Safe ATV Towing

An ATV is like an investment in fun. You’ll want to bring it with you on all your off-road adventures. Most ATVs won’t fit in the back of a pickup, though, so you’ll have to tow them. If you’re anxious about towing on the highway, don’t be! If you just plan ahead and follow some basic safety guidelines, you’ll find that towing an ATV is a breeze. Here’s a quick guide to towing ATVs courtesy of the fine people at Cool Springs Powersports in Franklin, Tennessee.

Planning Ahead

First things first, you need a tow vehicle that can handle the weight of your ATV. Look at your truck’s GCWR or gross combined weight rating to see how many pounds it’s capable of handling. If you plan to take more than one ATV with you, you’ll also need to balance the weight within the trailer. Ideally, 10 to 20% of your cargo’s weight should rest over the hitch, and you can achieve this by putting the bulk of the weight over your trailer’s front axle. It’s also important to balance your trailer’s weight from left to right, so figure out how best to orient your ATV(s) to maintain a good ratio.

Attaching Your Trailer

Now that you’ve planned out how to load your trailer, it’s time to hitch it up to your tow vehicle. Raise up the tongue of the trailer until it’s over the height of the truck’s ball hitch. Get in your truck and back it up slowly until the hitch is right under the trailer tongue. Use a spotter if you need help while you’re reversing. Set the tongue down onto the hitch and latch it into place with the ball joint. Cross your tow chains in an X under the tongue before connecting them to your truck. These chains will be a failsafe in the event the tongue somehow comes unhitched from your vehicle.

Load Up

To make loading easier on yourself and your vehicle, park your trailer and truck on level, flat ground. Trying to drive your ATV into a ramp up a driveway or other incline will only make this process more difficult. Also, the manufacturer’s designated ramp height will be accurate when you’re on a level surface.

Lower and, if necessary, secure the ramp. Get in your ATV and drive it far enough away to give yourself room to slow down and straighten your wheels as you approach the ramp. You’ll need to get up to a moderate speed to scale the ramp, but you don’t want to race up so fast that you blow straight through the back of your trailer! Take your time and don’t be afraid to practice.

Once your ATV(s) are loaded, you need to secure them to the interior of your trailer. Ratchet straps are the way to go, as you can usually torque them down enough to really hold the ATV’s suspension in place. You don’t want your ATVs to rattle around and shift while you’re towing, as this will not only damage them, but can affect your driving and send you careening into a ditch. So make sure you get everything tied down before closing the trailer up!

Stay Safe While Towing

It’s always wise to stay at or below the speed limit, but especially so while towing. The increased weight you’re pulling makes it harder to slow your vehicle down and come to a quick stop. Don’t go faster than 60 mph when you’re pulling a trailer. High speeds can also wear down your vehicle’s and trailer’s tires, which increases the chances of a dangerous blowout on the highway.

Use your mirrors well to keep an eye on other vehicles and give them the right of way whenever possible. Increase your following distance and signal well in advance of any turns or lane changes you make. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll reduce your risk of an accident by keeping yourself and those around you safe.

Now that you know how easy it is to tow an ATV, you’re ready to take one on your next adventure. If you’re looking to upgrade or even to purchase an ATV for the first time, come down to Cool Springs Powersports, where we have new and used ATVs for sale in our Franklin showroom. We can answer any questions you might have about ATVs and get you onto your dream quad.

Cool Springs Powersports is located in Franklin, Tennessee, serving the greater Nashville metro area, as well as Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Dickson, and Hendersonville, Tennessee, plus Huntsville, Alabama.