Towing your Four Wheeler
Most four-wheeler owners know that there will eventually come a day in which they’ll need to transport their machine over paved roadways. In other words, it won’t be legal or practical to ride your ATV to its destination, so you’ll need to transport it some other way. Even the biggest trucks often don’t have beds big enough to hold a four-wheeler, and you’d definitely be out of luck if you need to transport multiple vehicles. Odds are, you’ll need to tow a loaded trailer. This can be a little tricky, especially if you’ve never towed a trailer before, so Bellevue Suzuki Kawasaki has provided some tips and tricks to help you get started. If you need additional help, stop by our location in Memphis, Tennessee. We proudly serve the areas of Bartlett, Jackson, Germantown, and Collierville, Tennessee, as well as Olive Branch and Southaven, Mississippi.
Build a Game Plan
Start by finding every possible way to make this easier for yourself while also ensuring you’re loading your trailer correctly and safely. Find a place to load your four wheeler where the ground is level and flat so you won’t be fighting your surroundings. You’ll also want to keep proper weight distribution in mind. You’ll want to distribute the weight on the trailer evenly from left to right so your trailer won’t favor one side. You’ll also want to balance 10-20% of the overall weight on the hitch, as well as putting 60% of the overall weight on the front half of the trailer and tapering the remaining 40% off the back. This weight distribution will be especially important if you’re transporting more than one four-wheeler.
Hook Up your Trailer
With your game plan in mind, get ready to hook up your trailer. This should be done before loading it, as it will make this task much easier. Line up the ball hitch, and the trailer tongue with the tongue raised higher than the ball hitch. Back up your tow vehicle until the two are directly on top of each other. Lower the tongue until it sets and secure the latch with the ball joint. For additional security, cross tow chains under the tongue of the trailer and connect them to the tow vehicle as well (this is just in case the trailer comes unhitched from your tow vehicle while it’s in motion). Complete the hookup process by making any final connections, like independent brakes and lights.
Load your Trailer
When your trailer is hooked up, attach or lower the ramp, depending on the trailer you have. Now comes the tough part. Driving your ATV onto the trailer requires the right balance of momentum. Too little won’t get you up the ramp, but too much could cause you to overshoot the trailer. A great way to help with this, especially if you have a steep ramp, is to start farther away from the trailer. If you need to, try practicing this a few times.
When your quad is successfully loaded, you’ll want to strap it down. We recommend ratchet straps, as they compress the vehicle’s suspension to keep it from moving around too much while in transit. Repeat this process for any additional units you may have.
Safe Driving While Towing
Finally, you’ll want to always use safe driving practices while towing. You’ll be carrying more weight behind you in a less secure way, so above all else, slow down and take it easy. Aggressive and reckless driving is not only dangerous for you, but it creates a hazard for other commuters on the road as well. Plus, slowing down will help your trailer tires last longer.
We highly recommend taking some time to practice driving with a loaded trailer before the day of your big trip, wherever it may be. Find a big, empty parking lot where you can relearn basic driving skills like braking, turning, parking, and reversing. Braking is especially important, as you won’t be able to slow down as quickly as you normally might. Give yourself plenty of space and time to slow down and adjust to changing traffic patterns.
You can also gain a lot of knowledge and tips just by talking to your local four wheeler communities. Whether you personally know friends and family who work with this fairly often, or you simply start asking around at your local dealer, like Bellevue Suzuki Kawasaki, getting advice from more experienced riders and towers is a great way to build confidence and improve your strategy. If you’re still looking for the perfect ATV, then stop by our location in Memphis, Tennessee. We proudly serve the areas of Bartlett, Jackson, Germantown, and Collierville, Tennessee, as well as Olive Branch and Southaven, Mississippi.