| Project by Bearpaw | posted 08-29-2015 01:21 AM | 2064 views | 5 times favorited | 5 comments |  |
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Needed a ramp for the truck to move my riding lawn mower from my house to my daughter’s house and back. She cannot afford a lawn mower at the moment and the wife enjoys cutting the grass.
I looked at the ramps at Harbor Freight,but they were $100.00. So off to the big box store I went and then went through my collection of “junk” (to some people) for parts. Hinges and castors.
Made from pressure treated 2”x”12”s, 2”x 4”s and 1”x 4”s. I have 1/4” steel bar for support at the tail gate. There is a 1/4” diameter steel rod formed like a long hook that clips over the tail gate to keep it from sliding off the edge. You can see that in picture 3.
I had some castors that I put on the end so I can pull the ramp for easy moving. It is heavy, but will get lighter as the pressure treated dries out.
This project took about 2 hours to shop and build.
-- "When we build, let us think we build forever." John Ruskin
5 comments so far
DonB
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586 posts in 3668 days
#1 posted 08-29-2015 11:04 AM
Serves the purpose. Daughter will be grateful I’m sure.
-- DonB
helluvawreck
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32122 posts in 3842 days
#2 posted 08-29-2015 12:51 PM
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
Grumpymike
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2480 posts in 3290 days
#3 posted 08-29-2015 08:26 PM
I really like your tail gate hooks to keep the ramps fron sliding off the tail gate … Let me tell you from experience, that when the back wheels push the ramp off of the gate and clunk! your wheels are off the tail gate, and the ramp is on the ground … You will get a firm grip on the seat!!
-- Grumpy old guy, and lookin' good Doin' it. ... Surprise Az.
Bearpaw
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270 posts in 4695 days
#4 posted 08-29-2015 09:16 PM
About the tail gate hooks. In reading the reviews on a ramp from Harbor Freight, the reviewer talked about the chains that were used to hold it in place and how it saved him from a fall. I could not see the chains, but I could see the hooks.
I have a friend that suggested taking a tie-down strap from the ramp to my trailer hitch to hold it in place. I could install an eye bolt in each ramp to attach it to and I may just to do that. I have not used the ramps yet, but will do so next week.
I did wrap the area of the hook that is next to the tail gate with electrical tape to protect the paint.
-- "When we build, let us think we build forever." John Ruskin
Bearpaw
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270 posts in 4695 days
#5 posted 09-02-2015 01:28 AM
DonB – I just looked at your home page. Noticed that you are Navy. So am I, but I flew ASW. Had many of fun days in the Bahamas playing games with you people. Retired as a crew chief on C-9’s
-- "When we build, let us think we build forever." John Ruskin
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