Mantec Bridging Ladders
- Thread starter aluke0510
- Start date
It seems I may have found somebody to import them. This place in Oklahoma http://www.okoffroad.com says they should have a set for me sometime by April. Coming over by sea freight. Guessing they have other bits and pieces in a container... If interested it would be worth sending them an email as I don't know how many they are brining over.
Jonathan Hanson
Well-known member
I have a set of the Mantec bridging ladders. They are definitely superior for true bridging purposes, even over doubled waffle boards. However, they're heavy and much more of a pain to use as simple sand mats than MaxTrax-style boards. On the other hand they double decently as tables or, with one end raised on boards, work ramps to raise one end of the vehicle.
On the other hand of the weight and bulk issue though. So you have to double most other mats to be suitable for bridging but even then don't perform as well. The weight of 4 mats is comparable to a pair of the bridging ladders. Now one can say 4 mats is better than two since in sand it could be beneficial to have one for each tire or the extra length... Well I have never had much issue with front wheels sinking anywhere as near as bad as rear. Few vehicles have an equivalent weight on all 4 tires, most all end up with more on the rear.
The other side of the weight issue is by carrying bridging ladders you can increase the capability of a vehicle. So say you only run 30-31" tires and a mild or no lift. You can supplement that a lot with the bridging ladders and experience to go the same places as somebody with 34" tires and larger lift. The weight savings from having 5 tires 3-4" smaller and much less lift is far greater than the weight of even 4 bridging ladders. Not to mention lower centre of gravity, better fuel efficiency requiring you to haul less weight in fuel, braking and axle impacts of larger tires, etc. etc...
So there is a lot of my motivation. If you just look at bulk and weight numbers it doesn't tell the full story, where if a system is designed and integrated where all the limiting factors are really balanced out you can get a substantial weight savings by building a vehicle where something like these are utilised than overbuilding....
briding ladders
I agree with this analysis. ADDITIONALLY, some (like me, for instance) don't have enough garage door opening clearance to hAVE a lift or run 35s. ( I do expeditions and like to pack in my garage the night before.). To raise my garage door framing would cost me ~ $10,000+ since my house is 2-story. So using bridging ladders saves even MORE $$$ in this case.
So, for me, I run 33s (max before I have to change gearing, etc.) , no lift, skid-plated the entire bottom like the underside of a turtle, and will use the bridging ladders for those steps that would otherwise contact my front bumper, etc. I'm currently downselecting to the ones I ultimately will purchase so thank you to all for your comments and evaluations.:smiley_drive:
I agree with this analysis. ADDITIONALLY, some (like me, for instance) don't have enough garage door opening clearance to hAVE a lift or run 35s. ( I do expeditions and like to pack in my garage the night before.). To raise my garage door framing would cost me ~ $10,000+ since my house is 2-story. So using bridging ladders saves even MORE $$$ in this case.
So, for me, I run 33s (max before I have to change gearing, etc.) , no lift, skid-plated the entire bottom like the underside of a turtle, and will use the bridging ladders for those steps that would otherwise contact my front bumper, etc. I'm currently downselecting to the ones I ultimately will purchase so thank you to all for your comments and evaluations.:smiley_drive:
If you read the previous posts it was mentioned that you might get them from http://www.okoffroad.com/ or order directly from http://www.mantec.co.uk/productdetail.cfm?theProductID=E79F939C-15C5-F4C0-99C6FC6100BEB80B
It might be neat to have a set around, perhaps a group buy would generate some interest.
It might be neat to have a set around, perhaps a group buy would generate some interest.
I was hoping for a surplus option, to be honest. Did find this guy:
http://sandladder.net
I like his idea of welding an extra strip in.
And these folks:
http://www.calumetindustries.com/?page_id=176
A.
http://sandladder.net
I like his idea of welding an extra strip in.
And these folks:
http://www.calumetindustries.com/?page_id=176
A.
Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
You could get a laminated beam at a lumber yard. You might even luck into some 5' cutoff ends at a discount.
http://www.anthonyforest.com/stockglulam.shtml
http://www.anthonyforest.com/stockglulam.shtml
doug720
Expedition Leader
I have used many engineered wood products in buildings here in the US. In all the ones I've seen/used, the strength is only in the vertical height of the beam. When/if they are used horizontally, the load is placed on the weak wood grain structure and joints orientation. So you would need to carry a thick and quite heavy piece of engineered wood, and one that is quite narrow.
The only viable options I've seen to aluminum ramps, are the composite type, and some of those seem questionable.
08BrickFJC
Observer
i bought a pair of 5' steel PSPs for $15 and a cold bottle of water from a guy in the Lancaster/Palmdale area a couple of years ago. i don't recall the name of his co., he made his living cutting/scraping old aircraft and ripping up the decommissioned military runway out by the womens prison
Yeah-I want a pair also. Many folks DO get confused between a sand ladder and a BRIDGING ladder. Anyway, the Mantec Bridging Ladders WERE available about 6-8 months ago on the web for somewhere around $400.00, including the overseas shipping. Now I can't seem to find them...don't know why. I'm still trying to find them...
Yeah, I'd like to get some dimensions from those Man-Tec's, there are a couple good AL fab places local to me, including one that specializes in ramps. (They just don't make anything compact enough to be a viable bridging ladder.) Question for the Man-Tec owners, I've seen a picture of a set of them being used stacked, with one end placed in the middle of the other, to decrease the approach angle. Is there a pin or something else to retain them like that?
Matt
Matt
Jeremy P.
Adventurer
Here is what I have been working on for the last few months:
Each bridging ladder is four feet long and they connect as in the above photos to become an 8 foot span.
They also work great for traction, for example to get the front end out of a muddy rut to make a corner:
and when my pickup couldn't make it up a snowy, muddy hill on the way to our cabin:
These ramps are made out of steel but I am working on an aluminum design to cut down on weight.
Each bridging ladder is four feet long and they connect as in the above photos to become an 8 foot span.
They also work great for traction, for example to get the front end out of a muddy rut to make a corner:
and when my pickup couldn't make it up a snowy, muddy hill on the way to our cabin:
These ramps are made out of steel but I am working on an aluminum design to cut down on weight.