Pulling porty on cement?

[The_Diesel]

So I plan on doing a lot more ice fishing this year using my ATV. Actually, to be honest, I haven't even used it to ice fish before. Always had grand plans, and then just ended up using the pick-up to drive to the spot anyway. However, this year I plan on pulling the shack with my ATV when I fish alone at my parents' cabin... However, in order to get onto the ice from the cabin, I need to drive about a mile on paved roads... Do any of you have to do this routinely, and if so how do you do it? I'm assuming it will tear up the under belly of my tub... Should I get runners underneath? I feel that those will get torn up just as badly as the sled itself... Do you guys somehow put the shack on wheels to tow it?

It's an Eskimo Quickflip 3, so putting it on the back of the ATV probably isn't the easiest option. I've currently got my auger rack in the back anyway, since I've got milk cartons strapped up front to hold 5 gal buckets. It wouldn't be a big deal to just move the auger rack up front if you think that putting the shack on back would work. I haven't measured it or anything, but assume that it's too big of a shack to put back there... Any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

[DTro]

How about a small utility trailer?

That is kind of what the hyfax runners are made for. Sure they will wear, but guess what, you can just put new ones on when they do.

[The_Diesel]

I understand that... Just trying to save some $$$ from year to year. Was hoping there was another solution other than to buy runners each year. Thanks though

[DTro]

I think you'll be surprised at how long the runners will last.

[CalamityJohn]

A mile there and back on paved roads will eat up your new hyfax kit faster than the Vikings can blow a 20 point lead.

I think DTRO's utility trailer idea is your best option.

[CAMAN]

Either use a trailer, or make a U-shaped cradle with one wheel on each side that you can strap to the sled, then figure out a way to easily attach the sled to the wheeler so it doesn't flop around.

[DTro]

yeah that might be a bit much for the hyfax material. You could go with some sort of harder material. I've heard of people using PVC trim boards from the local Home Depot or Lowes, or maybe a pair of these shack jacker wheels:

[CAMAN]

Wheels/bearings like those won't hold up very long going 1 mile at ATV speeds. I would do something similar, but with higher grade wheels like a wheelbarrow tire and good roller bearings.

[The_Diesel]

I like the look of that... I agree different equipment would be needed though. Thanks guys.

I guess the other possibility would just be to slide the shack down the hill like I've done when I walked it out to fish. The reason I would have to tow it so far is that the cabin is on top of a pretty steep grade going down to the water, and the boat landing is about a mile away... If I just drive down there without the shack, I'd have to drive on the ice back to the cabin, get the shack, then go back to where I want to fish. Not the biggest issue in the world, and once I get it all down there I can leave it there the rest of the weekend. I'll probably just do it that way this year in order to save some cash and once I determine I do it often enough to justify the time and money spent to create a little set-up like above I'll go forward with it. Thanks guys. Good luck this season.

[dfeste]

Would it be possible to run two 8' 2 x 4s lengthwise on each side of the sled? You could then put a lag eyebolt on the end of each 2x and run a ratchet strap front to back over the entire sled. After that is all setup you could run two shorter chucks of 2x across to hold the longer ones together. You would basicly be making a box on the bottom of your sled. If/when the 2xs wear out they would be cheap and easy to replace or you could spend a few extra buck right away and use 4 x 4s for the long boards.

Dave

[BoxMN]

I use snowmobiles, but also have a hill I can't go down. An access is about a mile away by road, or I can also down down a logging trail. As long as the road is not "perfectly" clear (mine is a little non highway road) it is just like ice, and the hyfax will work perfect for that, and not wear. But if it is clear road, it will get eaten up quick, I think. Mine has lasted at least three years so far, but I do down loggign trail mostly and its just snow...

I would think a trailer to throw it in would work best, and leave it at the access chained up, or if not much snow, just tow it all the way out! Even a homemade light trailer would work, or a garden tractor trailer would work fine. Ot even a kind of simple triangle "skid" with wheels that goes under the shack would work - about 3 2x4's, some L brackets, bolts and a couple wheels - just cause you can go 40mph doesn't mean you have to Good luck!

[Carpenter]

I have hifax on my 3man frabil. I do a mile to the ice as well. They burn up, but have lasted me for a couple years. I'm thinking an old pir of down hill skis might be better and last longer tho. Anyone try that?

[Knoc]

Wheels/bearings like those won't hold up very long going 1 mile at ATV speeds. I would do something similar, but with higher grade wheels like a wheelbarrow tire and good roller bearings.

How fast do ya think he's going? They will work just fine I would think. Esp. in the cold to keep them nice and cool.

I like the PVC idea. PVC can take a beating on the tar and is cheap. Me personally, I would try that 1st.

[CAMAN]

How fast do ya think he's going? They will work just fine I would think. Esp. in the cold to keep them nice and cool.

I like the PVC idea. PVC can take a beating on the tar and is cheap. Me personally, I would try that 1st.

Well let's see, looking at the picture it looks like the cheapest plastic wheels you can buy. No bearings, just a plastic hub with a bolt through the middle. My experience with similar wheels tells me they don't like any speed over a brisk walk. They don't like much distance if used at that speed. And they don't like hard impacts, like going down a road at 20mph behind an ATV and hitting a bump or pothole. Then there's the cold that will make them brittle and break at any side load.

I've got similar wheels (look to be the exact ones) on a couple large industrial fans at work, they get moved twice a year(once to near the doors, then back to the corner 40 feet away) they are 5 years old and 75% of the wheels are completely shot.

They won't last much longer than one or two trips and he won't be happy with them. I am not recommending them and telling him to save his money.

[Mainehazmt]

Never had that issue always snow and ice up here lol Worst case is some gravel (3/4 minus) they call winter sand lol I use hyfax on my otter sleds and they will last me my lifetime

[The_Diesel]

Thanks guys. 'Preciate all the ideas. Not sure I'll invest into anything quite yet... Think I'll see how it all works out for the first few times and then may invest into something after that. Hope you guys have as good of a season as I'm planning on having

[broman]

Buy a used pull behind child carrier (the kind you pull your kid in from behind your bike) from C list and mod it to work with your fishhouse. I see about 5 of them for under $20. Nice thing about them is that are designed to carry around 100 lbs and are rated to go 10 or more miles an hour.

[IamZombie]

Otter makes a line of ATV trailers.

http://www.otter.com/atvtrailers.html

[picksbigwagon]

I think the 2x4 runners on a craddle idea would work and if y ou made it so you can break it down easily (wing nuts and bolts) you would just need to replace 2x4's or find spares along the roadside.

The pull behind bike trail idea would work great as well. the one in my garage is an all aluminum tube frame and would pull at speeds up to 20 mph easily.....`