Who makes the best ramps (cheap) to get my quad into my pickup??

Thanks, Tom

 

Make your own ramps...
I cut 2X8's, to ~6' to fit in the bed of my truck. Then took some 1/4" metal and had it bent to ~30degrees, 4 holes, 4bolts, and they work like a charm.

 

They have ramp kits at Wal-mart, Home depot, etc. In the kit is two top ramp pieces and two bottom rubber pieces and all you have extra to buy is the two boards. I think I spent $30.00 total. After using them alot I found them too heavy to lug around so I bought some aluminum ramps from Ramp Masters in VT. They are very light and they hook onto the truck so they won't slip out. I think I paid 150. to $ 175 for these and they were worth it. Let a 500 Lb atv shoot the boards out one time and come down hard on the tailgate and you'd wish you had invested in a good pair. Luckily I watched someone else smash their tailgate before I did mine.

 

Got a set of trifold aluminum ramps at Lowes for $114. Capacity is 1500 lbs. They have chains with hooks so you won't kick em out from under you. Lightweight and when folded, fit nicely between your quad wheels in the truckbed. Northern has the same ramps, but are $129 (at the one here).

 

You said cheap. Improvising, making your own ramps as suggested, is the cheap way to go.

Whatever you do make sure you have some POSITIVE way to fasten the ramps to the truck bed or tailgate; cables/ropes/chains/clamps/notches/bolts/whatever. Serious, even deadly accidents happen loading/unloading ATV's.

I got some galvanized steel ramps from "portable parking lot," auto transport trailer salvage, sawed 'em to fit the pickup bed (they're 12' long initially), cut some slots in 'em to fit over a piece of angle iron I screwed down to keep 'em from dropping their load or sliding. Worked like a champ, cheap, but heavy and cumbersome (I know where a whole PILE of these things are, if anyone's interested).

Now, however, I have ramps that are anything but cheap--Gered Marketing folding tailgate/ramp; you've probably seen 'em on lawn care trucks. At that, they only cost twice what an OEM Ford stock tailgate costs, and I had to replace mine anyway. That's my story to my wife and I'm sticking to it! Everything's o.k., even she likes the tailgate/ramp, calling it a "work of art."

Tree Farmer

 

Tree (if I may call you that),

With all respect to Tomohio's original post, I would like to ask you about your folding tailgate. Does it bi or tri fold? Is it electric/hydraulic? How high does your truck sit? What is (aprox) the angle/grade up to the bed? Do they have a website? It sounds like a nifty, albeit not cheap, setup.

 

I would spend alittle extra money to be safer, than sorry. Anytime you go with the cheaper product you will usually have a less durable, reliable product. If it was me, i would spend alittle extra and buy the safest ramps. It really depends on how heavy your fourwheeler is too. My timberwolf is no where near as heavy as a Grizzly or Recon, so i wouldn't have to buy as heavy duty ramps as a Grizz owner would.

Tree Farmer, Can I call ya Tree?? how bout Farmer??... how bout Farmer of Tree?? or how bout Woody??. hahaha



------------------
Jeremy Cross

1993 Yamaha *turbo* t-wolf