Wanted: Aluminum Dock Plate

[Rams]

The kind used at truck/trailer docks that fork lifts drive over to enter and exit trailers.....

Yeah, I know the chances are slim to none but, I'm looking for one.   If you don't ask, you'll never know.   Found some new ones but, they are way out of my budget.

Anyone got one laying around they no longer need?

Yes, this will be used to load and unload Valkyries.

Rams

[Robert]

Wouldn't some ramps work just as well with less cost?

https://www.speedymetals.com/c-8393-aluminum.aspx

[..]

https://www.amazon.com/BestEquip-3000lbs-Thickness-Loading-Aluminum/dp/B07T8MWXLY/ref=lp_1265126011_1_2_sspa?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1586044668&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQVVMVTFJOFEwSkdEJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTQ5MTM5QTZJNDRUNEpVQlVXJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNzA4OTIxUDBYTVM2RzdFMEVDJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmX2Jyb3dzZSZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[3W-lonerider]

The kind used at truck/trailer docks that fork lifts drive over to enter and exit trailers.....

Yeah, I know the chances are slim to none but, I'm looking for one.   If you don't ask, you'll never know.   Found some new ones but, they are way out of my budget.

Anyone got one laying around they no longer need?

Yes, this will be used to load and unload Valkyries.

Rams

Ron almost all dock plates that are used in warehouses are steel not aluminum. Forklifts carrying loads can weigh up to 3 tons. The aluminum ramps you see that can be rolled up to the back of a trailer is are heavily reinforced on the bottom. The link that was posted by someone would be your best option. Or go to a place that sells trailers and inquire about a ramp.

[Rams]

The kind used at truck/trailer docks that fork lifts drive over to enter and exit trailers.....

Yeah, I know the chances are slim to none but, I'm looking for one.   If you don't ask, you'll never know.   Found some new ones but, they are way out of my budget.

Anyone got one laying around they no longer need?

Yes, this will be used to load and unload Valkyries.

Rams

Ron almost all dock plates that are used in warehouses are steel not aluminum. Forklifts carrying loads can weigh up to 3 tons. The aluminum ramps you see that can be rolled up to the back of a trailer is are heavily reinforced on the bottom. The link that was posted by someone would be your best option. Or go to a place that sells trailers and inquire about a ramp.

Yep, I spent the last 20 or so years around warehouses, shipping docks and tractor/trailer operations.   Yes, the majority of dock plates are steel but there are aluminum versions out there.  

Additionally, this plate would not just be for my Valkyrie.   I just wanted to make sure it was Valkyrie related.  

But, as a back up plan, I'm prepared to fabricate what I want.   Just checking to see if there's one out there. 

Rams

[Rams]

Wouldn't some ramps work just as well with less cost?

https://www.speedymetals.com/c-8393-aluminum.aspx

Well, if this was just for loading the Valkyrie, ramps work fine.   But, I have other intended uses and ramps will work but, for some things, I have to use two sets (four ramps) to get loaded what I want to load.   For my proposed  use, a dock plate would be the best way to cover all bases.

Besides the "other" uses, I really don't like backing my Valkyrie down narrow ramps.   Been there too many times when an awkward move and over she goes.

Rams

[cookiedough]

I bought a gently used set of these steel ohio steel ramps from a repair shop he had them laying around said not used much so offered 100 bucks and well worth it.  You could put the 2 ramps together running it up a truck bed about a good 16 inches total wide or so but like said,  really not super safe being say 4 feet wide just in case you accidentally get off center.   I run my 800lb can am max 2-up ATV in the bed of my truck no problems with them.

https://www.amazon.com/Ohio-Steel-1084-Pro-Equipment/dp/B000BKC2DC/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ohio+steel+ramps&qid=1586094554&sr=8-3

I would feel comfy running my 800lb. cycle up into truck bed, etc. ONLY if had someone up in truck bed for safety measures and backed up the truck bed into a ditch or low side of pavement in back tires with a sloping upward hill behind truck so not as steep of an angle say 2-3 feet upward vs. over 3-4 feet normally on flat surface to tailgate. 

If at not such an angle say even 3 feet upward,  would work fine as well pushing the 800lb. cycle up the LONG 7+ foot ramps as long as had 3 people doing it one on each side of cycle and one in truck bed to grab handlebars to help push/pull into the truck bed.  Pushing the cycle up yourself would not do not safe even at a 2-3 foot angle upward on these ramps.

[old2soon]

     I have NO idea how Much weight you want your ramp capable of but around here I have seen a number of mesh type ramps and larger wheeled tractors having been loaded or off loaded. And-NO-not even small tacked dozers have I observed using the mesh ramps. Are you looking too man handle the ramps up and down or are you going electric over hydraulic? Hope you can locate something that will work. P M daprez cuz as I've stated before Ross Is a Good fabricator too.  RIDE SAFE.

[Rams]

    I have NO idea how Much weight you want your ramp capable of but around here I have seen a number of mesh type ramps and larger wheeled tractors having been loaded or off loaded. And-NO-not even small tacked dozers have I observed using the mesh ramps. Are you looking too man handle the ramps up and down or are you going electric over hydraulic? Hope you can locate something that will work. P M daprez cuz as I've stated before Ross Is a Good fabricator too.   RIDE SAFE.

Ideally, this needs to be 64 inches in width, length; would prefer 6 foot but would settle for anything more than 4 foot.   I intend a hinge it to the rear floor of the trailer so it opens up, drops down or folds down off the back of my trailer.   Will use an electric or hand winch to raise and lower.   That depends on what it ends up weighing.   I don't have those "Trucker" muscles like you.  

Rams

[cookiedough]

my brother back in the day ran a snowmobile with him on it up a 4x8 sheet of plywood with truck backed up in a ditch to lower tailgate height and it bowed, but never broke.   

If you doing it from a trailer being lower height,  not a taller truck tailgate height,  why not just use a piece of heavy duty strongest/thickest you can get piece of plywood?  Is a lot wider than any ramps and even if 800 lbs. cycle and 200lb. person probalby will not break running it up onto a 2 foot high trailer tops.    That 800lbs. is distributed not in all one spot either and if you can push it up not sitting on the bike might be even better with someone on the other side of the bike to help balance and push.

[Gavin_Sons]

my brother back in the day ran a snowmobile with him on it up a 4x8 sheet of plywood with truck backed up in a ditch to lower tailgate height and it bowed, but never broke.   

If you doing it from a trailer being lower height,  not a taller truck tailgate height,  why not just use a piece of heavy duty strongest/thickest you can get piece of plywood?  Is a lot wider than any ramps and even if 800 lbs. cycle and 200lb. person probalby will not break running it up onto a 2 foot high trailer tops.    That 800lbs. is distributed not in all one spot either and if you can push it up not sitting on the bike might be even better with someone on the other side of the bike to help balance and push.

    have you ever been in one of those loading fail videos?

[hubcapsc]

I've only loaded my Valkyries into a truck once or twice, maybe once each.

I live on an old farm and have agricultural terraces. I just back up to
one that is about the same height as my truck's lowered tailgate and
use a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood to bridge the gap. If it was a situation
other than level it probably would lead to one of those load/fail
videos...

Works a lot better than how the pros do it



-Mike "picking up the 1500 in Philadelphia"

[Dave Ritsema]

Bunch of them on craigslist.

https://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/for/d/kalamazoo-line-dock-plate-48-60/7080514184.html  $400

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bfs/d/niles-dock-plate-aluminum-lbs-new/7104168010.html  $430

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bfs/d/niles-dock-plate-aluminum-3200lbs-new/7092889550.html $275

[DenverDave]

$250 near Denver

https://denver.craigslist.org/bfs/d/brighton-dock-plate/7087583658.html

[Rams]

Thanks for those links.    I’ve been trying to stay within a few hundred miles of Hattiesburg, apparently that isn’t going to work.  Shipping costs are really a limiting factor here.
I'm thinking I'm going to have to fabricate what I want but, as I've said previously, if you don't ask, you'll never know what the options are.

Rams

[Rams]

my brother back in the day ran a snowmobile with him on it up a 4x8 sheet of plywood with truck backed up in a ditch to lower tailgate height and it bowed, but never broke.  

If you doing it from a trailer being lower height,  not a taller truck tailgate height,  why not just use a piece of heavy duty strongest/thickest you can get piece of plywood?  Is a lot wider than any ramps and even if 800 lbs. cycle and 200lb. person probalby will not break running it up onto a 2 foot high trailer tops.    That 800lbs. is distributed not in all one spot either and if you can push it up not sitting on the bike might be even better with someone on the other side of the bike to help balance and push.

There is absolutely no way I'm using plywood as a ramp.   Might work for a snowmobile, the weight is spread out over a large surface area.   Plywood gets slick when wet., not something I want to deal with.
I bolded the part of your response that concerns me.   Probably is not a word I wish to apply to this process. 

Rams

[3W-lonerider]

Try going to a trailer sales place. Sometimes they will have ramps sitting around because the ramp that comes with the trailers aren't right. So they have to replace. I know because we sell trailers and I've had to warranty things on the trailers. And the manufacturers didn't want the old part back. So i have it laying around. And no we don't have any at this time.

[Rams]

Try going to a trailer sales place. Sometimes they will have ramps sitting around because the ramp that comes with the trailers aren't right. So they have to replace. I know because we sell trailers and I've had to warranty things on the trailers. And the manufacturers didn't want the old part back. So i have it laying around. And no we don't have any at this time.