

| Subject: | Sand ramps (and mud ladders?) |
| From: | L. Chris Hager |
| Date: | Tue, 28 Oct 2014 09:51:39 -0700 |
20 years ago when we were taking a Vanagon to East Afri8ca, I( made a set of sand or mud 'ladders'. Went to Home Depot and bought one 8 ft length of expanded wire lath-- the see-through mesh that plasterers of old used as the base for interior walls. Cut the 8 footer into 2 four-foot sections. Then cut each of these lengthwise. Assuming you had a 32 in section (made to span two 16inch stud gaps) you now have four 4-ft sections, almost 16 inches wide. Grind or sand with a belt sander the ragged edges. Keep them over the engine, on a layer of cardboard, with another on top, then put your big foam pad back-- you'll never know they are there. Not getting traction: put one in front of each wheel. When you can get up on those, move forward (or back if you have to give up on forward) 3 ft or so, place the other pair under the ends of the first ones, and so on. I've gone close to 30 this way. But WARNING: the lath itself is sharp all over its surface, and esp. in mud, it can be hard to pull up to move forward. SO keep a pair of work gloves handy, too. Cheap, easy to store-- what's not to like?
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