Hey all! I wasn't sure where to post this but I tried and mods may move this if necessary.

I am in the market to buy a Polaris Scrambler 500 4x4 and had some questions that maybe you pros could answer. I live in South Dakota and it is still legal to street legal our quads. Now I am looking to start a small mowing business in the spring and had an interesting idea to save on costs. WHAT If I pulled a small 5x8 open metal mesh trailer on the street with a few lawn mowers/trimmers/garbage cans on it? Now I realize the trailer weight is MAYBE 200lbs empty. Then add some mowers, a full garbage can, trimmers and the etc, and I maybe tip the scales at 400lbs. Now do any of you think this would be do-able with a 500 Scrambler on the street with little to NO rolling resistance without any trailer brakes?

The reason I want a scrambler vs others is because when I unhook the trailer I want to be able to have a lot of fun and have heard numerous happy customers involving the AWD system and the sporty feeling/

So long story short -

Can a 500 Scrambler 4X4 tow 400lbs of mowers easily? Safely?

Is this just a bad idea? (I understand force, how to tow things and being safe, but there is a limit somewhere; I'm just not sure where... )

Will I need trailer brakes if this would work?

If a scrambler doesn't have the umph, what does somebody suggest to make my idea come true?

Thanks guys, I look forward to hear your suggestions, advice, insults, ALL of it

 

My 350 grizzly without a low range tows my 800lb 5x8 trailer without working a sweat.

Your fine. My buddy plows snow with his 500 scrambler..

 

The drawback with the Scrambler in my mind is that it doesn't have a low range. Pulling heavy loads is best done in low range. I've pulled an industrial sized woodchipper up a slick grassy slope that the trucks could not get enough traction on. Probably weighed 2500 lbs. or so and I had a Sportsman X2 500 at the time. The Scrambler can pull that in all likelihood but I think you'll run the risk of burning drive belts out without the low range. The other limiting factor more than what the engine/driveline can pull is braking. You're asking a lot of the brakes to pull that much around town at 30 mph+ speeds. Just some random thoughts. Hope it helps.

The newer (and much more expensive) Scrambler has high and low range and an 850.

Another thought is to get a Polaris Sportsman X2. It's a much more work oriented machine than any other quad on the market. Heavy duty rear springs that can handle 400 lbs. of cargo, a dumpbox that transforms into a passenger seat, and lower gearing. I had plenty of fun when I had mine when I was out on the trails.

 

Man, these displacement wars have gone to far!!! JK

 

OOOPs. I,m hanging.LOL

 

I think you'd finally see a quad faster than snowmobiles!!!

 

For no more than you'd be pulling, you should be ok without the low gear. Keep an eye on the belt though.

 

Scrambler 500s were rated for 850 pounds towing IIRC. The new 850 is rated for 3/4 ton.

 

I guess my only concern anyway is the braking power. If I don't ham and speed everywhere, will I be alright slowing this trailer down with stock brakes on the quad and no brakes on the trailer or? Granted max speed will be in town driving 40mph ish stuff.

I heard with the belt don't chug off slowly, just give it some gas to let the belt grab is what I have heard the most about these things? So be easy on the braking but get up to speed in a decent manner and don't just chug along right?

 

I'd still be a little bit concerned with the braking, personally.

It's good to engage the belt by giving it the gas pretty good and then drop off the throttle once you're up to speed than slowly ramping up the rpms to get going. There will be a lot more belt wear if the transmission is barely grabbing the belt.