4 wheeler question

[PurpleCatMan]

I have never owned one before. I'm thinking about getting an old wheeler for ice fishing.

Can I safely transport a 4 wheeler with it partially riding on the tailgate?

For those of you that travel this way, where do you put your portable house?

I have a short bed tundra and a 2 man otter.

[Rockin Randy]

I would not trust the tailgate! I use an aluminun trailer, I can put the wheeler and the Otter side by side, that way I can leave the hitch on. Slide the portable on with the hitch facing back,and the cover on. When you get to your destination You can slide off and hook up in no time.

[FishinFools]

lots of stuff like this out there. need a small ATV and a Class IV or V hitch...could be wrong on that, been awhile since I looked into this. I did not end up using one, still pull a trailer for the ATV.

[rundrave]

yes you can travel safely with it partially riding on the tail gate. If you want some cheap insurance and some peace of mind buy a sheet of plywood and put it under the quad to help disperse the weight.

I remember seeing some sort of hitch hauler somewhere that mounted to the receiver hitch of the truck and then extended out to haul a quad. I think it was called tailmate or something like that.

[hooked79]

tailgate is fine we have done that many times no issues

but i would do the plywood for pice of mind

but best option would be a trailer

[AaronM]

I also would recommend a cheap trailer, especially when needing room for your ice house. I have a full size box, and always have used a trailer.

Makes for a much easier day as well loading and unloading.

[dfeste]

The wheeler in the truck alone is fine, do it all the time. Adding the portable to the mix however will create problems. I was kicking this same issue around last year and I ended up getting a trailer as well.

[fishinnut_3446]

I would also vote on getting a trailer that way you can haul more stuff you don't need !

Am I the only 1 that has ever broke the cables on a tailgate?

[shizzy]

I would also vote on getting a trailer that way you can haul more stuff you don't need !

Am I the only 1 that has ever broke the cables on a tailgate?

nope. Broke them on my Ranger last year. Buddy and I were sitting on the tail gate having a cold one and the cables let go. turned out one of the cables was corroded and partially frayed inside the rubber housing.

With that said, I can see a 4 wheeler taking up all the space in the bed of that tundra, leaving you no room for our house and gear.

[Flatlander]

I have a smaller wheeler(Kawasaki Prairie 360) and haul it in the back of my Nissan Titan. Used to pull a trailer, but storage during the summer was an issue for me. I throw my Otter cabin on the back rack and rachet strap it tight. Auger sits in the auger mount on the front rack of the wheeler and I drive the whole set-up up the ramps into the bed. I've driven to LOTW and back home to N WI many times and never had a problem. I am able to shut the tailgate if I push up and forward on the wheeler a bit, so this entire post may just be me yapping and of no use to you, though .

[dougger222]

You don't want to put much weight on a toyota tailgate, they are thin and weak.

Never once broke a tailgate strap on the Super Duty's. One is a 99 with 317K miles which has had several hundred pounds of shingles on the tail gate several times. For many years used to run the 160 pound compressor on the tailgate until it fell off! The other is also a 99 with 235K miles and those straps have never broke. The tail gate is pretty rusty but the straps are fine.