Loading scooter in bed

[Keith L 2]

I just recently bought a scooter and plan to carry it in the bed of my '01 Trac. I bought a ramp that was wide enough for me to walk the bike up into the bed. I was wandering if anyone has done this before or maybe rode their bike or ATV up on the ramps of their Trac. I weight around 250# and the scooter also weighs 250#. Has anyone put that much weight on their tailgate with ramps?

 

[Casey Everhart]

I've put a quad in my truck with no problems. Done it by myself put the front wheels up then scream like a girl lifting the back of the quad up and rolling it in. I hurt, but not the tailgate.

 

[Wes Davis]

Try to find a place where you can back up to a hill or even a curb and reduce the angle of the ramp. I don't think I would try the 500lbs all on the tailgate at one shot.

 

[Tom Schindler]

The Trac is not made out of bailing wire and duct tape. Use it and abuse it. Ford's can handle the abuse.



Go for it...





Tom

 

[Randy Hinebaugh]

Tailgate is the same as on the stepside F150's. I weight 240 and load my 245# motorcycle up a ramp into it without problems. In fact, I recently took a 240 mile round trip with two motorcycles in the back, no problems with the tailgate. I don't jump up and down on it, but I'm not afraid to stand on it.



Be careful with riding anything into the bed. Ramps have slipped off the tailgates before when the front wheel hits the tailgate and the back wheel is spinning under power. People have also driven bikes right through the back of the bed. Scooters may have more controllable low speed movement than dirtbikes, but if it were me I would just push it up the ramp.

 

[Keith L 2]

Yes, I don't plan to ride it up but walk it up next to the scooter on the same ramp which would put 500# on the tailgate for a short time.

 

[Sean M 2]

I ride my atv into the bed of the ST all the time. Trust me the tailgate can take the abuse. I also take exteneded trips with the tailgate down and the atv's rear wheels resting on it. I never had a problem. Just strapped it down and was on my way.

 

[Chad Merry]

Ride that scooter into the bed. I also haul my ZUMA around.

 

[Randy Hinebaugh]

When transporting it, try to keep the weight off the center of the tailgate. If I'm only hauling one bike, I kick the tail end over to the side. I've heard of some trucks tailgates bending by having the repeated bounce of a bikes rear suspension on the very center of the tailgate.

 

[A1cntrler]

Doesn't it say in the owners manual that no more than 100 pounds should be on the tailgate at any time?? I thought that ridiclious piece of info was in there. So it isn't thier fault when one of the cables fail and someone gets hurt because they weigh more than 100 pounds....

 

[Tom Schindler]

And what heppens when and average person sits on the tailgate? Isn't average person about 170 LBS? That is almost double what the owners manual says is OK. Talk about a worthless tailgate...right?





Tom

 

[Chad Merry]

I dont pay attention to owners manuals, that just protects Ford, so if something freak happens they can say we told you not to do that. I haul 2 bikes around in my truck all the time, both are motocross bikes and both are 450's. And both of the tires sit on the tailgate, been doing it since 2002 and I also sit on my tailgate, and others have sat on it at the same time with me. The tailgate wont break, bend, warp, falloff, etc, etc.



I even accidentally dropped a 55 gallon drum of race fuel on my tailgate and nothing happened. Hauled the drum of fuel and my bike home at the same time.