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Login to post Forums » Sprockets » Another newbie question - bike ramps

July 14, 2010 11:41 p.m. BoxheadTim Dork

Looks like my container with my bikes and the household goods is going to arrive here fairly soon (sometime next week, then it has to clear customs and get from Oakland to Gardnerville).

Fittingly I've just been told that the container will remain on the truck for unloading so I'm suddenly faced with getting a bunch of bikes out of it without dropping them 3' down in the dirt. Nice, they coulda told me when they picked up the stuff...

Anyway, does anybody know if it's possible to rent those bike ramps that people are using to load bikes into their pickup trucks or do I have to spread the wallet wide and actually buy (shudder) one?
July 15, 2010 5:42 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

How are they getting the household goods off? Most of those things have a lift gate.

I would run out and buy a 2 X 12 and fashion a metal Z shaped thing to catch the truck's lip. If you find you don't need it, 2 X 12s are just handy to have around.

Dan
July 15, 2010 6:07 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

meh...I thought we were talking about quarter pipes or sub-boxes...
July 15, 2010 6:35 a.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

914Driver wrote:

I would run out and buy a 2 X 12 and fashion a metal Z shaped thing to catch the truck's lip. If you find you don't need it, 2 X 12s are just handy to have around.

Dan

+1

Possible $10 investment?
July 15, 2010 7:05 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

yep - 2x12 with a 2x4 box around the perimeter of the bottom to brace it - seen a few Goldwings and Road Kings snap southern yellow pine when its not supported well.
July 15, 2010 7:54 a.m. Woody SuperDork

Build your own ramp. There are better kits out there than these, but this set is cheap and easy to find.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_21705-29318-0700900_0_?productId=1060533&Ntt=ramp+kit&...
July 15, 2010 7:58 a.m. BoxheadTim Dork

914Driver wrote:

How are they getting the household goods off? Most of those things have a lift gate.

"They" aren't, that's strictly my problem. I didn't bring any household goods per se, most of the stuff is boxes with books, clothing etc and thus easy to get out. Well, apart from the bikes.

We're not talking about a regular removal truck here but a 20' container on a truck or trailer.

914Driver wrote: I would run out and buy a 2 X 12 and fashion a metal Z shaped thing to catch the truck's lip. If you find you don't need it, 2 X 12s are just handy to have around.

That's not a bad idea. Did I mention the tools are also in said container? But that's just an excuse for a trip to Harbor Freight.

Woody wrote:

Build your own ramp. There are better kits out there than these, but this set is cheap and easy to find.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_21705-29318-0700900_0_?productId=1060533&Ntt=ramp+kit&...

Thanks for the link, that'll do nicely for more or less a single use ramp.

4cylndrfury wrote:

yep - 2x12 with a 2x4 box around the perimeter of the bottom to brace it - seen a few Goldwings and Road Kings snap southern yellow pine when its not supported well.

Heaviest of the lot is the BMW (an R100RS), the other two bikes are fairly light. The BMW is probably around 600 lbs, if that. But still, bracing is good.
July 15, 2010 8:03 a.m. PHeller Dork

Or take two or three 2x12, 3 or 4 2x4, drill holes, bolt together.
July 15, 2010 8:18 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Not only bolt them together, but if you screw the 2X4 to the bottom of the 2X12 at 90 degrees it should dramatically reduce flex.

Imagine the letter GT; 2X12 is the top of the T, the 2X4 is the vertical part.
July 15, 2010 8:33 a.m. CarKid1989 HalfDork

914Driver wrote:

Imagine the letter GT;

Is GT a new letter to the standard 26 letter alphabet?
July 15, 2010 2:23 p.m. alex Dork

Woody wrote:

Build your own ramp. There are better kits out there than these, but this set is cheap and easy to find.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_21705-29318-0700900_0_?productId=1060533&Ntt=ramp+kit&...

I'd do 3 of these. Put two together (that 12" looks might narrow when you're walking a bike down it) using a steel strap and carriage bolts, and have one to walk down. Brace if you feel the need - not a bad idea. They'll be kinda heavy, but they'll work.
July 15, 2010 2:30 p.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

Or... http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?category=&q=ramp

Less than $60 and you get some decent metal ones
July 15, 2010 8:49 p.m. Opus Dork

914Driver wrote:

How are they getting the household goods off? Most of those things have a lift gate.

I would run out and buy a 2 X 12 and fashion a metal Z shaped thing to catch the truck's lip. If you find you don't need it, 2 X 12s are just handy to have around.

Dan

they sell those at home depot for $26

ramp end

I got mine about 20 years ago and is aluminum, but similar idea.
July 16, 2010 9:31 a.m. pilotbraden Reader

I made ends for my 2x10 ramp with 20 gauge sheet steel. They look just like that commercial variety, but rust colored.
July 16, 2010 9:43 a.m. Woody SuperDork

Mine are extruded aluminum and they cover both sides of the board. They appear to be significantly stronger than the cheaper ones.

http://www.jlatvproducts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Product_Code=11251&Screen=P...
July 16, 2010 10:10 a.m. BoxheadTim Dork

Grtechguy wrote:

Or... http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?category=&q=ramp

Less than $60 and you get some decent metal ones

Noticed that, but they're a tad short to get a bike out of a container that's still on a trailer. Otherwise would have bought them already.
July 16, 2010 12:17 p.m. nocones Reader

Rent a u-haul truck for the day ($19) back it up to the trailer and put it's ramp into the trailer, bring stuff down into u-haul truck, then pull u-haul away and use it's ramp down to the ground. It's a hassle, but you'll have this big wide aluminum ramp to run stuff up and down..

a thought..
July 16, 2010 12:31 p.m. BoxheadTim Dork

Actually the U-Haul truck not a bad idea...
July 19, 2010 9:02 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

I've loaded my FLHT into the back of my 86 Toyota Truck with a raw 2x12 after chainsawing a bevel on the ground end, then I built an end piece from steel similar to what Lowe's is selling for the top end to get it back down. I still have it, even though I've only used it once or twice.
July 19, 2010 11:24 a.m. 44Dwarf HalfDork

I use a 2x12 screwed to three 2x4's with ends cut to fit the bed pockets and a 2x6 screwed to the back side of the 2x4's They stay on the side of the pick up and make great ramps for loading both bikes i can walk upe the second ramp while working the clutch and gas. Add a tie down to middle 2x4 to the bumper of the truck keeps the ramp from slideing out and off the tail gate. Being laminated like this means no flex in the wood.

OH paint or poly them before you screw togeather as there next to impossible to do after....It was snowing when i made mine....we left the next day for Daytona bike week.
July 25, 2010 8:44 p.m. porksboy Dork

Sprinkle some sand on the poly for traction.

I like the U-Haul idea best. You may also be paying the driver by the hour so the sooner you get all your carp out of the container and the truck gone the cheaper. $20.00 for the U-Haul is probably less than the drivers standing around time.

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