Hitch mount for ATV

[Dahitman44]

I have an 04 400 sportsman and I want to get more clearance for my fish house.

So I am going to add a Mad Dog accessory that will make it a "regular sleeve type" of hitch that I can add a lower drop tongs and flip it up to get more clearance. Clear as mud right?

Do these work? It looks like that attach to your hole that the ball goes on that model. Will they hold and not twist around?

Any ideas?

thanks

Hitman

[minneman]

sounds like your converting to a 2'receiver type hitch?

and your only able to attach it via the hole in the originaly mounted hitch hole where you might put the ball?

so your wondering if once installed and hitched to your shack and taking turns etc, will it pivot left/right on the bolt that attached the new hitch to the old?

are you able to see the part unpackaged to see if there is something welded on it to keep that from hapening?

you could always weld it to the current one.

or you could buy an Arctic Cat.

[Dahitman44]

Minnowman --

Good to hear from you -- yeah wending might be better I think i will just have to see how it holds up.

[Dahitman44]

Has anyone tried it?

[Roofer]

Yes, I had one. It held fine for smaller stuff as long as you don't get rough with it. I was pulling a trailer with building materials on it for a deer stand. The trailer got hung up on a root, so I backed up and the thing twisted to the side. They hold Ok, but not that great. Right now it's sitting on the bench in my barn. It would be a good hitch if it was solidly mounted.

[fishorgolf]

I to have one of these and I am not very impressed. Not only with the problem of twisting as Roofer states but I also have had a problem with the metal actually bending. I have had other Mad dog products and have not been happy with one of them. To me they just do not seem to be very well designed.

[LMITOUT]

I have one for my Grizzly that's made by a guy in Wisconsin. Nice piece. A little pricey though.

The first year I just put a ball on the factory hitch but the winch on the fish house for the drop-down tongue was too close to the Otter Box I had on rear rack. It was also hard to hitch up the trailer with it being so far under the rack. I then bought the aftermarket receiver hitch I mentioned and flipped over the tube so it gave me more height on the tongue, but with the extended length and tongue weight it completely squatted the rear of the ATV. Without the length it would still squat the ATV but not as bad and was tolerable.

Not sure if you have independent rear suspension or a solid axle but it's something to think about. I had a lot of tongue weight too so that didn't help either. Your trailer may be balanced better and the extra length of the after market hitch won't matter.

[Dahitman44]

thanks for the info

[Dahitman44]

Just set it up this evening -- seems to be "sorta" strong and if I am careful it should work.

I need to find a shorter 2" shank with a big dip but I think it will work.

Thanks to all.

Hitman

[ac777]

I made one my self in our shop. Works great. I will post up a pic when I get some time.

[castmaster]

I've got one that mounts through the original hole and then has a flat bar that goes further under the wheeler and mounts to the frame. VERY solid and also puts the weight over the whole frame and not just on the rear suspension.

[Dahitman44]

castmaster --

that would be nice to have the weight distributed better ... oh well hope it works

[fisheye]

castmaster - you remember the brand name or where you got it? That sounds like a better setup than just one bolt holding it on.

[wolf]

all the ones i have seen have two holes that bolt to the two holes on the rear of the polaris, so they can't pivot. Polaris sells one on there HSOforum for around 40 i believe