TopCat,
My wife is gracious enough to let me do as I please within reason. She sees the need for the ATV. It took several weeks/months of grooming her before I popped the question of the ATV. A new/used truck might be a bit much to ask of her right now. I don't want to push my luck. I'll have to buy the ATV first and make it fit into the minivan and then ask her to help me load and unload it. The next step is to say "Sure would be easier to load this thing into a pickup" and see how she takes it. I'm afraid if I pop the truck question now, she'll say "Sorry, this is getting too complicated and expensive". One step at a time.

I looked at the Rancher and Bayou up close today at the dealership and the handlebars can be easily loosened and moved to a lower position. The LCD display on the Rancher will be a problem. The Bayou looks like it'll do just fine. I really want that Rancher though. The dealer said to give him a days notice before coming by on a slow weekday and he'll help me fit the ATV into the van. Hope some of the service guys also help and give suggestions.


Thanks,

Dave

 

Quad inside the family van?

YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK?????

 

Dave, I own a minivan and I dont see how your
goona do it? I might suggest you look into getting a trailer hitch on the minivan and look into atv magazines at some of these trailer platforms that hook onto the trailer hitch as a platform. They work if the atv is not too heavy. YOur gonna have a heck of a time getting the atv in and out of the back of your minivan. the platform trailer looks like it will be much easier to deal with. check it out!

rangerchet, polaris xpedition 425cc 5 speed.

 

RangerChet,

I already tow 10' covered trailer containing my race bike and gear so the hitch is already in use.

I was looking at the ATV brochures last night and saw that these ATVs have from 5-6" of front and rear travel.

If I hook a tie down on the front rack and then somewhere on the frame, I could compress the suspension the 4-5" I need to get the thing to fit in the van opening. I'd release the tie down once it got in the van.

With the suggestions of lowering/removing the handlebars, letting air out of the tires and compressing the suspension, I think I've got the problem licked. That still doesn't mean it'll be easy.

I'm thinking about buying a small winch, hooking it to a piece of 2x4 and placing it between the two front seats. I'd then hook the cable to the ATV which is on ramps behind the van. I turn on the winch and the ATV magically rolls into the back.

What do you think?

Dave

 

Dave, you asked,

"What do you think?"

Honestly, sounds like you're following a recipe for roast pig that goes something like this: Trap pig inside house; burn house down.

If all you want is a pit buggy, an ATC (of the ATC 90 thru 125 cc persuasion) MIGHT fit, but even that proposition may involve some difficulty.

Yet, you want a 4X4, and you want to keep your existing stable of equipment for now. I hope you work something practicable out; in fact, I've always wondered if an ATV WOULD fit inside a mini-van.

(Remember the story of guy with a two-ton load of canaries to haul in a one-ton truck?)

Best of luck; I salute your high hopes; in the end you may show all us skeptics up ("Look! There goes another rubber tree plant!", from the song, "High Hopes").

Tree Farmer

 

It might just work Dave, but I agree with tree farmer that a better solution to your shortage of space should be found. I forgot you were all ready towing a trailer when I thought of my previous idea. Your going to be
unhooking and rehooking your trailer all the time to get your atv in and out of the back of the minivan. You will be busy, thats for sure. Your plan will probably work though. Try a 2 x 8 instead of a 2 x 4. Those seats are not made of very solid material.

rangerchet, owner of a 98 plymouth voyager which I never use to pull the atv and a 1990 ford f150 with a atv trailer to haul my year 2000 polaris xpedition 425 cc 5 speed.

good luck Dave!

 

Hey guys,

I'm an engineer. I can design a theoretical solution for just about anything. The hard part is implementation. I don't know of a single project I've worked on that hasn't run into one or more problems. The fun part is solving those problems. If this can be done, I'm going to do it. Heck, I might even patent my solution. Of course, once my wife sees how difficult it is, a truck purchase might be in my near future.

Have faith,

Dave

 

Dave,

Here is another idea.

Can you tow multiple trailers where you live? My 2-up snowmobile trailer (which used to double as a Sea-Doo trailer) has a hitch mounted on the back that we used to use to tow a single Sea-Doo trailer with. Worked well. You have to make sure you have the correct tongue weight everywhere with everything loaded.

Here in Ontario it is actually illegal unless the tow vehicle is a commercial vehicle. I was using an 84 Caprice Wagon and no one of importance bothered us. The Caprice didn't even notice the extra weight.

Just a thought. It saved us taking an extra tow vehicle on long trips.

DJ

[This message has been edited by deej (edited 01-28-2000).]

 

DEEJ,

I don't know what the law is here but I wouldn't feel comfortable towing two trailers anyway.

I'm going to try and fit an ATV into my van next week at the dealers. That's if the weather cooperates. I'll post my results.

Dave

 

Ever thought of trading the wife in on one that allready drives a truck? (JJ)

[This message has been edited by DaveC (edited 01-28-2000).]