towing/payload

Fordlover wrote:
I didn't realize how heavy ATV's are. My Kodiak 450 is 591 lbs. empty!

Wow, I would have thought the 450 would have been lighter weight as well. My Grizz 700 is spec'd at 648 lbs wet...full oil and fuel but no accessories. It sure is a lot of fun to rip around on though.

nomad297 wrote:
Buy a Trailer Toad. This is the only thing that's going to work for you because it seems you're not going to get away from that half-ton truck.

Make sure you report back to us on how it works, because I haven't read anything on here about somebody actually using one.

Bruce

Here's a guy that uses one with his F-150:

http://www.f150forum.com/f82/finally-got-my-trailer-toad-hooked-up-256938/
http://www.f150forum.com/f82/did-long-tow-trailer-toad-does-great-265264/

I didn't realize how heavy ATV's are. My Kodiak 450 is 591 lbs. empty!

Take our moderator and his kids. Years ago when they were in their
teens...Marty posted their size and weight...oh my...as a teen they
were inches taller and tens of pounds heavier {edit...than ME}...twins to boot.
Families kinda sorta grow and bring buddies (both guys and gals) along.
Plus all of the gear that goes with EACH ONE. Planning for now, will
have you short when they get older

Please post back on your decision...whatever it is

Too many won't and leave those who read their first thread thinking it is okay
for them...it's okay for me...I get lots of PMs on that kind of topic

Normally will see that same poster a few years later with a bigger TV that they
should have bought in the first place

I'll share this: one guy on this portal used to advise 'half ton can, as I have
one and do it all the time'

Got three PMs and one of them want to sue that advisor. Because he also had a
half ton of the same OEM...but burned up his diff while on vacation...far from home

He spent a few days in the middle of nowhere and paid a healthy sum for a diff
rebuild

What is missing is that, that advisor did NOT have a regular half ton, but the
fake half ton. Regular half ton has GVWR in the +7K pounds. The fake half ton
has a GVWR in the +8K pounds. Regular half ton has a RGAWR in the +4K pounds
and the fake half ton has a RGAWR in the +6K pounds

There is another point of view and that is with safety...that is argued all the
time here and on other forums I post.

The ability to manhandling the setup. I prefer to be under the ratings for that
day when Mr Murphy crosses my path...

Just want to point out to the OP a common issue that does occur to help push you towards 3/4 or better, 1 ton.

You have the quad and the TT. The family grows and now you are looking at adding an ATV or even upgrading your TT to a larger and heavier trailer. Have you seen those bed mount ATV haulers that hold 2 ATVs? Don't even think about hauling 2 ATVs and TT with a 1/2 ton and honestly, I would not even consider 1 ATV and TT with a 1/2 ton no matter how you slice it up. Yes, you will see some doing this but there is no way they are not overloaded.

Do yourself a favor and try and reasonably talk with your wife and point out the safety involved and why it is a much better idea to go with a 3/4 or preferably a 1 ton. It is your family's safety you are talking about.

FYI, I haul a Grizzly 700 in my bed and pull my loaded 8500 lbs TT up into the mountains with a 1 ton and have 0 regrets. I could easily get the DiamondBack bed cover to haul 2 ATVs if I were to choose and that may be an option at some point.

DiskDoctr wrote:

nomad297 wrote:
Buy a Trailer Toad. This is the only thing that's going to work for you because it seems you're not going to get away from that half-ton truck.

Make sure you report back to us on how it works, because I haven't read anything on here about somebody actually using one.

Bruce

What is the 50 state legality of using this? Minimum legal vehicle size? Licensing requirements?

Enquiring minds want to know....

I was wondering the same thing. I suppose if you wanted one, you should find that out.

Bruce

nomad297 wrote:
Buy a Trailer Toad. This is the only thing that's going to work for you because it seems you're not going to get away from that half-ton truck.

Make sure you report back to us on how it works, because I haven't read anything on here about somebody actually using one.

Bruce

What is the 50 state legality of using this? Minimum legal vehicle size? Licensing requirements?

Enquiring minds want to know....

Buy a Trailer Toad. This is the only thing that's going to work for you because it seems you're not going to get away from that half-ton truck.

Make sure you report back to us on how it works, because I haven't read anything on here about somebody actually using one.

Bruce

agesilaus wrote:
Putting the quad in a toy hauler won't vanish all the weight. 15% will end up of the tongue weight.

pappcam wrote:
It would need to be a pretty small toy hauler as they are generally heavier than a similar length TT.

I think "the wife" needs to stop ruling out anything that would be considered safe...

I hope you are listening to the what the above two quotes are really saying since they IMO sort of sum it up and ruling things out on strict emotions not supported by real facts will only get you into trouble and earn you a VERY EXPENSIVE "T-Shirt" in two sizes too small.

Larry

I had a wonderful half ton truck. It pulled our 31.5 ft trailer great, handled wonderfully, and everything was perfect.

We decided that we wanted to haul a golf cart which weighs 1000 ish lbs. I knew that I was not going to be able to do this with my half ton. So we bought a dually. 1000 lbs of tongue weight, 600 lbs (at the time, remember they grow quickly) of family... it just wasn't do-able.

We ended up with a dually F350 that I despised.

Had I to do it over again.. I would have kept my half ton and rented a golf cart at the one campground that I really needed to haul it too. (Disney's Fort Wilderness)

My local campground I could have just made two trips with my half ton, one to get the trailer and one to get the golf cart.

The GMC or Chevy 2500 with the 6.0 gas is a nice comfy truck with the same dimensions as the 1500. The Ram 2500 is a nice truck as well and the reports are that its a comfy ride unloaded with respectable empty MPG.

Another option would be to get a NHT trailering package with a GM 1500 and a nice toy hauler. That package should get you close to 2000 lbs of payload on the truck.