What’s everyones ideas for securing their ATV quads or Side x Sides on your trailer. I’ve been tying mine down with the winch cable around the trailer tongue then ratchet straps. But I’ve been looking at some of the mounts that bolt to the trailer bed then secure your hitch ball. Anyone use these or have any other ideas.
Best way is to strap the tires down with tire straps and let the shocks do their job in protecting the machine. However that isn’t always feasible and kind of a PITA.
Currently I do a ratchet strap from a bar on the bumper near the winch to a d-ring on my trailer tongue. Then straps from the top of each shock tower to the rear corners of the trailer. Works good but I can see the machine jarring each time I hit a big bump since the shocks are somewhat compressed.
Ive looked at the Kolpin Lock It Right system and don’t think its for me personally. Just more stuff to worry about and don’t like the big bulky plate permanently attached to the floor to trip over.
We haul ours 1000s of miles when going wisconsin to Colorado and back. We use the big ratchet straps from the atv frame to tie down rings we bolted through the deck. We do each with 4 points so the is absolutely so movement.
When we strap to the trailer frame, we use radiator hose on anyplace the strap may rub. Amazing how easy those straps fray when they vibrate or rub. We also use the tails of the straps to tie off again as a back up.
Do you guys go through the same steps for a fully enclosed trailer?
Do you guys go through the same steps for a fully enclosed trailer?
Yea, same concept just has a box over the top. Don’t what anything to get loose and bash around in the trailer for miles as you go down the road.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Do you guys go through the same steps for a fully enclosed trailer?Yea, same concept just has a box over the top. Don’t what anything to get loose and bash around in the trailer for miles as you go down the road.
X2
I was told not to keep tension on the winch as it is hard on it . I use the winch to compress the shocks and then use tie downs , after the tie downs are in place I let tension of the winch and the tie downs are now super tight and the machine is still squatted down . I don’t disconnect the winch, it acts as a safety chain . With 4 tie downs tightly attached, bike in gear, with park brake on it is still common to find one has come off, or at least loose after 100 mile jaunt . I think sideways on the trailer may be better but have not tried it yet
I have a Triton ATV88, so I load mine sideways on the front, with portable sled behind it. I ordered ratchet straps online that have a have a full loop (like a carabiner spring), not just the hook because I was worried it might bounce and come loose. I use 4 of them. One on each side hooked to the back hitch area, and two around a front bar just below the winch. I ratchet the house down with regular hooks though and that’s never come loose either.
Biggest word of advise is stated by Cheers, using the winch to secure is a bad idea. The internals of the winch is designed for pulling, not constant jarring back and forth. Over time, the brake and other internals will wear out substantially faster if used for securing. I prefer to ruin a $20 strap over a $600 winch.
Some states require full 4-point securing, MN is not specifically one of them. I trailer my ATV’s for roughly 4,000 miles per year (we like to trail ride). I will always try to get all 4 corners secured with straps, but I will settle on 2 straps if they are at the right angle. I have seen the ball hitch mounting systems and I really like them for certain applications. Since we ride with multiple groups, we sometimes have different machines on my trailer loaded different ways. That type of securing would not work for our application.
Make sure the straps you use are rated for enough weight! Each strap has a working load rating and a breaking strength rating. Both must be enough for whatever you intend to hold down.
The same goes for whatever the straps attach to. I see utility trailers with eyelets held to half rotten plywood decking by 4 rusty 1 inch screws. Yeah, that’ll hold ‘er.
Man, the guys I see trucking down the road with big 4 passenger UTVs held down by 4 little rinky-dink 1 inch quickie straps rated for 500 pounds. Talk about a cluster waiting to happen, if they have to even brake hard, that UTV is going to bust those straps like twine string.
You have to know the weight of what you’re trying to hold down and then add a large safety margin to make sure it stays put in the case of emergency braking.
I usually use ratcheting straps rated for 2000 load and 4-5k breaking strength for ATVs and small equipment.
Grouse
Man, the guys I see trucking down the road with big 4 passenger UTVs held down by 4 little rinky-dink 1 inch quickie straps rated for 500 pounds. Talk about a cluster waiting to happen, if they have to even brake hard, that UTV is going to bust those straps like twine string.
Grouse
I see a couple of those guys every year along I-80. Worst was a guy I met crying at a truck stop at Ogallala. They pulled off to fill up and realized they lost their ATV off the trailer somewhere back along the last 300+ miles since their last fill up. My camera bag handles were heavier than the straps they had used.
I have been debating about going to chains for the last couple of years. All it takes is that one time where it comes loose and you wish you would have……
I see a couple of those guys every year along I-80. Worst was a guy I met crying at a truck stop at Ogallala. They pulled off to fill up and realized they lost their ATV off the trailer somewhere back along the last 300+ miles since their last fill up. My camera bag handles were heavier than the straps they had used.
Good one to share to show what can happen, Randy. And you don’t want to be the guy following somebody who used el cheapo under-sized straps and suddenly deposited an ATV on the highway at night. Yikes.
I wouldn’t go to chains for most ATVs/UTVs, but I can see where some of these HUGE 6 passenger UTVs might be approaching the weight where chains and binders could be required.
For most loads, Fleet Farm has those yellow “trucker strap” load binder ratcheting straps on sale for less than $15 a strap. I think they are rated for over 3000-pound working load and a 10,000 pound breaking strength. Pretty cheap way to keep most ATV/UTVs on the trailer where they should be.
I’m really careful about making sure that I have more than enough straps to hold things down.
Grouse
Tired of ratchet straps as tie downs, my next purchase
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Cargo-Control/Packem/PK-WTD.html
I have been debating about going to chains for the last couple of years. All it takes is that one time where it comes loose and you wish you would have……
Chains are what we used to hold beast snowblowers down on this landscaping crew I worked on back in the day. A little much but it held everything down like it should. So I would also would say chains are the safest and best. Like you say, break hard and good night.
Old thread,but I can’t believe on how many just secure machines by using only the winch hooked onto front of trailer.Wheel bonnets/chocks are probably the best way to go.
I have a Ranger SXS and strap it down with some pretty beefy ratchet straps. I use two straps one pulls to the front and the other pulls to the back. Very secure and never had a problem. I have a trailer that has one foot high sides and front that gives me added confidence as I would have to go in the ditch pretty hard to separate the wheeler from the trailer and if that happens I probably have bigger problems anyhow.
I have a friend who has the same trailer and doesn’t strap his down at all. 
I never follow him anywhere.
I use 4in ratchet straps to 2in I bolts. I built my trailer specifically for the wheelers so the bolts are mounted to the frame. I figure those straps where enough when I drove semi they should be able to hold down my wheelers.
You need at least 4 rachet straps with a rating to hold whatever you are hauling.
Also criss-cross them on the front and rear. Holds the wheeler, etc. from moving back and forth AND side to side.
Pretty old thread, indeed 
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
