# Trailer ramp is bent



## Selaya (Feb 24, 2013)

I've renovated my trailer, put in new flooring, worked out kinks and holes and filled them up. It looks like a DIY project because it's too cold for paint right now (sadly) but it's been approved and everything works and is safe for 2021. The only problem right now is that my terribly heavy set haflinger has succesfully bent the ramp to oblivion. In my eyes, that is. I can't get it to close properly unless I literally smash it closed against the frame, and that's just super stressful for the horses inside, if I just loaded up, for example. I only just waterproofed the frame so any dirt, water, poop and pee, the usual, can't get to the wood. The problem is, she hasn't bent the wood - she bent the frame by napping on the ramp instead of going inside. She hasn't even spend that much time on the ramp, but it's clearly been enough. 

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get this thing straightened up without completely taking the ramp apart? I suppose I could possibly get it unhooked from the frame, but that makes it this whole thing and my trailer's not indoors, so any problems then would have to be straightened out (  )within the day, before the rain comes to demolish the trailer.

It's a Sluis (dutch) trailer from 1997. 
In red is where she bent it, so it's bent away from the trailer (not towards the body of the trailer)
I rammed it in there for this photo though. The middle part of the ramp also bends away from the trailer because that's exactly where she dallies.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

To me, if your ramp that easily bent in 2 locations to give issue of not a proper closure this is more than a simple nothing...this is the safety of your horse every use of the trailer you do.
Proper closure, safe entry and exit...
This maybe your DIY project, but there is a time to go speak to, have a professional see to give opinion and advice on how to proceed...
I think you just reached the point of needing a pro to look at this part of the project.

If your ramp bent this amount not under serious stress...a horse napping is nothing when compared to a sudden explosive stop to prevent a accident or a accident occur is not the time you want to find out your ramp is rotted far worse than you thought, the "frame" is broken in the ramp...
What right now is still a fairly easy fix to do....this is the time to make that essential part of your trailer safest and safer than it is that a hammer and brute force is needed to close and you with a amateurs eye can see a bend...
Oh please, get your trailer looked at by a professional for a evaluation...
A 1997 trailer, now nearly 2021 is 24 years old and you must expect fatigue of components it is made from regardless of metal, fiberglass, wood or anything else...its old and needs a serious looking at.
🐴 ...
_jmo..._


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## Selaya (Feb 24, 2013)

It was checked completely and other than the ramp, it's gone through and approved. Just because someone decides to do it DIY doesn't mean it's going to be done terribly. And just because it's +20 years old doesn't mean the entire frame is falling apart. You learn as you go. I have more trust in finding out how everything works myself than a mechanic, as, surprisingly, I got this from a mechanic. He was terrible at his own work on the trailer and had put in metal plates to disguise the rotten flooring. Several other issues and terrible 'let's just kinda wing it' moments he had later and we're left to pick up the pieces. So yeah, I will do this myself.  My trailer gets checked every year. Now I guess it's just time to replace the ramp. All I was interested in is experiences from people who have done work on their own trailer.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I do do work on my own trailer{s} and so does my husband...
He is a retired metal fabricator, fiberglass specialist and understands far more than most people ever will about stress to metal and other materials age can bring on.
It was his suggestion and my common sense that said have some experienced eyes look for hidden so you don't have exactly what you got going on be overlooked...
DIY is great and I've seen some beautiful restoration projects of all kinds...
You however are referring to structural issues when you can bend and rack a ramp that it now needs a hammer to close and secure shut..._maybe._
Sorry, to me, that is serious and not something to sneeze at but get some advice on how to proceed that *you* can then do.

Your trailer, your project, your horse{s} to safeguard in the vehicle...
It was only a suggestion...if it offended you,_ I'm sorry, was not the intention._
Good luck with your project. 
🐴 ...


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