Mountain Master Smart loader

[GlennWest]

We only used 4" channel welded to angle iron wich is bolted to chassis. I could put them at back, want that area for boxes

[rdickinson]

224 should be no problem. Like Phil says, you could add some onto the back. A ramp storage compartment there would be a lot easier than just under the deck as my wrists only flex up 22 and down 22, so I wind up on my toes trying to retain control of the ramps. A track with Teflon or some other slippery product would be good, 'cus as Darryl said last year, aluminum on aluminum is grabby.

 

Wiring for rear plate and lites etc could go over the box b/w the frame rails.

 

Plus you gain extra storage in a pretty big box b/w the 2 rear stock boxes.

 

This would be way better.

 

Roger

[SuiteSuccess]

Glenn,

 

One more option. If you have a receiver hitch on the back of your truck, you can put a cargo carrier and put the ramps there. The math works out that it does not interfere with the turning radius of the trailer. I did this for awhile and i worked fine, just not elegant. This pic shows them on carrier in the receiver.

[Broncohauler]

 

Bottom box is for ramps and could be made larger if needed. If you look at the back, you can see the gray ramps on a 1 1/2x1 1/2 Square tube frame with angle iron runners.

I did not fully inclose it into a box because I do go off road and wanted to make sure they would not hang me up, in the last nine years I've never had a problem. But the Ramps are stupid heavy and I would use aluminum next time. And for sideloading My wife's rihino we do use aluminum riamps where we used to use the steel

[Jack Mayer]

All this ramp talk has me thinking I'd better get to work on my "next" solution for getting the 2016 car on my deck. Cause its not likely to happen with a hitch on the car before October. So that means driving on.

 

A couple of points to consider:

 

When driving on from the passenger side, the new car requires a front chock that is about 3.5" tall. That is the height of the ratchet that most people use for the wheel nets. Much taller and the lower (front) rubber air deflector will be hit. You could do 4" but that is about it.

 

Assuming I DRIVE on from the passenger side and drive OFF from the drivers side then these lower chocks are critical. Because when driving on they have to be in place and the car has to clear them in the front, AND stop me. If I winch up backward then the front chock height is not really important since I can slip them in from the side or tilt them.

 

Eventually I intend to put a hitch on my car and winch like before. But until that is possible it will be driven on. I likely will have to get race ramps to get the breakover at the bottom of the ramps correct. I never hit the front of my 2012, but this car is considerably lower in the front. The good news is the rigid portion of the front bumper is higher, but the rubber air dam is lower. The 2012 did not have the rubber air dam...only the rigid part. So it is good news/bad news. The 2016 is a better design but complicates loading/unloading.

 

My ramps are 12" wide. I don't think that will be a big issue, but we will see. This newer car has the wheels "in line", not offset to any noticeable degree. That greatly decreases the chance of error in loading. The new car also has a LOT more power and I'm hoping it has he guts to climb the ramp without running at it, like you must do with the gen1 cars. My 2012 would have never climbed the ramp in a controlled throttle fashion.

 

The BAD news is the new car has WAY more throttle lag than the old car....which is definitely a factor climbing the ramp. At least in theory. In practice I hope it is not a factor of any import.

[GlennWest]

Jack, I back off. My chocks are 4". They work fine. Actually my 2013 scrubbed a little going up last time. My bottom plastic guard came down yesterday so that may have broke it. There was a place for a bolt that wasn't in it. Put a bolt in there and it is tight now. Probably replace it later. The side small bolts are still there with the broken plastic. The ramps under it may have broken it. Even possible it was broken before I got it. Just letting you know so you can watch for this when/if you drive on.

[GlennWest]

 

Bottom box is for ramps and could be made larger if needed. If you look at the back, you can see the gray ramps on a 1 1/2x1 1/2 Square tube frame with angle iron runners.

I did not fully inclose it into a box because I do go off road and wanted to make sure they would not hang me up, in the last nine years I've never had a problem. But the Ramps are stupid heavy and I would use aluminum next time. And for sideloading My wife's rihino we do use aluminum riamps where we used to use the steel

If both of the dualls on one side was flat wouldn't it rest on ramps?

[GeorgiaHybrid]

_Jack,

 

_{The new Smarts will go up and down OK. Ours will have the chocks made so they will fit on either side (as do the ramps) and the first test run went fine. Here is ours on the back of the truck last week:}

 

[HERO Maker]

Glenn, it looks like that would clear it fine even with all the rubber off!

But that's like asking, "If I got hit with a meteor in the middle of the desert, would someone declare it a bad area to drive through, or make it a tourist stop?"

The first part is not likely to happen, so the second part could have all kinds of answers.

[HERO Maker]

_Jack,

 

_{The new Smarts will go up and down OK. Ours will have the chocks made so they will fit on either side (as do the ramps) and the first test run went fine. Here is ours on the back of the truck last week:}

 

Did you drive it up?

[GlennWest]

I have had both of dualls on one side flat. Picked up something and cut both on inside.

[HERO Maker]

That means I'm not going to go into the desert with you.

[SuiteSuccess]

Dave,

 

The bed is really looking good.

[GlennWest]

That means I'm not going to go into the desert with you.

Actually I have never seen a desert. All my traveling so far has been work related.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

HERO Maker, on 16 Aug 2016 - 11:44 AM, said:

Did you drive it up?

 

Nope, winched it up from the rear. I built a receiver hitch for the car and I think Jake modified a 8" riser that I bought to go into the hitch by heating and re-bending it up higher. It might have made it without modifying the riser but it would make things easier to clear the deck if it was higher. If Jake didn't do it there, it will be reworked once I get it home, a torch, big vise and a little persuasion with a 5 pounder should do the trick. In our business, "heat, beat, bend in place and paint to match" is normal.

 

 

Dave,

 

The bed is really looking good.

 

Thanks Carl, hopefully, we can go pick it up at the end of the month. This is worse than waiting on Christmas to get here.

[Broncohauler]

If both of the dualls on one side was flat wouldn't it rest on ramps?

It looks low and I was concerned at first,but there really is no problem at all with ground clearance.

I had this truck stuck in the middle of the night in the desert up to the rear end and the tail never even came close.

I am still tandem and even though I'm low on the tail, I don't have a lot of overhang at all. So hopefully I never blow 2 tires at the same time, but if I did the rearend touching shouldn't be an issue to answer your question.

[GlennWest]

Might do just that. Gona give it some though

[Jack Mayer]

_Jack,

 

_{The new Smarts will go up and down OK. Ours will have the chocks made so they will fit on either side (as do the ramps) and the first test run went fine. Here is ours on the back of the truck last week:}

 

THANKS. That is great to know. Now I just have to train MYSELF to do the driving on.....I suspect that once I get used to the driving on (OFF is zero issue) then I'll not use the winch again....but maybe I will.... Do you have 12" ramps or the wider ones?

[GlennWest]

Getting Smart lined up with stops is only issue I have driving up. Can't see where you going at top. Did better last time. Flute or not?

[GeorgiaHybrid]

THANKS. That is great to know. Now I just have to train MYSELF to do the driving on.....I suspect that once I get used to the driving on (OFF is zero issue) then I'll not use the winch again....but maybe I will.... Do you have 12" ramps or the wider ones?

 

Jack,

 

Those are the 19" ramps. I wouldn't have had a problem with the 12" ones but the DW wanted the wider ones in case she ever had to load the car. I don't have a problem driving up or down ramps but she does. That is one reason I wanted the chocks and ramps to be able to fit on either side. I can drive up the rider side and down the driver side if need be. Lot easier than trying to back it up a ramp. It also gives me some options if I am ever stuck and need to unload on a different side.

 

I will still more than likely use the winch and pull from the hitch mount but I always like option if possible.

[Jack Mayer]

There is no way I'm going to back UP the ramps....wide or not. That is a non-starter for me. But I'm anticipating not having any issues with driving up one side and off the other. Biggest issue may be carrying the ramps around to the off side.

[GlennWest]

Backing down feels safer than driving up. All you see going up is sky. Might not be, not arguing.

[Jack Mayer]

Backing down feels safer than driving up. All you see going up is sky. Might not be, not arguing.

Why would you be backing DOWN, Glenn. Most people position the car so that the drivers side door is to the rear of the truck. IMO you want to drive off forward, no matter which way you choose to load. But with wide ramps it may not make much difference.....

[GlennWest]

I have the 19" wide ramps. Maybe just to lazy to carry to other side.

[GlennWest]

Also need to modify driver side stops. Shop and I got wires crossed. I changed the passenger side and just remove it for loading and unloading