Ramp truck

I'm going to start the ramp truck build soon. I'd like to see some already built. I'm thinking 18 or 20 ft bed, tandem rear axles, the front rear diff would be on air and the truck would need to be 4x4. I have most everything to do the build except a 3/4 or 1 ton front diff. I'd like to see some ideas from trucks already finished.

GOOSEer ... might I suggest 413,power ?

I know nothing. Just sharing.




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Here's my '92 D-350 hauler. Most good conversions involve a 4-foot frame stretch.

I'm lost as to why you want a tandem rear axle setup on a 4x4 chassis. It sure sounds like a lot of extra engineering, what kind of weight are you planning on hauling around? I would think having both rear axles being drive axles on a car hauler would be overkill, unless your hauling huge weight, even then, just adding a tag axle would help a bunch. Are you planning on doing 4x4 off road recovery? Gene

One rear axle would be on air and a non drive axle, that would be the reason for 4x4. With an axle on air and non drive the truck would get hung up fairly easy without 4x4. Just thinking a tandem setup would just be kool.

I have a low mile 78 440 and a fresh set of 67 big valve 915 heads to bump up the compression. Should be a good combo. Later idea is a late model 6.7 and a 6 speed manual trans.

My plans have me adding 6ft of frame to it.

What's the max gvw on the door tag?

10k bit the suspension will be way heavier than stock.

A stock 78 440 is a weak combo ... if you go that direction get the block sonic checked

Only thing weak is the compression and the closed chamber heads will take care of that.

no NO ... the later model blocks are FAMOUS for being thin casting .., and those 67 heads ? ... under a heavy load you can TORCH EM !

My old ramp truck was a 93 3500 dually to begin with. PO made the frame extension and got a Hodges bed and built the frame to bolt it on.

Ultimately it does not matter what the suspension is capable of... what will matter with the DOT in (you pick the state) is what the door tag says, That is why you see fewer and fewer (pick up based) ramp trucks. Here in the land of Taxes its approx $150 for the first 1-1000 Lbs of over weight,and goes up from there. Not including the impound, towing and all the other assessments they make once they find the first "cause" The second axle will need to have brakes equal to the first axle. BTW these are not NYS DOT regs but FED regs. If you dont plan on leaving you local area you may be fine but once you get out into the bustling metropolis its game on.
I used to have a Ramp truck (late '80s) 10000lbs door tag but 13000lbs going down the road loaded. Nice well maintained truck and could carry a Bulldozer (on more than on occasion) but stopping was another issue.
Those days are behind us...

None of this matters as it will be a Not For Hire project. I'm very much up on the knowledge needed for such a project. It will be way over built as with all of my truck and trailer projects. If I were to de a tandem the dead axle would be equipped with electric brakes. I hate to see units going down the road knowing they can't handle what they are towing or hauling. I'm a long time cdl-a driver, wreckmaster certified in towing and recovery as well as being an ASE certified tech in auto and trailer service and repair. I have built several trailers in the past. This truck will also tow a trailer. Trailer will have 3 3500lb axles as well as brakes on all 3 axles. I always use at least a 4 point tie down with anything on my trailers. The ramp truck will be no different. Actually I will use more when strapping down a vehicle on the ramp truck simply because I don't want something running over the cab with me in it. I will build a truck with the capability to do the job safely. And also being non commercial you can through any over weight tickets out the window as long as I'm under 26001 lbs.

OK

Goose has this.......

anyone ever built one out of an 18 ram?

By the time you stretched that frame out far enough to add a ramp body to the back of that 4 full size door cab, its going to be really long. Would be a real pain to drive around my town, couldn't make most of the turns without backing up a few times. Gene

I've had and used four ramp trucks to race with, #2 was a 1955 Dodge D500 17 ft. flat bed that I had my Father in Law make a ramp truck out of it, I ended up replacing the original 264 C.I. flat head six cylinder with a 1957 392 hemi motor out of a New Yorker I had wrecked and save. The truck came with a 4 speed truck tranny and a two speed vacuum operated rear end, I converted the truck to 12V when I swap the motor and I ended up running either 900x20 or 9.50x20 inch truck tires, it came with 8.25x20 tires originally. the taller tires help it go down the freeways in CA a lot better with the 392 motor
The first ramp truck I drove and used to help a race partner was theirs a 1968 D600 318-3 engine with a 5 speed tranny and two speed rear end, it was nice.
The next one was a 1973 Ford crew cab one ton single wheel pickup that I had five feet added to the frame and had the same company put a 12 Ft. flat bed on it, I wanted them to put a either 14 or 16 Ft. flat bed on it but they wouldn't so I had my father in Law add a 30 inch long adjustable dove tail to help load my cars on it better.
That truck had a 390 two barrel motor with single exhaust, I added a four barrel intake and 4 barrel carb and had a dual exhaust system install on it, it had 4.10 gears in the Dana 70 and that truck rode, stop and perform very well
The last ramp truck I had was bought was to fill in temporary when I sold the Ford for way more than I could turn down for it It was a 1957 Dodge one ton dual wheel truck that had been converted to use as a roundy rounder racers truck hauler, it was flat wore out when I bought it
I ended up keeping it for several years and I had to replace the motor, cab, reline the brakes and replace the rear end to make it safe to use.
I bought a used 26 ft. class A motor home and a 24 Ft enclosed car trailer and have used enclosed car trailer since 1994 or so
I've thought about buying a longer goose neck trailer with living quarter in it but I probably won't as I don't race that much anymore, especially out of town

I built mine in 1986. I did the 4 foot stretch with a 6 inch angle underneath both splices that extended about 2 ft past. Bed was 18 by 8. 14 ft of flat and a 4 foot dovetail. It was a 74 440 one ton. I only used bump stops on the rears. It did everything I wanted it to do. Birdtracker