View Single Post
Old 01-19-2018, 03:31 PM   #19
xyobgyn
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Arlington Heights
Posts: 34
Default RV-Lite, Car Hauler for track days...

1) Considering ditching the All-in-one AC/Heat unit to go with separate furnace and AC... .think it will do a better job. Not be cheaper, but for 115 AC I have more choices and get more cooling than combined units... which are often heat pumps, rumoured to not work well if its really cold... and second, for heating, (won't need it much) LP furnaces off 12V are not that crazy expensive... and can have very high BTU output compared to combined AC/Heat window units.... (guessing people agree with this)

2) I've realized a couple things with my plans to load/unload a car. First off, if I retain a set of wheels in the truck, and only one set out on the "ramp assembly", or conversely, keep one end of the ramp on the ground during lifting or lowering..... I can cut the weight in half in terms of what is needed to manage during "ramp lifting" or "ramp lowering."

For example, getting a car onto truck... drive it onto flat ramps/liftgate, and use the liftgate to raise JUST the truck end...during this lifting of ramps, only half the weight of the car is lifted. Once ramp is lifted, pull the car in so that one set of wheels is on the truck bed, just barely in. Then, lifting up the ramp assembly is only lifting 1/2 the car's weight. Half is supported by the truck bed. Once the ramps are level, winch the car in the rest of the way. Offloading is the reverse, assemble the ramps flat, level with truck bed, supported by the winch... and roll the car back keeping just the front wheels in the truck, on the edge. Dropping of the ramp assembly will only require management of 1/2 the car's weight... and once the ramps are on the ground, lower the car by winch until its fully on the ramps.... now, half the weight is on the ground. Then use the liftgate to drop the front half of the assembly, ... minimal strain on the liftgate assembly.

This revision also means the winch cables can be attached about 9 feet from the bed of the truck to support the assembly MUCH closer to the truck, the angles are then putting much less strain on the winches, or laterally on the liftgate... huge improvements in safety and wear and tear.

Thoughts?
xyobgyn is offline   Reply With Quote