# Enclosed trailer ramp door question



## duckmanhoss (Sep 16, 2009)

My crew purchased a trailer in this offseason and we are trying to get it finished before our annual trip to North Dakota this year. We purchased a 7x16 that had some kind of jacked up roll up door. We are wanting to swap it over to a ramp door design. Can you guys share some pics of your ramp door designs so I can get this finished before I run out of time. I have heavy gauge aluminum skin for the outside of the ramp door (so corn stubble wont damage). I was thinking of constructing the frame of the ramp door out of square tube steel. I might construct it out of square tube aluminum, I want opinions on weight vs strength considerations. Also I don't have capability to tig up the frame if its aluminum so I will have to pay somebody to do that. I do have a mig welder and can weld the square tube steel myself. Any feedback is appreciated. Please post any pictures of ramp doors any of you guys may have especially if you built your own. I don't usually take a 4 wheeler or a side by side with me, however, now that I am graduating from a 6x12 to a 7x16 I might in the future so that needs to be a consideration regarding strength. Thanks in advance.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I know this isn't much help, but you will need some type of lift. Not sure how they work but usually there are cables attached to both sides of door that are connected to some type of spring loaded roll up assembly like a garage door. I think your door will get to heavy to lift without


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## duckmanhoss (Sep 16, 2009)

I have got an idea on the ramp door assist. I think its kind of innovative and will save me some money also. I am going to use an electric winch like from a four wheeler or from a boat trailer. I am going to mount it on the header of the trailer. I have read many accounts of where men are putting out decoys in the wee hours of the morning and hit their shins on the cables that support the typical ramp door assists. My idea is this...When I build my ramp door I am going to make a small tray on the very tip of it that will house an eye bolt that will have a small piece of wire rope cable swedged to it so I can use my winch overhead and let the door down and then I can take hook off the door and just lay cable back towards head of trailer overhead and secure it to another eyebolt so its up out of my way. The small (harness) if you will..lays out of the way in the recessed tray in the middle of my ramp door until I need it again to winch the door back up. I think this tray can be very narrow so as not to pose a tripping hazard yet while unloading, no cables will be down where anyone can trip on them. when ready to raise ramp just go up get hook. lift up your short harness from channel secure and start power lifting. I think it will work like a charm. when I get done with it I will take a picture of the design. I think it will work great and save a few injuries in the middle of the night. lol

Has anyone ever done this before? Hayden


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## duckmanhoss (Sep 16, 2009)

okay here is a rundown of our progress. Very happy with the way the door has turned out so far. Will be skinning the outside in aluminum alloy .150" and inside with wood and non-skid. Should work out perfectly.

Will resume working on it tomorrow.


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## duckmanhoss (Sep 16, 2009)

Well the trailer is done...here is what we ended up with. Not a really active forum any more, I fortunately was able to use a few really old posts that I found and our trailer is done. We are taking it to her new home in North Dakota tomorrow. I will bring home my old 6x12 now that we have the new and improved 7x16 up there and we were able to double the size of our spread.


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## BredFrey (Oct 1, 2016)

I bought a used 2008 6x12 that was never registered for $1800. The original BoS was for $2800. It was literally brand new. I went through the same questions that you are going through before I bought mine. I was worried about 12, 16 or 24 on center, torsion or leaf, seamless.........blah blah blah. Then I came across this deal and it was such a good price that I bought it even though it isn't up to the same standards of say, a Car Mate HD. At the end of the day I came to realize that when you are hauling MX bikes and gear you aren't really putting too much stress on it and all of them will hold up fairly well. The only must haves IMO would be a one piece roof skin, LED lights and MAYBE a torsion axle. Mine has all of those except for the torsion axle and honestly, other than hearing an occasional squeak at slow speeds with the windows down, I can't tell a huge difference. I decked out the inside of mine then added a 105 aH deep cycle battery to the tongue so I have power in the trailer at night for lights, a laptop and a fan.


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