ramp & trailer advice for loading atvs into m923a1

[lindsey97]

Hello everyone, just read helomech's thread on going off roading, and wanted to ask what would be the best way to load atv's and dirt bikes into my m923.

I have considered buying a military trailer and loading into the trailer first(because of the lower height) then "bridging" the trailer to the truck with short ramps and driving onto the truck.

Or is there a set of ramps that I can purchase and skip the trailer altogether? I think I will need a set of ramps at least 15 feet long.

Which trailer would better suit my needs, m105 or the m1102 that is aluminum?

Really enjoying this site and has been a huge help since I purchased my MV.

 

[swbradley1]

You can find a hill or a ditch.

What you don't want to do is unload the ATV out of the back of the truck on the wrong size/type of hill. At Haspin this year they had an ATV half out the back of the truck and the owner of the truck pulled forward. The owner of the ATV was holding the handle bars on one side and the ATV flipped him down the hill. We watched from across the compound and it was hilarious (he was okay).

Don't be that guy!

 

[NDT]

My opinion is that it would be safer to build a small bed-mounted crane to hoist the atvs in and out. It could flip down when not in use.

 

[andy3]

KISS, less steps is less variables and less places for Murphy to visit. Long ramps, a hill, loading dock. Adding lots of steps and a trailer seems to ask for trouble.

 

[helomech]

Well for me a hoist was out of the question. The side by side weighs about 1500 lbs. All the ramps on my set up where bolted into place so they could not move. I had to build a platform in the M-105 trailer because the side by side was to wide to fit in between the wheel wells. I had to have two different ramp locations because the wheel base is so different between the side by side and the 4 wheeler. Those ramps are actually not just flat metal, they have angle iron welded to the bottom of them. The 2X6's going from the trailer to the truck also have 2X4's bolted to the bottom of the to give them more strength. Wish there was a better way, but I could not come up with one for a decent price. I had all these materials laying around so it was no cost to me.

To me this was safer than long ramps, and loading them in a ditch or something similar is fine here, but what about when I get where I am going. Not always going to be a ditch or hill that will work.

 

[VPed]

I used regular ramps (6 foot) and come-alonged them up when loading at home on my deuce. Backed up to a hill and used the ramps to bridge to the hill when we were out in the desert. Unloaded them using the same ramps but used rope to gently lower the quads as it was easier that using the come-along. A small electric winch would be nice.

I had thought about loading them one at a time, first on a pickup and then on to the truck but that was more work than the come-along.

Some guys here have built long ramps but you may consider keeping the length short enough to fit in the bed so you can take them with you. Not so much of an issue with an M927 like I have though.

 

[lindsey97]

I have used the hill trick in years past with bumper pull trailers and such. also considered winching them on or building a crane but I don't want to alter the truck that much, im still in love with it haha.


helomech's pictures in this thread are exactly what I am considering trying. I strongly agree with putting studs in the ends of the ramps and drillings holes in the ramp mounting surface for the ramp. over the years I have had ramps come out from under me while loading and it is very unpleasant.

in the pics, it doesn't appear that the trailer tailgate height is near as tall as the truck.

on these small military trailers, I have noticed that the lunette eye hitch of the trailer has a stepup or down in it; can it be removed, flipped and reinstalled in order to level the trailer in relation to the m923 ride height?

 

[helomech]

in the pics, it doesn't appear that the trailer tailgate height is near as tall as the truck.

The tail gate for the trailer is much lower than the truck. I also welded on new rings for the tailgate chain to hook to so that the tailgate could be put at an lower angle. I also cut out new spots for the trucks tailgate chains to hook to for the same reason.

on these small military trailers, I have noticed that the lunette eye hitch of the trailer has a stepup or down in it; can it be removed, flipped and reinstalled in order to level the trailer in relation to the m923 ride height?

The lunette spins freely, so there is no way to flip it over.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Stretch loads a 2A jeep in the back of his deuce using old stripped frame rails. You could makenanfolding ramp setup as well. I used to use 8' sections of aluminum bleacer seating with a little reinforcement. I find it much safer to winch everything up the ramps. I've taken a few spills from pitching out ramps.