Hauling a 4 Wheeler on a Cargo Hitch Carrier?

[Lungbustr]

Tow tandem is how I would handle it.

[mykidsdad]

Great that you want to build something functional for this trip but I'm thinking like the general consensus; don't do it.
I think it will be way to much weight for the TT frame to handle for any duration of time.
Better safe than sorry(lose a 4 wheeler and it see it bouncing down the road)

[60 Deluxe]

I HATE hitch carriers and really think that anything heavier than an ice chest should not be carried on them.

Just remember the lesson on leverage in science class. I think that the engineering term is "overhung weight" but I am no engineer. You would not be hauling just the weight of the 4 wheeler and carrier but also the effect of leverage. Might be way over a thousand pounds at the point of attachment. Every little bump in the road will flex that attachment point and it will not take very long to crack and then break the steel. Just like if you were to take a thin piece of metal and start bending it back and forth until it breaks.

[LWD]

We are talking heaviest weight of 550 lbs on the hitch carrier if the Rancher goes in the carrier. I know lots of people haul a second trailer behind a travel trailer that would have heavier tongue weights than that. The receiver hitch will be mounted to the frame of the TT, not the bumper. That change any thoughts in the process?

No. It just reinforces the concerns. Unless the travel trailer is a toy hauler with a very beefy frame, the TT frame almost certainly isn't designed for the weight. And even if it is, you've got to consider the leverage someone else mentioned. Remember a properly loaded trailer has only about 10% of its weight on the tongue, so this would be the equivalent of a 5500 lb trailer. And it will change the center of gravity of your TT. So you may need to worry about that and enough weight forward of the trailer.

The only thing positive so far is that you'd be pulling this mess down the highway with a Dodge 2500 hopefully with a Cummins.

LWD

[Bily Lovec]

I wouldnt.
that weight is all cantilevered over the back, just the bouncing is gonna over torque everthing its attached to.
A Trailer w/the same tongue weight isnt going to do near the stress as what you're talking about doing.

but if you do, put a go-pro on the TT pointed @ the ATV

[janak]

I have also seen the dual quads in the bed. There is a company that makes them. Should not be too hard to make something like that. Plus you still can store things under the quads.

[janak]

http://diamondbackcovers.com/atv-carrier/ check this out for ideas

[41Chevy]

Something like this works well for bumper pulls.

http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel.html

[Tmag]

I've seen platforms built that lay on top of the bed rails, upon which two atvs can ride side by side, sitting perpendicular to the side of the truck bed. You still have some cargo space underneath the platform in the bed of the truck. You may have to come up with some longer ramps though. May work if they are smaller bikes like you say.

I have seen these and they are great.

[Ramball36]

I vote to add a couple casters to the back of it to relieve some stress!

[arrowdiger]

This will be your four wheeler if you haul them like that.

[arrowdiger]

You could do it like this.

[boogieandbride]

I've seen platforms built that lay on top of the bed rails, upon which two atvs can ride side by side, sitting perpendicular to the side of the truck bed. You still have some cargo space underneath the platform in the bed of the truck. You may have to come up with some longer ramps though. May work if they are smaller bikes like you say.

This Keith, use this method please.

[41Chevy]

Other options.

[reddogdan]

Diamondback atv carriers are what they use on Fisher ATV. I bet they are high dollar.