Advice for winching ATV into box...

I have yet to take delivery but from online specs the 01 Bombardier Quest 500 I'm getting will be a bit of a squeeze in the box.

I can just hear everyone telling me to get a trailer but I have no room for one at the moment.

I've seen too many Youtube fails with respect to driving an ATV into the truck. Sure a lot of those fails are stupidity but I just thought it would be much safer to winch it in using the winch on the machine until I discovered that there is not good point(s) to attach said winch.

Would a Headache rack be strong enough What are my other possible options to fashion a strong enough winch point?

 

My buddy used to have a 2009 tacoma he hauled a 2013 can-am outlander 800 in. he did have the long bed model but it fit no problem as far as I remember.

 

Drive it into the bed. Just secure the ramp/ramps, that's ALL that's needed.

 

Drive up. Just don't be stupid.

 

Secure the ramps to the D-rings in the rear of the bed with some tie downs. I have a 16 Gade 850 XXC that I drive up ramps into my DCLB bed when I have to tow a trailer. It's not difficult, just don't be stupid with the right thumb.

 

I have some good ramps ... Goes without saying that you need an "insurance policy" at the front of the box...(ie old tire etc.)

I just should have never bought such a nice truck . It's nothing like some of the machines in this forum but the Tacoma was a truck that I had always wanted and finally could afford. Makes me darn nervous...

 

Like everyone said. Secure the ramps. One other note, if it is a tight squeeze you may have to lift it over the wheel wells. My 88 250R is 48.5" wide and I have to run it up on the ramps to the start of the wheel wells, get off and lift it over them. But once I do, it fits in the bed like a glove and the wheel wells hold it in. I don't even put it in gear. I have a long bed.

 

Ok, so without looking at the youtube videos since you didn't link to them, I am CERTAIN that the "fails" you mention are of the ramps sliding off the edge of the tailgate under power from the atv wheels, and the whole shebang flipping backwards off the tailgate. Right?

The solution to this "fail" is trivial. You get yourself TWO ratchet straps, and ratchet the RAMPS FORWARD to the trailer hitch. Now they can't slide backwards and off the tailgate.


Why bombardier? They have terrible quality control problems and can't deliver ANYTHING on time.

 

What you need is tailgate reinforcement no matter what you decide. Check out @KB Voodoo tailgate cap.

 

My outlander 1000 won't even fit in the bed without running over wheel wells. If I had to do this I would get a warn pullzall and winch it in with that. I have a trailer instead though.

 

Why do you say that?

 

Yes as mentioned, I do realize a lot of the fails are stupidity...ramps not tied, using dimensional lumber for ramps...you name it. I'd do myself a service to get acquainted with the machine. You know how your mind can wander....a "whiskey throttle" into the box...haha.

Why Bombardier? My father is giving it to me. He's kept very good care of it, dealer serviced...2-up seat w/storage, gun boot, 2500lb winch, new tires...like new basically... $0

 

Hard to argue with free

Just use your head and you won't have any problem with ramps. One good thing about youtube, is it definitely can show you how NOT to do things.

 

The tail gates in these trucks are notoriously weak and bend under much less weight that a big ass atv.

 

Well after nearly 6 years with one, I have yet to bend a tailgate, despite plenty of heavy things on it, so I have to strongly disagree with that statement. Especially with nothing but a little 4wheeler on it.

 

2 things about the pullzall...

1. I still would need to know how/where to attach it inside the box without damaging something.

2. The ATV has a winch...I can't see buying another winch.

I see a trailer in my future when I landscape my yard next year and widen my driveway enough to accommodate one. With my luck and Murphy's law I thought the winch was the safest way.

 

If your atv fits between wheel wells, just use ramps

 

And if it DOESN'T, just drive it over. Its a 4-wheeler, it can drive over stuff.

 

Makes me wish I still had my 04 Colorado. It let me down so many times that I wouldn't think twice plowing an ATV into the back of it.

 

you're lucky then. and im not talking about when its sitting on the gate. im talking about when loading it
it's so common that there was a TSB for it years ago