ATV Towing Tips
ATVs let you blaze a trail of adventure through the most challenging terrain imaginable. Many powersports fans love to take their ATVs out to a trail or track over the weekend for some off-roading or racing. However, unless you’re blessed with a large tract of land you can ride on, you will probably have to tow your ATV somewhere out of the city in order to ride it.
Most ATVs are too large to fit securely in the bed of a pickup truck, so you’ll probably need a trailer to tow yours, which presents its own unique challenges. If you’ve never towed heavy machinery like an ATV before, you’ll want to follow this list of ATV towing tips by Loewer Powersports & Equipment to get off on the right foot. We’re located in Alexandria, Louisiana, so bring us any ATV questions you might have when you’re in the neighborhood.
Create A Plan
First, you should take some time to build your plan for how you’ll tow your ATV. This means checking the GCWR, or gross combined weight rating, of your towing vehicle to make sure that it’s capable of handling the weight of your trailer and ATV along with its own weight, plus passengers and cargo. Never exceed this rating unless you want burst tires or a heavy fine!
You should also plan how you’ll distribute the weight in your trailer. The ideal ratio is to place 60% of your quad’s weight towards the front of the trailer and 40% towards the back, with a good 10 to 20% centered over the hitch for stability.
Once you’ve got all this in mind and have an idea of how to approach the process, you should find a large piece of flat, level ground without obstacles so you can hitch up your trailer and load in your four wheeler with as little hindrance as possible. Trying to load your trailer on rocky ground or on a slope may only end in disaster, since you won’t be able to balance the weight correctly or anticipate how everything will behave when it’s all off-kilter.
Hook Up Your Trailer
Next, you should hitch up your trailer. This will be far easier to do while it’s empty. Position the tongue of your trailer so that it’s resting above the height of your towing vehicle’s ball hitch, then get in your vehicle and reverse until the latch is below the trailer tongue. Lower the tongue onto the ball joint and make sure it’s secure. Finally, cross your tow chains in an X beneath the tongue to catch it before it hits the highway if your hitch comes undone. This is a good safeguard to have. Set up any brakes and lights you might have for your trailer and make sure they function well.
Level & Load Your Trailer
Now it’s time to load up your quad! Set up your trailer’s ramp and ensure that it’s positioned evenly on the ground. Get in your ATV and drive far enough away to give you a good start before you hit the ramp. Drive at an even pace that is fast enough to scale the ramp without being so fast that you blow through the front of your trailer. Once you’ve got your ATV safely up and in your trailer, ensuring that the weight is also evenly distributed, get out and secure it into place with ratchet straps or ropes. Shake your quad to make sure it’s stable before you call it good.
Drive Safely While Towing
When you hit the highway, you will want to follow some best practices to make sure that you aren’t driving dangerously while towing hundreds of pounds of cargo behind you. Keep your speed moderate, no more than 60 mph, because trailer tires aren’t meant for very high speeds. Plus, you’ll need more space to come to a complete stop so going fast won’t help you in that regard. Increase the distance between you and the cars ahead of you and allow other traffic to pass you rather than switching lanes. Signal well in advance of any turns you need to make. Careful driving will ensure that you and your ATV make it in one piece to your riding destination so you can have fun!
Visit our dealership in Alexandria to see our great selection of new and used ATVs for sale. Loewer Powersports & Equipment serves the cities of Rapides Parish, Lafayette, Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
