Just when you thought high school maths was behind you… here comes trigonometry, back in action — and this time, it’s actually useful. When it comes to choosing the right Loading Ramp for your machinery, understanding the angle of your load and the clearance of your machine makes a real difference.

Let’s break down the key things you need to know to make sure your Ramp setup is safe, practical, and suited to your gear.

Why Ramp Length Matters

The length of your Ramps plays a major role in determining how steep your loading angle is — and that angle directly affects the safety and ease of loading.

For most standard applications, the ideal loading angle is somewhere between 18° and 22°. That’s the sweet spot recommended by both engineers and seasoned operators. A Ramp that’s too steep becomes risky, especially when loading heavier equipment. But the slope isn’t the only thing that matters…

If you’re working with low clearance machinery, like scissor lifts or mowers, you’ll need to pay special attention to your approach angle, departure angle, and ramp-over angle:

• Approach/Departure Angle: The points where the machine first touches or leaves the Ramp at ground level.
• Ramp-Over Angle: Where the machine transitions from the Ramp to the deck of the truck or Trailer.

In these cases, even a standard loading angle can be too much, which means the Ramp may need to be longer to reduce the slope and prevent your machine from bottoming out.

How Do You Know If Your Machine Will Clear?

That’s where our clearance check comes in.

If we think clearance might be an issue, we’ll ask you to send through key measurements of your machine and transport setup. From there, we sketch a simulation of your load-up process.

This helps us spot any contact points between your machine and the ground, Ramp, or truck and fine-tune the Ramp design accordingly.

Some Key Factors We Consider:

• Deck height of your truck or Trailer
• Machine clearance points
• Handling practicality (because Ramps need to be moved too!)

The (Not-So-Scary) Maths Behind It

The slope angle is worked out using this formula:

Ramp Length = Deck Height / sin(angle)

Not a fan of plugging numbers into a calculator? Don’t worry — we’ve taken the guesswork out of it. Below is a quick reference table to help you choose the right Ramp length for your deck height while staying within that safe 18°–22° angle range.

If your truck has a deck height of 1050mm, for example, then a 2900mm or 3300mm Ramp will likely be your best bet — depending on your machine’s clearance requirements.

Still Unsure?

If you’re not sure whether your current Ramps are long enough — or you’re buying a new machine and want to make sure your Ramps will still do the job — we’ve got you covered.

Start by using our Loading Ramp Calculator to find a solution that best suits your specific Ramp needs. Just enter your machine’s weight, track type/width, and deck height, and the calculator will show you all the available products suited to you.

Still nothing that fits quite right? Get in touch with our team. We’re more than happy to run a clearance check, simulate your load, and even look into a custom Ramp option designed specifically for your machine.

Because while trigonometry might not have been your favourite subject in school, we’re here to make it easy — and make sure your next load-up isn’t a scrape, drag, or dent waiting to happen.