Pickup Truck Ramp Review
A pair of truck ramps is a must have for hauling lawn tractors, motorcycles, ATV's, go karts, large crates, etc, safely in the bed of your pickup. Other helpful uses include riding your mower into a raised shed, and loading and unloading trailers.
Like many people, I chose wood ramps over aluminum or steel ramps. They're less money, nearly as strong, and actually do less damage when moving them around. Wooden ramps are also easier to cut to custom lengths.
Aside from the ramp kit, you'll need two wooden planks. The most popular sizes for these are 2"x8" or 2"x10". A wider board will have greater strength and stiffness, but narrower boards are easier to store. A 2"x12" board can also be used, although the boards will be much wider than the ramps (most ramp tops are 7.25" wide). For light-duty use, a 2"x6" board will do.
The ramp tops are designed to sit flush on the tailgate.
Weight Capacity
Weight capacity for most ramp kits is 700 pounds per ramp. An average lawn tractor, like my Cub Cadet XT1, weighs about 600 pounds. Also factor in your weight.
What Length Board?
The longer the boards are, the easier it will be to load and unload, but longer boards are harder to store. When not in use, I keep mine in the garage on my motorcycle work stand. They are 8" boards, six feet in length.
Conclusion
For less than $100, you can buy a ramp kit and two planks of wood. The ramp tops are easy to install, basically it's cutting the boards to length and drilling two holes in each. Carriage bolts hold the boards onto the metal plates. Ramp kits generally include carriage bolts, self-adhesive rubber pads (to protect chrome or painted surfaces), and drop-in securing pins.
Shop: Pickup Truck Ramp Kit
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