Stupid really does hurt.This morning i was loading up to go for a ride after a fresh 5" snowfall.Lined everything up and proceeded to drive up.Got almost to the top when the right front wheel slipped off and just tipped over and me and the rubicon upside down.The atv shut off by itself and i carefully crawled out from underneath.Realizing i was not dead i made several attemps to turn it right side up.Nothing major just abig bruise on my lower side and shoulder.It felt like it happend in slow motion.I did not no if i shoudve jumped off?

The rubicon sufferd only tweeked speedo console and the remote braket for the winch on the handle bars got mashed.I cant tell if anything else got damaged.I started it back up and put the plow back on and finished my driveway.All plans of going for a ride just went down the toilet.

Whats your opinion on this:

I could use the winch to load it by getting a couple of small hooks smaller than the winch hook.Take some vynal coated cable,put the hooks on my factory cargo tie downs on my chevy silverado and winch it up the ramp.

Will those cargo hooks hold?

Bottom line is dont drive your quad up your ramp in the snow,it wont work.

Later,shawn[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

I would check your fluids and make sure nothing mixed in with aything else.

 

Glad you're OK!!!

I've never fallen off, but it's been close. What I did is in my lot out back I dug a trench about 18" deep and two feet across the width of the truck. Just put the back tires of the truck in the trench to drop the rear end and loading is a piece of cake. When I get where I'm going I usually have no problem finding a high or low spot to use the same way. I also use my tie-downs to attach the ramps to the trailer hitch to keep them from slipping out when the front tires go over them.

That Rubicon must be a hell of a machine to have on top of you!

 

Another thing to watch is cables on the tailgate that break under such a load. I have heard about it happening two different ways. One guy reported to me that one of his cables pulled out from the crimped end. Another reported that his broke from rust that developed due to a crack in the plastic sheathing.

Of course the safest method is drop the tailgate down completely and rest the end of the ramps on the edge of the bed and not the tailgate.
However on some trucks the bumper gets in the way.

 

Ranger,
I dont know what kind of ramps you are using. I use the alluminum tri-fold ramps. They have chains that I hook into the latch where the tailgate posts fall into when closed. I have loaded my rancher or recon in the truck probably 80 times and never have come close to falling off. Especially with a 4wd you should have absolutley no probs with ramps like mine. I have seen every kind of home made kind of ramps/planks and I would not want to drive up them. Do yourself a favor and invest in the tri-fold ramp. Hope this helps.

Ryan

 

To add to hogmaster's good advise, get the WIDE tri-fold ramp. The standard tri-flod is usually 45-46". The 50" wide ramp is MUCH safer.

 

If this occurs again for some reason, when you realize the atv is gonna flop over, by all means get away from the atv in any way possible .

 

I use a set of 2x12"s and a metal bracket on the end that is bent slightly to set perfectly on the tailgate.
I did the same thing as earthraper for a while, but had a problem unloading it at my buddy's farm, we just drove it off the truck, with nothing, it's a Polaris, it was ok.
But since the wood does get pretty slick, my buddy put plates of metal, similar to that of a cheese shredder(if you know what i'm talking about, lots of holes and the grip really good) on his boards, has no problems.
I only came close to falling off once, the boards had sat out over night for a ride, and got frost on them the next morning, they were very slick, rear tire darn near slide off.
Sometimes I think it is safer just to run it up in there quick rather than being careful about it.

 

<< Got almost to the top when the right front wheel slipped off and just tipped over and me and the rubicon upside down. >>



Glad to hear the only thing hurt was your pride.
What type of ramp are you using? If they are just wood you need to screw on some sort of traction device! My ramps are made of stamped steel and have many grip edges on them that stick up about 3/8&quot;(get the idea?). I have loaded in sleet/snow many times and NEVER slipped even a little! Also I drilled through my ramps and tailgate(now flatbed) and when I load I just drop a couple of pins through the holes and my ramps CANNOT come loose from the truck.(I never trusted the tiedowns to bumper idea, besides it's too time consuming)
I have used this system the last 5 years and no mishaps. The truck bed is 44&quot; off the ground so it is a steep load angle too.

 

I have had it slip off when I was in far enough to barely stay on the tailgate. I was tottering and couldn't move until my brother got to me and held it until I climbed off! After that I found some good indoor-outdoor (not the vinyl stuff but the kind like they use in boats) carpet and covered the top side for traction. I haven't had trouble since then.