Anybody used a portable, hack friendly ramp for carrying and deploying over obstacles? Did a run a couple weeks ago and could not drop into, and then out of, a 3' deep gully. With a ramp it would have been easy-peasy. Found this one, which is 7.5' long x 12" wide. It folds to 48" length x 5" tall. 25 lbs, rated at 1500 lbs. http://www.allramps.com/Motorcycle-Ramps/HDFA91S.htm We are slightly over 1500 lbs with the rig. Other ramps I have found seem to be limited to 750 lbs; which we exceed considerably on the tugs 2 wheels. Don't really need the 12" width, as 6-8" would prolly be ok; but I cannot find a less width, heavy duty, folding version. It would take two of them, but at $140 delivered it's not too outrageous. Anybody gone down this path? Did a forum search but did not find anything. I got the idea from a news article the other day about some inventive Mexicans trying to cross the border illicitly; great idea, poor execution...
Carry a pair of ramps on the rig to get over obstacles? Sorry, if I ran into you in the backcountry with those on board it would be all I could do to not fall off the bike laughing. Not that they won't work, it's just the idea of carrying them around over thousands and thousands of miles just to deploy them once. Or maybe twice. I think I'd rather carry a saw and a trenching shovel and use them to modify the obstacle. In fact, that's what I've got--a 24-inch folding saw, a small military style trench tool, a smallish "gorilla" crowbar, and a backpackers snow shovel. And a hand winch. Total weight about 15 pounds and it all fits in the bottom of the trunk. I think it would be great fun trying to figger a way over that gully, using my tools, and the pics would make for a great ride report.
It does seem to be a little extreme BUT, maybe. Where I live in northern BC we have a lot of "logging" roads that have been deactivated by ditching which presents a problem to get across. I think ramps may be just the thing. Trying to dead haul a rig with a come-a-long or rope winch would be much more difficult, than loading ramps. Hubert, the man with the red glasses had some sand ramps made up but I think that the ramp you are looking at may be an easy alternative. It seems a little odd to say 4 or 5 inches is all you really need, when you have a full 12 inches to play with. I wonder if you could split the ramp to make two 6 inch ramps.Used with skill 6 inches should be enough
Well, its not really thousands and thousands of miles; about 350, comprised of the first two segments of the CDR: Antelope Wells-Silver City-Pie Town that we are riding over Thanksgiving. And I guess a shovel would work, moving a couple yards of dirt to build a ramp, a softball size shovel at a time... But at 60 years old, I got better things to spend my remaining heavy breathing on... These would strap onto the top of the shade structure for the canine in the hack, and be usable in about 2 minutes. While the puller would be useful occasionally around here (say, when at higher elevations and there are actual trees), our typical AZ desert rides are in ares where the biggest thing to tie to might be a 24" tall creosote bush. I think all I'd do is pull up a bunch of shrubs. But washed out gullies typically have nothing to tie to... And after a heavy mosoon (just getting over with) or fall/winter storm, back country road washouts are pretty common. Good points though. I already carry a small GI shovel, and may add the come-along for this trip.
If there is nothing to tie off to, use a deadman. Dig a hole, tie off to a piece of wood or big rock, put it in the hole and bury it. The lightweight ramps Hubert has are for soft ground, not bridging. The idea is interesting in theory, but ramps long enough and strong enough to be useful would be quite the load to be carrying. FWIW, a come-along and a rope puller are 2 entirely different things, a come-along typically has a pull of 8 to 12 feet, a rope pullers pull is as long as the rope you carry.
I would much rather carry the Masdaam rope puller than ramps. The rope puller has saved my butt more than once and as far as out in the desert you always have a spare tire tire you can bury in the sand for an anchor if there is noting else to tie to. I always carry a 25' rope for the Masdaam and another 25' tow rope that can be attached to the Masdaam rope if I need the extra length.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Google 'bridge tank' and look at videos and images. I can remember that these things would pull great wheelies....
Sand Ladders have been used forever by the offroad community, for providing float over soft surfaces and getting through tight spots. They are fairly light, just got to find somewhere to stow them.
The more I think about this the more it does make some sense depending upon the actual terrain. Questons come to mind: Where to store? Between bike and sidecar? Below sidecar body but above sidecar frame? Is the additional bulk and weight worth carrying? Could be if actually needed. Could they be made to serve a double purpose when in the outback? Table maybe? Could they be made in sections to store easier? Two longish tubes which maybe could telescope to increase length aith some simple cross members that could be easily installed?? Maybe something along these lines could be utilized for various things aorund campo? Dunno just food for thought. Hmmm. I have seen some carry sections of canvas to assist in deep sand. Of course winches are a good thing in most cases no doubt. We have done numerous winch mounts and so on. They can be installed into a receiver hitch type mount so th ewinch can be mounted front or rear.
Aluminium extendable plank? The heavy duty one could do it perhaps? That is an Oz website I think. 8-13ft long and 260kg capacity weighing 14.3 kg (multiply by 2.2 to get lbs) Where to carry it would be the thing and 2 would be a fair bit to carry. Cheer, Bruce <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="col1"> </td><td class="col2"> </td><td class="col3"> </td></tr></tbody></table>
Claude, here's an idea for your next custom big rig: skidplates for the bike and car that double as sand ramps. Some kind of thing like the aluminum "boards" shown in post #11 of this thread that is easily removable from the bike/rig but functional instead of just dead weight when not needed for getting out of sand.
Hello Andy. That makes sense I think. Two ramps in order to leap frog acoss places may be desirable. Is it worth the hassle to carry such things? In some cases, depending upon the terrain, maybe it is and in some maybe not. Hey anyone have a tailight for a sputnick? I think ADW here still needs one.
Sorry, forgot to get back with you on the taillamp. Jay at DMC said the taillamp (and turns) were the same as on a Ural motorcycle, and by golly he was right! Ordered a complete taillamp ass'y. from Terry Crawford Urals in Brighton MI and they're the same lamp and lense. Brand new for $38 + shipping. Can't beat that with a stick! Thought I was gonna be forEVER trying to locate one!
I have a ramp that is hinged in the middle. I modified it to my needs from a McMaster stair tread. My intent was to use it in the big sand dunes. But I found I could always get through anything without the ramp if it was relatively flat due to my big tires, and if it was a steep hill, there was NOTHING that could get me up it aside from turning around and trying again. So, I never really used the ramp. It's mounted in front of the passenger's feet with quick-release straps.
