Hydraulic lorry ramp, experiences?

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now_loves_mares

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Thought I would get more experience in here. Annoyingly a ramp spring broke at the weekend (reminder to everyone never to stand under the ramp as it's coming down, luckily I already heed this advice, as it came down with some force). Anyway thinking about getting hydraulics. My Dad will fit them so I'm interested in use and reliability rather than upfront cost. Do they make a difference? I struggle with the ramp on my own. And what happens if the hydraulics go? Is there a manual override, even if that's by way of 10 strong men helping! Anyone regret having them? Anything to be aware of?
 
now_loves_mares said:
Thought I would get more experience in here. Annoyingly a ramp spring broke at the weekend (reminder to everyone never to stand under the ramp as it's coming down, luckily I already heed this advice, as it came down with some force). Anyway thinking about getting hydraulics. My Dad will fit them so I'm interested in use and reliability rather than upfront cost. Do they make a difference? I struggle with the ramp on my own. And what happens if the hydraulics go? Is there a manual override, even if that's by way of 10 strong men helping! Anyone regret having them? Anything to be aware of?
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I have hydrolics on mive and a love it, so easy!!
Yes they have a manual over-ride system so that you can get the ramp down in case of system failure.

Like the spring going wrong on yours - the hydrolics can go wrong too. Recently my ramp failed and came crashing down. So moral of story is don't be complacent behaind a ramp whether you have springs or hydrolics!

I go out and about on my own and have a dodgy back so not having to heave a ramp makes a huge difference to me. That said a cheaper option would be to have a better/stronger spring system fitted
 
Thanks, good to know they have an override. The springs were actually custom made and substantial, but old. We decided not to replace them when we refurbed the lorry. Nothing really lost as I'm just having to pay now as opposed to 2 years ago. We are pricing up both options but I'm inclined to "invest" a bit. Quite often do short shuttles in the box and I'm getting too old to fight with it!
 
I have heard too many horrible stories regarding hydraulic ramps including the electrics of a lorry catching fire which meant they couldn't get the horses out the back to free them... you can imagine the rest...
 
I used to have a hydraulic ramp and it was certainly very useful when I was on my own, however I was never told how to maintain it properly (keep the requisite fluid in the appropriate place topped up!!) - I know stupid and I should have found out myself but this was a long time ago and it was my first experience of having a lorry. If you did have to put it on manual override, there was no way I could do it on my own, needed 2 people.

It broke down one day three quarters of the way up (just as we had got the horses loaded after being out in winter for 2 hours!) and was very difficult to release to the manual override, although the breakdown people did it eventually. I had my second lorry built without hydraulics, but with strong springs that mean I can easily put the ramp up myself. On balance I probably prefer this option, less hassle as it doesn't go wrong.
 
Luce that's a scary story, but presumably quick actions and a fire extinguisher could overcome that? I take the point though and it's food for thought.

Hurricane lady my ramp is very substantial and although I could get it up and down on my own, I couldn't if it was parked even slightly up a hill. So I guess the potential breakdown scenario of needing more than 1 person is better than needing more than 1 person every time I have to park the "wrong" way? Maintenance will be drummed into me by mechanic Dad.

Cost may still be the factor here though.
 
now_loves_mares said:
Luce that's a scary story, but presumably quick actions and a fire extinguisher could overcome that? I take the point though and it's food for thought.

Hurricane lady my ramp is very substantial and although I could get it up and down on my own, I couldn't if it was parked even slightly up a hill. So I guess the potential breakdown scenario of needing more than 1 person is better than needing more than 1 person every time I have to park the "wrong" way? Maintenance will be drummed into me by mechanic Dad.

Cost may still be the factor here though.
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Yes definitely, I'm sure you will maintain it better than I did at the time! If I had done that it would have never gone wrong - it broke because there was no fluid left in its reservoir :-o!! I did used to have occasional electrics problems with it, but that was just a symptom of having to leave the lorry parked outside not under cover and was corroded wires that were easy to fix. If you speak to some coach builder specialists they should be able to advise on available types and safety precautions these days. Good luck :-)
 
now_loves_mares said:
Luce that's a scary story, but presumably quick actions and a fire extinguisher could overcome that? I take the point though and it's food for thought.
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On a side note I really wouldn't be too sure on this, lorries can go up very very quickly - there was a video doing the rounds fairly recently of a 3.5t that went up in about 5 minutes, scary stuff!

Personally I'd replace the springs rather than go for hydraulics :)
 
I was victim to a fire in the hydraulics when driving someone else's lorry. The lorry was just a few years old, a horsebox from new, professionally made and well maintained.

First we knew of a problem was when the brakes piled on when the fire spread from the hydraulics motor and went through the air line and the brakes seized on with no notice other than a short blast of the air alarm.

Luckily we were in slow moving traffic at the time, although the horses were still shaken around with the sudden braking. I went in the back to check on the horses to find the horse area filled with smoke. Because the fire was in the ramp hydraulics the ramp was all seized up and the horses stuck.....

THEN I realised that as it was a big posh HGV, it also had a manual side ramp. We evacuated the horses out of the front and called the fire brigade. The fire had smouldered all along the electrics, a long way through the box and out of sight, so no, a fire extinguisher alone would not have put it out.

The horses were fine, if a bit surprised to be unloaded on a main inner city ring road. The lorry cost £ssss to re-wire.

I would not have hydraulics now without a separate ramp.
 
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They need to be installed by professionals. Its the "what if" factor. They are fine when working properly but absolute stone killers if somthing goes wrong and the correct valves and fuses (yes hydraulic systems can have fuses )have not been fitted . They can drop like lightning .
 
I've got one with a hydraulic ramp and can honestly say I can't wait to get rid of it! It's at the machanics AGAIN this week having a bit of ramp rewelded as its so bloody heavy, and he's going to fit some springs to it too this time to assist in the up down. It's broken on me 3 times now in 2 years. Once I had a lorry load of horses on board and the battery died on main lorry, horses were stuck for 3 hours. Next one of the switches went and we had to stick a bit of wire in the electrics for 2 weeks till it was fixed. Another time it got 3/4 of the way up and wouldn't shut cue more welding to the underneath. Mine is a hunting / dealing lorry so nothing posh, but the ramp drives me mental and I would NEVER have another!
 
I had heard a lot of scary stories about hydrolic Ramps so when I needed an easy way to lift mine I decided on an electric winch. I do have to hook the cable off to load but it takes a second and I love it
 
Hmm ok lots of scary stories. Mike, to reassure, my dad is a professional, not just a competent DIYer so I've absolutely no worries on that score. But my lorry doesn't have a side ramp. I am glad I posted the thread, as the risk of entrapment hadn't been a factor in my thoughts.

Now a winch is a good idea! Could you use it on reluctant loaders too??
 
now_loves_mares said:
Hmm ok lots of scary stories. Mike, to reassure, my dad is a professional, not just a competent DIYer so I've absolutely no worries on that score. But my lorry doesn't have a side ramp. I am glad I posted the thread, as the risk of entrapment hadn't been a factor in my thoughts.

Now a winch is a good idea! Could you use it on reluctant loaders too??
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There were photos going around a few years ago on facebook of the uber expensive box belonging to one of the top dressage riders which had trapped the horses after a hydraulic failure. It was a big inner city show and they were in the unloading zone so stuck on a street with the the ramp a few feet open. Nightmare!

I used to use a float with a winch on the ramp. It was technically electric but was veeeeeerrrrrry old (think 50s!) and we mostly used it manually. It wasn't the classiest or the easiest but it did the job!
 
We have one on our lorry, due to the sheer weight we as women! Would struggle to get it up otherwise. The only problem we have had with it was when we had a hydrualic (sp) leak and the ramp wouldnt go back up! Thankfully it was up not down so unloaded the horses and got mechanic out! (It was at home aswell!!) But likewise ours does have an over ride system in place so we can get it down should we need to :)
 
We have one, has made a huge difference.
Yes we also had heard the horror stories but having had our other lorry ramp twice come away from the springs when we got this one built made the decision to invest in a hydraulic one. Old ramp was very, very heavy and despite repeated visits to the manufacturers could never get it right. Then the springs/hinge bit snapped twice - argg.
I think it depends on your builder/ obviously not a DIY job
 
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