NAC, but wrenching content

[LL - NY]

The deformation of the U's has compromised the strength of that section,
the U serves as the "beam" in what amounts to a "post and beam" structure.

Since the beam has been compromised at the very least in lateral load
strength
(from 1.5" to 1/4"), the ramp is not safe. I don't know if the material
would get
work hardened in an effort to re-form it to it's original shape, but it's
probably not
worth the risk, considering how relatively inexpensive ramps are. AND
considering
how much your life depends upon them.

My vote, into the dumpster.

LL - NY - ex-mechanical engineer and current Physics teacher.

On 3/19/06, Andrew Buc <AndrewBuc at staxman.net> wrote:
>
> For a few years I've had a pair of stamped sheet-steel ramps that you
> can drive a car onto in order to get one end in the air w/o jacking it
> up. If you took a cross-section of the ramp at most points, it would be
> like this:
>
>   _______
> U       U
>
> The tire rests on the flat surface between the U-shaped sections (which
> are shown upside down above). I've roughly eyeballed the U-shaped
> sections at 1.5" wide x 2" high. On one of the ramps, one of the
> U-shaped sections has been deformed so the straight parts of the U are
> about 1/4" apart, and not quite parallel. This is at the place where
> the cross-section actually rests on the ground, at the opposite end
> from the gently sloped end that you drive the car onto. I'm sure I
> could insert a tool and spread the sides out to their original width,
> or close to, but would the ramp then be dangerous to use? Is it
> dangerous to use now? If the answer is yes, they're going straight in
> the dumpster. TIA
>
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