Ramp Up Your Atv Safety Smarts
Hugo Amblyne
If you've ever crossed the backcountry on an ATV, you know that off-roading is one of the most thrilling of all the extreme sports. You may also know that there's no thrill to moving your ATV from your suburban garage to the back roads without the use of proper ATV ramps.
You may be completely lost when it comes to choosing and using ATV ramps. While there's no trick to using ramps, it can take some practice before you get the procedure just right.
The following guidelines can help to walk you through the process and prepare you for the ramping experience. Follow these steps, and you should enjoy a fairly uneventful experience.
Buying the Right Ramps
Common sense is really the most common rule of thumb. Choose a ramp that is wider than your ATV. Take careful measurements BEFORE placing your order. Having said that, when buying wide-runner ramps, use the width of your ATV's wheelbase as the reference of the ramp's width. If you prefer a single-runner ramp, on the other hand, the width distance should be at least as wide as your tire.
Standard ATV ramp sizes are preferred for smaller pickup vehicles, while longer ramps are used with larger trucks. Check the capacity of the ramp and the load of your ATV before you pay for your new ramps. If you suspect that your ATV is heavier than the ramp's load capacity, you may want to pair up two ramps to allow for greater load capability.
Using Your ATV Ramps
Step One: Park your truck on a flat and firm surface, and use the parking brake. Clear all materials out of the truck or trailer bed and secure the vehicle and the trailer before beginning the ramping procedure.
Step Two: With the ramp located on hard-packed ground, position it to the truck or trailer bed at the lowest possible angle. Connect the ramp to the bed. If using runners, make sure that the individual ramps are properly spaced to match the wheelbase of your ATV. The ramp should fit snugly and be secure.
Step Three: Install the safety cables with the ramps tightly supported against the trailer bed.
Fourth Step: Once again, check the current weight of your ATV, and compare it to the ramp's load capacity. You can remove any heavy, excess gear from your ATV to prevent overloading. This will prevent possible damage to your ramp and ATV.
Fifth Step: Use a winch if you have one. There is no better way to bring your ATV safely up the ramp and on to the trailer or truck bed. Riding your ATV up the ramp is an option if you don't have a winch, but you must ride slowly and cautiously with smooth acceleration.
This is when the worst accident can happen; so don't rush it. Going too quickly or accelerating abruptly could cause you to fall off of the ramp or crash into the truck's cab. Again, using a winch is the safest way to ramp your ATV, particularly if you have no previous ramping experience.
Step Six: Secure your ATV. Once the ATV is loaded, carefully secure it to the truck bed or trailer.
It's really quite simple to use ATV ramps, once you get the hang of it, but it does require a little practice. Follow each of these steps carefully, and have another person on hand to help whenever possible. Accidents happen quickly and without warning, and it's important to have help available when you need it.
Author Hugo Amblyne provides material for several popular web sites, on
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