Towing An ATV

ATVs are the ultimate in off-road adventuring, and unless you’re perfectly situated next to a forest or other rough terrain, you’ll have to transport them somewhere you can ride them. Towing an ATV might seem hard, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right trailer and a little common sense, you can get your ATV or other quad loaded up quickly and safely, ready to tow on your next journey. At Scott's Recreation in Turner and Manchester, Maine, we’ve got the know-how to get you and your ATV on the road, and we have a great selection of cargo trailersfor you to choose from. Follow these tips and you’ll be a towing pro in no time!

Plan It Out

A bit of planning saves you major headaches later. It can take practice to get your ATV loaded up just right, so set aside some time to go through the motions a few times. Also, before you start, make sure you’ve got the right towing vehicle for the job, one that has a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) able to handle the additional weight of a full trailer. A half-ton truck is usually sufficient for this, plus it lets you use a fifth-wheel style trailer coupling.

The most important part of the loading process is balancing the weight in your trailer. Ideally, 10 to 20 percent of your cargo’s weight will be positioned over the hitch, which is easily done by placing the majority of the cargo weight over the trailer’s front axle. You’ll also want an even 50/50 ratio from left to right to avoid putting too much pressure on one tire, so try to center your quads within your trailer to achieve this.

Hook Up The Trailer

A cargo trailer usually comes in a fifth wheel style, and these trailers have a bit of a learning curve you’ll need to master. The coupling for the fifth wheel attaches to the truck bed, providing a sturdy and balanced foundation for the tongue hitch. Once you have it in place, you’ll want to raise your trailer’s hitch to the height of the truck bed, then get in your truck and slowly reverse until the hitch meets the coupling. Having someone standing outside the truck to guide you can really help this process.

Get out of the truck and secure the coupling and hitch together. Cross your tow chains in an X underneath the tongue of the hitch and secure these. Hook up any brake or hazard lights that your trailer has and test them out to see that they function.

Leveling And Loading

Once the trailer and towing vehicle are attached, you’ll want to drive them onto flat, level ground. Leveling out your trailer lets you see the weight distribution more clearly, plus your ramp will rest flat on the ground, making it easier to drive up your ATV.

Lower the ramp and get it situated and secured if necessary. Get in your ATV and drive far enough away from your trailer to allow you to get up to some speed before reaching the ramp. However, don’t just charge up the ramp at full throttle -- go at a moderate pace, tapping the gas just enough to get up the incline. If you go too fast, you might rocket through the front of your trailer -- what a disaster that would be!

When you’ve got the ATV in place, shut it off and strap it down with ratchet straps through the suspension. There are usually hookups for these straps to anchor to on the inside of the trailer. Close up the ramp and you’re done!

Drive Safely

Even though you’re excited to get to your off-roading destination, you’ll still want to practice caution while you’re getting there. Since you’re towing hundreds more pounds of weight behind you, it’s best if you drive slower and don’t exceed 60 mph. You’ll want to increase the following distance between yourself and other vehicles, and allow them to pass you rather than trying to swerve around with an unwieldy trailer in tow. Give yourself more time to get where you’re going and take it easy on dangerous roads with lots of curves. Using your mirrors will help you make sure your trailer isn’t drifting into other lanes and that you’re keeping other drivers safe.

Now that you’ve got the knowledge to safely tow your ATVs and quads wherever you’re going, you’ll want to check out Scott’s Recreation to see our selection of new and used cargo and ATV trailers. Our dealerships are located in the cities of Turner and Manchester, both conveniently located to serve customers from Portland, Lewiston, and Augusta, Maine.