Loading and unloading an ATV is not an easy task. Due to its heavy load, it requires you to be careful in loading and unloading the ATVs. ATVs are not for outside activities; many people use ATVs for hauling and dumping various kinds of stuff like lumbers, stones, etc. Without the right tools and accessories, it is pretty challenging to transport the ATVs safely. Choosing the best fitted ATV ramps will save you in the long run.
Most people are confused about how to use ATV ramps because of their variety of options and kinds available in the market. ATV ramps allow you to land your ATV on the truck bed or other vehicle properly without any damage or stress over your arm.
Why do you need ATV ramps:
Loading ATVs gets pretty challenging, especially when you transport them for trailing or tracking in rough terrain. A single mistake might cause the ATV to damage entirely. Moreover, during rain or snowing, it gets pretty slippery and challenging to load ATVs on the vehicle.
That is why it is crucial to get the right size ATV ramps for easy loading and unloading the ATVs. The quality, features, design of the ATV ramps vary. So you must get the right one and know the right uses of your ATV ramps to get your loading and unloading ATVs to the vehicle safely and efficiently.
As you drive your ATV through the ATV ramps, it should be able to carry the load of your ATV properly, and the angle should be right so that your ATV does not slide down while loading the ATV onto the truck bed.
It is recommended to choose the ATV ramp according to the suitability of your ATV. You will have to keep in mind a few things for safe loading and unloading your ATVs into the ATV ramps.
Be careful about the weight specification of your ATV ramps. If you load more than the capacity of your ATV ramp’s weight, it will damage the ramp. All ATV ramps come with a weight capacity specification. Before purchasing one, check if it matches your ATV weight requirements.
Many of the ATV ramps are designed with better quality to withstand heavy-weighted ATVs or four-wheelers easily.
Check for the height measurements for the ATV ramps, as well. The height limit of the ramp should be matched with your loading vehicles like trucks, trailers, etc.
Position the ramp in a way so that it stays in the middle and balances on the truck bed or ATV trailers properly.
The angle of installing your ramp should be right to prevent the ATV from sliding down. That why choose a compared flat ground and attach the ramp properly.
Be careful about the speed while driving through the ramp; if you are not careful enough, the wheel will not stop.
Wear protective gear and place everything properly before you drive your ATV or four-wheelers.
How to load an ATV on the ATV ramps:
Every time you load and unload your ATV, you will have to drive through the ATV ramps; you must know how to use your ATV ramps in full detail. Safely loading and unloading ATV is impossible unless you attach all the equipment and ramp properly to your carrying vehicle.
If you already have an ATV ramp or went through different ATV ramps reviews on the market, you already know in terms of size, specification, design, type, feature, quality, you get so many options for ATV ramps. For extended service, durability is essential to use the ATV ramps to keep in mind all those factors.
For safe loading and unloading the ATVs, you will require the following pieces of stuff:
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Vehicle:
What type of vehicle you will use for transporting your ATVs is entirely up to your choice. But remember, it must be bigger than your ATV and should have enough loading capacity and weight capacity, and space to safely transport your ATV without damaging anything.
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Four-wheelers or ATV:
You will need the four-wheeler, bike, or ATV to load onto the truck bed or your preferred set of loading vehicles.
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ATV ramps:
It will be more comfortable and smoother with the right ATV ramp to load and unload the ATVs. What type of ramp you will need totally depends on your requirements.
You can have the bi-fold, trifold, or dual runners ATV ramps for safe and easy ATV loading. You can also choose the ones that require no folding for better spacing.
If your ATV is heavier, you should get one to handle the heavier weight, ensuring adequate safety.
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Adjustable straps:
Most of the ATV ramps come with different lengths and sizes of adjustable straps for better safety measures. It allows the ramp to stay in the right position to load and unload the ATVs securely.
The best part is some of the straps can be configured according to your suitability to load your ATVs without any damage or scratches.
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Process:
One thing you need to remember is to attach the ATV ramp properly. If you are not sure how to do that, check all the connections and connect them correctly. Otherwise, it might injure you as well, along with damaging your ATVs.
You will have to be cautious about the following factors for safer ATV loading.
Choose comparatively a flat and smooth ground for parking the truck or your loading vehicle. It is recommended to choose the height and length of the ramp according to the height of your loading truck. In this way, you will be able to easily match the height of the truckbed and ramp for driving your ATV.
As you start your ATVs onto the ramp, it will begin vibrating and put much force and load on the ATV ramp. that is why it is best to maintain an adequate amount of space between the ATV and ramp before starting the ATV.
Many people choose folding ATV ramps for better storage convenience. If you have a folded one, before loading or unloading, unfold the ramp for better convenience.
How to use ATV Ramps:
By now, you have already known that an ATV ramp is a very crucial tool for loading your ATVs safely. You have to pay attention to every detail to keep your ATVs and ramps in better condition. Whether you choose a truck or other vehicle kinds for loading ATVs, your placing, angling, and attaching of the ATV ramps should be perfect.
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Place the ATV ramps:
Buying a heavily weighted capacity ramp will do nothing if you position it in the wrong way. It will fail to handle the weight of your ATv; as a result, your ATV will flip upside down.
Place the ramp in a position that you can make the most of its size.
The positioning requirements depend on the type of ramps as well. If you have a sloppy one, you will have to be careful about the slope pointing up for easier loading.
But if you choose tri-fold ramps for loading multiple ATVs and other vehicles, you will have to place them in the right way to keep space between the corner and side rails of the ramp.
How you will drive through the ramp to load your ATVs on the truck bed depends on your skill. Many people prefer driving the ATVs backward onto the ramp for easy unloading. But if you have a lengthier and wider ramp, it might cause an accident if not careful.
If you are using the ATV ramp for other vehicle’s loading or motorbike, or golf buggies, it is better to maintain proper space between the ATV ramps.
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Attaching the ramp:
Positioning and angling the ramp rightly is totally a waste if it does not remain in the place when you load or unload the ATV. As you already know better than a safer loading and unloading requires proper placement and angling of the ATV ramps. That is why you will have to make sure you have attached the straps to secure the placing of the ramps.
Usually, the ramps are placed on the edge of the loading ATVs. Without a secured connection, it will not remain in the right place, which might lead the ATVs to flip down.
Different types of adjustable safety straps come with different models of ATV ramps. These straps allow a secure and stable loading of your ATVs.
No matter whatever kind of strap you have, attach it by following the proper steps, mount the connection, and tools going through the procedure in detail so that no edge of the strap remains on the loose.
Balancing the adjustable straps and ramps is crucial. As straps hold the position of the ramp to the end of the truck while loading ATVs, they should be fitted tightly. The quality of the straps should be good enough to hold the weight capacity of ATVs onto the ramp.
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Loading the ATV:
After checking all the connections, attaching the straps properly, connecting the ramp on the truck properly in the right location and angle, you can quickly load your ATV.
Be careful about the alignment of ramps to match with the ATV wheels. You have to be precise in its attaching cause if the alignment of the ATV ramp is not right, you will have to redo it again.
Check each cable and straps to secure your ramp and then slowly drive ATVs through ATV ramps onto the truck bed or loading vehicles. It is recommended not to stop the ATVs onto the ramp.
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Removing the Ramp:
If you think keeping the straps or cable attached to the vehicle will save your time for unloading or again loading the ATV, you are wrong. It will just lag your time. Remove the straps and ramps every time after loading ATVs.
Longer ATV ramps might be an issue for storing and carrying them around. You can get folding ones that take little space.
Video Credit – AMS Recovery Trucks
FAQs:
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Why should you choose folding ramps?
Folding ramps are usually used for loading heavier ATVs for better surface area. Buying a lengthier one increases the maneuvering difficulty and transport issues. For easy carrying convenience and better storage management, if you require loading multiple ATVs and heavier ones, it is recommended to use the tri-fold ATV ramps.
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What should be the length of the ATV ramps?
Choosing the right length for ATV ramps is pretty crucial. It mostly depends on the height of the loading vehicle of yours. Like for trailers or smaller vehicles, you don’t require lengthier ones. But if your truck is taller, it will have to higher enough to reach the edge of the truck bed from the ground for easier ATV loading.
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What is the right size for an ATV ramp?
Choosing the accurate ATV ramp size is pretty tough and tricky as it requires you to keep so many factors in mind. It requires you to know about your ATVs specifications in detail like ground clearance, wheelbase, loading height, etc.
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Which types of adjustable straps secure better?
When it comes to choosing the straps, look for the ones that you can connect easily, fits better, keeps the ramp in the right location tightly.
You can get an additional secured and stable connection and easily tighten configuration in the quality ratchet straps and the models of D-ring straps. Many of the ATV ramps come with straps, but if you require a lengthier one or your existing one tends to lose while attaching, you can separately buy them.
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How to carry the ATV ramps easily?
You can easily carry the smaller and lightweight ramps in your truck bed. But if you have a lengthier one, or sloppy one, that’s when it causes storage issues. You can fit the straight ramps easily under your ATVs.
For long and better storage convenience, buy the folded ones to carry the ramp easily.
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What design should you choose for your ATV ramp?
For better mobility, traction, balancing different ramps uses different specification. Ladder ATV ramps are getting widely popular nowadays with their sturdy rungs for easier ATV loading.
But if you are going to load heavier ATVs, it is recommended not to use the ladder ramps because of the excessive gaps between the rungs of the ramp. It might slide down your ATV, or tires of the ATV might get stuck between the gap.
Hopefully, you have known about the uses of ATV ramps in detail to use them properly and maintain them for an extended period. Buying a quality one and using it carefully will always give you the upper hand in durability, reliability, etc.
