Two days in and two hundred bucks and it seems to be a failure. The idea worked in my head but the ramp is to flimsy at the hinge. I walked away for the weekend to think about a fix before I scrap the whole thing. Any ideas on how to strengthen it without replacing the whole thing with steel would be much appreciated.
CE6C4BA3-1B1A-46AF-92BA-70C1D3A9758F.jpeg
90BB9AB3-3302-4698-8023-15470BF496F0.jpeg
A couple more.
C061B381-F17F-463A-8EF9-2D1538BEEF4C.jpeg
9BEB8AED-36BE-455E-95F1-9702904C010A.jpeg
Could you put some sort of stand underneath it when using? Like a jack stand or something in the middle? Or a block a wood if a jack stand won’t fit
Each section is two feet by six feet.
Yeah that is one idea. Was thinking maybe a steel bar in a tube that I could slide into the other section. I’m not sure yet. Thanks.
Ya, that isn’t going to work. You will be money & time ahead to go buy a ramp. A much bigger one also. Once your wood gets cold you will need to hit it at 40 mph to get that snowmobile up it. 
Buy a aluminum ramp thats not solid. The air will flow through and it will tow much easier. Go onto the Aluma and Midsota trailer sights to get examples.
I’m thinking there’s too much flex between the plywood and the 2×3’s. Not sure how the plywood is attached, but I’d screw and glue a sheet to both sides, so that one side works in tension, the other compression.
If the 2×3 frame was built with lap joints, it would be stronger. The screws coming in from the edges just allow too much movement.
HRG
Ya, that isn’t going to work. You will be money & time ahead to go buy a ramp. A much bigger one also. Once your wood gets cold you will need to hit it at 40 mph to get that snowmobile up it.
Buy a aluminum ramp thats not solid. The air will flow through and it will tow much easier. Go onto the Aluma and Midsota trailer sights to get examples.
.
I have a ramp I’m sick of hauling it out. The plan was to put slides for the skis and traction for the track. I was going to do something like this to the new ramp.
C6DAC72F-752C-4ED6-AADD-2414EE7A78D5.jpeg
3699CAD3-2DDF-43C5-A1E7-2B3426D34A9C.jpeg
I’m thinking there’s too much flex between the plywood and the 2×3’s. Not sure how the plywood is attached, but I’d screw and glue a sheet to both sides, so that one side works in tension, the other compression.
If the 2×3 frame was built with lap joints, it would be stronger. The screws coming in from the edges just allow too much movement.
The ply wood is just screwed down, more screws would’ve used when I attached the ski slides and traction but I held off because of obvious issue. The two by threes were drilled and screwed with five inch screws on the ends.
HRG
What about cutting some heavy tow strap material. Atleast 3″ wide, and fastening that on the under side of your ramp. If you put one under each wheel zone and maybe one in the center, and tried to fasten them with some tension.
How about some lag bolts run in across from each other to prevent it from sagging.the heads would butt up against each other. I knew the answer was in the bottle of vodka!
DEA1BC8C-D3D3-4DDF-8586-4EF496B1F2B5.jpeg
A simple loose metal C-channel bent to fit along the outsides of the ramp will keep the sides plenty strong. Approx 2″ x 2″ x 48″ or whatever ID you need them to be. Just place them on the edges when needed…
A simple loose metal C-channel bent to fit along the outsides of the ramp will keep the sides plenty strong. Approx 2″ x 2″ x 48″ or whatever ID you need them to be. Just place them on the edges when needed…
That’s interesting, so you would just put them on half in each section.the individual sections are plenty strong just need to overcome the sag. Thanks for the idea.
Yep, the length could be whatever you think is req. What’s the required ID to fit snug over your boards?
Yep, the length could be whatever you think is req. What’s the required ID to fit snug over your boards?
I would have to measure, but around two inches.
Don’t love the wood idea but here is a thought to keep it from sagging.
Attach metal could try with two by fours as well but attach one on each section on each side might have to do one in the middle too. Have them over lap to the other side of the plywood unattached. Do the same opposite on the other sheet of plywood. Attach where arrows are but put them right next to each other. I spaced in picture to show. Almost builds a bridge over the hinge area. Sorry pictures I did it on my phone. The over lapping should keep from sagging in middle. The bunjees are defiantly not going to hold over time.
D0139A74-1DC4-4C48-AA16-A59BE27B530A.jpeg
Have to click on this one to see the whole pic.
CA1ADEFE-483F-4A31-BD94-4AA284FE3731.jpeg
Personally I’d change out the bungee straps for ratchet straps.
Don’t love the wood idea but here is a thought to keep it from sagging.
Attach metal could try with two by fours as well but attach one on each section on each side might have to do one in the middle too. Have them over lap to the other side of the plywood. Do the same opposite on the other sheet of plywood. Attach where arrows are but put them right next to each other. I spaced in picture to show. Almost builds a bridge over the hinge area. Sorry pictures I did it on my phone. The over lapping should keep from sagging in middle. The bunjees are defiantly not going to hold over time.
I could see this working, the bungees were not the final solution for securing, just for the time being.the problem with your idea is I need to attach the ski runners and I have my old snowmobile track I was going to cut up to attach for traction in those locations.
Let us know if you try this and it does. I’m curious now and in my head it made sense. 
Put two on outer edge and and maybe two a foot or two in maybe just inside where your skis go and run track right down middle. May be able to get away with 2 on each edge and just one on each side closer to the middle attaching on opposite side of plywood and put them just inside your skis so they almost make a rail system for the skis themselves.
1E228F18-E956-44A6-801F-045BE4A94F48-1.jpeg
1E228F18-E956-44A6-801F-045BE4A94F48.jpeg
The hinge area is the weak point of this design Put pieces of 2×8 as vertical side pieces on each side of the fold so they butt up against each other when the ramp is opened. Long run solution is an aluminum ramp if this is something that you use often…
I would drill and install 2 each 6″ x 5/8″ dowels with some glue in every butt jointed 2″ x 3″ along the both sides of the hinges.
This should stiffen up the edges and transfer the twist/torque to the 2′ long stringers.
could be done in place.
You’ll need some type of bearing from the hinge point to the ground like Coletrain recommended. Jack stand or I would go with a couple pieces of non split firewood. my $.02
I can see a lot of ways to make that wood tailgate work, but nothing that’s going to make untreated wood and plywood last beyond a year or two if stored outdoors.
I bought a nivty little inverter wirefeed welder just to make mods to the tailgate on my trailer. Since then I’ve used it for several repair projects such that I’ve easily paid for the welder 2-3 times over. For a couple of hundred bucks, I made my ramp tailgate removable and now I’m working on a “shorty” tailgate that I can put on when I don’t need the ramp.
The ramp tailgate, even with just mesh, is a major mileage killer. It costs me at least 2 MPG to run with that ramp tailgate on my trailer, so making a second tailgate was an easy decision. I only need the ramp when I’m hauling ATVs, which isn’t all that often.
Just a thought. Will this wood solution last even if you get it working the way you want it?
Grouse
I can see a lot of ways to make that wood tailgate work, but nothing that’s going to make untreated wood and plywood last beyond a year or two if stored outdoors.
I bought a nivty little inverter wirefeed welder just to make mods to the tailgate on my trailer. Since then I’ve used it for several repair projects such that I’ve easily paid for the welder 2-3 times over. For a couple of hundred bucks, I made my ramp tailgate removable and now I’m working on a “shorty” tailgate that I can put on when I don’t need the ramp.
The ramp tailgate, even with just mesh, is a major mileage killer. It costs me at least 2 MPG to run with that ramp tailgate on my trailer, so making a second tailgate was an easy decision. I only need the ramp when I’m hauling ATVs, which isn’t all that often.
Just a thought. Will this wood solution last even if you get it working the way you want it?
Grouse
I agree I should have made it out of steel . I have a nice 220 wire feed. I made the trailer maybe ten years ago or so out of green treated lumber.I figured I would just continue the project with wood. I was shocked at the price of treated lumber when I was getting supplies. Ten bucks for a 2×4? So the plan was if it worked how it was intended I would replace the wood with treated lumber once the price came down. I’ll try a few ideas that have been posted , then I’ll probably take it off and burn it and build one out of steel.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>
I can see a lot of ways to make that wood tailgate work, but nothing that’s going to make untreated wood and plywood last beyond a year or two if stored outdoors.I bought a nivty little inverter wirefeed welder just to make mods to the tailgate on my trailer. Since then I’ve used it for several repair projects such that I’ve easily paid for the welder 2-3 times over. For a couple of hundred bucks, I made my ramp tailgate removable and now I’m working on a “shorty” tailgate that I can put on when I don’t need the ramp.
The ramp tailgate, even with just mesh, is a major mileage killer. It costs me at least 2 MPG to run with that ramp tailgate on my trailer, so making a second tailgate was an easy decision. I only need the ramp when I’m hauling ATVs, which isn’t all that often.
Just a thought. Will this wood solution last even if you get it working the way you want it?
Grouse
I agree I should have made it out of steel . I have a nice 220 wire feed. I made the trailer maybe ten years ago or so out of green treated lumber.I figured I would just continue the project with wood. I was shocked at the price of treated lumber when I was getting supplies. Ten bucks for a 2×4? So the plan was if it worked how it was intended I would replace the wood with treated lumber once the price came down. I’ll try a few ideas that have been posted , then I’ll probably take it off and burn it and build one out of steel.
i hope you posted this at break time!!!!!! 
Piano hinge would help too.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Gino wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>TheFamousGrouse wrote:</div>
I can see a lot of ways to make that wood tailgate work, but nothing that’s going to make untreated wood and plywood last beyond a year or two if stored outdoors.I bought a nivty little inverter wirefeed welder just to make mods to the tailgate on my trailer. Since then I’ve used it for several repair projects such that I’ve easily paid for the welder 2-3 times over. For a couple of hundred bucks, I made my ramp tailgate removable and now I’m working on a “shorty” tailgate that I can put on when I don’t need the ramp.
The ramp tailgate, even with just mesh, is a major mileage killer. It costs me at least 2 MPG to run with that ramp tailgate on my trailer, so making a second tailgate was an easy decision. I only need the ramp when I’m hauling ATVs, which isn’t all that often.
Just a thought. Will this wood solution last even if you get it working the way you want it?
Grouse
I agree I should have made it out of steel . I have a nice 220 wire feed. I made the trailer maybe ten years ago or so out of green treated lumber.I figured I would just continue the project with wood. I was shocked at the price of treated lumber when I was getting supplies. Ten bucks for a 2×4? So the plan was if it worked how it was intended I would replace the wood with treated lumber once the price came down. I’ll try a few ideas that have been posted , then I’ll probably take it off and burn it and build one out of steel.
i hope you posted this at break time!!!!!!
I thought you were retired !
I am. 
just giving you crap, figured Ed wasn’t
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Buy a aluminum ramp thats not solid. The air will flow through and it will tow much easier. Go onto the Aluma and Midsota trailer sights to get examples. 
