New Truck & Ramp?

[xcaptainxbloodx]

I've always been curious, how is compressing a fork within its normal range of travel is supposed to blow a seal???  They aren't air shocks.  The spring tension has nothing to do with the damping fluid.  I also don't see how it could do anything to weaken the springs since there should be no way to compress them past a yield point. 

As such, I am a huge fan of using ratcheting straps.  While I have never seen any damage due to overtightening a ratchet, I have seen plenty of camlock straps slip.  I've also seen an under tightened bike lose all strap tension when the truck hit a bump and the bike nearly fall over. 

I tighten the straps down enough so that the fork will not compress any more when I throw my weight into it.  That way, if I hit bump, it does nothing.  No problems or dropped bikes so far.

forks are not designed to remain compressed for large amounts of time. once compressed to any degree they will have to dampen anytime you hit a bump in the road. a bit of compression is necessary but I find that ratcheting tie downs alo have the uncanny ability to look just a biiiit to loose...right up until metals starts bending/breaking. They just make it way to easy to over do it.  Camlock tie downs have a much harder time over compressing or bending anything and ive never had one slip on me.


loading/unloading a bike isnt rocket science, you dont need to feather the clutch or get a 50ft running start.
just walk the bike up the ramp (have a buddy push if you cant make it on your own, make sure he knows not  to try and balance the bike thats on you).  put it in a chock and put on a canyon dancer. attach the camlocks so that the loose ends are pointing back at you.  Now you can sit on the bike and rock it side to side with your hips while you pull the straps tight.  get off and shove the bike around, if the bed moves more than the bike then your good to go, just tie off the loose ends so they dont flap and cant slip.

if you are going up and you realize that you dont have the juice to get it all the way in in one move apply the front brake and calmly back the bike back down and try again.

[Cider]

I have a Tacoma and load my bike by running it up the ramp in neutral.  I only use one ramp, but I also use my toolbox to step up into the bed.  I haven't dropped my bike off the ramp (yet), but I did learn a couple things that made the process much less dramatic:

• Do all your pushing before you get to the ramp; once you hit the ramp, just guide it and let momentum carry the bike up
• If you don't make it all the way up on momentum, back up and try again.  Trying to muscle it up never worked out for me.

I like the one ramp method, because I don't have a trailer, and I like to keep the equipment list as small as possible!

[dgm]

Well, I got the truck yesterday morning and ordered some D-Rings for the bed and a ramp and a canyon dancer today.  Spent more on a ramp that I would have liked, but it'll be a good one.  Wide enough for me to ride up nice and slow. 

[hbliam]

My thoughts:

-do a search. The ramp topic has been done. In fact the Tacoma / ramp topic has been done.
-Per my professional, 30 plus years in the biz suspension guru..compress 'em. Does nothing to them
-Careful with the canyon dancer on clip-ons, known to break stuff
-Please tell me you are kidding with your plan to ride the bike into the truck. Get a friend, back truck up to a curb, push it in 

[derby]

-Please tell me you are kidding with your plan to ride the bike into the truck. Get a friend, back truck up to a curb, push it in 

 

if it's wide enough to ride it up, it's wide enough to walk it up.

[Armor]

I am an engineer and work for a company that makes tie downs and ramps.  The ratchet straps or over-center buckles are the best, they will not loosen.  Cambuckles can loosen up, from vibration and especially when the webbing gets wet.  I would use at least 1.25" straps.  Bouncing and shock loads are higher than you would think.  Don't buy the cheapest thing you can find.  You get what you pay for.

[muskrat]

I've always used ratchet no matter what.  I feel safer and have less worry.  I hate the canyon dancer straps because it goes over your tank/neck frame and causes rubbing.  I'm very OCD but that's my input. 

[geoffduc]

I'm not a fan of canyon dancer straps either, I've seen broken clip-ons, rub marks on tanks and with some of the latest bikes you have to be very careful as the handle bars are rubber mounted (ie hypermotard, multistrada).

Last year I took my hypermotard to Mugello for the motogp and then on to Misano for WDW in the back of my van with four cam lock straps and had no problems at all with nearly 3000 miles in total for the trip and I use the  same straps as the bikes arrive at the dealers on thier pallets from the factory.

 

[bikepilot]

I also don't like canyon dancers.  I loop straps through the lower triple - very secure that way and the forks/triple are more than strong enough.

As for compressing the forks, it has never in my experience, caused a seal issue.  I'd guess that it might squeeze some oil out if you already have shot seals.  Not anything worth worrying about imho.  If it really bothers you and you need to strap a bike down fit some  MX-style speed bleeders and release the air pressure after strapping the bike down.

Good cam buckle straps don't loosen.  I hauled a bike in my pickup from VA to Baja and back last summer with no troubles.  Cheap/poorly made ones will loosen.  Ratchet straps are slower to use and more fiddly.  Also the ratchet bit is a bit bulky and is more likely to damage the bike if its routed too close to the bodywork.

I do ride the bike into my trucks and trailer except for when putting a bike in my truck when the camper top is on  ).  Maybe its due to years of off road riding and and some wanna-be BC-style MTB stuff in a misspent youth, but riding up, even my narrow (~6" wide I'd guess) ramp doesn't bother me.  Not much room for error, so don't screw it up  [moto]

[dgm]

Well, I got my ramp and loaded my bike in the back last night just to try it out.  I'm pleased to say I was able to do my first load and unload by myself w/out any major problems.   Loading was great, but when unloading I was particularly unhappy with the slick floor in the bed of these trucks.  It's difficult to move the bike in the bed w/out slipping. What do people do about this in these Tacomas? I've always had sprayed-in liner on all my previous trucks w/out the composite bed. My other question also deals with the comp bed. I have a Pit Bull front wheel chock that I'd like to place in the front of the bed, but a little unsure about bolting it to the composite floor. Wondering if I should bolt it to a piece of plywood in front of the wheel wells or something else instead?  Maybe not even use it in there?   thanks. 

[bikepilot]

I haven't owened a compisite-bed taco, but in my old one the bed was pretty flimsy (and rusty...) sheet metal.  I didn't want the wheel chocks permanantly in the bed either.  I cut out a 8x4 sheet of 3/4" marine grade plywood to fit down into the bed and dropped it in.  Worked great and didn't' go anywhere. When not needed it lifted out and I put it against a wall in the garage. It outlasted the truck 

[Magnus]

I've got the same truck and use this ramp:



I can do it myself, but i won't try it in the rain, the bed is too slippery as you mentioned.

[dgm]

you push your monster up that skinny ramp by yourself?  w/or w/out using the clutch?   Do you use some sort of step up? 

[kopfjäger]

 It's difficult to move the bike in the bed w/out slipping. What do people do about this in these Tacomas? I've always had sprayed-in liner on all my previous trucks w/out the composite bed. My other question also deals with the comp bed.

You could get a rubber bed mat.

http://www.truckchamp.com/bed-mats/subcategory/plain-rubber-bed-mats/make/toyota

http://www.truckcustomizers.com/products/protecta-truck-bed-mats.html

[dgm]

I was actually just looking at those bed mats from Truck Champs.  Probably a good idea.  Still not sure about the chock though.  Maybe I don't even need a front chock in there.