Well, a couple of weeks ago I picked up my new 07 Honda Rancher. My dilema is that I have no way to transport it to different riding locations without calling a buddy with a trailer. I have a 96 Ford Ranger 3.0 manual shift. It is the Splash extended cab version, so it is flair side with a bed too small to fit my atv. I have been to a few trailer places (including Lowes) and a 5x8 seems to be just the ticket for me.

Here are a few of my questions:
First off, I don't know what the towing capacity of my truck is. Either by using the bumper mount, or by having a hitch installed. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated. Also, are the mesh floor trailers satisfactory for transporting atv's around?

 

I would think you would be fine with a light trailer and one quad. I used to haul around a large sit on jet ski with my Honda Accord, through the desert in the summer with no problems. I would go with a hitch install rather than bumper, they are pretty easy to do yourself. Get a Drawtight from Etrailer.com. Mesh is good, easy to clean. Just make sure the trailer is rated for the wieght of the quad.

 

Yeah no doubt ,you should be fine even with a bumper style ,I used to pull 2 sport quads and gear behind a wrangler with no trouble at all

 

I found this.

2.3 Liter rated at 2,300 lbs

Check out Lawrence Trailers if you have a dealer in your area. I got a 5X8 about 10 years ago and the only thing that I have ever done to it is a new set of tires and repackd the bearings.

 

I'D PUT A LITTLE MORE MONEY INTO THE TRAILER THAN THE HITCH AS THE BUMER SHOULD BE GOOD FOR 500LBS! WITH THE WEIGHT OF A ATV A LITTLE BIGGER TRAILER WITH LITTLE BIGGER TIRE WILL PULL BETTER THAN A SMALL TRAILER WITH SMALL TIRES!

 

Thank you to everyone for the responses so far!


<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: DODGE57HEMI

I'D PUT A LITTLE MORE MONEY INTO THE TRAILER THAN THE HITCH AS THE BUMER SHOULD BE GOOD FOR 500LBS! WITH THE WEIGHT OF A ATV A LITTLE BIGGER TRAILER WITH LITTLE BIGGER TIRE WILL PULL BETTER THAN A SMALL TRAILER WITH SMALL TIRES!</end quote></div>

That was another question I had. I have seen several tire sizes and was wondering what the minimum size was that would give decent pull performance. The smallest I have seen are 12 inches, the 13 inch tires looks significantly bigger to me.

 

I'D FIND A TRAILER THAT USES STANDARD CAR TIRES LIKE 14' OR 15' YOU CAN FIND THESE TIRES EVERYWHERE IF YOU BLOW ONE. ALLOT OF THEM EVEN USE THE SAME BOLT PATTERN AS A OLDER CHEVY TRUCK. HOPE THIS HELPS!

 

Go buy a cummins and get a mustang 5th wheel trailor with the beaver tail ramps.

 

The smaller wheels are harder on bearings. Small wheels spin faster than larger wheels. When traveling at highway speeds the bearings on a small wheel could be rotating at twice the speed as those of a larger wheel. So try for a larger wheel if you can find it. The 5x8 size should work well. No worries about brakes since you're way under 3000#. The truck should have no problem hauling a trailer and one ATV.

 

yeah u will have no problems i know someone that hauls a trailor with an s-10 and has a rancher in the bed and a rincon on the trailor youll be fine