Driving Onto Ramps PITA

[DaveFromBarrow]

Is it just me or are motorhomes bloody hopeless on wet grass when driving onto ramps? It seems our Apache 634L gets its knickers in a twist if there's even the slightest gradient on wet grass and just starts spinning its wheels. Any tips appreciated.

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[Otter Spotter]

try reversing up them as it’s a low gear but better than 1st.

 

[DaveFromBarrow]

try reversing up them as it’s a low gear but better than 1st.

Yeah, only issue here with respect to the front wheels are the mudflaps, but OK for rear wheels. Thanks.

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[Otter Spotter]

Yeah, only issue here with respect to the front wheels are the mudflaps, but OK for rear wheels. Thanks.

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I have mud flaps on front back and no problems catching them

 

[Larrynwin]

Have you got traction control?

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[DaveFromBarrow]

Have you got traction control?

good question, 2008 Ducato. I'll check the book.

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[Larrynwin]

good question, 2008 Ducato. I'll check the book.

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A little button on the dash with a T on it, certainly helps mine on a wet or loose surface.

 

[DaveFromBarrow]

No ASR button.

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[Larrynwin]

Another suggestion might help
Amazon product ASIN B0076K4DDM

 

[DaveFromBarrow]

Another suggestion might help
Amazon product ASIN B0076K4DDM

Got some of these but the van "spits them out" I'll try the reversing method but the main issue - as with most vans I guess - is the lightness of the front of the vehicle.

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[Guigsy]

If you can, make gravity work for you. E.g. if the front is low, drive forwards onto the ramps. Don't put them behind the wheels and try to reverse back.

I have had one nasty instance on a bog of a pitch. One wheel started spinning. It suddenly caught traction as I started going up the ramp. The torque transfer to the other wheel then fired the other ramp about 3m forwards.

 

[DaveFromBarrow]

If you can, make gravity work for you. E.g. if the front is low, drive forwards onto the ramps. Don't put them behind the wheels and try to reverse back.

I have had one nasty instance on a bog of a pitch. One wheel started spinning. It suddenly caught traction as I started going up the ramp. The torque transfer to the other wheel then fired the other ramp about 3m forwards.

Eeek!

I have got stuck once on what was an embarrassingly gentle gradient, needing pulling out

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[Landy Andy]

Better tyres

 

[Two on Tour]

An automatic levelling system like E&P or AS will solve the problem in one.

 

[CazPaul]

Get some good tyres best advice.

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[DaveFromBarrow]

Conti Campers no good?

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[Zigisla]

Take a small run up first and straight onto ramps. Once you’re on, don’t slip off again. If not, put a grip mat under the front edge of your ramp.

 

[Landy Andy]

A trick that I’ve seen is to attach a webbing strap (like seatbelt material) to the underside of the ramp, so that when you go to mount the ramp it’s already held in place by the webbing being under your tyre. This is what I was going to do, but then swapped tyres, and now no longer an issue.

 

[Lenny HB]

try reversing up them as it’s a low gear but better than 1st.

Nope, 1st lower than reverse, should never reverse up too easy to overheat Ducato clutches.

As for the OP's question, bin the camping tyres and fit winter tyres.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Nope, 1st lower than reverse, should never reverse up too easy to overheat Ducato clutches.

As for the OP's question, bin the camping tyres and fit winter tyres.

Mines a Citreon

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[Googlebot]

I am just about to grind the lips off my Milenco Quattro ramps, they are nice and high but those cups on them are stupid!

 

[EuroTrotters]

Nope, 1st lower than reverse, should never reverse up too easy to overheat Ducato clutches.

As for the OP's question, bin the camping tyres and fit winter tyres.

Had winter tyres on all our motorhomes for 20 years.

Never had an issue with ramps, wet grass, snow or ice.

 

[autorouter]

I use Fiamma ramps, and a baseplate is available that sticks out at the lower end. The tyre rolls on top of it and holds the ramp in place. It was suggested in the leaflet that the baseplate could be fixed to the ramp with self-tapping screws, but I've used them for a few years now and never needed to do that.

Previously the ramp would slide on hard smooth tarmac or mud, but now it never slides. The baseplate also prevents it sinking in sand/soft ground. Unfortunately it's specific to these particular Fiamma ramps, but it would be quite easy to make something similar that would do the same job for other brands, I'm sure.
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[Hawkstone]

Eeek!

I have got stuck once on what was an embarrassingly gentle gradient, needing pulling out

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We slipped off ours and they got rammed up underneath. Great fun chopping them up whilst in situ It was the only way to get them out .

 

[dunnah01]

My PB for ramp shooting is 25yds - this was on dry tarmac in a Comfortmatic so a bit of an advantage - I've got Michellin Agilis CPs so if I got better tyres I could probably improve this to 30+ yds

As for getting on the ramps and having them stay there then the only way I've found is to take a run up and try not to touch the throttle once on the ramps

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[GAVLAD]

Buy a pack of the neoprene type interlocking mats.
They measure about 2ft square and weigh hardly anything.
Put two mats interlocked in line before your ramp and then drive over the mats onto the ramp and there you have it.
Alternatively, buy 4 x rubber car foot mats - the cheap ones with the rubber bobble surface will do.
Do the same with these. Advantage of these is that they take up hardly any storage as can be laid flat on garage floor or rolled up but weight a bit more.

 

[Lenny HB]

When I used ramps I fitted about 9" of safety belt webbing to them to stop them moving on concrete.

 

[Burgo]

A trick that I’ve seen is to attach a webbing strap (like seatbelt material) to the underside of the ramp, so that when you go to mount the ramp it’s already held in place by the webbing being under your tyre. This is what I was going to do, but then swapped tyres, and now no longer an issue.

+1. Similar wheeze to attaching a line to sand ladders or grip mats and tying to body. That way when you get unstuck the mats will follow you to firmer ground and you don't have to traipse back to get them.

 

[Ginster]

A little button on the dash with a T on it, certainly helps mine on a wet or loose surface.

Wondered what that was for

 

[poppycamper]

+1. Similar wheeze to attaching a line to sand ladders or grip mats and tying to body. That way when you get unstuck the mats will follow you to firmer ground and you don't have to traipse back to get them.

Once a number of years ago I witnessed someone in a VW type camper... had ramps under back wheels connected by length of rope to rear bumper.
Also had front wheels on bread crates.. Sorted??... not quite.
One ramp caught in a rut in the field and was jettisoned through back window of van.