Hauling multiple AATVs

[Bud]

An 8x8 Argo is about to join our Max II. My biggest trailer is only a 6x12 single axle, and I want to haul both AATVs.

What are my options?

Can I shoehorn my Max into the bed of my 2500 Chevrolet with a 6.5' bed? I guess that I can get a pair of ramps and load it from the trailer into the bed, but am concerned about tailgate weight during the process.

Do I just need a bigger trailer?

[rdr]

buy a bigger traliler ur tail gate can not handel it robbie

[Mike]

I put my Max II in the back of the same truck without a problem and can close the tailgate. I just put four concrete blocks in the bed, one at each corner, and pull the front and rear tires up on them. It keeps the center tires from getting pinched by the fender wells.

I always back up into the truck, and I make sure that I put a board sticking up out of the two concrete blocks near the front of the bed to act as a tire stop. This keeps me from inadvertently backing through the rear window with the trailer hitch. I just use 2x10 boards with ramp ends for my ramps so I can't load from the trailer. I have to load the truck and then hook up the trailer but it's not a big deal. I put the ends of the ramp on the concrete blocks at the rear of the bed instead of on the tailgate and haven't had any problems.

[evil8x8]

I haul my Attex racer in the bed of my truck all the time but it is a long bed. I built a platform out of 2X12s that raises the tires above the wheel wells. It also gives me plenty of room to store all my gear under the machine. It has a stop at the front to prevent me from going throught the rear window.

All Loaded Up - Amphibious ATV Pictures

Truck bed platform - Amphibious ATV Pictures

[Bud]

Thanks for the replies. They give me some ideas.

evil8x8, I like the way that your platform and ramps keeps the weight off of the tailgate.

[Roger S]

Glad to hear you're keeping the maxII. Be careful of the truck glass.. a lot of them have been broken in this sport.

[Rock Doctor]

I used to do the same as Evil8x8, but now I have a 20ft trailer to load the machines on and I have a canopy on the truck for storing gear and keeping it dry.

Quite a few guys around here still haul 8x8 Argo's in the back of trucks with similar platforms to Evil's.

RD

[jpswift1]

Glad to hear you're keeping the maxII. Be careful of the truck glass.. a lot of them have been broken in this sport.

So very true! I'm included in this group, but mine was due to a 1st generation Attex. That Max II will go perfectly in the bed of the truck.......just do something with the platform ideas mentioned and you'll be ready to roll.

[Obsessed]

i got a lot of cool pics of full size 8x8's in the back of my short bed 07 Dodge q-cab with a homemade wooden rack, but not sure how to attach pictures to comments here. the best long term method is about 50 bucks worth of lumber and about an hour of time and just build a nice rack that is removable when not needed as one of the other readers has already posted above (with picture), but another simple and inexpensive fix that works really well in a pinch is an old used pallet or two laid in the back of the bed, or a few old used tires thrown in and driven up on. both are easy to come by in a pinch and will do a fine job of holding the machine up over the top of the trucks rear fenders. there are a lot of great foldable aluminum ramps available and can be purchased for under 100 bucks and i think that they are much safer when loading a machine with muddy or wet tires as smooth wood can be kinda slippery. i persionally also like the normal nonfoldable set that i have had for years and they were less than 200 for the pair if i remember right. their tuff and light and i have used them to load and unload some really heavy machines with no problem. also they store nicely under the loaded machine and are easy to strap in. i did have a scary experiance about two years ago with a fullsize 8x8 avenger efi in the back of my truck bed and an empty trailer in tow. i had gotten comfortable using standard 1" wide motorcycle straps to hold the machine in and setting the old hyd. parking brake. its not recomended to use the hyd park brake for extended periods of time as they do fade and release as well as that practice can and usually does end up damaging the brakes master cyl in al older argo, (newer machines and other brands use secondary mechanically operated parking brakes and are more reliable for that use), but the bouncing around broke the two straps and the brake faded and the machine rolled right out of the truck and fortunately landed on my empty trailer behind right in the middle of a busy city intersection. pretty scarry then, pretty funny now (wish i had a video of that to share). i would strongly recommend the use of heaver 2" straps as they seem to handle the load much better and dont loosen up as easily. a buddy of mine actually uses 1/4" log chain which seems like overkill to me, but i dont think he has ever had one try and get away from him :-) also if you load from the empty trailer deck directly up into the back of the truck it is a much easier incline and not nearly as scary to load or unload. but in some cases if you have a loaded trailer in tow, and need to unload the truck first, you can usually jack-knife the trailer to the maximum and the ramps will just clear and allow you to load and unload the truck without ever unhooking the trailer.

[Bud]

After looking at this further, I am probably going to go the larger trailer route. I haul a lot of tools and stuff around in the bed of my truck (it is currently full of decoys and tools right now), and might need that when my son gets home and we start out AATV trips in the spring.

Besides, you never know when a good car hauler might come in handy. :-)