How to Build ATV Dirt Ramps

All Terrain Vehicles, or ATVs, are meant for driving off-road on all types of terrain. Once experienced riders are secure controlling and staying on top of their ATVs, ramps can be built for these vehicles, so that riders can jump the vehicle into the air for an added thrill and even do tricks, if they believe they can land safely. Ramps for these vehicles can be built out of dirt, but require a certain amount of design and upkeep so that riders can jump off of them and land safely.

Things You'll Need

  • Spade Shovels
  • Garden Hose
  • Dirt
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a cleared out area of land that you can dig up and drive ATVs over. The area should have good dirt that is naturally wet and can be packed together once it is dug up. It's a good idea to find an area that is near some sort of water source and preferably one where you can hook a hose up to a spigot, as this will be necessary to upkeep the ramps after they are built.

    • 2

      Begin digging with your shovel and pile dirt up into a ramp. The more dirt you pile up, the higher the jump will be. However, the higher the jump is, the farther the ATV will travel off of it, so keep this in mind if you are building a very large dirt ramp and there are nearby obstacles which will keep the ATV from landing safely. As you pile the dirt up, pack it down with the back of the spade shovel. Make sure the ramp piles up into a point, forming a lip at the top.

    • 3

      Sculpt the lip at the top of your dirt ramp. The more vertical the lip, the higher the ATV will be launched up in the air when it goes off the end of it. The less vertical, the farther the ATV will jump when it launches off the end of it. Use the back of your shovel to sculpt the lip that you desire for the ramp.

    • 4

      Build a second dirt ramp about four feet away which is longer and less vertical. This ramp is meant for a softer landing for the ATV, so that riders are not hitting flat ground when they land, which can be jarring enough to throw them from the vehicle. The wider this ramp the better, as it will allow the ATV rider more of an area to land safely. The dirt on this ramp should not be packed down as much, in order to offer a softer landing area.

    • 5

      Use a hose to spray down the launching ramp in order to pack the dirt down and make it firmer, so that it doesn't crumble and fall apart under the weight of the ATV. With the launching ramp and the landing ramp now built, someone can now ride off the first ramp to see if it is built correctly.