How to Make a Wooden Loading Ramp
by Thomas West
If you have ever tried to load heavy equipment into the back of your truck, you know the value of a good loading ramp. Aluminum loading ramps are available at auto parts stores or home centers at considerable expense. However, if you are on a budget, constructing a wooden loading ramp may be just the ticket if you need a way to load your motorcycle, garden tractor, wheelchair or construction equipment into your vehicle from ground level.
Step 1
Place a 2-inch x 8-inch x 8-foot piece of lumber across two sawhorses.
Step 2
Place the notched end of a ramp plate on one end of the lumber. Use the ramp plate mounting holes as a template and make pencil marks through the mounting holes onto the surface of the lumber. Remove the ramp plate and set it aside.
Step 3
Install a 3/8-inch drill bit into an electric drill. Drill through the lumber on the pencil marks. Place the ramp plate back into position, making sure to line up the mounting holes with the holes drilled into the lumber.
Step 4
Place 5/16-inch x 2.25-inch carriage bolts through the mounting holes. Drive the carriage bolts in with a hammer until they are fully seated.
Step 5
Turn the entire assembly over so the underside of the lumber is facing upward.
Step 6
Place washers and lock nuts on the threaded ends of the carriage bolts that protrude through the under side of the lumber. Tighten the lock nuts with an adjustable wrench in a clockwise direction.
Step 7
Place the ramp assembly into position on the edge of your pickup bed or tailgate (or any other loading surface being used) so that the lip of the ramp plate sits on the supporting surface.
Step 8
Drive 0.25-inch x 1.25-inch self-tapping screws through the holes in the lip of the ramp plate and into the tailgate or mounting surface with a bit driver installed into an electric drill. Be aware these screws are used as pins to hold the ramp from sliding while it is in use.
Step 9
Use the ramp as desired and remove the self tapping screws in a counterclockwise direction with an adjustable wrench when you wish to remove the ramp. Make an additional loading ramp using the above instructions if you need a pair of ramps.
Things You'll Need
- 2 sawhorses
- 2 inch x 8 inch x 8 foot lumber
- Ramp plate (find at hardware stores or home centers)
- Pencil
- 3/8-inch drill bit
- Electric drill
- Two 5/16-inch x 2.25-inch carriage bolts
- 2 washers
- 2 lock nuts
- Adjustable wrench
- Bit driver
- Two 0.25-inch x 1.25-inch self-tapping screws
Warnings
- Always use the self-tapping screws as pins when using your ramps; otherwise the ramp could slide or fall off of your supporting surface, causing damage or serious injury.
