Hello. I am the first time owner of a 2009 Can-Am Outlander received in trade from my out-of-state brother. He used to transport it in the bed of his pick up truck but I purchased new a 6x10 ft Carry-On trailer to haul it around. This is also my first trailer.

My question is fairly simple: Should I place the quad on the trailer as far front of the axle as possible? Or should it be placed midway over the trailer axle so the weight is evenly distributed? The trailer is a little oversized (just a little) for the quad.

Thanks in advance for your knowledgeable replies.

 

My first thought is as far forward as you can, more weight on the witch usually means a better tow ecperiance.

This can depend though what you are hauling it with. A chef colbolt I would try and centre it over the axel of the trailer, the trailer being the constant while the car the varible. Hauling it with a truck forward us best bt really put it where you like the truck will not know it's there. ( half ton or higher)

 

The recommended hitch weight is 10% of the gross trailer weight. In other words get a weight on the trailer with the quad on it, then take 10% of that weight and that is how much weight you need on the tongue where it attaches to your truck. Another simple method is to put your quad onto the trailer all the way forward then jack the tongue up off your truck, now try to lift the tongue of the trailer, if it is easy you are to light and need more weight, if you can't lift it, move the quad to the rear of the trailer a little at a time until you can just barely lift the tongue weight. normally this amount to about 200 lbs for the avg man to lift and that is a good weight to start with.
When you start towing the trailer, if it sways back and forth you will need more tongue weight, if you tow vehicle really squats down low you will need less tongue weight. This applies only if trailer and tires and bearings etc are all in good condition.

 

I drive as far forward until tires touch the front rail, then ratchet strap. Should be able to strap under the hitch, should be a hole in the box beam/tongue of the trailer. BTW those trailers are quite handy to tow behind the ATV, as long as no big rocks or tree stumps.

 

It partly depends on where the axle is located on the trailer. A friend has a trailer with a built-in ramp on the back and his axle is about 2/3 of the way back. He parks about in the middle. My tilt-bed trailer has the axle in the middle. I don't know if it's the best way or not but I've been loading my quad the same way for years. I pull up all the way until my tires hit the front rail and then back up 2-3 inches. My trailer is only 5'x8' and it's probably a lot more than 10% of the weight on the tongue but it pulls okay. I've gotten up to 80 MPH or so before and it started fish-tailing but I normally go the speed limit on the freeway, 70 MPH, or 5 over and don't have any problems.

 

Jumbofrank you are correct in thinking that more tongue weight is far better than to little tongue weight, I should have mentioned that in my post. While 10-15% is supposed to be ideal, I have never had to much as long as the tow vehicle can handle it, but have had issues with to little weight !!

 

Thank you for all of your excellent answers!

 

i would start slightly back from the front and see how it tows. If you have to little tongue weight the trailer will sway everyware. My 2 up trailer if i get one quad a inch to far back makes a huge difference.. Problem with getting to much tongue weight is things can break. I had a hitch crack the first month after buying the trailer new.

 

In this case, the trailer obviously can handle a lot more weight than a single 4x4 quad that weighs about 750 lbs. That trailer could handle about 3 times that weight. Assuming you're not towing with a car or minivan, the extra tongue weight shouldn't matter either no matter where you position the quad on the trailer. I generally position mine almost to the front of my trailer. I use a couple blocks of wood to chock the tires and push them back a few inches. The front tie downs in the trailer are difficult to access if the machine is all the way forward. Mine is an all alluminum Aluma trailer which is very lightweight and tongue weight is also very low. I chose that because I recently bought a smaller mid size truck, a Chevy Colorado, and wanted a trailer that it would easily tow. It definitely does just that and pulls nicely on the interstate at 70-75 mph. It also is very easy to move around by hand unloaded, a nice bonus.

 

More excellent advice. Thank you.