tongue weight

[Carpenter]

just bought a 14' ic and am thinking id like to reduce some tongue weight so i can pull with my wheeler. I can add weight to the back but that will add load on the ice. has anyone ever tried to adjust where the tire assembly sits on the swingarm? or how about the road dog tongue ski, anyone use that?

[Carpenter]

Went to the hardware store today, thinking about putting a ski from a snowmobile on a tongue jack instead of the tire. Probably have to be a metal ski. Anyone try that or have any thoughts or recommendations?

[JSK76]

Is the Ice castle 14 feet over all or 14' with a 3 foot V and how wide? What do you have for a four wheeler?

I'm asking because I had a 14' total length by 6' wide and a polaris Sportsman 500 h.o. and used the Kolpin suspension lock and had no problem pulling it. This last winter I put 4 chains on the wheeler and pulled my house through 12" deep slush for well over 1/4 mile. Tongue weight was my friend that day, basically with the chains and weight it turned my four wheeler into a tank!

[harvey lee]

Chains help out alot in the ice and snow, way better traction. I would think the added tongue weight up front would help give the back tires on the wheeler alot more traction.

[blue_healer_guy]

on a 14fter i wouldnt think you would need to or want to reduce the tongue weight

[Smoker]

I don't think it would work on the tongue jack. You could either lose traction or put a lot of weight on the 4 wheeler, unless it is real smooth ice. if you have a drift the ski would ride up on you will lift the wheeler up or if the wheeler rides on top of a packed drift the ski might not and cause more weight on the wheeler

[dougger222]

I also agree you will want some tongue weight.

If you have a Polaris put the bars on the rear suspension. I installed them on the 06 800 Pol and it has no troubles pulling the 20ft double axle dreamshak around.

Years ago my buddy used to pull around a rather heavy wheeled house with a 3 wheeler and he made a wheel adapter for the tongue, worked well.

[Gordie]

This is what I saw being used this year and it was a slick way to go with the exception the one I saw was homemade but very similar. Scroll down to the 6th post.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2947082/Wheelhouse_Dolly

[Carpenter]

Thanks all. Its a 14 + v and 6.5 wide special (wide open). I have a polaris 550xp but am looking at upgrading to a 850 if need be. I ordered the irs lockout and am going to get chains all around. I know i cant pick up the tongue and if a buddy an i sit on the back bench it doesnt pick up the tongue (over 400 lbs)

[swamptiger]

I don't think any four wheeler is designed to handle that much tongue weight.

My thought would be to try an equalizer hitch, like you would use for a camper trailer. Not sure how well that would work on uneven ground, either, but it might work ok on the ice.

[JSK76]

Thanks all. Its a 14 + v and 6.5 wide special (wide open). I have a polaris 550xp but am looking at upgrading to a 850 if need be. I ordered the irs lockout and am going to get chains all around. I know i cant pick up the tongue and if a buddy an i sit on the back bench it doesnt pick up the tongue (over 400 lbs)

You should be good to go with that setup. Your 550 should be good enough for most situations. When I pulled mine house through 1/4 mile of 12" slush was the only time I wish I had more power. I felt bad having in in 4 low and full throttle the whole way, it was defiantly struggling. When I got done I thought to myself I wish I had a bigger atv. The IFS lock is a must, look at height of the back of the atv and my house has a lot of tongue weigh (look how far back the house wheels are). Without the lock my tires would almost rub the rear fenders.

[Transporter]

That is a miniature version of a jeep. Not the kind you drive, the kind that are used in heavy haul trucking. It makes it possible to put a trailer loaded to 150,000# on the back of a tractor, that normally wouldn't carry that much weight. I like the ski mounted to the wheel, I can see why it would work so well. Great idea, one of the few i've heard talked about that would really work and be trouble free.

[Carpenter]

Thx jsk76. I received the irs lockout kit today. Might install and hook up the boat to test it out

Also looking at drive on skis (if needed) to help reduce friction and make it easier to pull. Trialmand error time!

[outkast7222]

Wow you guys worried about tongue weight on a 14'. I pull my 8x16 on the back of my 400 Polaris full weight no problem. There is some over thinking here.

[Redlineracer12]

Even though this is an old post... Whatever you do you don't want to permanently reduce the tongue weight as it's actually beneficial when towing out on the highway to keep the trailer pulling straight. Most people just go with the suspension lock, that doesn't make it any easier on your four wheeler, but will keep the tires from rubbing the fenders at least.

[JSK76]

Wow you guys worried about tongue weight on a 14'. I pull my 8x16 on the back of my 400 Polaris full weight no problem. There is some over thinking here.

Is you 400 IFS or straight axle?