For you guys that have used both is there any downside to the air ramps vs the regular hydraulics? Seems like it would give me more options on choosing a truck, or save me the cost of adding a wet kit.
If the air cylinders are properly sized and the geometry is right, it should work fine. make sure there is a lubricator in the system and be sure the ramps don't jiggle on the road, that will eat seals fast. It also wont hurt to have your compressor governor set for 130-140 PSI in colder weather.
The down side to the hydralic ramps that I used was the battery on the 12 volt pump gives up at the worst possible time and they can be real slow when its cold
I bought a new 20 ton trailer a couple years ago, I opted for the air ramps for a couple reasons, it uses the air from the air brake hook up so it’s simple, and I thought it was one less system to keep up with also. Where as the hydraulic rams come with its own self contained hydraulic pump located somewhere on the trailer, and it’s own 12 V battery to run it, like a AZ said, if your charging system for the battery isn’t working right, or the battery gets old, or it’s cold out, it could work slow or not at all, plus you have hydraulic hoses and fluid to look after. I personally want to make things as simple as possible and eliminate small problems that i would need to deal with instead of going to work…One note on the air ramp trailer though, in cold weather you definitely need to put alcohol in the lines so the valve doesn’t freeze....
I've got hyd ramps on our 54K tag. Retrofitted a pump and cylinders as the trailer originally had manual ramps which were a WC claim waiting to happen.. It was a fairly cheap add on. We ran a hot wire from the truck to the battery big enough to run the pump if the battery is dead. The "system" has been on the trailer for about 10 years and the two hydraulic cylinders are leaking and need to be replaced. They are the cheap Tractor Supply type cylinders - cheaper to buy new ones than to re-seal. I would like to try the air ramps out, seems like a superior system.
I ordered air ramps on 50 k felling and they work great ! Would do it again in a heartbeat !
glued these onto the back in 1983. Used a Monarch power pak with power up, and down and cheap tie rod cylinders. Had a valve stick in the pump body last year so purchased new valve cartridges directly from Bucher hydraulics, (Formerly Monarch) and all good now: The trailer does have a 12VDC battery installed and there is a single pin #2 gauge wire plug on the front by the glad hands. The ramps will operate from either the truck, or the battery which recharges from the truck.
Same system we rigged up on our tag trailer.
Yup. Simple, proven, and inexpensive. Everything was used or second hand when installed onto the trailer so have no idea as to actual age. The hydraulics are strong enough if you place a block under the ramp leg(s), you can raise the tires off the ground not needing a jack to change a tire.
I've been thinking about the same thing myself, to help lift the ramps on the tag. Was wondering about the air ramps, those that have them, how old are they and how long have you had them? Reason I'm asking is this, one of my detach lowboy's has/had air lock cylinders on the neck, when we first got the trailer it worked great, loved it, after a few years and many winters of use, and many new cylinders and air valves, we've switched it over the manual levers instead, the air one's never work and we can't keep them working for anything, not even after replacing with new many times over.
I've had my trailer with air ramps for 2 years and never touched anything, there has been something wrong with them since I bought it but still works, one of those things i've been meaning to fix, and the trailer is a 2012. To get them to go up without waiting like 5 minutes you just have to give one a little help starting, then they go up rest of the way fine. For going down it's about the same, and they generally fall to the ground instead of going down gently as they are suppose to. Been like that since I bought it 2 years and still working exactly the same.
Does your trailer have dedicated actual air cylinders or does it just use air brake canisters the same as for trailer or truck brakes? I've seen it done both ways before, not sure which is better.
The trailer I have uses the brake canisters, seems to work fine and my back appreciates it every time I put them up or down…
looking to add air or hydraulic assist to my tag, any pictures of the brake canister system, and after searching Butcher hydraulics assume that is a local company. As i did not find an online source for a catalog.
I will try to get some pics in the next day or two...
Mine uses a air cylinder I believe.
I can take some pictures when i'm at yard next. Mine is a BWS.
Just purchased a hydraulic pump for my 1ton dump, boucher pump. I have seen some air ramps from factory that use a large air bag, and some linkage.
I have 3 trailers with air ramps. They work great and never let me down. They all use air bags. My one trailer is 8 years old and the bags are due to be changed. Other than that they have been problem free.
Any way to get more pictures of the mechanism and bracketry and linkages from the bags all the way to the ramps. looking to add the air bags to my rams as they have absolutely nothing and takes two people to raise and lower them.