Prince George Vintage Motorcycle Club
Technical Section => Frame => Topic started by: Rusty Bucket on November 19, 2014, 11:19:50 PM
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So: we don't really have a section for tangentially related-to-motorcycle projects. so since I have been working hard on this one for days now, I am going to jam it in here... last summer one of the tree-planting companies tipped a set of broken aluminum ATV ramps into the recycling bin outside my shop. I grabbed them, despite them being 16" wide and having several broken rungs and bent frames. I needed some step-bars for the truck, but the ones I want are 6 weeks away, in LA. Since winter probably will not wait that long, I decided to make some interim running boards for the truck, and, given the materials at hand, I thought I would try to make running boards that could quickly be removed and still serve as ramps. I always thought this should be possible...
So, first order of business is attaching them to he truck, which turned into a really involved project, and eventually resulted in these brackets.
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I narrowed the ATV ramps down to about half the original width, and straightened the frames as best I could. I want smooth ramps, so the top plate is a thin piece of alloy checkerplate.
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... and here is the skeleton of the ramp attached to the truck with 3 bolts. It takes maybe a minute to pull one of the ramps off so far - I suppose dirt, corrosion and abuse might extend that somewhat as time passes.
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Here it is with the top skin on. More or less like a running board, except with funny-looking ends. They are about the same length as my usual steel ramps, at just over 6' long, so the cab-length works out about right for that. (though longer is always better if you have the room, of course) The ramps were already bent/broken when I got them, so I wouldn't say they are super heavy-duty. I think I would rate them as more dirt-bike ramps, rather than bring-it-on hd touring bike ramps. Have not had a chance to try them out, natch, but they should be considerably better than nothing, if that was the choice...
I'm told the factory step-bars weigh about 12 lbs per side, and my alloy ramps weigh about 9, so I am satisfied with that result, and they feel very solid as far as bearing my weight. If the chance/need arises to use them, hopefully I will be able to finish this little thread with a pic of the units in action.
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WOW! you are a genius. CHEERS.
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I like it
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You sent the Ford packing?
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Mmm, well, my feeling was the Ford was in the process of packing itself in - I really liked that truck very much, it was the nigh-ideal configuration for me. The motor, however, in my opinion, was showing the signs of impending serious unpleasantness, and was way beyond anything I could ever work on myself, or want to learn to, and the dealer seemed intent on making my bad luck into a vicious sack-beating... anyway, yup.
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That's a very cool idea, nice work!