I'm trying to get some comparative data to help answer a previous post (Towing 19 foot ski boat with Rubicon 500).

I would really appreciate if anyone could recall the heaviest item they have successfully towed, dragged, or pulled with their ATVs. I've read posts of people pulling their stuck pickups out of a ditch or up a grade but it doesn't mention if this was the ATV only doing the pulling or was the pickup also under power and the ATV just helping along. It would be great if you could provide some details too!

Thanks,

MXF

 

Helped pull a jeep out of a revine ... about 250 feet ... it was a muddy and steep mess. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Used my two winches and drive power ... his winch and drive power.

The problem; It was to steep to pull, stop, and then rehook up his winch, so by connecting the two machines together we did it in two pulls.

 

The heaviest thing I have pulled with my 700 is a Ford ranger up a slight incline with the atv doing all the pulling. I felt the 700 had plenty of power and could have easily pulled something bigger.

 

I used my '94 King Quad to manuver a dump trailer to a tight location around the back of a house that we were remodeling. We had to back it in up a slight incline on packed clay. Going in was just the empty trailer, about 2,100 lbs. Hauling it back out was a little harder - slight downhill with a total loaded weight of about 3,500 + lbs. I had two guys hanging on the racks for extra traction weight as well as myself driving. It did OK, but I wouldn't consider it very safe.

Jaybee

 

I pulled a jeep off a hill that was partly burried in the sand. I don't know how much it weighted but it sure wasn't an easy task.

 

pulled my brothers F-150 up our hill with the vinny, hill is 1/4 mile long, in about 5 inches of snow.

had 4 chains on the vinny. and it did ok, but i wouldnt reccomend it.

pulled a U-Haul trailer, that weighed close to 4500lbs. the most I HAVE EVER pulled, was 9,700lbs of granite blocks, on a 16ft long car trailer, to give you a idea the fenders were rubbing the tires on the trailer, because 2 pallets of belgium blocks were on there, oh what fun. i wouldnt pull more then that ever. i had the bike in 4x4 low range, power wasnt the biggest problem, it was the lack of frount traction, because of the tounge weight.... and you wonder why i have problems....

v581

 

Thanks for the responses!

In regard to my other post concerning towing the 19 foot ski boat, I'm starting to think that going down-hill while maintaining control will be my biggest concern. I know that 3500 pounds and 120 pounds tongue weight are way over the rated specs of the Rubicon, but do any of you think I will actually do any physical damage to it like overstress the hitch/axle, or burn up the engine/drivetrain? If I can pull it successfully, the whole trip (one way) should only take about 2 minutes in either direction (launching/retrieving).

Thanks,

Marty

 

Stopping is the biggie. And drum brakes arent the best choice for heavy loads. Is there brakes on the trailer, and any way to use them from the quad? Gonna use a helper...with tire chocks?
I know honda has a low rating on the toungue weight, and im not sure why, my foreman has a 35 lb limit. But I hooked up a strap, and pulled a suburban up a driveway with it. Itll pull just fine, its just stopping, thatll be a problem.
Once youre under way, it doesnt take much stress to keep going, but starting out can be tough on tires. I wouldnt worry about the rubi tranny...the only thing slipping is fluid.

 

Okay, I have a 02 Bombardier Traxter XT the KING of working.


I pulled a 4*8 trailer loaded with we dirt and clay and sod up the street to an empty lot to empty. The tires were rubbing on the trailer and I had to use a jack to let the tongue down onto my hitch as 2 of us were not strong enough to lift it. So I'd say that I was way over the 2000lb axle limit, plus the weight of the trailer.

Another time, had the same tailer full of wet blocks of wood, in the gully behind the house, we had the trailer way overloaded again, but this time the tires didnt' rub. Got 3/4 the way up the hill and had to get the help of the winch to get to the top as it was too steep and it was a clay bottom so it spun lots.

Pulling this kind of weight can be dangerous especially when there's a hill involved. I don't recommend it if you can help it. I've heard people dying doing this kind of thing with Tractors and where doing it with ATV's that weigh a fraction of the weight.
I love my Traxter for working as you can't beat a GEARED tranny for this.

 

Pushed a Chevy 1500 silverado with my rubicon