What is the slope of a car ramp?
2 Answers
The slope of a car ramp generally does not exceed 15%. At the entrance and exit, the straight gentle slope within a range of 3.6 meters is 7.5%, and the curved gentle slope within 2.4 meters is 7.5%. This is to prevent the front and rear chassis of the vehicle from scraping. Below are detailed explanations: Intersection slope requirements: The distance from the entrance and exit of an underground garage to the intersection of the base road or the starting point of the elevated road should not be less than 7.50m; the slope is 7.5%. Entrance and exit to underground garage ground slope setting requirements: A gentle slope of not less than 7.5 meters with a slope of 7.5% should be set between the entrance and exit and the underground garage ground, and a buffer of not less than 7.5 meters with a slope of 7.5% should be set between the entrance and exit and the outdoor ground. The maximum slope in the middle section is 15%, and the length of the slope is determined by the indoor and outdoor height difference. Safety distance requirements: When the entrance and exit of an underground garage are perpendicular to the road, the entrance and exit should maintain a safety distance of not less than 7.50m from the road red line; there is also a 2-meter line-of-sight requirement without obstruction, totaling 9.5 meters without line-of-sight obstruction.
I usually enjoy tinkering with car ramps and think the steepness of the ramp is crucial. The standard garage ramp slope is typically at a ratio of 1:12, which converts to about 8.33% in percentage terms, meaning for every 12 meters of flat distance, there's a 1-meter rise in height. If it's too steep, exceeding 15%, an SUV might still handle it, but a sedan's undercarriage will suffer, prone to scraping or slipping. It gets worse in rainy weather when tires lose traction. I've worked on many cars and seen steep ramps with a 20% slope—owners complained they couldn't climb them and had to resort to tow ropes to get the job done. For safety, I recommend keeping it under 10% and regularly checking the ramp angle with a level to ensure smooth garage entry. This is especially important for older car models, as newer ones are less finicky. In short, a steep slope not only damages the car but also increases the risk of accidents, leading to costly and frustrating repairs.
