Loading a riding mower

[8NTX]

Don't want to drag around my 18' trailer I use for my tractor, and I just acquired a new riding mower. Also bought some arched ramps for loading it into the bed of a pickup. I've got some ideas, but does anyone have a sure-fire way to make loading and unloading it a one-man operation?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Don't want to drag around my 18' trailer I use for my tractor, and I just acquired a new riding mower. Also bought some arched ramps for loading it into the bed of a pickup. I've got some ideas, but does anyone have a sure-fire way to make loading and unloading it a one-man operation?

On flat ground loading a riding mower is difficult because of the low clearance of the deck. Arched ramps will help, but I don't know if it will be enough.

This may not be sure-fire, but using any slope, hill, dip, or divot sure helps. Position your truck in relation to the landscape so the angle of the ramps is as shallow as possible.

We used to load horses in and out of the back of a pickup just by using the shape of the landscape. If all else failed we'd back into the ditch off the side of the road dropping the bumper almost to the ground.

 

[8NTX]

Unfortunately, we don't have any ditches within a mile of us, and my land is pretty flat. There is one area near the road that has a couple of mounds, mabe 15-18 inches high from when the roadway was graded many years ago. I might be able to use that.

I'm not as brave as I used to be when it comes to this stuff, I guess. I remember about 20 years ago renting a Kubota 4x4 with an FEL to build a retaining wall and move a large sandpile at my lake house. When I was done, I was faced with getting the tractor over the 3' retaining wall from the beach. I just used a couple of 10' 2x12's as a ramp and eased it on up. My mother said she covered her eyes because she knew I was gonna be killed.

 

[mjncad]

Every picture I've seen of riding lawn mowers being loaded into a pickup bed on level ground with ramps shows the operator driving forward into the bed. This looks like it would make the mower prone to doing a wheelie so to speak on the ramps and flipping over backwards.

Would it be better to back the mower into the bed, and thus put the operator on the high side?

Otherwise ditches and hills are great allies in making a riding lawn mower easier to load and unload based on my helping a buddy with his.

 

[MrJimi]

I would suggest loading it back end first/backwards and NOT like This, that had to hurt
Jim

 

[RollTideRam]

If your ramps have safety chains to keep them from slipping, you should be good to go, if your mower has clearance and fits in the truck. I use a 6x12.5 trailer for my mower, just open the gate and drive on. I do some mowing on the side though. JC

 

[RollTideRam]

I saw that video after I posted. I hope you don't plan on loading in a truck that high. JC

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I would suggest loading it back end first/backwards and NOT like This, that had to hurt
Jim

The shorts and bare feet really add to the effect.

Watching that clip brings out another bit of good advice. Go smooth and easy. If that guy hadn't stopped halfway up the ramp, I think he'd have been fine.

 

[EddieWalker]

I havn't moved mine in a few years, but was doing it on a weekly basis for awhile there. I was afraid of those short, steep ramps, so I bought the attachments to build my own ramps from Home Depot. I think they were under $40 for a set of aluminum ends that attach to 2x12's.

I bought ten footers and was fairly satisfied with that length. They were very heavy to lug around, but would slide up under the lawn mower with the tail gate down while driving. The wood was a little slick, so I addes some traction tape that lasted about a year.

I started out driving up into the bed, but backing down really scared me. The angle wasn't bad, but my imagination was on overdrive on what could happen!!!!

I found that backing it in was pretty easy, and getting it out was MUCH better.

Now that I have a trailer, that's the only way I move my mower around. I used to 2x12's for something else and gave away the ramp ends.

Eddie

 

[8NTX]

Well I did it today. Bought some arched aluminum ramps. Unloading I just put in in neutral and stood behind it and let it down one rung at a time. Wasn't too difficult. Putting it in I tried to drive it up in reverse first. When the back tires got about halfway up, they just sat there and spun. No good. On level ground, I felt uneasy driving it up. So I moved the mower on top of one my little mound and backed the pickup up, attached the ramps and drove it in no problem. But loading it at the city house might pose a problem since there are no mounds, no hills, etc.. Probably enlist the neighbor's help.

Bought a cheap come-along that had a too short cable. No good either. Was gonna run a chain between the two tie downs at the front of the bed and use the come-along to winch it up. Maybe I'll trade it for one with a longer cable and try that. Better than spending 500 bucks for a little trailer, I guess.

 

[mjncad]

Yep...that video shows exactly what I expect would happen loading a mower in nose first.

 

[sawdust_maker]

Well I did it today. Bought some arched aluminum ramps. Unloading I just put in in neutral and stood behind it and let it down one rung at a time. Wasn't too difficult. Putting it in I tried to drive it up in reverse first. When the back tires got about halfway up, they just sat there and spun. No good. On level ground, I felt uneasy driving it up. So I moved the mower on top of one my little mound and backed the pickup up, attached the ramps and drove it in no problem. But loading it at the city house might pose a problem since there are no mounds, no hills, etc.. Probably enlist the neighbor's help.

Why not build a pair of wooden ramps for the city house that will effectively reduce that slope by effectively lengthening the ramps? Make the wooden ramps so that the aluminum ramps hook onto the ends. Build these wooden extensions so they will not tip over of course.

John

 

[LBrown59]

Why not build a pair of wooden ramps for the city house that will effectively reduce that slope by effectively lengthening the ramps? Make the wooden ramps so that the aluminum ramps hook onto the ends. Build these wooden extensions so they will not tip over of course.

John

When I bought my 1966 Bolens 41 years ago I had a sawmill cut me 2 Oak Planks 12'' wide 2'' thick and 8 foot long for ramps to load it on a full size pick up.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

But loading it at the city house might pose a problem since there are no mounds, no hills, etc.. Probably enlist the neighbor's help.

Usually there's a curb. Put your back wheels in the gutter right against the curb. This should give you a bit of an advantage. Your nose will be hanging out in the street for a minute, but unless you're on a really busy street, those who have to wait for you will get over it.

 

[RobJ]

Those curved ramps are made just for riding mowers and deck clearance these days. There were 2 problems I see in the video, no chains securing the ramp to the truck, and 2) the guy put the clutch in half way up then popped it. It's really no different than my ATV on some 7' ramps, low gear, steady power, steady speed. If I have to stop...coast all the way down and start again. When I unload my ATV's, just put it in lo-low range and let it walk itself down the ramp while I'm off and holding the handlebar. My low-low range it just crawls and uses engine breaking.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Why not build a pair of wooden ramps for the city house that will effectively reduce that slope by effectively lengthening the ramps? Make the wooden ramps so that the aluminum ramps hook onto the ends. Build these wooden extensions so they will not tip over of course.

John

I must have been typing while you posted. I like the wooden ramps idea.

Something like this?...

1/2" plywood along the bottom, an 8" 4X4 at the front, and a 2X8 as the actual ramp portion. Stick it all together with appropriatly sized wood screws.

Cheap, easy, and it beats backing against the curb any day.

 

[sawdust_maker]

I must have been typing while you posted. I like the wooden ramps idea.

Something like this?...

(snipped)

Cheap, easy, and it beats backing against the curb any day.

Exactly. Choose an appropriate height to make your own hill on demand.

John

 

[Chuck52]

I like the come-along idea at least for loading. I'd use the hitch on the back of the mower to load it backwards and then either drive it off or roll it off and use the come-along to control it.

Chuck

 

[bontai_Joe]

Loading it in backwards presents one risk, if air gets under your hood while transporting it in the truck, the hood will fly open at high speed and most of the time be torn right off the tractor. I haven't done this personally, but have seen it done. So if you back it into the truck or trailer, think about securing the hood so it can't open.

 

[VABlue]

All of these ideas will work. But it seems to me like you'll put much effort and money into constructing them and that they'll be difficult to transport. I would return the aluminum ramps and get the brackets Eddie mentioned and mate them to a couple of long 2x12s. Cheap, easy to use, easy enough to transport, and available anywhere. Couldn't take more than 30 minutes and $60 to put the whole thing together...