jwcbf
So Cal (Not for long)
New Member
Joined: 10/25/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Hey Folks,
I hope to acquire a Yamaha Rhino and plan to transport it in the bed of my truck while towing my Lance 1685 Travel Trailer. To do this I will need to have the Tailgate down.
To maintain turning capability I would need to add a hitch extension.
My Hitch sleeve has a Tounge weight capacity of 1000 lbs. My lance has a DRY TW of 350 lbs. 14" and 18" hitch extension says it reduces TW capacity by 50%.
Questions
1) Do I seem okay with this set-up? I'm not sure how to easily calculate loaded TW.
2) Why do both the 14 and 18 inch extensions reduce by 50%? If the 18" were 50% I would expect the 14" to be less (say 40%).
Thanks
JW
* This post was
edited 06/21/12 02:01pm by jwcbf *
|
Bedlam
PNW
Senior Member
Joined: 06/13/2012
View Profile
|
Get something like a SuperHitch with dual receivers. The extension will allow you to still tow the same or more than stock. Many manufacturers generalize that a certain length range of extensions will perform the same - You are correct that that each length will apply a different amount of force. I am not certain if this is a linear relationship or if the changes are exponential with additional length.
With that additional weight in the bed in addition to the tongue weight, you may need additional springs or air bags to keep the rear from sagging.
Arctic Fox 811S-Ford SuperDuty F250-Honda Passport C70B-Interstate 20' Car Carrier-Joyner SandViper 250-Kawasaki Concours ZG1000-Paros 8' flatbed-Pelican Decker DLX-Tank Touring 150SE-VW 1300sp-VW Jetta TDI
View my profile for rig details.
|
jwcbf
So Cal (Not for long)
New Member
Joined: 10/25/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Yeap, Plan to go with air bags if I get the rhino.
Looking at different options as far as Torque (Gearing and power).
I'm obviously trying to keep my costs down. Do anyone see a problem with the hitch set-up as explained?
JW
|
bartlettj
Forest Grove, OR
Senior Member
Joined: 04/24/2012
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Can you just take the tailgate off and use the stock hitch?
|
mrw8i
Home
Senior Member
Joined: 01/15/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Do you plan on having the Rhino back tires on the tailgate? If so, I'd rethink that decision before thinking about a hitch extension. You may want to build a ramp for your rhino that extends from the back bed of your truck over the cab, then you would not need an extension and save your tailgate.
|
|
|
jwcbf
So Cal (Not for long)
New Member
Joined: 10/25/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
mrw8i wrote:Do you plan on having the Rhino back tires on the tailgate? If so, I'd rethink that decision before thinking about a hitch extension. You may want to build a ramp for your rhino that extends from the back bed of your truck over the cab, then you would not need an extension and save your tailgate.
Is your concern with the cable(s) breaking?
I appreciate the comments on other configurations and I am looking into them but does anyone have feedback on the original questions?
JW
|
Bedlam
PNW
Senior Member
Joined: 06/13/2012
View Profile
|
A tailgate is good for 500lbs working load. You need a goal post support from your receiver or planks that run the length of your bead to take the load off the tailgate.
|
jwcbf
So Cal (Not for long)
New Member
Joined: 10/25/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Bedlam wrote:A tailgate is good for 500lbs working load. You need a goal post support from your receiver or planks that run the length of your bead to take the load off the tailgate.
Where did you get this figure?
Do you know what the limiting factors are?
Thanks
JW
|
Wes Tausend
Bismarck, ND
Senior Member
Joined: 12/04/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
...
A longitudinal ramp for the Rhino may also make more sense for truck weight distribution. A couple of 2x6 planks and 2x4 crossjoist would probably work. TT WD might be able to be set down to compensate front axle weight.
Other placement options are to put the Rhino transversely on a platform across the truck bed above the siderails. The Rhino weight would be moved ahead behind the cab so that steering bears some of it. Then the main lower bedspace is available for storage again.
Wes
...
Days spent camping are not subtracted from one's total.
- 2000 Excursion V-10 - 2004 Cougar Keystone M-294 RLS, 6140# tare
- Hensley Arrow - Champion 4000w/3500w gen
- Linda, Wes and Quincy the Standard Brown Poodle
...
|
Bedlam
PNW
Senior Member
Joined: 06/13/2012
View Profile
|
jwcbf wrote:Where did you get this figure?
Do you know what the limiting factors are?
Thanks
JW
I read it somewhere in the owner manual. The first thing that will fail are the cables or anchors. The next will be the structure of the tailgate - If you have ever had work on the release mechanism, you will see there is little bracing under the sheet metal panels when you open the access section.
I have seen more tailgate failures during the loading or unloading process because you may more 75% of the weight of the UTV on the gate when the ramps are running off them.
Running a goal post or t-bar off the stinger connected to the receiver is a much better system. Depending on your wheel base and tire diameter, you may find the gap between the bed and t-bar makes a good wheel well for your UTV. If it does not line up, you can run planks from the front of the bed to the bar to create a load floor.
Loading the UTV into the bed will take a little practice to get over the the wheel wells but it is not nearly as scary as those that load them on snowmobile platforms above the bed rails - At that height there is a good chance you will be injured and there will be a lot damage if something goes wrong.
Loading above the bed rails will put the top of your load 10-12' high. Not only will this catch a lot of air while driving, but it will severely affect your center of gravity. Side loads are limited to 8.5' maximum width which will exclude many UTV's from legally being carried this way.
|
|
|
