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Transporting Riding Mowers

46K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  Eire1916 
#1 ·
There's a Slim chance I can get a riding mower from a Relative. Basically my father-in-law gave his almost new mower to his son and picked himself up a new zero-radius turn riding SCAG. Anyway his son has a lawn service, this mowers been sitting in his shed for the last 3 or 4 years untouched. I read on another posting that with ramps setup, you could drive the mower right up onto the back of a pick-up truck, taking care to secure the ramp so it doesn't slip off. I was thinking about getting some 2x10 boards, perhaps 10 feet long with some kind of metal L bracket on the end to hook on to the pickup's bumper, perhaps with a 2x4 block to make the top end line up better with the bed of the truck. My problem is a lawn mower sitting for 3 years isn't going to just start right up, The old gas alone makes it unstartable. I'm thinking I'm going to have to do some maintenance work to make the thing usable. So the question is, how difficult is it going to be to push a 400 to 500 pound non-running mower up a ramp onto a pickup truck. Is this something that's going to require 2 or 3 people to handle?
 
#4 ·
Lowes has Ramp Tops which are the brackets you are looking for. They are made to fit either 2x8 or 2x10's. They are only $23/pair. :smilie_fl
 
#5 ·
I'd say 2 guys are good,three even better!--.even if the third guy just watches,he can always call 9-1-1 if something does wrong!..this CAN be very hazardous,BE CAREFUL..not trying to scare you,but even a riding mower weighing 300 lbs can cause some life threatening injury in a heartbeat if it gets away from you!..

If you can back up to a hill or wall,its a lot easier!--the less angle on the ramps,the better...

In my younger days I have gotten quite a few riding mowers loaded into my pickup bed alone,but only ones without a deck,and if they had no engine, that was even better --less weight!..and I'm not a big guy really,I'm 6'5" tall,but only weighed about 150 lbs then!..I used my legs mostly,they are a lot stronger than your back or arms are!..but I knew better than to attempt loading a "Garden Tractor" alone,and if it had wheel weights,forget it,even two guys would have a struggle loading one with them on it,and you'll need BEEFY ramps too..

To load one alone,I'd lift the front end up and put the front wheels on the tailgate,block the rear wheel with a chock so it wont roll backwards,then get behind it and hoist the rear end up,while shoving it in at the same time!..it was often a painful experience though,and my back would ache for a week or more after doing that..but it was often a "take it now or it will be gone" deal,so if I wanted them, I had to get them loaded alone,or lose out!..

I had too many tractors spit the ramps out if I atttempted to drive it up onto the truck,I got hurt twice doing that,and cracked a differential in two also when one fell,so I never try that method any more--plus,your weight AND the tractor could crack a wooden ramp in two halfway up as well..

I prefered a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood stiffened with 2x4s on edge as the ramp.rather than just two planks,it reduces the chance of injury a lot--but is a real pain to lift and store in the truck bed after the tractor is in it!..

I have put a few in low gear and let it "idle" up the ramps as I guided it with the steering wheel,but most tractors with safety switches wont let it run without you sitting on it,and it's probably not the safest method there is either..and wont work if it wont run!..

I'd highly reccomend getting a small winch,either a hand cranked "boat trailer" or electric one,or at least a "Come-A-Long"..even with two guys,I've had a few tractors get halfway up the ramps ,than go off course and one tire slips off the ramps,or the ramp itself slides out from under it altogether!..then you either drop the tractor,or have to struggle to get it lined up on the ramps or the ramp back under it again,even with two guys it can be difficult..

I lost count how many times my "helper" would pinch a finger or something,and LET GO when we had it halfway up the ramps,and I'd have to push it in the rest of the way alone!---and I have been chased by "runaway" tractors as they rolled backwards when I attempted loading them alone using ramps,I often could only get them halfway up!..with a winch or Come-A-Long,you have complete control,and can stand away from it,while IT does all the work,the only thing to watch out for is the tires dont turn on you and fall off the ramp halfway up..you can put a bungy cord on the steering wheel to help keep the wheels straight ahead..

I used a Dodge Caravan to move 3 tractors recently,and I will say this,I like the much lower height a lot better !!--a trailer is good too,but loading a tractor with 8' ramps into a pickup bed 36" or higher off the ground (as is my 4x4 GMC),it can be quite a challenge..especially when the deck bottoms out as it gets halfway in!..that's when the winch or Come-A-Long is nice,it'll hold it there, while you lift up on it and "unsnag" it..curved ramps prevent that better than flat planks too...

I might make a tilting "table" that will go in my reciever hitch to carry tractors on,that way I can drive them right up on it and pin it in place,and go--and still have my truck bed free to haul other items..as I get older,lifting and pushing become harder to do without injury--work smarter,not harder,right?..
 
#6 ·
If things are nice and dry, weather-wise and there is a ditch nearby, you can back the rear wheels of the truck into the ditch, thus dropping the height of the truck bed. The tractor can be loaded using ramps but the angle of the ramps will be very shallow, thus making it easy for one person to push the tractor on.

Another "single man" method is to buy an inexpensive "comealong" hand winch. A hefty rope through both front stake pockets on the truck fenders will give you a centered pulling point for one end of the winch. The winch cable can go around the front axle. Just crank it up the ramps, stopping whenever you need to correct the steering and you'll have it on board in no time.
 
#8 ·
If things are nice and dry, weather-wise and there is a ditch nearby, you can back the rear wheels of the truck into the ditch, thus dropping the height of the truck bed. The tractor can be loaded using ramps but the angle of the ramps will be very shallow, thus making it easy for one person to push the tractor on.
Big Ditto there! Use this method on my Harley as well.
 
#7 ·
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At approximately 10°-15° I feel comfortable driving on but any greater angle than that I would suggest pushing on or using a snatch block pulley system or come along type of equipment. Although I've pushed them up ramps around 20° by myself I recommend two people. Just be certain your pickup is relatively level side to side. To decrease the angle considerably, car ramps can be used to elevate the front wheels of the vehicle.

Something to consider, as you will see, most lawn tractor's front and rear wheels aren't spaced equal on center and that will have to be adjusted for when placing the ramps. This is where I feel better with ramps that are 12 inches wide.

The ramps pictured are some I built forming the L bracket from 10GA floor plate but purchased brackets usually work well. I attached the brackets with carriage bolts to doubled 5/8" exterior sheathing plywood cut from a 4x8 sheet. Two 2x2s were added just inside each edge for a little xtra strength. They work real well being nearly 12" wide.
 

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#9 ·
Done it quite a few times B-4 I got a trailer--a second/third person is always better, though--just as another set of eyes...

You can get hurt so quick out here in the real world.
 
#13 ·
I really should mount my 12v winch into the front of the bed of my truck. I'm 6'0" and 155. I have by myself pushed my Toro 266H and 52" deck up my 10' ramps all by myself. And that was inch by inch, reaching around to push on the brake pedal to catch my breath. It is at least 700 pounds with deck on it. I would not try that same feat with one of my Case 448s.
 
#17 ·
I really miss not having the flatbed and crane setup I had on my other 4x4 truck,it was nice to be able to back up to a "junk" tractor frozen to the ground with 4 flats,and simply loop a strap around it and push a button,and swing it into the bed with no sweat!..and you could load anything else under 1500 lbs with it too,by yourself pretty easily..just had to use common sense..

The flatbed was wide as the truck with no wheel wells too,so at least 3 or 4 tractors could be hauled in one trip ..it's still sitting in my backyard on a truck frame made into a trailer--many times I think I should have swapped it onto my current GMC 4x4,it would bolt right on--but now its gotten rusty, and needs new lights,wood floor ,etc..

A Stepside bed stinks for hauling a tractor,even my 8' one on my GMC ,with a toolbox that robs 2' of length!--my 46" MTD deck wont even fit in it!.
I once hauled it to mow a lawn by laying plywood on top of the bed rails and bolting it on, and strapped the tractor to it--it was a scary top heavy ride to the job site and back!..I'd not try that again..
 
#19 ·
Someone gave me a small trailer. Just gotta fix the hitch, install lights, build a new bed on it, get plates and insure.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Is it just me, or does 10' sound a little long for a 2x10 as a ramp for something that heavy, w/ or w/o the proper ends?

I have no idea what my Gilson weighs w/o the deck on it, but when I bought it, the seller and I easily lifted the front into the Pontiac Montana, then the back. Then we stood the deck on its front, up against the back of the tractor and closed the gate.

I was pleased that the tractor rolled in w/o having to remove the steering wheel or the seat. Fit like a glove:)

I feel I could likely get it in and out myself this way if I REALLY REALLY had to, but it'd be difficult getting the first end up and back down when removing it.

Luckily, I don't intend to move it again after I get it home fr. sister's garage.

Anyway, Home Depot Tool Rental has a line on a very very nice set of folding, extruded aluminum ramps, though they're costly

Bil-Jax (scaffolding) 8" or 10" wide folding and non folding extruded aluminum ramps:
http://www.biljax.com//Products/Described/Product15.aspx



One **** of a nice looking log splitter there too. Wow!




:hide: Just out of curiosity... ...what IS left of this trailer? It seems it is missing some of the necessary conditions of "trailer".

Kidding, sorry :hide:

For anyone in Canada at least, keep your eyes out at Home Depot for trailers. We've just changed suppliers. At my store at least, they'll be clearing out the remaining Snowbear trailers.

I'd consider one myself, but I sold the last of the trailer hitches I had on two of my Neons, actually, those two Neons are gone too. The two cars I had came w/ the hitches on, but I only used one, once, to take a stump grinder home from Tool Rental, to test. Ppl kept complaining it didn't 'work', unfortunately we had no stumps at work to test it on.

Coop
 
#21 ·
I used 8' wood 2x8" ramps to load a Sears Suburban in the '93 Caravan the other day,and I was tempted to chop off 6" from them so they would fit in the cargo area without protruding beyond the cargo area,I had to shove them between the front seats..6" less would have ben perfect..
I'd say to load a tractor in your Montana,8' ramps are plently long enough..

I would not have got that Suburban in the van without the winch I brought with me though!--it had loaded tires and wheel weights,and an engine,myself and the guy I got it from couldn't lift it one inch off the ground,and if he didn't have a JD bucket loader,it would still be out under the pine tree where I saw it,no way you could drive up to it ,not until June maybe,when mud season ended!..and if it had a deck,I doubt it would have fit either,since the van is only 4' wide...


I used a chain looped around the pins the rear seat clamps into,bolted to the winch base, to "mount" the winch,it was crude ,but worked well enough to let me load it just fine..

If I were going to use the Caravan to haul more tractors,I think I'd mount the winch on a 2x6 plank or channel iron about 3' long and butt it up against the bottoms of the front seats..but I dont plan on using it for that purpose much more ..

I was surprised the Suburban fit in the Caravan with room to spare,the steering wheel may have been a VERY close squeeze where the tailgate is if it had inflated tires,but once inside it had a foot of cleaernce ,and it was missing one front tire,so it went right in--I measured the height of the cargo opening,it was 39.5"--the Suburbans steering wheel is also 39.5" high off the ground with inflated tires!--so I may have had to deflate the tires some to load one in it!..but the roof gets higher just beyond the tailgate area once inside..

8' ramps seemed plenty long,since the bumper height of the Caravan is not that great compared to a pickup truck's bed,---on a truck bed 3' off the ground,even 8' ramps are a bit on the "short" side,the angle is pretty steep and the deck will likely bottom out as it enters the bed..

I liked using the van,it saved me a lot on gas $$$$ and it was nice having the tractors inside out of the rain,and not having to worry about the hood flying open and getting trashed,etc..not sure if it'd be "fun" if they had gas in them though,or mice,bees nests,etc!..
 
#22 ·
I expected to at least have to flatten the tires or remove the seat/steering wheel to get the Gilson into the van. The PO measured the tractor, and I measure the available head room, and the tractor won. Apparently one of us measured wrong.
 
#23 ·
My first set of ramps was made from 2 cedar boards. I think they were about 7 feet long. It was a challenge as the mower deck easily gets hung up on the edge of the tailgate. I took my chainsaw and cut hundreds of little notches in them from side to side. That helped some. I then bought a bunch of short flathead nails and nailed them into the boards at about a 45 degree angle. That helped more. If you are loading up into a pickup or a high decked trailer you most likely will need ramps with a curve in the top of them so the mower deck clears the tailgate. For a while I was driving an 86 Mazda B2000. It used 2 machined flat links to hold up the tailgate when it was down. I got an extra pair of those links and cut 2 of them. I had a welder combine them together to essentially make the tailgate links about 1" longer than stock. This lowered the edge of the tailgate enough to make loading the mower much easier. If your tailgate has cables you could buy another set of cables off a used truck just like yours and cut one set, then use cable clamps to make the cables essentially longer than stock. On some trucks these cables might have to stick out the gaps between the ends of the tailgate and the pickup bed in order for the gate to be closed. For your safety, it would be a great great idea to make something so you can clamp or bolt your ramps to the tailgate so you and your tractor don't end up coming off the ramps and get hurt/damaged. Neither would be fun.
Folding aluminum ramps are typically the lightest and easiest to handle but eventually will wear out at the hinge points. If you don't use them a lot, they might last you many years. But if you have a lawn service they will be worn out in a season or two. In that case buy some nicer long wide curved aluminum ramps for ATV or dirtbike. The last pair I bought I ended up using some "U" bolts and bolted the lower ends of my last pair of folding aluminum ramps to them to make them longer.
 
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