Snomobile on tailgate?
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Freshman User
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From: Mukilteo, Washington
Snomobile on tailgate?
I have a 680 pound touring snomobile and would like to load it in the back of my 2005 F350 using the ramps I already have for my flatbed truck. I weigh around 225 on a good day. Total riding up the ramps is therefore around 900 pounds. At one point in the drive up to the bed the tailgate would have to support pretty much the entire load. Can those cables and the tailgate handle that much weight?
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Burnsville, MN
Don't confuse my response with that of someone who actually knows, but it seems to me that half of the load on the tailgate would be on the hinges, and half on the cables - at least if the load were in the center of the tailgate. In that case there would only be 225 pounds on each cable, which I wouldn't expect to be a problem.
The problem would be if/when all of the weight is on the aftmost lip of the tailgate.
On the other hand, the ramps also redirect some of the load to the ground. In fact, you could cut a couple of 2x4's and wedge them under the ramps up by the gate to ground to take a lot of the load off the tailgate.
Also, at any one time only some of the weight would be on the skiis, and some spread out on the belt, not all in one pinpoint location.
You're right though, best bet is to hear from someone who has tried it...
The problem would be if/when all of the weight is on the aftmost lip of the tailgate.
On the other hand, the ramps also redirect some of the load to the ground. In fact, you could cut a couple of 2x4's and wedge them under the ramps up by the gate to ground to take a lot of the load off the tailgate.
Also, at any one time only some of the weight would be on the skiis, and some spread out on the belt, not all in one pinpoint location.
You're right though, best bet is to hear from someone who has tried it...
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: AZ.
My Arctic Cat ATV weighs over 600# and because I have bars rather than cables I'm more conserned about bowing the tailgate. As easy as it is to take off I remove it and put a 4x4 on the bumper and the ramps on that. If a cable would come apart it would sure bend up the gate...
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Great Falls MT.
Loaded a 500 lb Snowmobile, and a 600 lb 4 wheeler, I weigh 220 . I have never had a problems with the tailgate being down! I guess I should say both weren't loaded at the same time!
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Mukilteo, Washington
I could remove the tailgate but the snomobile is longer than 8' and I would have a problem getting the machine lifted up enough to slide the ramp under the track at the same time. My flatbed pickkup was long enough so this didn't matter till now.
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From: Mukilteo, Washington
I'm guessing on the weight a bit but the dry weight is around 600 pounds and with full gas and oil and stuff in the trunk I think I'm close.
All weight will be on the back lip of the tailgate until the tracks flop down on the bed, then the tracks and I will be pushing down on the middle of the tailgate.
I've done this before but not with a BRAND NEW pickup.
All weight will be on the back lip of the tailgate until the tracks flop down on the bed, then the tracks and I will be pushing down on the middle of the tailgate.
I've done this before but not with a BRAND NEW pickup.
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
Wow, longer than 8ft, now that's a snowmobile. My guess is that if the strength of the tailgates has not changed between '04 and '05, then it will hold-up. I had a forklift operator accidentaly lower a pallet with around 1200# of lead bars on my tailgate. No damage to the tailgate, but my nerves will never be the same.
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From: Mukilteo, Washington
Two person - long track snomobiles are all about 10' long overall. Maybe a bit more depnding on model etc. Both of mine are about 8'-6" from the nose against the back of the pickup box to the back end of where the track sits on the bed and about 10'-6" overall.
Unless somebody knows the specs on those cables and the tailgate itself, I'm leaning towards taking off the tailgate and welding up some sort of slide in frame that will extend past the end of the box for me to sit the ramp on.
Unless somebody knows the specs on those cables and the tailgate itself, I'm leaning towards taking off the tailgate and welding up some sort of slide in frame that will extend past the end of the box for me to sit the ramp on.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
Last time I was down in Mexico I saw a guy that had a "ramp holder" built out of square tubing that fit into his trailer hitch. I don't know if it was home made or bought, but it seemed like a good idea. It looked as easy to put in and take out as one of those trailer hitch bike carriers. Once he was done loading the quads he took the ramps off of it, threw the ramps in the bed, and he was off with the ramp hitch still in place. Just a thought.
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Originally Posted by EnviroCon
Last time I was down in Mexico I saw a guy that had a "ramp holder" built out of square tubing that fit into his trailer hitch.