Link Mfg. announced its newly redesigned LB20 family of ramps. The company says the family of LB20 ramps has been re-engineered to improve installation time, operational functionality and the end-user experience, with seven of the nine ramps now featuring two pull-style, gas-spring-assist lifting mechanisms. The two smaller and lighter of the nine ramps will come without it. The gas-spring devices are lighter weight, leading primarily to the ramps’ 25-lb. weight savings over the previous design, according to Link.
“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,” said Lynn Blake, senior account manager for Link. “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.”
Link says the reengineered LB20s provide improved clearance and less interference with steps and with both standard and extended bumpers. It added that the ramps 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 company explains that the ramps have a narrow, less than 8-in. silhouette, providing 34% more room in the cargo area over previous models.
“When in their upright, vertical folded position, the redesigned ramps now take up less than eight inches of horizontal space just inside the door,” Blake said. “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.”
The 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. Link tells us the LB20 ramps will have consolidated part numbers and ship fully assembled with attached base plate, wheels and gas springs on the applicable seven models.
Link LB20 ramps will be commercially available in Q2 of 2024.
