Need advice for loading pickup on a trailer

[silvertramp]

The ramp on my landscape trailer is too steep to load my motorcycle without high centering. I made an extension out of scrap plywood and 2x4's. I laid the 2x4's on edge and screwed a 2x4 on the flat across one end. When I slid that under the ramp it gave me a lift of 5". I then butted a piece of 3/4" plywood against the ramp and ran it past the 2x4's on the bottom until it contacted the ground. It works perfectly for the bike. I throw the extension in the trailer and away I go. Some sort of heavier duty version might be a simple solution for you.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Go to YOUTUBE and look for "loading fails" to see how not to do it. It might give you some good pointers on hazards to look out for. I like the one where the hinged ramp somehow flips up and destroys the rear fender of a dually.

The motorcycle ones are particularly funny. Like driving up a narrow ramp and stopping half way with no place to step off!

I have a deck-over dump trailer and have the constant problem of loading my wing mower. I need to find uneven grade to make the approach less steep otherwise the front deck catches on the ramps and sometimes gets stuck there..

 

[silvertramp]

Yup. I stopped loading motorcycles into pickup trucks in 1995. TOOO SCARY.

 

[aczlan]

don't load it like these guys.

Beat me to it... Pretty sure the trailer rolled forward because the back axle of the truck came off of the ground and the trailer wasn't chocked.

If 4x4s or will work, I would use lag bolts or carriage bolts to fasten 2-3 together and make a "block pack" that you set on your trailer. You could even pre-drill a 3/4" hole down 3/4 of the way and put a couple of deck screws through the holes.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

Pull the trailer tires into a ditch.

Chris

 

[bdog]

Pull the trailer tires into a ditch.

Chris

While that will work in theory it isn't practical with a 65' long truck and the fact I have spread axles 10' apart. It would also be hard to pull the 70k gross weight out of the ditch once loaded.

Basically I just need to make the places the pickup tires contact when loading a few inches higher than the rest of the trailer.

 

[Egon]

While that will work in theory it isn't practical with a 65' long truck and the fact I have spread axles 10' apart. It would also be hard to pull the 70k gross weight out of the ditch once loaded.

Basically I just need to make the places the pickup tires contact when loading a few inches higher than the rest of the trailer.

If it's only a few inches lay down some 2x8 on the trailer deck where the tire's track.

 

[Egon]

While that will work in theory it isn't practical with a 65' long truck and the fact I have spread axles 10' apart. It would also be hard to pull the 70k gross weight out of the ditch once loaded.

Basically I just need to make the places the pickup tires contact when loading a few inches higher than the rest of the trailer.

If it's only a few inches lay down some 2x8 on the trailer deck where the tire's track.

 

[joefromga]

Use a set of ramps 6ft long to load the truck. It will lift the rear wheel when the fronts are on the trailer and give you the space.

Some ramps are already bent with an arch. I had to get some for my side by side for the same problem.

You only need some that handle half the weight of the truck if you only use on axle at a time.

Easy peezy!





My drawings are crude but the lengths are to scale. Assuming a 12ft wheelbase and the 5ft dovetail and 6ft ramp.

 

[GPintheMitten]

It wouldn't help with unloading at other locations but at home can you build up a loading dock with timbers or concrete block and fill in with soil.