Ramps and Tommy Lift Gates

[buzz]

Tommy Lift and Maxon gates are pricey if youre a small copier business. I have a Tommy liftagate on the truck, but now we have a van and need a solution for loading copiers into it. I'm looking at alternatives like ramps but wanted input from you all. Do you use lift gates or ramps? What's your take on ramps? Looking at this one from Ebay:

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[buzz]

These wheelchair ramps pay load is 600 lbs, thinking its cutting it close with two persons and a 250lb copier, 🤔, other ramps I seen is higher in payload, but so is price.

[Vincent128]

We tried the van thing; all it did was hurt people's backs. Bought an older used Isuzu box truck with a lift gate. We got 2 24x30 inch diamond plate steel squares from a local welding shop and use those to get over things as well as the metal pallet ramps from Toshiba. They are very usefull.

[larweedad]

We have been using fiberglass car ramps for years. They fit in the back of the van nicely. Ours is about 8 feet long I think.

[BillyCarpenter]

We have a box truck and used a ramp for a few deliveries. I hate ramps. We had a copier take a nose dive in the parking lot of a customer. Luckily I didn't get hurt or anyone else. A few days later I bought a lift gate. It was about 6k and included installation. Best investment ever.

[ReproKev]

I have an 8' version of that ramp I've used with U-Haul vans and their small trucks. It works ok for small and medium size machines, but it's heavy (78lbs), and has a bit of incline depending on the vehicle (U-haul van is the lowest I've found).

Lately I've been using a friends 6x12 enclosed trailer with built-in rear door ramp.I pull it with an F-150 pick-up. It's nice and low to the ground so no big incline and no chance for the ramp to slip. Can't use it everywhere because of space limitations though.

I'm a one-man operation so can't justify a lift-gate truck, plus the extra insurance for it. I only deliver copiers a couple times a month.

[buzz]

We have been using fiberglass car ramps for years. They fit in the back of the van nicely. Ours is about 8 feet long I think.

Thanks for this, never new fiberglass ramps existed, looks to be a great alternative.

[BillyCarpenter]

Word to the wise: If you're using a ramp, don't wear dress shoes and stand on the south end of the copier that bears all of the weight. Especially if the ramp is slightly wet. Your feet will slide and when the machine reaches the very end of the ramp...well you get the picture.

[mloudy]

We have a Chevy Express cutaway with a lift but I know of a much larger dealer than us who doesn't own a truck with a lift and rents them when needed. Depending on your area renting may no be an option. They said they have two options for size they can rent. They do more multi-machine installs than we do so their best option would be renting I think. Still I can't image the inconvenience of not owning our own lift truck. Someone wants a new copier today and we can do it.

We use Ford Transit Connects with a Ferno Salesmaker for desktop installs. We also bought a Powermate stair climber this year. We are an aging crew so it was time.

[arnh79]

This is, by far, the best investment we made for our copier installs:

https://www.powermate.info/

We have the LE-1. Makes loading in and out of our van easy and also does stairs. I've been using it for 7 years and it still works perfectly. Not cheap, but cheaper than workers compensation for blown backs!

[wjurls]

This is, by far, the best investment we made for our copier installs:

https://www.powermate.info/

We have the LE-1. Makes loading in and out of our van easy and also does stairs. I've been using it for 7 years and it still works perfectly. Not cheap, but cheaper than workers compensation for blown backs!

I also have the LE-1. It's perfect for loading office machines and finishers/accessories into the back of my rather tall 2500 RAM truck. For production equipment I have an F700 box truck with rail type lift gate.
At 6 miles per gallon in the F700, I'd much prefer to use the pickup truck whenever I can.

[irtek]

I'm a one man operation so I don't deliver a lot of machines. I lucked up and found a handicapped side load ramp van (Grand Caravan) that had been abused. I got it for a great price and did some repairs and modifications. During the conversion they drop the floor 10" so their is plenty of height to roll the machine in. The ramp is attached so it will not slip. The van is also low to the ground so easy to roll machine in, I have loaded 650# machine by myself. I built a frame and utilized the wheelchair tie down hardware in the van to have attachment points to strap the machines in. It works great and I wish I had done it years earlier.

[copyman]

I have a E250 cargo van and use the 12' fold up aluminum ramp from Discount Ramps. Been using for around 5 yrs now and works great. I load & unload from the side door because of extended bumper in rear doesn't allow ramp to sit right. Also if a few steps at customers office I will unload copier, then move ramp over to steps, roll up and into office. One man operation.
I know ramp is rated at 600 lbs but I've had production models weighing 350-500lbs and no problems. Cost is around $600. Been a real back saver.

[Mako]

We use box trucks with Tommy Gates. Going way back 25+ years ago we used an aluminum ramp to get machines into a van. I would not use a ramp with anything more than a mid volume color copier. Also make sure the ramp has very aggressive grip tape on it as I remember our old ramp could get pretty slick. Also make sure that the ramp has a secure means to lock it to the back of the wan so it can't slip off as the ramp flexes or the van squats or moves under the load.