chair (weld) .............. not my problem.
They’ll figure it out in hurry when they reach the limit
Those are maybe rated for 4500lb not 10,000lb he needs to share whatever he is smoking... 😅😅😅 That's going to get someone hurt.. 🤕
No possible way those are 10k ramps....
Nooooope
And to think that people complain about how engineers "overdesign" things. But no doubt, the person who built these is going, See! They work!
Although the welds that hold the treads on are a concern, I am more concerned about low cycle fatigue failures on the longitudinal members of the ramps.
My back says hue Ray its aluminium. My hart says oooh it aluminium. My brain says that it aluminium and it’s got cracks in it AAarrrrr.
Cringe worthy 😮
Those ramps aren’t made for loading skid steers, a lawn mower or quadcycle maybe.