On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:48:26 -0500, Ignoramus20839
wrote:

snip

Well, when you're dealing with that kind of loads, don't forget the
supporting ends, joint strength and fasteners, point loading of a caster

Well, absolutely. Plus the 2x8 may crack on the middle under such a
load.

i

Just as a reference, my father made some ramps of 3"x12"x~10' rough
sawn live oak he used for over 30 years to load levee rollers on the
bobtail IH. The levee rollers were concrete spools with heavy angle
frames that weighed about 4800 lbs. We'd put three on the truck and
deliver them around to implement dealers, which is why I had a
commercial license at 16. Dad had mounted a hydraulic winch in the
bed, and we'd tilt the dump bed about 5 deg. up to load and unload.
Those old loading ramps never broke, although they did develop a
raised ridge over time down the middle. I guess something to do with
the way they were sawn.

Every time I took a load through the old Baytown tunnel, I'd have to
stop for an inspection. The chain boom handles had to be safety
wired, 2"x4" cleats nailed behind the rollers, etc. I guess they
didn't want to see three rollers unload down the tunnel as I exited.

The ramps were also a bear to handle, being pretty damn heavy. The
attachment to the bobtail (single rear axle truck) was just a small
angle bolted to the ramp set in a groove formed by a piece of bar
welded to the back of the bed.