AFA Tooling Approved for Automotive AFA Tooling Truck and Trailer Loading Ramp Kit | Quickly Create a Wide Ramp with 2 x 8 Lumber: Just Attach Aluminum Brackets and Rubber Feet | Load Your Lawn Mower, 4-Wheeler, ATV, and More with Ease

I appreciate gear that lets me use materials I already have. That’s why the AFA ramp kit stood out: it’s a set of aluminum brackets and rubber feet that transform two 2x8 boards into a stout, wide loading ramp without the bulk of a dedicated aluminum ramp. After a few weekends of use loading a lawn tractor, snow blower, and a wheeled tool chest into a pickup and a utility trailer, here’s how it actually performs.

What this kit is—and isn’t

At its core, the kit gives you two machined aluminum hook brackets for the top ends and two rubber, grooved feet for the ground ends. You supply the boards. The system is rated at 750 lb per side (1,500 lb total) when used with oak hardwood boards that are about 1.37 inches thick. That rating is realistic for homeowner and light equipment use—ATVs, garden tractors, small snowmobiles, and shop gear—but it’s not meant for compact tractors or heavy UTVs.

This isn’t a folding, all-in-one ramp. Your boards set the length and stiffness, which is both the virtue and the constraint. Pick the right lumber and length, and you get a stable setup that’s easy to adjust for your specific vehicle height.

Assembly: straightforward with a few quirks

Assembly was quick: mark the board ends, clamp the brackets in place, drill pilot holes, and bolt through. The included hardware was up to the task, and the brackets themselves are robust—thick aluminum with grip lines milled into the surface. The lip that hooks onto the tailgate or trailer edge is well-shaped and didn’t skate around under load.

Two notes from my bench:

• Lumber fitment matters. The kit is machined to fit 2x8 oak boards with an actual thickness of about 1.37 inches. If you use typical big-box pressure-treated pine (often closer to 1.5 inches thick), expect to shave or rabbet the board ends to fit the bracket pocket. A sharp block plane or a few passes with a router made short work of this, but it’s not a step you can skip and still get a proper fit.
• The rubber feet are friction-fit. On one set of boards, the feet held fine as-is on concrete and asphalt. On another, they were loose enough that I added a small countersunk screw through the rubber into the board to keep them from sliding off during storage. Consider that insurance if you’ll be dragging the ramps around a lot.

The instructions are brief and could be clearer about wood variations and optional fastening for the feet. That said, it’s all intuitive if you’ve mounted hardware to lumber before.

Choosing the right boards

I built two sets: one with kiln-dried white oak 2x8s and one with pressure-treated Southern yellow pine.

• Oak (recommended): Fit the brackets without modification, stayed notably stiffer under load, and keeps you squarely within the stated weight capacity. If you plan to load near the top of the rating or want to minimize bounce, go oak.
• Pressure-treated pine: Works fine for light loads (lawn mower, snow blower, small shop gear). I had to trim the thickness at the bracket ends for a proper fit. It’s heavier than oak for the same board and has a little more flex under load. I wouldn’t push the capacity with softwood, and I’d keep the length to 8 feet to avoid excess deflection.

For surface traction, the bracket’s grip lines help at the vehicle end, but the boards are still wood. A strip of adhesive-grit tape or a brushed-on non-skid coating down the boards is a smart upgrade, especially in wet or snowy conditions.

Performance: stable, predictable, and easy to handle

With 8-foot oak boards on a half-ton pickup, the ramps felt composed loading a 550 lb garden tractor. There was sensible, minor deflection but no drama. The hook profile bit nicely into the tailgate edge and didn’t require a ridiculous angle to engage. On the utility trailer, the bracket lip grabbed the rub rail securely.

The rubber feet shine on pavement, where they add a little compliance and grip. On loose gravel or packed dirt, I preferred cutting a shallow double-bevel on the wood ends so the boards nest into the ground—this kept the feet from skating and reduced ramp bounce. That’s a minor woodworking step that pays off.

One underrated advantage: the kit itself only weighs about 7 lb. The boards are the bulk of the weight. That makes for a one-person setup and breakdown, even with hardwood planks. If you’re tired of wrestling a big folding ramp, this is a welcome change.

Safety and setup tips that made a difference

• Control the ramp angle. Longer boards mean a gentler slope and less risk of spinning tires or bottoming out. Eight feet is a good all-around length for most pickups; 6 feet is fine for trailers and smaller height differences.
• Secure the top ends. A short ratchet strap around the bumper or trailer rail prevents kick-out during the first contact. It’s cheap insurance.
• Mind the load rating. Treat the 1,500 lb rating as a maximum with oak boards and a safety margin for dynamic loads. Heavier equipment or long board spans amplify forces.
• Add traction. Non-skid strips or paint on the boards dramatically improve confidence in wet weather.
• Seal the wood. A coat of exterior oil or polyurethane slows moisture uptake and reduces swelling at the bracket pocket.

Durability

After repeated use and a couple of rainy days, the aluminum brackets show minimal wear. The fasteners stayed tight, and there’s no deformation at the hook. The rubber feet have some scuffing but are otherwise intact. As with any wood-based ramp, the boards are the consumable item here—choose well, maintain them, and the hardware should outlast several sets of planks.

What could be better

• Instructions and fit guidance. The kit is tuned for oak, but most people reach for softwood first. Clear, illustrated guidance about trimming for softwood and a note to optionally screw the feet in place would save head-scratching.
• Foot retention. A molded hole or integrated clamp would make it easier to secure the rubber feet without drilling them.
• Bracket width vs. board width. The bracket spans closer to 7 inches than a full 7-1/4-inch board face. It doesn’t affect function, but expect a small reveal of wood at the edges.
• Packaging consistency. Do a contents check before you start; you don’t want to discover a missing fastener when you’ve already drilled.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing so you can plan accordingly.

How it stacks up to dedicated aluminum ramps

Dedicated folding ramps win on compact storage and built-in traction surfaces. They’re also fixed in length. This kit wins on flexibility: you choose the length, replace the boards when needed, and carry only a few pounds of hardware plus lumber you might already own. For home and farm use where storage space is less critical and tasks vary, the modular nature is a real advantage.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners and DIYers moving lawn equipment, snow blowers, generators, shop carts, and ATVs.
• Truck and trailer owners who want a ramp length tailored to their bed height.
• People who prefer replaceable, inexpensive wear components (the boards) instead of a single expensive ramp that’s either too short or too long.

If you routinely move very heavy equipment or want a compact ramp that lives behind a truck seat, a folding aluminum model still makes sense.

Recommendation

I recommend the AFA ramp kit for anyone who values a customizable, sturdy ramp solution and doesn’t mind pairing it with the right lumber. It’s light, strong with hardwood boards, and easy to set up solo. The build quality of the brackets inspires confidence, and the modular approach lets you swap board lengths for different vehicles or situations. Just go in knowing you’ll get the best fit and capacity with oak, you may need to trim softwood board ends, and you should add simple traction and retention tweaks. With those considerations, it’s a reliable, practical way to move wheeled gear without wrestling a bulky folding ramp.