is that custom made? or did you buy it like that? That would work well actually

 

The trailer in the photo is from the early 90s (Home Depot, I am told), and
it is about 4x6'. The previous owner bolted two 2x12s to the frame so he
could carry his medium size ATV around. This was one of those popular
trailers that could be tipped up on end and stored vertically. There were
small casters for that purpose, long since removed and tossed.

The previous owner had also welded and strengthened the main central
beam. These trailers come as a kit and have many many bolted
connections. Too many, IMO. Go to youtube if you want to see what
some folks go thru putting these units together.

If you can find one on your local craigs list, already put together, titled,
and licensed, then you can buy them for a couple hundred $. I like them.

 

Many years ago I built a tilt trailer out of electrical unistrut and a Volkswagon Rabbit axle. Made it just wide enough for my ATV. When I bought my new ATV it was one inch too wide to fit between the side racks.

 

Here's a trailer I built using a C-channel tilt frame with truck
axle and the bed of an old Datsun truck.

No side panels at all, so the load can be a bit wider than the bed.

I built it for a guy's Kubota RTV500, but he never came and got it.
Sold it to a friend instead.

 

Here is where a lot of experience is going to come out, so I'll warn you up front. Over the past 45+ years of driving experience, I have owned probably 20 or more trailers over the years. I have made every mistake you can make and lived to tell about it, but it gets expensive. So let me give you a bit of advice. First off, you have a fair amount of $ tied up in your ATV, so are you willing to cheap out on your trailer and put that machine at risk? Yes you can buy a $300 bolt together trailer from harbor Freight. But the first time you pull it, it will either shake itself to death, all the bolts will snap or loosen up, and the tires/wheels they have are pretty much junk with no way to easily grease the wheel bearings. I have even heard of guys having bearings seize on the way home because the factory did not install any grease in them. 2) always buy a bigger trailer than what you need. (It never fails, you upgrade your machine in a couple years, or add a second one and now you have to buy another trailer.) My recommendation is to buy a name brand trailer that can haul 2 machines safely and reliably and don't cheap out. In the case of trailers, you get what you pay for. And you can always buy one with a wheel/jack up front so you can wheel it around without having to lift the tongue. Get one with at least 50% more carrying capacity that you have today too. That way you won't be forced to upgrade if you upgrade your machine.

 

Like DragginButt is saying; don't go cheap. Cheap can cost you more in the long run, especially if you lose your ATV or cause damage to someone else's property or even cause an injury. The last thing you want is to have to call a tow truck when you are out on the road miles from home because you wanted save a few dollars.

 

So Deedawg, what would be your ultimate trailer? I have a hard time choosing. Currently in my drive is a 26' Raptor Toyhauler, a 28' enclosed with 8' high inside, to which I have added an 85 gal water tank, and tankless hot water, and a 8x10 open snowmobile trailer. (I sold my car hauler to my older son since he used it more than I did. I have a couple ideas on what teh future may hold for me at least. First, with regard to enclosed trailers I find mine is/were a pain to load and unload. Due to widths of the ATV's, you end up either turning one or more sideways to get them all in or at best, you have to climb all over them to get them strapped down for the road. YES they keep prying eyes from knowing what you have, but ease of loading and tie down is a big deal as a person ages. My toy hauler is too small, and the ones that are big enough are way too expensive. Add in the cost of a night in a decent campground that can hold a long toyhauler, and it gets pretty expensive. When renting a cabin, I'd not only save $ on rental, but the added fuel costs, wear and tear on my truck, cost of the truck etc. really can add up. I can rent a lot of cabin time for the $200K I have invested. Lastly and currently in favor with me at the moment is an open trailer. They come in two flavors. Deckover style that typically are at least 101 inches wide and 20 to 24 ft long. and have way more load capacity than you need for ATV and UTV hauling. The other option is a car hauler. Which are fairly cheap, can come in lengths of 18 to 25 ft, and can haul several machines at the same time. (I have been known to haul up to 7 at a time) But, if it isn't 8 ft wide you end up side loading and usually you end up with sliding them around to get stuff to fit. WAY easier to tie down though. No climbing all over the machines. I prefer a flat deck without any dovetail, and if you look around, you can find them that have outriggers around the wheelwells to get you the width you need to load side by side without having to side load. Like I said, I don't like dovetails because no matter what, you will find places where you will drag the tail. I don't like doing that. Now I have been kicking around a flat deckover with an upper rack mounted with a pin hinge on the front, and a hydraulic rams to allow it to swing up so I can have a double decker much like the big rig car haulers you see on the road. I want to load two or three ATV's up front and a side by side in the rear on the bottom deck, and several ATVs up top on the upper deck. The numbers work... now all I need to do is sell the toyhauler and my other enclosed trailer and I will have room for it in the driveway. Maybe even sell the open deck snowmobile trailer too. Now realistically, I can get by with a 24 ft open deck over and skip the upper deck altogether, but it would be way cool. I have seen a few guys who have done this, and I have also seen where they set a pop up camper up top over the ATV's so yo have the best of both worlds. But the though of camping in the rough is not exactly the preferred way of going for me and Mrs DB. My Raptor is barely meeting the roughing it criteria, and I certainly prefer the Cabin to a camper bed. Besides, I could pull it with a nice 40 ft motorhome with slideouts galore... but that would not gain me the savings mentioned above. but.... the trailer would be the same. So my vote is open flatbed. I can get a side by side and 2 ATV's on it without any hassles. Maybe even 3

 

Here's the trailer I got from Home Depot. Got it at reduced price because the lights were broken. Paid $599 and the Polaris 500 fits it nicely. I turn it around in the driveway by hand to get the ATV on it and to store the trailer along side the house. The same lite kit cost $25.00 to repair it.

5' x 8' Wood Floor Trailer with Gate Ramp - Tarter Farm & Ranch

 

Tough call. I'm still in Afghanistan (going on 4 years now...) so I'm not in the market to buy another trailer right now. I already own a heavy duty trailer (duel wheels, twin axels) that my Dad and I (mostly him) use to haul small tractors (40 - 50 hp). I believe it's a Felling. The problem with this trailer is it's really too heavy for a light truck like a Ranger and the F350 is a gas pig. I don't plan to haul my wheelers anywhere outside of NW Mn so I don't really need a covered trailer.

 

XTV is a economical 8' x 48" utility trailer w/tilt deck

Go with a Triton aluminum trailer.

I've been more than pleased with my Triton trailer. (not the one in the picture)