Anyone Haul A Snowmobile?

I posted this in towing a few days ago but got no replies so I figured I'd repost in this section:

Anyone haul a snowmobile in the bed of their Tacoma? I used to haul it in the 5.5' bed of my Ram without issue. I've got a 6 foot bed Tacoma and my only concern is the wheel wells. Anyone make a 4x8 plywood platform to raise the sled lightly to not battle with the wheel wells? How do these trucks handle 500'ish lbs in the bed on a 3-4 hour trip?

Thanks.

 

It can be done, but a trailer is better.

 

It's not the weight, 500 lbs is nothing but it's how high the CG becomes. That said - people put 2 sleds on sleddecks and run all over with them like that on a 1/2 ton.

A single sled on the taco in the same way - wouldn't bother me but you have to pay attention. Generally tho, for the prices - I'd rather a trailer. Much more useful in several ways for me.

 

You have a trail or mountain sled? I used to haul one in the bed of my F150 but don't in my tacoma. Since I have a trail sled I didn't like having to go over the wheel wells. Trailer for me now.

 

Another vote for a trailer. I considered a deck but it’s really just not as convenient.

 

I use to haul my sled in the bed of my tundra, but it was steel with a plastic bed liner. I didn't feel comfortable using the bed in my tacoma now, even if building a new platform for it to load on, and removing the tonneau cover. I already owned a 5x10 utility trailer, it was just as easy to convert it to haul my sled. Now the trailer just gets more uses.

 

Thanks. I have a 2 place clamshell trailer. It's generally a 3-4 hour ride to where the consistent snow is so I'd usually just toss the sled in the bed rather than take the hit on my fuel economy from towing the trailer. Plus no trailer means less things to go wrong.

 

I have been basically doing what that ramp does with a sheet of 3/4 plywood for years with my full size trucks.

 

I considered it, but honestly, it was just so much easier to just throw them in my trailer. Life was so much easier.

 

it's the right tool for the job!
A small single axle utility trailer is barely going to consume more MPG, if any at all (if you factor the wind resistance of some larger piece of equipment in the bed passing exceeding the height of the cab). I'd al so guess, a small utility trailer also doesn't cost as much as some of these one use bed gizmos and of course is going to be useful in many other applications.

 

Plus less risk of damaging the truck, safer, etc etc…

 

There's someone on Instagram that has a 3rd gen DCLB that hauls 2 sleds on a sled deck all winter long. His insta is @ashort90

 

When i had my tundra i had 2 place enclose triton trailer for the long trips in central quebec, but as our guys aged with families they stop riding. I sold the snowmobile trailer for a smaller utility trailer i needed. Last few years it was just my sled in the bed of the tundra loading it via ramp which worked great. As far as the trailer vs the trucks bed. Imo, i like the bed a bit better. Sled stays high and dry, and like said no trailer screw-ups to go wrong. If the bed in the tacoma were steel with a liner, and 4' between the wheel wells, i'd still using it for the sled.

 

I get about 19.5 mpg towing the sled on my 5x10 utility trailer. I even built an aerodynamic salt shield out of aluminum diamond plate for it.

 

I have a snowmobile and quads . I have never put the snowmobile in the back of the truck because of the damage the carbides would do to the bed . I use my snowmobile trailer for that . I put a Yamaha grizzly in the back all the time so I don't have to bother with the trailer and I can tow my boat at same time also if needed . I made ramps for the wheels to go over the wheel wells of the truck because the quad is 4 inches wider than inside wheel wells . Fuel mileage is about 5 litres per 100 kms better with just quad in back of truck than when I pull the trailer with snowmobile or quad in in it mostly because of the added trailer weight and wind resistance

 

Backed in a sled will easily fit between wheel wells.

 

I've never seen anyone do that. It's sketchy enough doing it forwards. Can't imagine trying to do it in reverse.

 

I did it a number of times before buying a trailer. The carbides do scratch the bed but it’s not bad. I would run it up the ramp and then lift one ski on top of the wheel well and go the rest of the way. To keep the weight off the tailgate I used a lumber extension that the back of the track rested on.

 

Sounds like no one has tried what I've been thinking of. I already have a 2 place clamshell and a 5x8'ish open trailer. I beg to differ on towing a trailer being "safer" than hauling in the bed. Once I modify my current 4x8 plywood ramp I'll update here and maybe get a video.

 

I don’t know why a trailer would be any safer either. I think both options are viable. Loading onto a trailer is just less hassle. Sleds are heavy and wide. It’s definitely a personal preference.

I wouldn’t worry much about the weight in the bed unless you are hauling or towing a bunch of other heavy stuff.