Link Mfg. announced the introduction of its newly redesigned LB20 family of ramps this week.
Link says its family of LB20 ramps has been reengineered to significantly improve installation time, operational functionality and the end-user experience. Seven of the nine ramps now each feature two pull-style, gas-spring-assist lifting mechanisms. The gas-spring devices are lighter weight, leading primarily to the ramps’ 25-pound weight savings and providing greater lift assistance, meaning less exertion and lifting force required by users, the company says.
“With their new gas-spring-assist feature, Link’s LB20 ramps are now even easier to deploy and stow, making them ideal for vehicles that use their ramps with greater frequency,” says Lynn Blake, senior account manager for Link Mfg. “And with older individuals and females making up an ever-increasing percentage of the workforce, the reduced lifting effort and increased ease of use will be greatly appreciated.”
Fitted with their slimmer gas springs, Link says its reengineered LB20s provide significantly greater clearance and less interference with steps and with both standard and extended bumpers. The ramps now feature a lower-profile transition threshold at their top, making it easier and smoother for dollies and other wheeled equipment to enter and exit the vehicle. When stowed, the ramps have a narrow, less than 8-in., silhouette, providing 34 percent more valuable room in the cargo area.
“When in their upright, vertical folded position, the redesigned ramps now take up less than 8 inches of horizontal space just inside the door,” Blake says. “Now our ramps can be mounted even closer to the doors and can be quickly accessed, opened and then closed again and out of the way in seconds. And unlike hydraulic liftgates and small electric cranes, Link ramps require no training to operate, enabling workers to start using them immediately after installation.”
Link says its LB20’s new base plate has also been reduced to 11 in., in depth and now features a larger mounting pattern to accommodate more mounting holes and fastener sizes, making installation even easier for upfitters. Link LB20 ramps will now have consolidated part numbers and will ship fully assembled with attached base plate, wheels and gas springs on the applicable seven models. Customers will continue to experience the industry-best lead times with fully assembled LB20 ramp units. Link is also happy to drop ship ramps on a just-in-time basis through a Link-certified dealer, the company says.
Link ramps are designed to meet a wide variety of uses, with dimensions ranging from 24 to 47 in., in width, comfortably accommodating standard hand trucks and other cargo conveyance and wheeled equipment. Link’s bifold ramp lengths vary from 72 to 135 in., and extended LT30 ramp models reach 119 inches and feature adjustable support mechanisms for added stability.
A 42-in., by 108-in., version of the LB20 ramp is also available, catering to an array of applications. The 42-in., wide ramp is perfect for fleets and vehicles serving the last-mile delivery segment that don’t have to deploy ramps at every stop, because it leaves enough room for door entrance and egress without being unfolded.
Seven of the nine LB20 models will be available with the spring-assist feature, and the two smaller and lighter of the nine ramps will come without it. All models will now also come with Link’s wheel kit as a standard feature, which will allow the ramps to deploy and retract on a wide variety of surface angles and materials more smoothly.
LB20 ramps are and have always been designed for reliability and durability, using extruded high-strength aluminum. The extensive line of nine LB20 sizes provides an option for virtually any application.
“Link ramps are designed to be so robust, our upfitter customers tell us that they often outlast more than one vehicle,” says Blake. “Whereas liftgates and cranes can drain vehicle batteries, they also require significantly more maintenance and cost between two and four times more to purchase and install than a ramp, making ramps far more practical.”
