Efficiency
Which Cargo Van Ramp Width is Best for My Business?
04
Oct
Oct
Even the most experienced artists will be prevented from reaching their true potential without the proper brushes. How could Van Gogh have ever composed his infamous “Starry Night” using only a fan brush, one of the widest types of paint brushes specializing in blending colors and subtle texture but unfit for most other types of strokes he would’ve needed from his brush?
Incredibly gifted artists rely on their tools to reinforce their talents, and why should your business be any different? Just as the width of your brush can enhance or detract from your painting, the perfect width of a cargo van ramp that both fits into your van and fits your business’s needs will reinforce and enhance your already impressive business.
Even the most experienced artists will be prevented from reaching their true potential without the proper brushes. How could Van Gogh have ever composed his infamous “Starry Night” using only a fan brush, one of the widest types of paint brushes specializing in blending colors and subtle texture but unfit for most other types of strokes he would’ve needed from his brush?
HandiRamp’s Selection of Cargo Van Ramps
HandiRamp currently offers three different widths of cargo or sprinter van ramp. The slimmest clocks in at 36 inches, then 45 inches, and finally 52 inches.
There are also five length options, the shortest being the 7 ft Short ramp, then the 9 ft Medium ramp, the 10.5 ft Long ramp, the 12 ft Extra Long ramp, and finally the 15 ft Extra-Extra Long ramp. Each width variation is available in whichever length option best suits your business’s commercial vans and specific needs.
The Short, Medium, and Long ramps are all bi-fold ramps meaning they consist of two equal ramp sections that fold up together to be stowed vertically in your van when not in use. These three cargo ramps are also two different capacity options of either 1000 lbs or 1500 lbs. The Extra Long and Extra-Extra Long ramps are tri-fold ramps and are also available in all three widths but only offer the 1500 lbs capacity option. The tri-fold Extra Long and Extra-Extra long ramps take up to 6 more inches inside the cargo van while stored.
Which Cargo Van Ramp Will Fit in My Vehicle?
While admittedly a straightforward issue, making sure the loading ramp you select actually fits in your van is a crucial first step in selecting the perfect width. Depending on your make and model of cargo or sprinter van, the space available or load height can vary drastically and only certain widths may be feasible for your business.
If you operate more heavily in an urban setting and utilize a smaller van instead to best accommodate the narrow roads and small parking spaces, you will most likely prefer a more narrow ramp as a wider ramp — such as the 52” — would be cumbersome to use in such a setting. It also likely would not fit in your smaller cargo van. On the contrary, if your business frequently unloads heavy equipment and uses larger vans, a wider ramp would have the necessary space for the equipment and would ease the loading and unloading process.
You can determine which width of aluminum loading ramp fits your ramps best in one of two ways. You could manually measure the rear door opening width and height along with the load height from the ground to the floor of your van yourself and use those measurements to determine which ramps are best suited. Or, thanks to HandiRamp, you could automatically and effortlessly complete this procedure using our Cargo Van Ramp Configurator. This incredible tool can identify which of our ramps will fit in your specific cargo van using just the make, model, and year of your van, with no extra manual measuring or legwork required on your end!
How to Select the Best Cargo Van Ramp Width for Your Business
The individual needs of your business will change how you can best operate a commercial van ramp. Light deliveries will only need a slim ramp while the transportation of large or heavy shipments, especially those too heavy to be carried by hand, will need a wider ramp. A good rule of thumb is to ensure your cargo van ramp is always several inches wider than the widest cargo you will be moving via that ramp.
For example, a landscaping company owns a small fleet of commercial push lawn mowers which it uses to mow its customers’ lawns. The Husqvarna W520, a popular commercial lawn mower, is around 22 inches wide so luckily, this landscaping company would have free range to select any of the three ramp widths they so desire. Even the 36” ramp is moderately wider than the mower, leaving enough room to load and unload their W520s with relative ease.
If the landscaping company wishes to expand their mower selection with some riding mowers there is still a HandiRamp for them. If they purchase the Husqvarna Z146, which is 48” wide with its chute up, the widest 52” ramp will work perfectly for both mowers in their fleet.
Another example would be an HVAC repair company that makes frequent installations of home air conditioning units, loading and unloading them from their cargo vans using dollies. All of HandiRamp’s width variations will work for this HVAC company’s frequent unloading of AC units via dolly. Several of the most popular AC units are under the 30” and could easily be unloaded via the 36” ramp. Some of the larger models — including the 32” wide Haier QPWA14YZMW, the 32” wide LG LP1419IVSM, and the 34” wide Midea MAP14HS1TBL — could also be loaded and unloaded using our slimmest ramp but it may be slightly easier with the 45” medium width.
Your Next Steps
In general, regardless of what you are hauling in your cargo van, a HandiRamp commercial van ramp will make the process considerably easier. From those loading and unloading appliances via dolly to those driving mowers and other landscaping equipment up and down the ramp, the application of the correct width cargo van ramp — either 36”, 45”, or 52” — for your specific model van and your business’s specific needs will help make any business even more efficient and successful.
If you’ve decided which cargo van ramp width is perfect for your business, click here to browse through our selection. If you have any lingering questions, please call our friendly ramp experts at 866-833-0314 to discuss anything from delivery to pre or post-installation help to custom solutions.
