a fine line between genius and stupidity?

A

adam metzger

New member
Oct 12, 2016
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in my yard, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot to the lawn below.

I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for "the fuel tank
wrasslin match"

if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board as a transfer, I
would in effect have a pit that I could work under.

If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9 feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks from under there.

is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?

I wont tell you what my wife said.



--
1976 Palm Beach
Austin, TX
 
> in my parking area, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot to the lawn below.
>
> I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for "the fuel tank
> wrasslin match"
>
> if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board as a transfer,
> I would in effect have a pit that I could drive onto, and work under.
>
> If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9 feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks from under
> there, and I could drive the front onto it too.
>
> is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?
>
> I wont tell you what my wife said.

Adam,

If you are thinking of one stack of 2x8 under each side, it's been nice to know you......

If you stack 2x8s a foot tall on anything that can grow grass, the foundation will not be enough to have any sense of humor for side load. Unless the
load is perfectly centered, the stack may capsize.

Then, there is another stupid issue. That 2x8 is 7-1/2 wide. That is just barely a tread width of a 225 wide tire. That makes a close target to hit
from the cab. I think you want a 2x10 for the cap.

Several people here have made service ramps from wood. They were successful and even got to write about it later. I hope that one of them joins in
and can show you pictures.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
'73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
Adam,

Be VERY careful if you go ahead with this, you need to consider the "hardness" of the ground under the 2 x 8's and how you would
assure lateral stability.

Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808


-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Adam Metzger
Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2016 9:32 AM
To: gmclist
Subject: [GMCnet] a fine line between genius and stupidity?

in my yard, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot to the lawn below.

I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for
"the fuel tank wrasslin match"

if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board
as a transfer, I would in effect have a pit that I could work under.

If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9 feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks
from under there.

is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?

I wont tell you what my wife said.
 
I'm with Matt, a 2x8 stack ramp will sink to one side on soil and tip over. I made a set using left over 5/4 decking. They were "6" inches wide so I
used 2 wide and it was just right for me at about 12" wide... But I use them in the shop on concrete. On soil I would want something at least twice
as wide as high.

Bruce "enjoying a cerveza by the pool in Mexico, still waiting for the Plumber" Hislop

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
 
Adam, I made up four of these and they worked very well when I dropped my
gas tanks.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=33783&title=12-ton-jack-stand&cat=5

> I'm with Matt, a 2x8 stack ramp will sink to one side on soil and tip
> over. I made a set using left over 5/4 decking. They were "6" inches wide
> so I
> used 2 wide and it was just right for me at about 12" wide... But I use
> them in the shop on concrete. On soil I would want something at least twice
> as wide as high.
>
> Bruce "enjoying a cerveza by the pool in Mexico, still waiting for the
> Plumber" Hislop
>
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
> Hubler 1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
 
Sorry, I only mentioned 2x8s because I was thinking of using them for ramps. So I actually would use 2X10s AT LEAST, or 2X12s. If I were to go this
wide, would YOU get under it?
--
1976 Palm Beach
Austin, TX
 
You could create a very similar ramp set-up to Ken Henderson's. He did use steel I beams for the wheels to ride on and guide in. These lead out to
another I beam for the ends to rest on. Has concrete columns for the beam assembly to rest on. I have been on his ramp and it is super. He has a
concrete pad underneath the ramp area. I believe that the ramp is about four feet from the ground level. Ken scoots around on a converted office chair
(no back) and has a comfortable work position.
Perhaps he will comment on it.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG
 
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/new-service-rack-26amp-3b-drivetrain/p10327.html

You've got a good day start toward my better-than-a-pit rack, but you'll
REALLY want a good solid, preferably concrete, floor under it, for many
reasons.

Ken H

You could create a very similar ramp set-up to Ken Henderson's. He did use
steel I beams for the wheels to ride on and guide in. These lead out to
another I beam for the ends to rest on. Has concrete columns for the beam
assembly to rest on. I have been on his ramp and it is super. He has a
concrete pad underneath the ramp area. I believe that the ramp is about
four feet from the ground level. Ken scoots around on a converted office
chair
(no back) and has a comfortable work position.
Perhaps he will comment on it.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Ken, that's quite a set up! That's the idea I had, only about a foot off the ground.

Do I recall seeing someone driving their coach onto two railroad ties stacked?

Johnny bridges?
--
1976 Palm Beach
Austin, TX
 
These timbers are 1 foot square and the front wheels were at the inside edge while the rears were at the outside edge with the stock setup (no spacers
on front wheels yet. The timbers did bow a little when I jacked up the rear of them before I got the shorter blocks under them under the rear wheels.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51514-first-stage-2c-then-jack-up-rear-ends-1-1-2f2-inch-at-a-time.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51507-ramp3.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51506-bridge04.html

The timbers are a full 12 inches wide; a 2X12 might not be wide enough to cover the different track of the front and rear wheels/tires.

--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.
 
Good thinking!

Sent from my iPhone

>
> in my yard, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot to the lawn below.
>
> I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for "the fuel tank
> wrasslin match"
>
> if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board as a transfer, I
> would in effect have a pit that I could work under.
>
> If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9 feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks from under there.
>
> is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?
>
> I wont tell you what my wife said.
>
>
>
>
> --
> 1976 Palm Beach
> Austin, TX
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Ken
There seems to be a problem under your GMC. I noticed it as I glanced at
your ramp pics...disgusting...Wayyyyyyy too clean and areas where it
shines...
It does not look like mine!

Mike in NS

> Good thinking!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>

> >
> > in my yard, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot
> to the lawn below.
> >
> > I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store
> looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for "the fuel tank
> > wrasslin match"
> >
> > if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall
> enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board as a transfer, I
> > would in effect have a pit that I could work under.
> >
> > If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9
> feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks from under
> there.
> >
> > is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?
> >
> > I wont tell you what my wife said.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > 1976 Palm Beach
> > Austin, TX
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Michael Beaton
1977 Kingsley 26-11
1977 Eleganza II 26-3
Antigonish, NS

Life is too short to hold a grudge; slash some tires and call it even !
 
Wadn't me on ties. I use 4x4 treate3d cribs a couple of feet long set in much the same setup as the stands in the pictures above. When I'm jacking,
I put safety cribs close. Unfortunately, I mis-stacked them yesterday and this cost me a radiator. It also convinced me, when I do the inner flanges
of my newly rebooted axles, I'm gonna do it with the coach with its wheels on. Even cribbed, the idea of torqueing bolts and yanking and pulling with
only cribbing under leaves me cold, because I have to be compeltely under the front end. I'll let it sit where it's always safely sat. With saftey
cribbing 'just in case'.

--johnny
--
'76 23' transmode Norris upfit, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"The road goes on forever, and the party never ends" --Robert Earl Keen
 
Mike,

Maybe you need to pull the front clip, remove EVERYTHING from it, then have
it sandblasted and powder coated, like mine's PO did. ☺

Ken H.

> Ken
> There seems to be a problem under your GMC. I noticed it as I glanced at
> your ramp pics...disgusting...Wayyyyyyy too clean and areas where it
> shines...
> It does not look like mine!
>
> Mike in NS
>

>
> > Good thinking!
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On Nov 23, 2016, at 4:31 PM, Adam Metzger

> > >
> > > in my yard, I have a small retaining wall that drops down about a foot
> > to the lawn below.
> > >
> > > I had an stroke of genius/madness yesterday while at the lumber store
> > looking to buy lumber to make ramps, cribs, etc in prep for "the fuel
> tank
> > > wrasslin match"
> > >
> > > if I build up two stacks of 2x8s the distance of the wheels apart, tall
> > enough to equal the height of the wall, with one long board as a
> transfer, I
> > > would in effect have a pit that I could work under.
> > >
> > > If long enough, (about 2 feet in front of the mid wheel, or roughly 9
> > feet back from this spot) I would be able to drop the tanks from under
> > there.
> > >
> > > is this utterly stupid, or am i onto something here?
> > >
> > > I wont tell you what my wife said.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > 1976 Palm Beach
> > > Austin, TX
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Michael Beaton
> 1977 Kingsley 26-11
> 1977 Eleganza II 26-3
> Antigonish, NS
>
> Life is too short to hold a grudge; slash some tires and call it even !
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
> Adam, I made up four of these and they worked very well when I dropped my
> gas tanks.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=33783&title=12-ton-jack-stand&cat=5

The "12 ton" jack stands are something I've used for many years and posted on the photo site. I have removed gas tanks and black tank with no
problem with the GMC on these stands. If you are not going to use them on pavement then I strongly suggest you build them with a 3/4" plywood panel
on the bottom.

Here are some photos of the late Dwayne Jacobsons ramps:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6004-dwayne-27s-ramp.html

--
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
 
Ken

Oops...I seem to have forgotten about that little sorry.
I think I'll mortgage my house so I can do the same...it sure looks GOOD !


Mike in Canuckland

On Thu, Nov 24, 2016 at 11:52 AM, Steve Southworth
wrote:

> > Adam, I made up four of these and they worked very well when I dropped my
> > gas tanks.
> >
> > http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=
> 33783&title=12-ton-jack-stand&cat=5
>
> The "12 ton" jack stands are something I've used for many years and
> posted on the photo site. I have removed gas tanks and black tank with no
> problem with the GMC on these stands. If you are not going to use them on
> pavement then I strongly suggest you build them with a 3/4" plywood panel
> on the bottom.
>
> Here are some photos of the late Dwayne Jacobsons ramps:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6004-dwayne-27s-ramp.html
>
>
>
> --
> Steve Southworth
> 1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
> 1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
> Palmyra WI
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Michael Beaton
1977 Kingsley 26-11
1977 Eleganza II 26-3
Antigonish, NS

Life is too short to hold a grudge; slash some tires and call it even !
 
> These timbers are 1 foot square and the front wheels were at the inside edge while the rears were at the outside edge with the stock setup (no
> spacers on front wheels yet. The timbers did bow a little when I jacked up the rear of them before I got the shorter blocks under them under the
> rear wheels.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51514-first-stage-2c-then-jack-up-rear-ends-1-1-2f2-inch-at-a-time.html
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51507-ramp3.html
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/2-extra-feet/p51506-bridge04.html
>
> The timbers are a full 12 inches wide; a 2X12 might not be wide enough to cover the different track of the front and rear wheels/tires.

It was bullitthead on the ties! Or what I thought were ties. I wouldn't drive the entire coach out on the boards. Just the front or rear, so I
wouldn't need to worry about the front/rear alignment. This wouldn't solve me needing work on wheels/tires/brakes.
--
1976 Palm Beach
Austin, TX
 
They are creosote treated, but not railroad ties. They are 12 inches square and 24 feet long. Part of a bridge used by a logging company to get the
trucks and equipment across a ditch to the logging site. They are so heavy my backhoe would not pick up the entire timber at once. I had to pick up
one end and drag them into place.
--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.
 
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