Reason: I frequently haul riding lawnmowers in the back of my truck and if I let the tailgate rest on the bumper, the ramp angle improves dramatically thus stopping mower decks from hanging up as they cross over from the ramp to the tailgate/bed.
Don't want to make a habit of letting the gate rest on the bumper though, for obvious reasons.
I used to just "horse" the mower up and over the hump, but have a severely weakend left arm now after an accident last year and don't want to risk hurting my other arm or back by lifting these mowers up and over.

I know I can (and probably will have to) just go to AutoZone or the like and see if there are any longer cables that would fit, just checking to see if anyone had some other ideas.

I am posting this in the general auto forum as well.

 

I would go to a parts store or somewhere where they will make the cables that you need. Here in ky it is a place called Buy Right, you can take the old cables in and the will crimp in a new piece of cable the length that you want

 

I think a set of ramps would be safest.