DIY Backyard Rope Tow - FINISHED!

I finally got this thing up and running and pulling me up the hill. Hope you dig it!
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[@Kevin-ht4nz]

If you want a faster lift and don’t mind a bit of noise… you can use a lawn tractor with the back end lifted up with the rope going around the back tire. It the goes to a wheel barrel at the bottom on the hill upside down with a come along to give it the tension. It works amazing and I have a big steep hill and still pulls 2 people up fast. Good luck 👍🏼

[@GoodRoads]

The back yard rope tow that I grew up around was one that my friends dad made from the carcass of a tractor. It was rad!

[@macmacdonald4996]

Could you possibly post a few pics or some stats for your gear ? I.e.: hp rating on drive motor..size of wheels, length orf run?? Sound great ! Thx

[@emanuelecurioni8950]

Yooooo, finally working! Now you need a box and a kicker!

[@GoodRoads]

For SURE!

[@charz_adventures]

My homie in Michigan fabricates sweet rails. We were just talking about this series. Very inspiring. You have a lot of grit!

[@GoodRoads]

Thanks dude! I'd love to see some of those rail builds

[@Butternose]

I never stopped to give it a thought , but I must have spent weeks of my life just riding the rope while teaching at my local dry slope. It’s great for getting in the laps, hope you get it dialled :-)

[@slavapal00za]

Thanks for sharing your tow rope story! I also appreciate the lessons learned. I am thinking about building one in my backyard and your video has been very helpful!

[@user-de8ll9gy9p]

You're the man, sir!

[@GoodRoads]

NO U! Thanks dude

[@calcoindustries]

We going to see more development this winter? It’s been invaluable data for the one I’m building. Share some more pain for us backyard engineers!

[@elcamsterino4798]

Great to see the tow up and running! Nothing good happens without hard work. Well done for keeping at it and coming up with the win 👍

[@GoodRoads]

Thanks, I figured y'all deserved to see it finished

[@Dillin.S]

Yes sir time to learn rails

[@CharlieConover]

Funny that you have to retension your rope so many times. we have a 260 foot lift line, so ~580 ft of rope. It's nylon 3 strand which grips really well to the bull wheel, doesn't freeze, and has never gotten tangled. We put it on once a year but never have to tension it. It's long spliced and we wrap it a few times around the bullwheel. With enough elbow grease we get it, sometimes we do a wrap and then wait a day to do another, so it can stretch out. Nice looking setup you have though!

[@GoodRoads]

It wasn't because the rope went slack, it was because I had to re-tension every time I tried a new attachment method for the ropes. So between knots, printed handles, bolted connections, etc., I ended up doing it over and over again. Thanks for the tip on the rope!

[@skip9178]

I had good luck adding garage door springs in series to the ratchet strap. This way I don't have to constantly adjust the tension. My lift uses 1200' of rope.

[@GoodRoads]

Yeah some kind of tensioner is going to be a big part of v.2

[@th3oryO]

You got it done, awesome!

[@GoodRoads]

Thanks dude!

[@jakeliederbach1397]

I am making a rope tow and I know how frustrating this is. Good job

[@GoodRoads]

They seem like they would be so simple but physics has a lot to say about that lol

[@comptoncobras]

You should build a jump

[@micahcowley5947]

Design the rope tension on the bullwheel at the bottom of the hill. If you get nice threaded rod you can tighten the caster to the pole to get the desired tension (use two/three large nuts on the back end to keep it from undoing itself). Also maybe consider using a tree instead of a pole! Its already structurally sound. 😂 I’m considering making a system for spring/summer park laps. Your videos were a great help! It really gives me a good head-start.

[@GoodRoads]

Glad it helps! That's the whole point of documenting these projects. And good call on the tension mechanism!

[@LECRIRO.]

Dream and nice❤😮😊

[@keithcooper3159]

Been waiting for this vid!

[@MG-vo7is]

4:47 I'm sorry, but I laughed. It's good to see the progress. Thank you.

[@Ryder-qx1df]

Splicing the rope might be better method of attaching sperate types to each other and it's a great skill to have anyways

[@faballnorth4865]

Great videos!

[@quinnfoster4671]

Hmm if you were making a battery powered tow rope up a super steep snowy hill then you could make it not be a circular rope so it spools up like a winch. It would need a second smaller rope/winch to retract it down the hill (no tensioning would be nice). If it was a circular rope attached to a sled that reversed back down that would be interesting too. Both use about the same parts to build.

[@GoodRoads]

The loop isn't that big of a deal and it's much more convenient than winch for a long session. The 24v option I mention at the end of the vid could theoretically be battery powered, which could be another advantage of going that route. Certainly something to think about

[@Shredxcam22]

Motor wise just a VFD and 1-2hp regular 3 phase 208V motor

[@GoodRoads]

I'm trying to run it off of standard 120v AC, it's definitely limiting my options though

[@Shredxcam22]

@@GoodRoads get a single phase 120VAC drive. I've worked on allen bradley ones. Model 22bv6p0n104

[@shawns.6185]

Long splice your rope, minimal diameter change and retains most of the strength.

[@bagok701]

Fusing, whipping, or splicing, would be weaving the rope ends together, and that may do you better long term. But it is summer, so, you do you man. Ah you mentioned splicing, definitely checkout whipping to keep your splices together longer.

[@bagok701]

Oh and it would be interesting to know if you have tried to put your power at the low end of the hill and just have the top of the hill be an idler.

[@deopersad2915]

Awesome, you will get it sorted 👍🏻 , but lest you can do snowboarding in your backyard 😀👍🏽 I would have to spend alot of money to go to a ski mountain, but I have never done snowboarding lol just skateboarding and surfing,

[@grumpy1962R]

Capstan

[@MTNWILL]

Chain saw winch💭💭💭

[@MTNWILL]

Look it up

[@GoodRoads]

I want to use an electric motor so I don't have to deal with cold carburetors and fuel/noise when it's freezing out, those winches are dope though

[@michaelboseck5645]

How long is your rope tow?

[@lasso13]

My 3rd try of building a ropetow is now finally working, but we have no snow😑

[@GoodRoads]

Oh dude, gotta get yourself a mountain board then!

[@Willie-mw8wo]

Yeeeeah man!

[@mtbmagnus9241]

Great vid but Use a stronger motor that think barely pull u up

[@sebastianbrooks4074]

Splice the rope by weaving it into itself for about a foot

[@towproliftsllc]

we could help make this faster and stronger with less tangle if you want