[matty_fly]

I've been trying to come up with a way to transport both my 4 seat Kawasaki Teryx and my bumper pull camper. I started out but tossing this together out of scrap and a headache rack I already had. It was a good proof of concept, but I don't like having the SXS up so high and my stock bed is pretty rusty underneath, I don't trust the weight on it.

So I picked up some channel and am going to build a flatbed. My plan is to make a detachable dovetail and extend out the hitch for towing the camper when the SXS is loaded, sorta ripping off kayjef's design on his big truck. I only need to gain about a foot to be able to drop the front on the SXS behind the cab.

The idea is to keep the bed usable for other stuff, and able to tow my other trailers. My camper is pretty small and only weighs 4k loaded, so I'm not overly concerned about having the hitch moved back from the axle.

Any input? Will I kill nuns?

 

[Elwenil]

Pushing the hitch back farther will give the trailer more leverage on the truck. You could compensate by sliding the rear axle and suspension back as far as you can. I don't tow much but the best handling tow rig I had was one I bobbed and stuck the hitch up inside the frame.

 

[matty_fly]

Pushing the hitch back farther will give the trailer more leverage on the truck. You could compensate by sliding the rear axle and suspension back as far as you can. I don't tow much but the best handling tow rig I had was one I bobbed and stuck the hitch up inside the frame.

Moving the axle back is not an option. Pickup truck not big truck. Camper only has a tongue weight of about 700 pounds loaded, and the utv clocks in at 1600 wet with winch and tools.

 

[DE Jeeper]

Sounds like a solid plan. If this is the only trailer u wull be pulling with the dovetail on i would just extenf the tounge in the trailer.

 

[matty_fly]

Sounds like a solid plan. If this is the only trailer u wull be pulling with the dovetail on i would just extenf the tounge in the trailer.

Considered that but the camper is a 2017 that we just bought and I kinda want to keep the warranty and everything intact. Also the SXS won't always be going and I like keeping the overall package short as we camp in some pretty tight places and I like being as maneuverable as possible.

 

[friskydingo]

I have somewhat close to the same setup, my recommendation is to keep it angled up (which the dovetail should do) because the break over angle will get pretty nasty with a flatbed, unless you have stupid long ramps or a dump bed

Also, I wouldn't worry about the camper overpowering the truck with the dovetail, I can't even feel my 5500lb camper behind my significantly older and shittier truck

Sent from my 5017B using Tapatalk

 

[matty_fly]

I'm building the bed low and am going to put wheel wells into it. I just picked up some nice long beefy ramps off amazon, I think they are 79" long

 

[350TacoZilla]

Would the UTV fit in a truck with an 8ft bed?With the short bed I think I have seen people make up a new tailgate that has solid supports with the utv resting on it. I would stretch truck and put normal bed back on it or maybe see if you can swap for same type of truck but 8ft before making a ramp truck bed just to haul a utv. I mean the ramp idea inst bad but truck would lose a good bit of flexibility and become bit more of a one trick pony at that point, also the extended leverage on the frame might not be too bad but still doesnt sound like a good idea.

friskydingo your truck looks to have the rear axle pretty close to back of frame so I dont think you have near the leverage he would be looking at, again a light trailer isnt going to fold the frame or anything but its a good way to amplify tongue weight and trailer sway.

 

[friskydingo]

Would the UTV fit in a truck with an 8ft bed?With the short bed I think I have seen people make up a new tailgate that has solid supports with the utv resting on it. I would stretch truck and put normal bed back on it or maybe see if you can swap for same type of truck but 8ft before making a ramp truck bed just to haul a utv. I mean the ramp idea inst bad but truck would lose a good bit of flexibility and become bit more of a one trick pony at that point, also the extended leverage on the frame might not be too bad but still doesnt sound like a good idea.

friskydingo your truck looks to have the rear axle pretty close to back of frame so I dont think you have near the leverage he would be looking at, again a light trailer isnt going to fold the frame or anything but its a good way to amplify tongue weight and trailer sway.

I agree with Mr. Taco​ if the utv fits in a long bed, that would look a lot better

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[matty_fly]

I'm pretty set on keeping this particular truck for now until I build a dedicated cross country tow rig out of an obs I have. This one is already studded, deleted and has some other goodies, I've gone through pretty much everything mechanically on it, and it's optioned exactly how I want a truck to be, not to mention I paid cash for it 2.5 years ago.

An 8' bed truck would still take some ramp setup to work and tow a trailer, the sxs is about 114" overall length. I'm not too concerned about losing utility, I have several trailers of various style (car, dump, utility, gooseneck), if anything it will make the truck a little more useable for hauling pallets and such.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I'm pretty set on keeping this particular truck for now until I build a dedicated cross country tow rig out of an obs I have. This one is already studded, deleted and has some other goodies, I've gone through pretty much everything mechanically on it, and it's optioned exactly how I want a truck to be, not to mention I paid cash for it 2.5 years ago.

An 8' bed truck would still take some ramp setup to work and tow a trailer, the sxs is about 114" overall length. I'm not too concerned about losing utility, I have several trailers of various style (car, dump, utility, gooseneck), if anything it will make the truck a little more useable for hauling pallets and such.

I can understand having the truck you want and it already being paid off. Are you thinking something like a 6.5-7' bed with 2-2.5' dovetail on it? I would only be worried about how far back that is going to put your cog with the utv and trailer tongue weight. Again I'm not thinking its going to snap your truck or anything like that but too much weight past the axle can make the truck handle pretty bad taking weight off front tires.

Just thinking out loud I realize not many people would think extending their WB is a option but you could probably extend it a few inches with no frame work just by sliding suspension back on frame or go even further and extend frame (either in center or at the back) but its all a good bit of work.

 

[PROJECTJUNKIE]

I'm pretty set on keeping this particular truck for now until I build a dedicated cross country tow rig out of an obs I have. This one is already studded, deleted and has some other goodies, I've gone through pretty much everything mechanically on it, and it's optioned exactly how I want a truck to be, not to mention I paid cash for it 2.5 years ago.

An 8' bed truck would still take some ramp setup to work and tow a trailer, the sxs is about 114" overall length. I'm not too concerned about losing utility, I have several trailers of various style (car, dump, utility, gooseneck), if anything it will make the truck a little more useable for hauling pallets and such.

If you are dead set on using that truck to haul that sxs and pull that trailer, reconsider a frame swap or extension using factory pieces. IIRC, you have access to a shop, simply unstacking and restacking your truck on a longbed frame wouldn't be all that involved with a lift and a helper. Fwiw I paid 1800 for a rolling chassis 05+ 4wd. That may lead to a future title issue, which could be resolved by purchasing a factory new frame, sometimes they are surprisingly cheap, or just break it apart at the factory splice and weld in the rear half from literally any long bed super duty, 2wd 4wd 99-14?

Then resell short box for a pretty penny and install a long bed, or a 9' flat bed and roll out