Hi Guys,

I am just about to get into the ATV scene as my brother-in-law and Sister have been doing this for awhile, and after two trips with them to Glamis, CA. I am hooked.

I am planning to buy a Rav4 V6 4x4 (my reason being is that it can pull 3500 lbs, and i drive about 1500 miles a month.. so i need semi decent mpg while not towing)..

Right now i plan to start off with 1 ATV however am more than likely going to get another one.. this is why i want to buy a trailer that can fit two ATVs...


My main problem is finding the right trailer to get... i am based in the bay area of California so It is not like i have a huge amount of trailer dealerships near me.. but i just want to get an idea of what to look for... here are my questions/issues

1) My first plan was to get a light-weight sideloader trailer that can fit two ATVs similiar to the Triton ATV88, however i have read that the gates rub the ATVs and take the paint off.. i do not want that to happen....Is it worthwhile to get a trailer that loads two ATVs sideways... which brand would be a good one to look for?

2) I will be doing several short trips a month (less than an hour drive) a month.. and most likely one 600+ mile trip a month or every two months.. so i need a trailer that can go long distances without a problem.

3) Anything else i should know? I have towed before but with a truck and not a SUV.. and it was a one time thing. .so any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Arthur

 

If you're getting sport quads for the dunes the Triton ATV88 or similar should work. Most of the sport quads are pretty short so you could center them on the trailer and not be near the ramps when they are folded up. I ran into issues because I had two long utility machines. I went to a snowmobile trailer as it is 101" wide. Added some 2x6 sides and a bunch of eye bolts for tie downs. If you got a 96x101 inch trailer you'd have enough room for two big utility ATVs. Just check that the trailer can handle more than the quads weigh to be on the safe side. I finally ended up with a 12'x101" snowmobile trailer that tilts. I can load one on without a ramp or two side by side. If we bring someone with a third quad we can put the two side by side in the front of the trailer with one across the back.

With a vehicle as lightly sprung as a RAV you will want to center the ATVs over the axle of the trailer as much as possible so you don't have too much weight on the tongue of the trailer and back end of the SUV.

 

First, tow vehicle ratings are based on a stripped model with a 150lb driver. If you have ac, power seats/windows, really any extra goodies, passengers, or you are carrying supplies in the vehicle that weight all needs to be subtracted from the overall max weight of your trailer. Further, you should only load to within 10% of the max weight for the trailer and tow vehicle (giving you a max of 3150lbs for the stated Rav4.) Tongue weight should generally be between 10 and 15% of the overall load for safety. That is the weight of the trailer at the ball. Say your trailer weighs 3000lbs loaded, that would make a good tongue weight between 300 and 450 lbs, roughly what a nice sport quad weighs. Having said that, I am sure you can find a decent trailer that can handle 2 sport quads and be safely within the margins of that vehicle. It is nice if you can figure the loaded trailer weight and try to get the tongue weight at that 10-15% range. If in doubt, put the heavier quad to the front. Looking at that trailer, you will have no issues using a v6 rav4. The trailer is 360, and a full size sport quad will run a bit over 400lbs usually, so that is only 1200 total, plus passengers and gear.

 

Thanks for the information guys.. yes they we will be sport quads...

I didn't know that the rating was on a striped vehicle.. that is good to know. Now i just need to find a dealership that sells the triton trailers haha. Is there any way to see how much weight is on the tongue without going to a truck stop? While i only have one ATV i plan on just centering it over the axle facing forward.. so i think that should be good?

Will there be any problems going 500+ miles on that trailer? Do i need to get bigger tires?

 

I think a narrow side load would be better than a 101'' snowmoble trailer. My wife has an escape and with a wide trialer it was hard to see around it in my mirrors. I like side load trailers bset, but in your situation they make some trailers in my area that are about 5' wide and either 12' or 14' long. They are made specifically for 2 wheelers to be loaded end to end. This way with youy rav 4 the trailer won't stick out passed the mirrors plus it +won't catch as much air, However you end up with a longer trailer, Food for thought.

 

I see a lot of landscapers with the kind of trailer Tony describes. They have big wheels that don't have to turn as fast as the little wheels most snowmobile trailers have.

 

If you have a single quad, just put it all the way to the front of the trailer. You aren't looking at that much weight really. A trailer that has to much weight rearward will sway or wag back and forth. Again, 2 sport quads and a light trailer similar to what you have mentioned will be well within the limits.