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features that will help reduce the ramp angle. In all cases, be sure the ends of the ramp door can be fully supported.
Always position the loading ramp so the ends in contact with the ground are level or at the same height. An uneven
ramp may cause the cargo to tip over sideways during loading/unloading.
Loading Under Power
Always follow the instructions in the owner’s manual for the motorized cargo. If not available, following are
generalized suggestions for loading motorized cargo. At no time should these instructions over-ride the
instructions contained in the motorized cargo owner’s manual.
1. Shift into lowest gear before ascending ramps.
2. Align wheels with ramps both loading and unloading.
3. Approach straight on, not on an angle. If you are off to one side and the ground is uneven where the
ramp touches the ground, an unbalanced situation can occur.
4. The operator should apply throttle smoothly and climb the ramp at low speed. Too much or sudden
increases in throttle will cause the vehicle to be harder to control and may cause the vehicle to impact the
front of the trailer cargo area or over-turn.
5. Stop when fully in the trailer. Keep handle bars, mirrors, etc. away from the trailer interior walls. The
walls can be damaged by contact with hard, sharp objects.
6. After loading, close the fuel valve and run the engine until it stops (motorcycles and ATVs). Turn the
ignition key off and remove it. Set the parking brake. For manual clutch machines, leave the machine in
gear.
7. Secure the vehicle with tie downs. The attachment points you select on your equipment must be strong
enough to support the weight of the equipment. Usually attachment points that are low and centered
on the equipment frame will be good, An attachment to a decorative piece of chrome or plastic will
usually not be a good tie-down point. Consider any leverage action that may occur. An attachment point
past the center of the equipment could cause the equipment to either swing around or flip over, causing
damage to the equipment, or personal injury. If you have any doubt about the attachment point you
have selected, stop and find a better attachment point.
Secure The Load
Install blocking devices in the front, back, and on both sides of the wheels to keep it from rolling. This block is
strictly an additional safety precaution and does not reduce the need for strapping the vehicle in securely.
Use a minimum of three tie downs to secure the vehicle to the trailer. Use one tie down to secure the front of the
vehicle to the trailer. Use two tie downs to secure the rear of the vehicle to the trailer, four tie downs (one at each
corner) are preferred.
Attach tie down hooks to the vehicle’s frame, not to an accessory such as a mirror, handle bar, pedal, etc. Hooks on
the other end must be attached to vehicle cargo anchors installed in the trailer.
For transport, motorized cargo with manual transmissions should be left in first gear. Vehicles with automatic
transmissions should be in the Park position. The vehicle’s ignition key should be turned off and removed, the
parking brake set, the run/stop switch in the stop (or off) position and the fuel lever turned to the off position.
Failure to properly secure cargo could cause, property damage, injury, and/or death.
Unloading Motorized Cargo
The safest method of unloading is to push the vehicle down the ramp, carefully braking to ensure control of the
vehicle. If you loaded your vehicle forward (front in) that means you will unload it in reverse. Driving a motorized
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