I've got an "oldie but goodie" trailer that I haul two quads with. Got it off craigslist.com for less than $300. It's a single axle, with cool-running hubs, strange wheels (no spokes), and 15" tires. It pulls great on the hiway. I tow it behind a 94 Honda Passport V6. There's a picture of it on my profile page (I'm getting to my question). It's deck is 9'4" by 6'4". My Blaster is 5'6" x 3'6". The Trailblazer, about 4'x6'.

The trailer has 2x10 rails, two of them all around, held on with screws screwed into 3/4" square steel poles welded down to the frame, and with the front rails screwed into the side rails. Very solid, very secure, ...and very heavy. The back rails slide into a slot on each side. Right now I pull my Blaster in, lift and turn it a quarter turn (it's light), then drive my Trailblazer right up against the Blaster, drop one rail in the back, and off we go. Takes all of a couple of minutes and I don't even have to tie anything down. But I'm thinking about a change.

I want to be able to haul 3 quads sometimes, and be able to load the two quads I have straight on, and I'm thinking those rails are really heavy, so I'm hauling extra weight all the time. The tongue on the trailer is pretty long, and I think I can add two feet of deck to the front without affecting how close I can turn (in reverse as well). Taking the rails off means I could load from the sides.

Any suggestions how to make this adaptation, or other factors I might want to consider?

 

Depending on how well those 2x10's are fastened to the metal uprights, they may or may not be adding some support to the trailer. If just the steel frame is strong enough, then what you are planning should work, but it looks a little light in the pic.

Two quads end to end or three quads side by side needs at least 12'. You may have enough room to add that to the front. If necessary, you could also add just a little to the back, but not too much as the wheels already sit pretty far forward. I think I'd try unbolting the wood sides and seeing how it handeled your two quad load - check for any flexing or excessive bouncing - before trying to expand it.

Jaybee

 

Thanks, Jaybee, for the help. Yesterday I took the rails off the trailer. New pic in my gallery. Each of the side 2x10s weighed 32 lbs. I figure at least 150 lbs less now. I loaded up my two quads today and followed (my son drove) to watch the frame. No flexing and no excessive bouncing. I borrowed a sawzall and tomorrow will cut the metal posts down low enough to hold a 2x4 or 2x6 rail (so ramping up and off will clear the fenders and lights). Also will extend the front (the pic shows that plan). Planning on trying three quads on Tuesday. Be ready for Saturday's trip to Tuttle Creek. If anybody sees anything in the picture or my plan that is worth commenting on, I'm still open to advice. Like the flexing on the front corners. I don't have any ideas for making them really stable aside from welding in new steel frame. It was great being able to lift the trailer tongue. And good to drive the quads off the opposite side (neither of mine has reverse).

 

I would be concerned first of all with tongue weight. By moving the weight of another bike forward on the tongue you may be causing some tracking problems or notice it in the front end of the towing vehicle. You could always build a frame work over the tires and sheet the new frame work. This is easily done by putting down some 1x2 steel tubing and run it from side to side over the wheels. Run another on each side from the front to back and weld it to the cross rails. Then just sheet over it.

 

Good point. I've been watching the tongue weight pretty closely. Tonight we tested with three quads. Trailblazer in the back, Blaster in the middle, and a friend's Magnum 350 in front. I was pleased that 11'6" was long enough for all three, that my front deck (my 18" extension is all wood) held up well, and that the Magnum's tires rested directly on the tongue rails. But I did notice the difference in steering because of the extra weight pushing down on the tongue. Next time I'll put the heaviest quad in the back, and experiment to get the best balance (probably Blaster in front).

Incidentally, when we dropped off the friend's Magnum, we just shoved the Blaster forward a little and tied back down to drive home. When I unhooked, the tongue was super light, so we just happened to have the Blaster in the perfect place to balance even over the axle.

Next is finishing off the front and sides. My added deck is simply two of the 2x10s that used to be rails, bolted down through 4x4s to the tongue frame. Not as much flex as I had feared out on the front corners, even when loading my friend's heavy beast. I cut off the steel risers, leaving enough to securely anchor 2x4 sides that will be a "side" that will stick up one inch maybe two above the deck. Then a 2x8 across the front to finish off. Anchor points. That will be as light as I can make it. Oh, yeah, I also went with wood because I don't know how to weld. It'll be ready for this weekend.

 

Finished up, or almost anyway. Picture of the results in my gallery. I've got a 2x4 side rail mounted atop the frame. That's high enough to clear the lights when loading, but still low as possible (27") and easy to drive over. Tie downs in the corners, but along the frame I go through the deck, inside the rail (you can see this on one tiedown strap in the pic).