i have a 2004 f150 lariat super crew 4x4. i am looking to get an ATV, so i went and purchased a set of ramps to load the ATV into the back of my truck. i purchased ohio steel ramps with anti-slip surface rated at 2000lbs.
Couple questions for you guys.......

1.) the instructions on the ramps say to "winch" equipment into the back of the truck. don't ride it. this is news to me. most of the adds i see show the guy riding the ATV up the ramps and right into the truck bed. what do you guys do? (fyi : ATV = 550lbs + ME = 230lbs = 780lbs total which is much less than the rating of 2000lbs) maybe this is just legal words they need to put into the instructions....??

2.) should i hook the ramps to the tail gate? or should i remove the tail gate and attach the ramps to the back of the bed? how much can the tail gate safely hold? (hoping more than 780lbs). what do you guys do?

thanks in advance - oaw

 

if i have the help i push it in the bed, if i dont i ride it in, thats just me tho, good luck

 

Ever watch shows like America's Funniest Home Videos, where they drive the motorcycle or ATV onto the truck, right into the front of the bed. Seen more than one where at the least the rear window shatters. Probably a good reason to winch.

 

I bought ramp kits from Sears for 2x12's and always drove my quads into the truck.

 

i have a dent in my bed were i was driving alittle to fast and didnt stop in time, and the front bull bar smacked my bed, it is divided from the cab so there is really no way you could brake your glass on the F-150

 

good info guys.
what about the tail gate question?
what do you guys do?

 

The ones I saw did. Hit the front of the bed evidently hard enough to also hit the rear of the cab. Took out the rear window. Another I saw did a wheely on a motorcycle. Let's just say the engine and frame of the cycle did a number on the cab.

 

I always rode mine in oscar. I have the same truck as you and had a Honda Rincon 650. This thing weighed 600 lbs plus my 190. Just ride it up slow and you will have no problem. I always ran a ratchet strap from about the middle of the ramp to the receiver hitch and tightened it up pretty good. The only time it got hairy was loading it one time in the rain on a slick ramp!!

 

We always take a chance driving any power equipment up ramps onto the bed.
I do it with lawn tractors that fully weigh as much as an ATV.
A ramp can come off or anything that happens and your under a lot of weight on the ground and possibly truck and vehichle damage so you do what you do at risk.
For those who might want to take a look, Walmart's sells an electric wench at less than $60 that will drag any ATV, LAWN MOWER or simular.
I pull an 1800 lb race car into the trailer with one. Slow but a heck of a deal for an electric wench. How to use it for loading onto the bed can be a problem.

 

If you ride it in there are a couple of things to remember. 1. always put the parking brake on and latch the little saftey cables to the tailgate, if not the truck could shift and cause the ramp to come off the tail gate, this could be bad! It alomst happened to me once and scared the S*** out of me 2. be careful not to gas it and flip over backwards, been a lot of people killed or seriously hurt this way, thats why a lot of them recomend that you back up a ramp. 3. go slow and make sure your brakes work good, I watched a buddy of mine ram his 4 wheeler into the back of the bed of his Dodge ram and it busted his back glass out. His truck was only a few weeks old was the worst part of it.

However you load it be careful and take your time, one little goofey mistake can ruine a fun days ride.

 

Just pay attention, and ride it in. You and the truck will be fine.......MHP.

 

Here's my .02,
Individual ramps are easily knocked to the side. I have seen several people get hurt pretty bad. If you can, pick up a tri-fold aluminum ramp. You can pick it up most places for less than $100. My ramp can support 1200 lbs. It has safety straps on both sides and is pretty secure. The one-piece ramp can't slip off and leave you hanging. After you load up, you can fold it together and slide it under your quad. Best of luck.
Rich

 

The only reason they say not to ride-it-in is because they can't control whose going to buy their product and how they are going to use it. That way it covers their Bu** if someone hurts themselves or falls while riding it in. The pictures are always flashy. Look at it this way. Why is it that whenever they advertise a sporst car, example(Ford Mustang GT) they show the car peeling out, fish-tailing, kickin up dirt and burning rubber and then in the fine print under the commercial it says " proffesional driver in closed course. Do not attempt" WHAT. try to tell a judge you weren't speeding in a Mustang. That's what the vehicle was made for. Use your best judgement and take it easy, whether you drive-it-in or push-it up. It would probably always be best with a spotter or some help.Good luck.

 

thanks guys. great info. i'll try and ride it up and see what happens.

thanks - oaw

p.s. - pushing it up the ramp must be pretty hard. is that do-able?

 

it helps to load from a bank in hill. this makes the ramps at less of an angle. To make sure you don't hit the bed or window, put some wooden blocks in the bad so you cant drive up to the cab.