Ramping Your Wheel Horse

[haydendavid380 759]

No I'm not talking about taking our beloved tractors off any sweet jumps...at least not hopefully

 

Back when I was younger I'd go to just about any length to get stuff moved to have a good time. I frequently would take the top off my Bronco to load up my ATV in the back of it. But the older (and hopefully smarter) I get, the more weary I get about taking things up ramps. I've watched my dad dump numerous motorcycles, tractors, ect off ramps (both sketchy makeshift things and dedicated steel ramps) trying to load them. 15 or 20 years ago we got a utility trailer with a built in ramp, and I've haven't looked back. 

 

Fast forward to current day. My parents winter down south and last fall, and on their trip down last year they took the trailer with them to move some things with them. I was laid up with an injury and wouldn't be hauling much so it wasn't a big deal. I've since made a halfway recovery and I'm chomping at the bit to add another Horse to the fleet. The only problem is my usual "horse" trailer is about 600 miles away. I have a full size truck with an 8' bed, so I figured the time to put it to use is upon us. 

 

So, do any of you guys frequently load up tractors into a pickup? If so, I'm curious as to how easy the process is. I'm also concerned about the ramp angles. Modern pickups seem to only be getting taller and taller and I have a nagging feeling if I pickup anything with a deck, it's going to bottom out. My truck isn't particularly tall ('15 2wd F150) but it's still at least half a foot taller than anything I've loaded in the past. So what ramps are those that load pickups using to achieve a doable angle?

 

Thanks in advance guys 

[Maxwell-8 4,277]

I am always using ramps, bent many on Wheel Horses! Alloy couldn't handle the cast iron   . I am already getting back problems picking up a K-series Kohler.

[pfrederi 17,741]

If you ramp always back up.

 

 

 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I have a tilting trailer that I can drive on or drag a load on and then it tilts back down on it's own.  But most of my GTs have come home in a pickup with ramps.  Figure out a way to really secure the ramps and have some help to push it up or a winch or come-along.  Right now I have a cap on but usually it can be lifted a bit and still get a GT in.  PITA but doable.  A lift setup to lift and hold the cap would be a big plus.  

[oliver2-44 9,761]

I have a trailer with a nice ramp, but sometimes I don't want to take the trailer a long distance to pickup or move just one tractor.  I have a good heavy duty set of truck ramps, too heavy.  But securing them is always the challenge. So when I load them in a pickup with ramps, I always use a come a long to load them. It might take 10 minutes longer to do it safely this way.  I also try to find a ditch or low spot to help reduce the loading height.  

[ranger 1,750]

48 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

If you ramp always back up.

 

 

 

Second that!

[squonk 41,155]

U haul or Tractor Supply rent trailers

[littleredrider 409]

I have ATV ramps. If they can hold my 1000lb+ 4 wheeler they can hold a tractor. I have the folding arched ones, have a cinch strap to tighten ramps against the tailgate. I've had it happen twice with cheapo ramps. Also my truck is lifted 5" with 35s....

Edited March 7, 2021 by littleredrider

[ebinmaine 67,627]

A few years ago I had a 1 ton truck with a high flat bed. I bought longer than average aluminum ramps that have a slight upward bow. There's a cloth strap with a hook end on each ramp. 

The capacity is some over 1000.

 

I've put cross ramps/boards on my 5 x 8 utility trailer spanning the rails. It's a commercial duty trailer with a 3500 lb gvw. 

 

Whether I'm loading to the trailer or to someone's truck I ALWAYS fasten the ramps. 

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

I NEVER ride the tractor up or down the ramps.As long as the tractor runs,I walk along side it ready to shut the key off.Standard shift,I use 1st gear low range.Hydro's,I just let the tractor crawl.Has worked pretty good for me........So far.I've got a tilt deck,double axle trailer that I'm putting a 9,000 pound Harbor Freight winch on once the snow melts off the trailer.Tired of hand come-alonging dead equipment on.Also have a decent,low mileage 1989 Ford F-600 cab and chassis that I've thought about building a ramp body for.Would make a super nice toy hauler.Problem is......I'm getting too old for most of this crap.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Pollack Pete

[AMC RULES 37,130]

  

Only safe way to do it. 👍👍

 Unless, of course, you have an embankment available that you can back the truck up to and lessen the slope of your ramps.

[Lee1977 6,667]

Here is what you need.

 

Here is what I have. It's only up about 18". Got it setting in a low place.

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Lee1977

[Handy Don 12,237]

4 hours ago, littleredrider said:

the folding arched ones

 

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

a slight upward bow.

 

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I ALWAYS fasten the ramps. 

 

Yes, Yes, and Yes. 

The arch prevents bottoming the mower.

Ramps can and will move around in ways you don't expect unless you make that impossible. (Plenty of good "fail" vids out there of expensive stuff falling off ramps).

I recently got myself a tilt trailer but I don't use the full tilt. I put blocks under the rear edge and use 8' ramps fastened to that lowered edge so it's a pretty even slope the whole way on.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

I have used double ramps many times. Stage one is 8 feet long from the earth to a concrete block or maybe two if the earth is sketchy. The second stage fastens to the first with pins or screws.The second stage also has hooks for the tailgate/ truck bed. 2x10 is the minimum with 2x12 the better choice. If you want, just take some old oil base paint and paint the ramps and then sprinkle sand or blasting media over it.

Of course, I always try to put the truck down hill from the tractor, gravity is your friend.

  Try this stuff out at home until you can do it safely and with confidence every single time.

[Retired Wrencher 5,465]

The beauty of having a 8 speed is low range 1st gear it will creep up the ramps. That gives you plenty of time to do what have to do.

[Pullstart 62,912]

With the ramps, even a 953 can be pushed up with a helping hand.  What are you looking to load?  I have never fallen off ramps but am tired of risking it.  This winter using the snowmobile trailer to load Jane my Commando 6 with the grader blade, it reared over and landed me on the driveway with a tractor coming back at me.  I agree, walk beside it at ready to kill it if you’re power loading (ask me how I know) 

[rjg854 11,387]

And no bumps or bruises, Kevin 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,600]

I use a hand wind cable winch from harbor freight... I think it was $10... on my 5x8 utility trailer with a drop down ramp. Slow, steady, EASY and super safe. I’m done with unnecessary risk doing this kind of stuff...

 

[953 nut 55,321]

If your truck has a plastic bed liner like most do your tractor will probably loose traction once the wheels get onto it. At that point the tractor heads back down the ramp and a ramp comes off the truck and with any luck you can jump free of it as it tumbles to the ground. That was my experience years ago            and I haven't driven one on or off a truck since.

Our driveway is steep enough that I can back up to the steepest part and the ramps are nearly level with the truck bed. I back down to the ends of the ramp and then move the  into the truck by turning one of the rear wheels while standing beside the ramp. Works like a charm!

[haydendavid380 759]

25 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

If your truck has a plastic bed liner like most do your tractor will probably loose traction once the wheels get onto it. At that point the tractor heads back down the ramp and a ramp comes off the truck and with any luck you can jump free of it as it tumbles to the ground. That was my experience years ago            and I haven't driven one on or off a truck since.

Our driveway is steep enough that I can back up to the steepest part and the ramps are nearly level with the truck bed. I back down to the ends of the ramp and then move the  into the truck by turning one of the rear wheels while standing beside the ramp. Works like a charm!

 

I use the deezee rubber bed mats. It's still only a couple years old and stays out of the sun so it's actually pretty tacky.

[Mike in NC 341]

We have a 6.5X10 trailer with a fold down ramp/tailgate. I installed a 3500 Lbs. winch from Harbor Freight that I made removable. Many years ago  I was unloading a steel wheeled walk behind from my truck bed with wood ramps. Ramp slipped because the cleats on the steel wheels got the tractor and ramp bouncing. Needless to say I made a trip to the ER and off my foot for about 3 or 4 weeks. I learned my lesson and got a trailer. 

[Inspectorjoe 471]

I move tractors with my minivan (don't laugh), so I have the advantage of a bed height that's lower than that of a pickup's. Another advantage I have is my homemade ramps are 10 feet long. Most tractors I can push up myself. With heavier tractors, I anchors an electric winch in front of the door pillars.

[rjg854 11,387]

That looks like trying to put 10 lbs in a 5 lb bag.    

[DennisThornton 4,769]

5 hours ago, Inspectorjoe said:

I move tractors with my minivan (don't laugh), so I have the advantage of a bed height that's lower than that of a pickup's. Another advantage I have is my homemade ramps are 10 feet long. Most tractors I can push up myself. With heavier tractors, I anchors an electric winch in front of the door pillars.

 

Snug fit but I've done that too!  Had to let some air out of the rears though.

 

Details on the front weight?

[haydendavid380 759]

1 hour ago, rjg854 said:

That looks like trying to put 10 lbs in a 5 lb bag.    

If it fits, it ships