Trailer ramp assist devices.

Steve A W

Member
I've kinda worn my back out and the ramp gate on the
utility trailer is getting heavy.
I found this device on the interweb, called "BUYERS EZ
Gate Trailer Tailgate Lift Assist"
Anybody here use this or something similar?
Thanks

Steve A W
EZ Gate
 
Local fellow that makes trailers has used a similar setup for over 20 years. He uses garage door springs, cables and pulleys.
 
Made my own, pretty simple to do. I got the springs off of E-bay--cheap--had the rest.---Tee
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D
We must think alike. I bought spring assist for mine the day I bought the new implement trailer. I got an implement trailer because it's 14k vs a car trailer 7k and car trailer you have to lift ramps. No thanks. I want mine hinged.

I know a man who has a utility trailer and it has an assist to lift the tailgate.

My dump trailer has 7 foot steel ladder ramps that are attached to side of trailer when not in use. They are so heavy, I made 10 foot, wood ramps that weigh about half. Used a 2x12x10 foot treated board and attached 2x4 the full length on each side. Then made a metal transition piece to attach to back of dump trailer. Wooden ramps are strong enough to load my Kawasaki mule.
geo
 
My wife says the Gorilla lift brand I surprised her with was the best birthday present she ever got. I set it up so light we don't even bend over. Just flip the tailgate up with our toes then catch it.

Good service from the company to for parts when I backed into the concrete wall in the barn :(
 
Hmmm! I wonder how I could adapt one of those to lift the fiberglass bed cover on my Tundra? It lifts real heavy for the first 16 inches or so, then the gas struts take over and lift the cover the rest of the way.
 
Don't know about that particular brand, but that type is very popular and works good from what I've seen. The lift assist springs on the shaft work good too and have less parts to fail, just make sure you add the correct number to get the lift you want.
 
You might look into some different gas struts. I had a Leer cover on a full size Ford pickup and the minute you released the latch you could feel it picking it up.
 
jniolon -- Very nice and detailed page!! Your project is impressive. Unfortunately for me, I'd be better off just buying the Gorilla unit.
 
Dick2 -- I put some thought into building one of those truck caps a few years ago, but then we found a nice used one on Craigslist for an EXCELLENT price! Ours was selling for $1,100 new, and we got one in perfect condition with matching color for just $200, so never did build "my" design. However, I had thought about going with a canti-lever design to help open my cap, had I built it. It would have a long (but not bulky) bar that would be attached more towards the weighted end, but not too much. This would allow the lift to raise the cap more than the weights went down. As you already have "some" amount of lift on your cap, maybe you could make an auxilliary mechanism.

Or, just buy some stronger struts. On our cap, the moment I lift the lock lever, the cap needs just barely a touch to go raising into the air. Hardest part is getting it closed, and that's not really hard at all.

Another idea might be to buy yourself (4) 12v linear actuators and attach one at each corner. Then when you want in, just activate them and they'll raise up not only in the rear, but also at the front of the bed. This would give you even better access to items at the front of the truck bed. For our needs, I just slung a couple of Christmas wreath hangers inside the tailgate and carry a Nifty Nabber grabber tool which hangs on the hangers. This makes it VERY easy to reach most any item in the front of the bed. Our Nifty Nabber is the 4' model.
 
I used a leaf spring,just like on a 6x12 trailer axle. Mounted under the center rear of the trailer with about 1/3 of it sticking out and connected by a simple linkage to the full width style ramp. A lot more simple than the coil springs/cable and pulleys. Will try and post a picture. Can you cut two metal brackets and weld them under trailer? That is probably the hardest part. We used a mig welder.

Garry
 
I built a lift assist for my trailer gate using 2-garage door springs, cable and pulleys. The top rail of my trailer was 2 inch tube so I put the spring in the tube and used a bolt through the tube to secure it. Connected the cable to end of the spring and ran out to the pivot point pulleys, upper and lower to accommodate the various angles of the gate when up or down. Place a bolt about 16 inches up from the pivot point for the cable to connect to. Adjust the tension on the spring for the desired assist. Too much and the gate won't stay down, too little not much assist. Works great. Less than $100. Sure saves the back!Check the net for directions and many have been made by the DYI'r You'll find some on You tube as well.
 
I have two 8ft aluminium ramps for my trailer, usually used for loading a Ferguson 35 tractor and plough. Much easier than the steel ramps on the previous, stolen, trailer. I say to people ' you curse once, writing out the cheque and your back says thank you every time you use them'.
 
Thanks for all the replies.
I'm not much of a fabricator, don't even know how to weld.
Gonna check with a nephew and see if we can work something up.
If not, Fathers day is coming soon.
Thanks again.

Steve A W
 

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