fordf150
Pinnacle OPE Member
- Local time
- 4:13 AM
- User ID
- 591
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Messages
- 865
- Reaction score
- 3,452
- Location
- Newcomerstown ,Ohio
Right now I use my pickup and a 5x10 utility trailer or my 16' car trailer to pickup and deliver mowers. The problem with that is my pickup is an extended cab longbed superduty and it seems like 90% of my pickups are either in one lane alleys or on a main street with the people having no driveway.
Couple years ago I had an idea that a ramp truck for mowers would be great but didnt have the time or gumption to follow thru on it. This summer i ran across a fairly nice low miles ranger that had been crashed into a pond, didnt run, and had been parked for a year or so, could tell by looking at the pics that it wasnt submerged deep enough to even get the interior wet so I picked it up with a very quick lookover. Towed it home and proceeded to look it over, had it running within 5 minutes, just needed the fuel crash sensor reset and the fuel pump relay replaced.
Fast forward to this winter, realizing I am probably going to be working alone....my dad helps so not technically alone but he just does the running and paperwork. Having something that him and me can hop in and deliver/pickup mowers without much fuss is getting to be a critical thing. Adding to the need is the fact that plans are in the works to take on Scag mowers for this season so that means delivering new mowers and even more pickup's.
Here is where the questions start.....My plan involves adding a dovetailed flatbed with bifold full width ramp. Everything I have found in the mini pickup range for this involves one major flaw that i plan on correcting. To get a long enough bed everything i have found the people just added 10' worth of bed to a ranger/s10/tacoma which results in more bed behind the axle than in front of it which has to make the truck drive/handle like crap when loaded. The plan to correct this is stretching the frame and going to some type of airbag suspension so the tires are right at the dovetail and with bags i can set it up so the truck sits level empty to keep the ramp angle as shallow as possible. Here is what I am looking at building, any suggestions?
Couple years ago I had an idea that a ramp truck for mowers would be great but didnt have the time or gumption to follow thru on it. This summer i ran across a fairly nice low miles ranger that had been crashed into a pond, didnt run, and had been parked for a year or so, could tell by looking at the pics that it wasnt submerged deep enough to even get the interior wet so I picked it up with a very quick lookover. Towed it home and proceeded to look it over, had it running within 5 minutes, just needed the fuel crash sensor reset and the fuel pump relay replaced.
Fast forward to this winter, realizing I am probably going to be working alone....my dad helps so not technically alone but he just does the running and paperwork. Having something that him and me can hop in and deliver/pickup mowers without much fuss is getting to be a critical thing. Adding to the need is the fact that plans are in the works to take on Scag mowers for this season so that means delivering new mowers and even more pickup's.
Here is where the questions start.....My plan involves adding a dovetailed flatbed with bifold full width ramp. Everything I have found in the mini pickup range for this involves one major flaw that i plan on correcting. To get a long enough bed everything i have found the people just added 10' worth of bed to a ranger/s10/tacoma which results in more bed behind the axle than in front of it which has to make the truck drive/handle like crap when loaded. The plan to correct this is stretching the frame and going to some type of airbag suspension so the tires are right at the dovetail and with bags i can set it up so the truck sits level empty to keep the ramp angle as shallow as possible. Here is what I am looking at building, any suggestions?