Sounds like some real cheasy ramps. I built my trailer myself. Used Steel ramps from Harbour Freight tools. Gave $39 for them, they are around 6ft and dont bend at all with over 700lb. They are not super wide but I mounted them permanent on a bar so they slide and adjust for different ATVs but cannot move while being used. Gonna put a pic on my gallery page on of these days.

 

I had a four foot expanded metal ramp on my last trailer. It worked well, but catches some wind when driving. With gas prices high, I am looking for a better solution. I just bought a 14x5 to carry two ATVs. The trailer manfg. declined to make a folding ramp. They said a couple of customers have lost fingers. They suggested a 3' ramp instead of 4'. I am currently using a bifold aluminum ramp. I cut one of the hinge pins to allow me to spread the two sides wider. I stumbled across a couple of reviews/articles you might find useful. There is some advertising there too. ( as if that is a surprise ) Take a look if you like.

http://www.mimag.com/atv_ramp_reviews.htm


and a second one you might like

https://atvconnection.com/D...ng-Ramp-Technique.cfm


Another tip: I hate to have problems when I can get a little recreation time. Trailer lights can be a never ending problem. The LED trailer lights are worth the money. They are about $50. They require little voltage, so problems that will affect standard lights don't create any problem. No bulbs to burn out. They are also permanently sealed so water is not a problem. The standard ones are vented, because they get hot. I used the LED trailer lights duck and goose hunting for years and never had a failure. ( there were many failures with the standard lights )

 

Well folks, even Ol DB has had an accident or two loading. I'll tell you how it can happen, since last Tuesday I did the very same thing, and I definately know what I am doing. I have a ramp that folds in half long wise. It is hinged in the middle so it takes up very little space. When I bought it, it was plenty wide enough for my Warrior and son's blaster. Now that I have large Utes, it barely is wide enough.. with No margin for error. Last Tuesday, I was side loading. I got the Rubicon's front wheels on the trailer and then the rear tires spun ever so slightly. When that happened, the rear slid to the right, and the right rear dropped off the ramp. Slick tires from riding over wet grass. Not a very steep incline, but just enough to drop the wheel off the ramp and over she goes. It was a slow roll, and I pretty much controlled it down to the ground, but I did have to put myself between it and my other car. (Dumb move DB, Dumb move) Yup, you guessed it, I managed to hurt the same right leg that has had 7 knee surgeries and a crushed ankle that is held together with steel plates and 12 screws... Been limping ever since. Got some nice bruises too. You take a 600 pound Rubicon and have it roll on top of you and you are pinned. There is no way to get it off of you. What made it even worse, is that everyone else was still in bed sleeping. No matter how much I yelled, I could not wake anyone else up to help get it off me. Luckily I ALWAYS carry my cell phone (Wonderful tool)... and I was able to call my wife and wake her up. Of course I had to endure a couple hours of foolish old man comments after that. I tried my best John Wayne impression and walked upright until I got out of her sight and then curled up like a baby and really let teh world know how much it hurt. Don't let Mrs DB know it though. Old IRON man has a reputation to uphold now...

Any way, when I got home from riding, I took a grinder and cut the hinge part so the ramps can now pull apart, and I can center them on the tires no matter how wide the machine is now. I had always thought about doing it... just wish I had done it before I had the pleasure of taking inventory of all the gravel in my driveway the hard way.. Face first.

Also, a lot depends on the type of machine you are loading. If you are using a 4x4, you might get by with shorter ramps. Sport machines are lighter though.. so what ever you get, make sure the ramp surface has some fudge factor in case the machine slides sideways like mine did.

I sure like those tri fold ramps from Northern that are talked about up above... If I eve need a new set, I'd sure take a hard look at them... And YES, I had my helmet on, and my chest protector... even when I load them, I gear up. I didn't have my Tech IV's on, but I did have my over the ankle leather boots that I always wear on, so that counts...

 

Ouch DB, hope your leg and ankle are okay and nothing too serious happened other than a lil bruised pride. Ramps have to be one of the most dangerous parts of ATV usage. It all seems so basic and simple and causes some of the most injuries in this sport. I made my own ramps out of 2x12's and bolted bent 1/4" steel plates onto them which then are placed on my trailer and i drop pins thru them into the trailer to keep them in place. they are fine for dry weather loading but if they are wet or snowy, i wont use them just no sense in risking it.

 

I think there must be a million different models out here... WHo knows what is best or not. Certainly they all carry some risk... and I knew better. I was going to cut them apart over two years ago when I loaded my Rubicon for the first time... but I got away with it... and again and again. I should have had another person out there spotting me too. But I wanted to let my son and son in law sleep a little longer, and heck, I have done it a ton of times before right? Also, the wet grass added some danger too. I just got complacent. And THAT is when you get hurt. When I hurt the knee the first time, I was screwing around then too. I have had to bear with this for the past 4 to 5 years because of a few seconds of thrills. When I was young, I could get up and shake it off. All that crashing and abuse catches up with you when you get older. All of a sudden, you find yourself wanting to write checks your body can't cash. I blame myself... I think this is why some of us old guys are so vocal about safety and responsible riding. We know what the end game is like. It isn't pretty.
The leg isn't much worse than it was before... you are right, most of the damage was to my pride. I mean, how do you preach safety to your kids when you go and have a problem... I let them know right away that danger lurks everywhere. And THAT is why I always insist they wear their gear. Even the best can have problems.

 

I quit using dangerous ramps 10 years ago. Today I pulled the pin out of the trailer and backed up. The trailer tilted down after a second and I was unloaded and gone faster than I could even set up a ramp. It may not work for everyone but it works for me.

 

Yeah I have one like that too... but on this trip, I was loading three machines on the trailer. I usually only pull two side by side. I have enough deck to get a third one on in teh front sideways and the front machine has to go on first. I could haved driven it up and dragged it around, but that is labor intensive with a full sized Ute. As it turned out, that is what we ended up doing after all. I can't lift a lot of weight with the handicap, but my son in law was able to do the heavy lifting for me. the other two were a drive on.

I am in teh process of ordering a new trailer as we speak. I have not decided if I want to go with an 8 ft wide by 22 ft long open, or an 8 ft wide by 24 enclosed deckover with no wheelwells to deal with... Both have their advantages. and can haul 6 machines.

Either way, they will be strictly a drive on drive off deal. No more loading ramps for me either. I know I want a triton.. but don't have a local dealer and working long distance is difficult.

The wife is starting to complain about the number of trailers in the yard. I have two now. The new one will make it three. Yeah it is an addiction...

 

tough call open or enclosed.... do you go with better gas mileage or more storage.

 

I am not sure which one is better to tell you the truth. With an 8 ft wide trailer, both are going to present a large profile to the wind no matter what. I have both right now, but just need someting bigger to haul 6 machines instead of a maximum of three. I have a Diesel truck and niether one will present any problems from that regard, and in truth the milage is going to be pretty consistant. Given if I were pulling with a gas truck, that would not be the case. The Diesel is way better and more consistant than the gas motor was. I can get 15 to17 pulling my 11 ft tall 7500 enclosed with the diesel. With my old gas motor, I was lucky ot get 6 MPG with it. The Cummins is definately worth every penny I paid for it. I figure I save in fuel to cover my payment.. of course now with Diesel at $4.65 a gallon that has changed somewhat.

 

I have a tandem axle 16' foot car hauler with a 2' beaver tail and the ramps are adjustale as far as the width is conserned. It only cost about 1500 used and it can be towed loaded with a half ton. I can load any type of atv, tractor,and even low 2wd cars with no problems.