Did I see someone uses a 2X6 for ramps?????? Not very smart at all.

 

In "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," King Arthur's knights found their path blocked by what an old man told them was a "fearsome beast." The knights looked, and saw only a bunny rabbit. Scoffing at the warning, the knights proceeded, and were slaughtered mercilessly by the fearsome bunny rabbit, until the beast was dispatched with the escalated force of the Holy Hand Grenade . . .

Your question about ramps, MrElusive, reminds me of this scene in the movie. If you've never experienced adverse ramping conditions or witnessed a ramp mishap, the hazard may be hard to visualize, with a dry truck sitting level on a flat surface. The hazard remains real, however. Actually, ramps ARE scary, the source of many ATV accidents, including fatal ones.

An 800 pound or higher load of ATV and rider is supported by two narrow ramps, each with scant contact with the elevated surface of the truck bed or tailgate, maybe on uneven ground, maybe in slick mud/snow/ice/water conditions.

The truck suspension flexes with the added weight, the truck tires squish, the transmission slack allows the truck to roll slightly, the ramps slip because of the uneven surface and slick conditions--not many of these factors add up before a ramp falls to the ground, sliding rearward, or, sliding sideways--and, the ramps usually fall one at a time, toppling the ATV and rider.

While the fall is only three feet or so, you don't want to play catch with a 600 # quad with any part of your anatomy, even from that altitude.

Imagine what happens when an ATV engine dies halfway up and the rider grabs the brakes: the recoil of the descending weight after the stop can drop unsecured ramps with disastrous results.

Solution? Physically fasten the ramps to the truck with pins, bolts, ropes, cables, chains, whatever, but SOMETHING; then, you can load and unload safely wherever you find yourself, without the takeoff speed of Evel Knievel.

Diogenes

 

Ramps are dangerous. Period. After "wearing" 2 atv's that spun the ramps out while entering the truck, if one is not very cautious, loading into the truck can be more dangerous than riding hard all day. The best bet is to find some type of incline for easier loading/unloading.

 

Angela-Last summer one of the guys was loading a trailer off the side with a ramp. Now this trailer has one of those one foot siderails. He went so fast that the quad jumped the siderail and went right off the other side into a fence! That had to be the funniest thing I have ever seen. And do you think he would ever do that again?!! Sure he did... with my hubbys 400ex! That was the last time we used his trailer, we bought our own after that...

http://photos.yahoo.com/lilred300ex

 

Zorro-Another thing you can do is back it up to a ditch and ride your quad on from there. I have done that a few times. Makes getting into the bed of the truck much easier.

http://photos.yahoo.com/lilred300ex

00 400ex (his)
01 300ex (mine-not so blue anymore)

 

for the last couple of years ive been using ramps to load my quad, (ramparts) with 6' long 2x12's, i also painted them with a sand/paint mixture and for the most part they have been fine. Cant say its ever been "scary" , got intersesting a couple of times though, pouring rain & loading at night, all u see is sky when your driving up, and also trying to load with a rear flat (figured i would fix it at home) it just slides off. I found that I had to drill 2 holes in the ramp and in the tailgate and use pins so the ramps wouldnt kick out when loading.I finally broke down and bought a trailer (merry xmas to me) so I could keep my cap on for winter/hunting season and still take the quad. Now all I have to do is learn how to back up with that little trailer :-) Best of luck to u , ride safe & have fun Bob

 

I had a run in with ramps once. I was going up the ramp and i hit the gas slightly. Next thing i know I'm looking up at my Rancher doing a balancing act on the tailgate of my buddys truck. Luckily it didnt come back down on top of me. Now I have learned to use a ditch or just lift it in and out. By the way- I am 18--no where close to 40, and dont worry it still scares the heck out of me!!

 

Angelon400EX
Where did you come to ride in WV?

 

We did a 13 hr night ride from Coalwood near Welch. Rode from 9 at night until 10 the next morning and then took a 30 minute nap and rode all day into the night. We are going to Flatwoods in 2 1/2 wks. Might be a tad chilly. I am trying to get all the gear I need. Angela

 

Hey Angelon400EX
I am only about an hour from Flatwoods, but where do you ride at there? Is it private land or public?