How much does your wheelhouse weigh and how much ice do you put it on?

[Dozer]

Took my 8.5'/16' to the scale tonight. Its #4140 right now but I dont have any cabinets in it yet but the queen bed, roof a/c and bathroom with shower are in so it will gain another couple hundred pounds.

I havent had it on the ice yet but Im planning on waithing till about 12" of ice to pull it out with the wheeler.

[highlife4me]

My house weighs in at around 4500 ready to fish. I pull it out with my 1/2 ton on 12 - 14" of good ice that I have checked before heading out.

[WalleyeChaser]

My house weighs in at around 4500 ready to fish. I pull it out with my 1/2 ton on 12 - 14" of good ice that I have checked before heading out.

That makes my butt pucker a little. I can barely drive my truck alone out on ice that thick! I would do it with a wheeler maybe. Give me 16" and I would think about it. To each their own though.

[tip-up king]

http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

[Dozer]

http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

I guess maybe I worded my original question wrong, I more interseted in what everyone elses house weighs than how much ice you put it out on.

[randerson]

I had a 8x16 grand lodge and it was 4100# epty and I bet around 400-500 more ready to fish had it out on Mille Lacs the first weekend I had it went out of Terry's to 7mile and when we popped the first hole it was only 11" I didn't sleep much that night but went back there the next weekend.That was with my Ram 1500 when I bought a 2500 diesel I waited till 16". Check with a resort they have a good handle on there roads.

[Bryce]

~13,000 for entire rig. 18" is the benchmark but will do 16" of good ice. All depends on conditions and how much I can keep wifey from knowing.

[tip-up king]

5 ton for entire rig and I will go on 10" however, that's knowing the body of water I'm on, the ability to read ice and drilling to check thickness as I go.

[cluelessfisherman]

Pulled my 8 x 16 ice castle out on 9-10" last year with a wheeler. Not sure what the official weight is on my LOTW model, but the ice was NOT happy!

[Carpenter]

Clueless and others, Thoughts, recommendations, drawbacks with pulling a house like you guys are discussing with a wheeler? I am/was thinking toy hauler style so i could leave my truck on shore, but the Dealer says it doesnt work well. Kinda bummed me out. I have a sportsman 550 xp. I understand i would probably need to lock out the rear suspension, but other thoughts? I probably wouldnt want to go out on less than 12.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Lock out the suspension, get some chains, and you'll have no issues. We pull my house and a 24' Ice Castle with a Honda 450. The only time you'll struggle is in deep snow.

[Redlineracer12]

Here's my 2 cents on towing with a wheeler. I originally thought the toy hauler option was going to be awesome because I was used to dragging portables out with the wheeler anyway. While I would still definitely get the toy hauler version again, I don't really use it all that often. Early ice the difference between 12" and 15" is what, 1 week of good cold weather? So that's roughly 1 more weekend you can get out with a wheeler vs a truck (everyone's opinion on "safe ice" differs obviously). I have towed the house out once with the wheeler, and while it towed it just fine (6.5x12 honda 420), it was a pain. You get to the lake, you have to unload the wheeler, disconnect house from truck, move truck, hook it up to wheeler, before you can go. Then reverse the entire process once you get back on shore. I much prefer to just leave the wheeler home on 90% of my trips now when I plan on fishing in the house all day. The only time I think it really pays to bring the wheeler with is if you need to plow a spot with it, or if you want to bring portables and run and gun part of the day.

[fishadb]

I have a Ice Castle Scout that weighs about 1400-1500, take it out with the wheeler on 7 inches.

[JakeJ_Mn]

My 8 x 20 wheelhouse weighs about 3800#. I like about 14 to 16 inches of good ice. Normally, it's nice to see others out before I go. On LOTW the resorts are pretty savy about what the ice will hold.

[Eric Wettschreck]

My 6 x 10 is made of mostly aluminum. Weighs in at a little over a thousand pounds fully loaded full of stuff. I've put it on 7" many times pulling with the wheeler. If I'm using my 1/2 rusty but trusty chevy to pull it around I want at least a foot of good ice.......and I'm the guy who waits to see a few other trucks out there before I drive out.