Happy with my inexpensive but effective "invention"

[Guitar Guy]

Anyone have a small pickup truck like an S-10 and wish you could fit a tractor in the back between the fender wells without taking off the mower deck? My new aluminum ramps work nicely, but I've been staring at the back of that truck long and hard and thinking that there has to be a simple way to zip in and out, fully decked, well - 38" decked.

My carpenter friend suggested building an elaborate platform system, the height of the fender wells, with heavy cross members and heavy plywood top. It all sounded expensive, cumbersome, top heavy, and akward to put in and out.

I finally came up with the solution below, and I hope someone else can use the idea too. After some experimenting with a floor jack, some pieces of 2 x 4, and taking some measurements, I pre planned the stack of 2 x 6's, and it works perfectly. It cost me $5 each for two 8 foot 2 x 6's, and some deck screws I had laying around - and stands in the corner of the garage when not in use. The spaces save some weight and allow me to chain it and the ramps to the truck.

An old motorcycle tire keeps me from knocking out the back window of the truck. The tractor rolls right up on the stack, and lifts the right edge of the mower deck up over the fender well, and the tailgate closes. I do use some side slats cut to fit & drop in, alongside at the front of the stack to keep it from kicking sideways.

Here is a pic of the final contraption, I'll try to get one later with the 1000 sitting on it. I may add a stop strip at the exact stopping point of the front tire, and slap some stain to it when I re do the porch this fall. Seems to work well.

Josh P