hauling a sled in the bed of a truck

[Waterdawg]

I'm going to Cooke City this weekend and the guy that was going along bailed so I took my sled deck off and decided that I could save a few bucks on fuel.It's a heavy steel deck. I borrowed a ramp to get it in the bed but I guessd I never paid attention to how this done. Do I leave the tailgate on the truck? It's a long bed truck.Thanks for all replys.

 

[Ex-Member]

I'd leave the tailgate on. Make sure teh cables aren't frayed/broken.

Used to tie down the A-arms as well as a strap over the track, but the front end doesn't move much. Now it's just a strap or two over the back, run a cable through the ramp/A-arms/ski up front then lock it. Good to go.

 

[Ex-Member]

Also, there's a spot where the only part of the track getting traction is on the radius of the rear wheels, when the skis are about halfway up the ramp. Make sure you have enough momentum to get past that point and get the track on the ramp, but not so much that you go through the back window. That's a $1200 mistake I've made once already. :\

 

[Waterdawg]

HeyMule thanks for the pic. Where do you keep the ramp? Under the sled?

 

[sled-fiend]

HeyMule thanks for the pic. Where do you keep the ramp? Under the sled?

Pretty hard to get the ramp under the sled, if it's a folding ramp just slide it beside the sled

 

[rocketron]

Sled in box, lift track, put tailgate up, set track down on tailgate, use snowbank to load. No need for pesky tiedowns or ramp, and a handy storage spot under sled!

 

[wrtmani]

sled in bed

Also, there's a spot where the only part of the track getting traction is on the radius of the rear wheels, when the skis are about halfway up the ramp. Make sure you have enough momentum to get past that point and get the track on the ramp, but not so much that you go through the back window. That's a $1200 mistake I've made once already. :\

I have a hard time getting my sled up ramp without spinning out (133.5" track, 6-ft ramp, taller truck). Had to take my sled to mechanic for some electrical work, and he had a couple pieces of old pickup bedliner he laid down on my ramp to guide skis as i got enough momentum to get up ramp. Worked slick. I went and found a bedliner for a Toyota, etc. at the community dumpsters and cut the floor out to cut into strips to put on my ramp. Actually had enough material to make 2 sets.

I am going a step further and using a piece I cut out of front of bed liner to attatch to ramp somehow and put down in front of ramp so paddles of track grip ribs of this piece as skis are going up ramp guides. Seen this feature on some snowcat ramps on e-bay a while back that had an extra ramp about 18" wide by3 ft long that hooked to bottom of ramp to accomplish this.

 

[Wyoming T/A]

I'm going to Cooke City this weekend and the guy that was going along bailed so I took my sled deck off and decided that I could save a few bucks on fuel.It's a heavy steel deck. I borrowed a ramp to get it in the bed but I guessd I never paid attention to how this done. Do I leave the tailgate on the truck? It's a long bed truck.Thanks for all replys.

our buddy just made a trip to utah with a m8 162 in the back of my sons 1/2 ton dodge short box ,,no problem,just leave the gate down and strap it in

 

[A CAT]

Also, there's a spot where the only part of the track getting traction is on the radius of the rear wheels, when the skis are about halfway up the ramp. Make sure you have enough momentum to get past that point and get the track on the ramp, but not so much that you go through the back window. That's a $1200 mistake I've made once already. :\

Huuum? thought I was the only one to go through a window, my (friends) thought it was the funnest thing they ever saw. Ha Ha verry funny

 

[Ex-Member]

HeyMule thanks for the pic. Where do you keep the ramp? Under the sled?

Right ski sits next to the right wheel well, and there's about 6" between the left wheel well and left ski. Trifold ramp fits nicely in there, you can barely see the bottom end of it in the pic.

 

[Mtn Escape]

Sled in box, lift track, put tailgate up, set track down on tailgate, use snowbank to load. No need for pesky tiedowns or ramp, and a handy storage spot under sled!

I would lift you tailgate up! It is hard on latches and hinges, which are expensive to replace.

 

[skidoo_guy]

Sled in box, lift track, put tailgate up, set track down on tailgate, use snowbank to load. No need for pesky tiedowns or ramp, and a handy storage spot under sled!

Till your tailgate comes unlatched and your sled is doing cart wheels down the interstate. Have hauled sled (159" track) in the back of my 5.5' box chevy many times and I tie down the back and then put all my stuff in the front and run a strap through all of it and the front bumper just for safe keeping.

 

[J-HEFF]

I dont think any of us in college ever really had much for trailers, usually just met a certain spot at a certain time, so everyone loaded in the back of the pickups. Long beds work great, and I agree with what said above, no need for a ramp if there is a snow bank close by!!! One day I did show up to a snow park and couldn't find a place to unload, so being the stupid redneck kid that I was (and probably still am) I just through a loggin' chain around the rear bumper of my 98 summit x, tied it to a tree that was in between two parked trucks and trailers, then pulled forward...quickly. Worked like a charm. Wouldn't do it with new sled though, hahah. Might loose a bumper

 

[Jaynelson]

Sled in box, lift track, put tailgate up, set track down on tailgate, use snowbank to load. No need for pesky tiedowns or ramp, and a handy storage spot under sled!

You also get to look like a knob driving around town and an even bigger knob when the gate pops open and your sled sails onto the highway and through someone's windshield.....


This is the 1st year I've had a ramp/deck....before that always in the back of shortbox pickups, with 159" track. Just put it in, 2 good straps off the rear bumper to the rear d-rings and good to go. Find you a nice snowbank or some friends to load/unload.

 

[c-bolt]

Unloading is easy, no need for ramps. Just throw her in reverse and let her fly. You have to maintain enough speed that the sled exits the bed straight, otherwise it can fall over. I actually saw a dude unload his doo 1000 162 by riding it out. He just sat on the seat, and backed her out onto the ground. Granted it was a 1/2 ton and much closer to the ground than my lifted superduty...but I wouldnt try that.

Ramps are handy if you dont have snowbanks or buddies to load, but I would never trust them to unload...JMO

 

[woodzy]

long bed you don't have to worry about it, but on a short bed I always used to put a 2x4 under the track at the very end of the bed before the tailgate to keep the track off the tailgate. It CAN bend your tailgate if you hit a bump just right...

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

yeah, unloading, I just back mine off, snobank on, i have a flatbed now and do the same thing.... dont wast time settting up to get it off, drag that sucker off the back if no reverse. it dont hurt it.

as far as strapping, 162 in a 6' box is what i always did, with the gate down its about 8" total, so if you cables are in good condition dont even worry about it. i throw a 3" ratched through the back of the skid forcing the sled up and forward keeping it jammed into the box and a tad less weight on the tailgate, drove down some nasty roads and never had any trouble with it, i actually jumped my truck a tad off a kelly hump with the sled like that with no troubles.

 

[shmuckaluck]

Hey guys,
I have a 8ft ramp for my sled bed and I just put my tail gate down and put the ramp on the tail gate and ride my sled up into the bed, works great.

 

[Steve D]

I took the tailgate off my truck, too paranoid about rocks bouncing up and chipping the paint (new trucks with these deeper sides means longer tailgate sticking out past your bumper.) I'm sure I won't care in five years, but it's too shiny now! And not to mention how beat up they get with carbides catching them and so forth.

Since I'm too cheap to buy a fancy hinged ramp, I built my own wooden one-place deck that a one piece steel ramp can slide under and hook onto like a normal deck when it's out. Works slick for a days work but I have some design improvements for this summer.

That said, as far as ramps go, folding ones do work great. The best trick with them is to attach a little cable or chain to each side at the top and hook it onto the truck somewhere (the tailgate cables can work good to attach to), then it won't slide backwards on you. And make sure the ramp has ski guides, cuz carbides grabbing at the bottom pushing the ramp always sucks.

 

[Jaynelson]

yeah, unloading, I just back mine off, snobank on, i have a flatbed now and do the same thing.... dont wast time settting up to get it off, drag that sucker off the back if no reverse. it dont hurt it.

Ya man, did it for years.....most of the locals around here don't have anything fancy to go sledding besides the sled itself. Yank er out and ride er in. The only bad part is the lifting to load in the spring haha