I'm sort of new to the ATV world. I've loaded my Foreman 500 on the back on my shortbed pickup and barely fits. Actually I've had to leave the tailgate open.

A friend and I are planning on Driving down to Mexico and wanna take the bike's with us. How could we load the 2 ATV's without a trailer or purchasing some kind of special atv stacker? Someone told me that we could probably stand 'em up on its rear end. But I don't see how we could tie 'em down. My truck is an '02 Dodge Ram(short bed) and has 4 handles at each corner deep inside the bed. The trip is like 15 hours so it has to be something pretty stable. Please let me know if you have a suggestion.

thanks,

hook'em horn!

 

I have seen ATV stackers but you might as well buy a cheap trailer and save yourself a lot of cash and headaches. I wouldn't be to thrilled to drive 15 hours with my ATV's standing on their ends no matter how well they are strapped down but that is just personal opinion. The best way is a trailer but I know you don't want to hear that.

 

Ahha, a subject I know about. I hauled 2 blasters and a trx70 in the back of my shortbed F150 supercab. I stood the blasters on the rear wheels and strapped the rear blaster to the front of the bed and the front blaster to the rear of the bed. This will draw the two quads together nice and tight so make sure nothing is rubbing that you dont want to be scratched. Make sure the gas is turned off. The trx70 rode on the taigate strapped to the rear tiedowns. I know this seems really awkward and topheavy, but my quads did not budge and they dont weigh enough to make it feel top heavy. Hope this helps Dmnhorn, have fun.

Honduki, some of us have to stack quads so they can pull the camping trailer. I agree that pulling a trailer would be much easier than loading in the back of the truck. A toyhauler would definately be better yet but I bought the camping trailer before I bought my quads. Hindsight=20/20. hehe

 

well ive seen this done. if you make a small wooden ramp for the front of you truck bed it will lift the front end enough to shut your tailgate. And then if you have a draw tie hitch they have an atv stand that fits into the hitch replacing the ball and you can ride your atv up on it sideways and strap it down and there is no need for a trailer. If you've never seen one these they always have pics of them in dirtwheels magazine in the ad sections. hope this helps.

 

A Foreman 500 is awfully big to get set up on it's bumper, and I definately wouldn't trust one of those reciever hitch platforms! I have a shortbox Dodge, and with one quad in it's full. Most quads can be hauled safely pointing skyward, it's getting them in that position that's tricky. It's not too bad with a three-wheeler or a light quad like a blaster, but a big bore 4x4 would be another story.

If I were you I'd seriously look at getting a trailer or taking two pickups. The cost of a single-quad sized trailer is less than it will cost to fix the dent and broken glass on the back of your pickup cab if that 500 gets away from you while you're trying to stand it up.

 

what about if you stood one up and then put the tailgate down and loaded the other would it be to long.

 

stacking ATVs or hauling in a vertical position is not the best thing to do, it may be OK in an emergency situation.
a few things to consider ...... fluids is one.
not a good idea to lay a battery on its side battery acid will leak out.
engine oil will end up where you don't want it.
coolant / only the resovoir will leak
break fluids and master cylinders may get air pockets.

second thing is, it does not matter how good you tie donw the quads, if you have to brake hard on the hyway, that 600 pound machine becomes a 1000 or more pound of moving mass in a hurry.
same thing applys in sharp turns.

to top it off , you are talking about 2 ATVS on 1 truck, you may exceed your trucks or your rear tires carrying capacity.

reconsider getting a trailer.

 

Zsebi and bigben, you raised a lot of good points, nice work. I failed to realize he is dealing with a foreman 500. My blasters that I had did just fine, no battery, no coolant and mechinical brakes. Plus, both blasters probably weigh less then one foreman 500. Just make sure the trailer is road worthy also if you get one dmnhorn.

On another thought, have any of you used the platform that sits on top of the bed of your truck bed? Seems like this would be somewhat topheavy. I have thought about just making my truck a flatbed.

 

BigUgly, The weight and fluid issues where what I was thinking about too. I would be worried about my gas and oil but my bike is just a junker anyway. It would be very hard to get one of those bikes on their end but it is possible. The first thing I thought about was stopping in an emergency situation.......you would be S.O.L if you had to dodge or stop for something. I have seen a platform that fits in the bed and lifts the quad so you can put another one under it. Might be a bit top heavy but I think that would be the best way. It is still not nearly as good as a cheap trailer. They are very big quads to be loading into a short bed anyway.

 

Honduki, your point was also well taken about the shock loading of tiedown straps in an emergency. The weight of a quad can tripple at an immediate stop such as a collision. Something to always consider when securing your load.

I would like to see a picture of your hybrid, could you post one.