It is important to choose the best ramps for your truck to ensure that it will hold the weight of your heavy vehicle. Car ramps are not all the same, they can perform differently from others so it can be hard to choose. I decided to do some research on this and compile a list of the best heavy-duty car ramps for big trucks. You can also use these for any car they will just be a little overkill with how sturdy and beefy they will be.
So, what is the best car ramp for a heavy-duty truck? The absolute best heavy-duty truck ramps for your big truck is the OTC 5269 20-Ton capacity wide truck ramp pair. This brand of heavy-duty truck ramps is great for its 20-ton capacity and ability to work on tires up to 16-inch tire width. These things are beefy and come with wheels for extra mobility around your garage. If you are looking for a more budget option that will still hold up to 12,000lbs (6-tons) you can go with the BUNKERWALL BW4211 10-ton ramps.
Heavy-duty truck ramps are important to your truck because it helps you do oil changes easily and allows you to be safe under your big truck. If you were to use just your standard car ramps you would likely be pushing them beyond their weight capacity and putting yourself at risk. You should rely on something built for heavy-duty trucks and can withstand the weight of a big Ford F-350 or Dodge Ram. The beauty is that you can always use the heavy-duty ramps on any smaller car with no problems, but you can’t use cheap car ramps on a heavy-duty truck without putting yourself at risk.
Table of Contents
Heavy Duty Ramps for Trucks
1 OTC 5269 20-Ton Wide Truck Ramps
“works just fine with 45 feet bus elevating the drive axle”
This brand of truck ramps is known to be reliable for its functions and durability. OTC truck ramps have a reputation of being sturdy enough to be used with semi-trucks. This set is definitely overkill for your standard Toyota Tacoma or light-duty truck. However, if you’re driving around a Ford F-350 with a curb weight of between 7,000 and 9,000lbs these will be more than sturdy enough to handle the weight.
It is made of metal which makes its durability pretty sturdy. It is to last for years and thousands of uses and even has wheels that allow you to wheel these around your garage or shop easily.
| Pros | Cons |
| Hold up to 20 tons or 40,000lbs (RV’s, Semi-Trucks, Busses) | Price higher than most DIYers want to pay ($500-650+) |
| There is a non-slip design meaning no truck ramps skidding away when you drive up on them. | Heavy (Pair together weighs around 300lbs) |
A few other great things about this truck ramp is that you can use on tires up to 16 inches wide. On most other car ramps, even heavy-duty ones you will find they only go up to 6-10″ wide tires. People also use these ramps for working on tractors and other small heavy equipment.
2 BUNKERWALL BW4211 10-ton ramps
“Very heavy duty, well built”
These heavy-duty truck ramps are quite a bit cheaper than the OTC 20-ton ones. They don’t come with nearly the same weight rating (half as much weight,) but are very sturdy and well-liked by customers. No fancy wheels, handles, or any extra features– quite simply just quality ramps made to hold up heavy-duty trucks. They also work perfectly well for cars and many people buy them for that purpose. I like having car ramps that are built to hold much more weight than I am asking them too, after all, they are all that protects you from your car or truck and the ground.
These ramps have a reputation of being one of the toughest around. The pair can withstand 20,000lbs! Which is a whole lot of weight! People use these ramps for working on motorhomes all the time without any trouble.
The only downside to these heavy-duty truck ramps is their rubber feet. They tend to slide around when trying to drive your car up the ramps. Pro tip: you can always attach a strap to the bottom of the ramps (tie it) then run the strap straight back under your car’s rear tires). As you drive up the ramps the strap will get pulled under the tires and keep the ramps from slipping. Read here for a guide on how to do it.
| Pros | Cons |
| Durable, reliable, & made of a heavy duty plastic (only 20lbs each) | Rubber Feet may slip if working on wet concrete or anything other than a dry concrete floor |
| Can hold up to 20,000 lbs (10 tons) | Made of plastic (do not leave outside in the suns UV rays) |
| Heavy-duty built and very reasonably priced |
Unlike the OTC truck ramps, these are made from a heavy duty plastic. They are heavy-duty but save a ton of weight by being made of plastic not metal like the OTC brand. The drawback is that you really should not leave these ramps outside in the weather and sun or the plastic may start to degrade over time.
Buyer’s Guide to Heavy-Duty Truck Ramps
Durability
This is probably one of the most important things to look for in a car/truck ramps. You may be surprised to learn that a product which has close to 5 stars and tons of reviews isn’t actually durable. That is because a lot of people will use these ramps once or twice and then they sit in the garage never to be used again. Dig deeper and you will find people that use the ramps consistently have had broken ramps and dangerous situations.
If you were to buy a cheap car ramp and if it were to crack while you are doing an oil change or underneath your truck, you can have a life or death situation. Heavy duty ramps are about saving time when you want to change oil or get your truck/RV/car off the ground quick. You can always add jack stands after getting the car up on the lift for added security, but then you lose all the time saved by having the ramps.
All the complaints that can be caused by cheap and faulty ramps can be prevented with ones of higher quality. Everyone will want to use your high-quality ramps because they are easier to get cars up on, fit every style truck and size, and don’t make you feel like the car could come crashing down at any moment.
They should be able to withstand the cold and even extreme heat. One thing many heavy-duty truck ramp owners say is to check the warranty that the companies offer.
The better the offer, the better your choice is likely to be.
Maximum Weight
Most car ramps can only handle a small amount of weight. They would be unsafe to use on an RV, heavy-duty truck, or tractor. Though, there are some levelers that can hold a very large amount of weight. Make sure to know the weight of your truck/RV/tractor before you buy your chosen ramp pair.
It would be unfortunate to have a broken ramp because you did not know the weight restrictions.
Easy to Use
If you can manage to set up your truck ramps when you are alone then it is probably one of your better choices. Something that is easy to manage and not too heavy. If you have a bad back and want to be able to store the truck ramps out of the way (in the corner of your garage for example) stick with the plastic style ones that don’t weigh nearly as much as the metal ones. Just make sure they can actually hold the weight of your vehicle.
Price
This aspect of choosing a heavy-duty truck ramp is a major concern to any DIYer or mechanic. You want something you can rely on and is durable but something that is worth the money.
I encourage you to think about heavy-duty truck ramps in terms of trusting your life in their hands. Just like with jack stands, I highly encourage you to spend more money than the cheapest style that meets your weight restrictions.
Types of Heavy Duty Truck Ramps
There are two main types of ramps for working on trucks and cars. One style is made of plastic and the other made of metal.
Metal ramps are always more sturdy and durable than plastic ones. The ramps that are used on semi-trucks, buses, and big RV’s are always going to made of metal. If you have a big beefy truck and want to be sure your ramps will support your vehicle, buy the metal kind which is rated over the weight of your vehicle. For example, the 20-ton OTC ramps will easily support any truck on the market in 2021 that you can buy without a commercial license. Even then, it will work on huge buses and even semi-trucks.
Plastic Ramps are less expensive, lighter, and can be way more dangerous. If you buy the cheapest plastic ramps on the market then you will find they may put you in an unsafe position. Plastic ramps tend to be way lighter and therefore slide around a lot more when you are trying to drive your vehicle up on to the ramps.
Though you can easily place a rubber mat underneath the ramps to stop it from moving. Or do the ratchet strap ramp trick here.
Related Questions
How much lift do truck ramps provide?
It depends on the brand and model of the ramps you are buying. This can be the hardest number to find when buying ramps. Most standard ramps that aren’t “high-lift” will get you around 5-7″ of lift. Enough to make an oil change easier, but sometimes not enough to fit a creeper underneath the car. Make sure to buy truck ramps that have enough lift so you can fit under the vehicle easily.
Can you make your own truck ramps?
You can make your own heavy-duty truck ramps by getting wood cutting it down and screwing them together so you make a ramp. Use thick strong wood and strong screws and glue. Make them as wide and as high as you need, but do not make them too high up and dangerous. The only downside to doing this is the wood is pretty heavy and you can have trouble making them right so the car/truck is able to drive up them without sliding or hitting itself.
Are car ramps rated in pairs or individually?
In 2021, car and truck ramps should be rated as a pair. If it says they are 20-ton truck ramps then they can each hold 10 tons when used as a pair. This is the same rating system that is used for jack stands. Before 2015 jack stands and ramps may have been sold and rated as individual units, but that has since changed. Make sure the ramps can hold more than your vehicle’s weight as a pair to be safe.
What car ramps do I need for a Honda car?
I would stick with car ramps that are able to support at least 2/3 tons. The bigger thing to look for is a brand and model of car ramps that have great reviews and are durable. Trust me, there are plenty of car ramps that are cheap and plastic that have broken the first time someone has used them. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather spend a little more money and not have to risk my life under my car doing an oil change.
Are harbor freight truck ramps any good?
For lighter cars and small SUVs, you will be okay using harbor freight ramps. Just make sure you get the best kind they offer and that they will hold the weight of your vehicle. However, if your truck is bigger than a Toyota Tacoma I would highly suggest buying higher-quality ramps from a known brand.
Check out my post on the top 10 cool tools for car repair recommended by a group of professional mechanics!
