Overland Exped Vehicle Rear Motorcycle and Tire Lift

[cjken]

Well…. I scored this lift-gate off of a Snap On truck. Plan to mod it and to something with it.
It’s pretty beefy.

Ideas?????

 

[cjken]

All great ideas!
Thanks!

 

[Zuber]

Instead of E-Track or L-Track that takes special adapters. Look at Kindorf Strut/Uni Strut from the hardware store. It has tiedown sized holes, is very stiff and cheap at about $1.50/ft. You can't walk over it like E-Track, but it's great for along the edge of the platform.

 

[Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee]

Zuber, you seem to know your steel. How about milling a slot in square tubing to make the channel? This was my plan as square tubing is easy to come by in my area, and cheap compared to other options that have to be ordered and shipped.
Blue- 2 x 2 tubing with milled slot (not full length)
Red - 1.75 x 1.75 without spacers, or 1.5 x 1.5 with HDPE spacers (yellow)
View attachment 612447

Need to consider that wall thickness. You cut a slot in tubing it will weaken that side of the box, it can spread apart widening the slot, shake, rattle and roll. Might consider welding angle over both corners and limit the length of the slot to the amount of travel required.

PS. I'm not an engineer but had something similar and it turned into trash.

We ended up using two sides with caster wheels inside, like a garage door, works vertically and horizontally.