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Old 06-11-2018, 11:53 AM   #1
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Winch in toyhauler

Loading my motorcycle in my toyhauler has always been an adventure if it is raining. Its virtually impossible to ride it by up because the rear wheel always spins out forcing me to try to find help loading it. My solution was to mount a winch in the floor my Endurance 3556. It works perfectly leading me to wonder why winches don't come standard in toyhaulers?
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Old 06-11-2018, 11:59 AM   #2
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Because most people don't need it?
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Old 06-11-2018, 03:29 PM   #3
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would traction tape work?
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Old 06-11-2018, 04:57 PM   #4
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Old 06-11-2018, 05:28 PM   #5
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clutch?
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Old 06-11-2018, 07:19 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hbdawg View Post
Loading my motorcycle in my toyhauler has always been an adventure if it is raining. Its virtually impossible to ride it by up because the rear wheel always spins out forcing me to try to find help loading it. My solution was to mount a winch in the floor my Endurance 3556. It works perfectly leading me to wonder why winches don't come standard in toyhaulers?

Does the Endurance have the beaver tail? Where di you attach the wench to the bike?
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Old 06-11-2018, 09:05 PM   #7
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My wench sits behind me!
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Old 06-11-2018, 09:39 PM   #8
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My wench sits behind me!
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like a good wench! Do you beat her weekly?
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Old 06-16-2018, 10:58 PM   #9
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Having a winch as a dealer option would likely cost way more than just buying a portable for a 100 bucks or so. Easy to get a portable winch, and break it out if and when needed. I keep a portable winch in the dovetail storage in my Voltage, and rarely use it, but it is there if needed. I installed a winch on my sand rail makes loading a breeze if for some reason I cant drive her in, and also helps if stuck in the dunes.
I put a strap between two floor tie downs and connect the winch to the strap to disperse the load to two tie downs. EZ.
Try HF if looking for a cheap winch that gets the job done occasionally.


Good luck.
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Old 06-16-2018, 11:12 PM   #10
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I can see where a winch/wench would work in your instance because of the lower connection points on the sand rail.


But, the geometry doesn't look right for a motorcycle. The strap can't be hooked to the bars because as the bike rises into the garage the bars will be pulled down, same if hooked to the forks.
The winch/wench would have to be mounted at a higher level in order to maintain some semblance of a level application as the bike comes in.

With the sand rail you have more control and could do it one handed whereas with a bike it would be as much pucker factor as going up the ramp.
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Old 06-17-2018, 12:00 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hbdawg View Post
Loading my motorcycle in my toyhauler has always been an adventure if it is raining. Its virtually impossible to ride it by up because the rear wheel always spins out forcing me to try to find help loading it. My solution was to mount a winch in the floor my Endurance 3556. It works perfectly leading me to wonder why winches don't come standard in toyhaulers?
I like the idea of a winch too for loading heavy various items, I wished there was a winch application to close the loading / ramp garage door. I have a Polaris Ranger 570 full size I'd rather winch in instead of driving in. I have a winch on the front of the Ranger and am thinking about using the existing floor anchors to figure how to do that, But a winch to close the garage door without going outside would be nice in certain situations. Anybody considered that. I have a 2016 Dutchman 3605 V-Series toy hauler.
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Old 06-17-2018, 12:05 AM   #12
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I like the idea of a winch too for loading heavy various items, I wished there was a winch application to close the loading / ramp garage door. I have a Polaris Ranger 570 full size I'd rather winch in instead of driving in. I have a winch on the front of the Ranger and am thinking about using the existing floor anchors to figure how to do that, But a winch to close the garage door without going outside would be nice in certain situations. Anybody considered that. I have a 2016 Dutchman 3605 V-Series toy hauler.

The idea has been thrown around a few times and it all comes down to where to mount one. Thin walls are one problem and then the geometry comes into play again.

You could connect it to the door but then you'd have to have a pulley near the ceiling to facilitate the lift of the door.
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Old 06-17-2018, 12:40 AM   #13
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The idea has been thrown around a few times and it all comes down to where to mount one. Thin walls are one problem and then the geometry comes into play again.

You could connect it to the door but then you'd have to have a pulley near the ceiling to facilitate the lift of the door.
You just gave me ideas that could work. The idea of mounting a small pulley or small cheap winch operated by remote control on the interior of the garage door frame somehow. I would need to have the ability mount the winch or pulley and support their weight. The garage door framing should have the support for this. Also the fact that I have a HappiJack bed system that raises and lowers I have to mount it in the garage door frame.

The garage door on my RV model is a zero gravity door that a child could close. The weight needed to support the pulley and a rope or a small winch would be minimal. If it does not look ugly to do so I'll use a cheap remote control winch from Harbor Freight, or just a simple pulley and rope to close the garage door from inside the RV. But the rope and pulley would probably suffice for closing the garage door from inside. I will also need to figure how to anchor the rope to the garage door. I'll likely use a U-bolt on the door to hook the rope or pulley because the rope or pulley should not interfere with using the outdoor garage deck with fencing that it can be setup to use, so it has to be removed when not in use.

I want this capability because there are campsites close to rivers that once I have offloaded the vehicle the garage door lowers to become a deck that I can use to hang over the edge of the site for privacy and views. This way I can safely close the garage door from inside and not injure myself when I want to close the garage door.

To winch in the Polaris Ranger by the remote control winch on the front of the Ranger I'll use the existing floor tie downs somehow. I like this idea too because it will aid in loading the Ranger into the RV and help to better secure it because it is easier to secure the vehicle from behind because of limited room in the in front. This will help to prevent the vehicle from rolling forward while traveling by using the winch to help restrain the vehicle from hitting the wall in front of the garage. I have had an issue with this scenario already and I am trying to figure how to use other means to prevent this.

Thanks for the great ideas guys and I'll let you know if this comes to fruition.
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Old 06-17-2018, 02:42 AM   #14
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Beach Towel

I had to load a couple of times in the rain and throwing a large beach towel down allows the bike to get enough traction to get up the ramp. I have had the most problem just past the ramp where the rubber floor is.
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:20 PM   #15
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Our Voltage came with the ramp coated with something like Line-X so it has a really coarse surface for tires to hang onto! You can buy a similar product that can be rolled on at home.

The tough thing about a winch is where to I hook it onto my Harley? Having ridden them for 25 years, I can't think of a place to hook onto that isn't so high up its liable to pull the bike over on its side...not good!

If you choose to go with the wide sheets of traction tape...I would use strips of thin sheet metal over each end and use screws through the metal, through the tape and into the ramp to keep the tape in place.

Just thoughts,

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Old 06-17-2018, 03:26 PM   #16
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My ramp is also coated with some type of non-slip stuff. Somehow I have managed to tear a small section of it with the rear tire of my scooter.
Perhaps I get antsy and the pucker factor kicks in when I'm going up the ramp and goose it just a little too much.
At any rate I don't like the feeling and I've ridden for over 50 years on all kinds of scooters and surfaces.
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Old 06-17-2018, 03:33 PM   #17
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The Ace Hardware here carries a spray can of the traction stuff that can be used for small repairs. Haven't tried it, but like you have a spot that's damaged. I didn't to it, promise, I didn't do it!!

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Old 06-17-2018, 03:41 PM   #18
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Tom, the ATCguy and I had discussed this at length and I think he finally gave up. I did because we were looking at an expanded metal track to screw to the ramp for superior traction.


Problem is, it comes in 4x8 foot sheets at a hefty price. I don't think he rides anymore after his accident. I put the 1900 cc beast in the shed and put the whimpy 950 cc not so beastie in the garage.



Still a pucker factor but less, maybe I'm getting too old for such antics on two wheels.
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Old 06-17-2018, 06:13 PM   #19
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Sundancer,
Yup, same boat. Wrecked in May 2008. Gave up two wheels and went to four. Loading the Polaris RZR and now General in the Toyhauler is a snap.

Miss my biking days every now and then. But those days are gone.

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Old 06-17-2018, 11:04 PM   #20
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For the reasons described in these posts is why I would rather winch my Polaris Ranger in as apposed to driving it in. A heavy foot on the throttle can cause an accident that can cause an accident when driving into the RV.
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