Hauling Rounds on ATV

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How is the steering with that load on the front? I'm not an expert on various models of ATV, does that one have steering assist? My ATV, a 2002 Bombardier does not, and I would not relish rock hopping with an extra 100 lbs on the front, even for a half mile. On a trail, no problem, but with roots, rocks, gullys, logs, and the like that require crawling over, and deft steering around, I probably wouldn't try on mine.

It's a 1998 model, so no steering assist. Only gets hauled as high as in the picture on level ground or on decent trails. I'm not as crazy on a ATV as I used to be.
 
I have a few ideas of what to do but the members of AS always impress me with their ingenuity for things like this.

Does anyone have a good setup? Due to terrain, my trailer cannot get back to a couple of my scrounge areas and I would rather not drag logs through mud and gravel.

I would love to have a log arch, I hook a 10 cubic foot utility trailer behind my tractor, probably haul 800# with good tires.
 
Appreciate the thoughts.

A few of you kind of mentioned the same thing so I'll answer without quoting everyone.

The issue is not tipping over, it is going through mud and also up and down quick changes in grade that would high center a trailer (on the further trail). On the closer trail it is the large amount of rocks to drive over/around that would preclude use of a SxS atv or trailer. Yes, I have owned and driven SxS wheelers and I am certain I could get them back there but the time needed to walk them over the obstacles would not make it worthwhile.

As I have stated this is not a money making ordeal as I know it would be easier and more time effective to scrounge up more of the lesser species close to home. The further batch of wood would more be gathered when I am already back there on a pleasure ride or when hunting in the fall. Just want to be able to multi task and scrounge up the best that ma nature has to offer.

Secondly I am already going to incorporate canoe racks into the rack I build which was already planned. The racks will be more or less permanent so I can scrounge by ATV whenever I come across anything worth bringing home. :D
 
Ok. one last Hail Mary here

You build a sled out of say 1" tube and skin it with UHMW plastic. More or less like a sled. And you couple it to your atv with the below photo. Now the tricky part with the sled you need to do it out of 1 sheet of plastic to keep it water tight. So probably at least 3/8" because that way you can saw cut about 1/4 the way through and bend. More than half and you won't have enough meat to take a beating of rocks over time.

But if you can find someone with a plastic welder probably be better. But has to be weld with UHMW rod you can't use HDPE they will bond but as soon as they hit cold they separate.

you need to find a way for it to rotate like a PTO shaft so the sled can stay on the ground. While the hitch below can go up and down side to side. You need it to be able to rotate on the flats.

what do you think?

IMG_0144.PNG
 
There aren't any other paths you can make to get back there? I'd go an extra mile out of the way if it meant I could have a trailer/haul 6x as much wood out.
 
Heavy loads, yes.

But depends on the situation.

I take my ATV into spots that I couldn't get into with a tractor. And it goes a LOT faster in between the bad spots.
 
Interesting project to problem solve.
Another thought.
Perhaps do it in short log form, moving them in stages. Rig a high line of some type, capstan winch puller, and using two people for the difficult spots, one on each end. Tie a tag line on for the person rigging to retrieve the pulling line.
Doing it that way would partially depend on whether you could leave it set up at those spots, or if your gear would get ripped off.
Sounds like a pig roast GTG weekend is in order at the very least.
 
SVK - Its winter, you are in MN. Go while its frozen with a snowmobile and sled. Or your 4 wheeler pulling a sled. Or we have been known to take our old farm truck down 4 wheeler trails in the winter. The ground is hard, you can go anywhere.

If there is too much snow right now (not sure exactly where you are in MN), wait until March when it thaws a little and then freezes. The snow crust gets hard enough you can practically drive a small tractor on top of it. Winter roads are often way smoother anyway since the snow will cover the rocks and dips that you are so worried about.

Look at how logging used to be done up here. small winter roads everywhere, go pack a trail now and it will be good to go in a week or two.
 
Sandhill-good thinking but this is too far and the tough spots are too far apart. I think the rack is the ticket as I can get a little each time I am traveling through.

Mudfly-my hope is to get the wood from the further back spot (with mud holes) as soon as the snow recedes. Even with the warm winter there is probably 18" of snow in the woods right now and I only have a wheeler currently, no snowmobile.
 
Ok. one last Hail Mary here

You build a sled out of say 1" tube and skin it with UHMW plastic. More or less like a sled. And you couple it to your atv with the below photo. Now the tricky part with the sled you need to do it out of 1 sheet of plastic to keep it water tight. So probably at least 3/8" because that way you can saw cut about 1/4 the way through and bend. More than half and you won't have enough meat to take a beating of rocks over time.

But if you can find someone with a plastic welder probably be better. But has to be weld with UHMW rod you can't use HDPE they will bond but as soon as they hit cold they separate.

you need to find a way for it to rotate like a PTO shaft so the sled can stay on the ground. While the hitch below can go up and down side to side. You need it to be able to rotate on the flats.

what do you think?

View attachment 557029
This u joint would be great to connect my snowmobile sleigh to my ATV if I had a receiver hitch.
 
Did some digging and a receiver hitch isn't an option for my ATV unless I was to use one of these universal hitches. And the downside there is you cannot put any back pressure on it without the bolt coming unscrewed OR you have to weld it to the current ball hitch mount. Not exactly thrilled with welding to a cast piece of metal which isn't all that strong to start with.
 
Mudfly-my hope is to get the wood from the further back spot (with mud holes) as soon as the snow recedes. Even with the warm winter there is probably 18" of snow in the woods right now and I only have a wheeler currently, no snowmobile.

18 inches - That's about what I have at home too. Start packing in a trail by walking it. Snowshoes if you need to otherwise it usually just takes me 2 trips in and out to pack a trail wide enough (4 sets of foot prints side by side) for my wheeler to get thru after a couple of days freezing. I just have a 2 wheel drive wheeler and I get by just fine with it on a packed trail.

FYI - any more snow than about 18 inches and I use a snowmobile to pack it down. Borrow one if you need to, it will take you 45 minutes at most and you will have a beautiful trail after 1 night of freezing temps. Or just get a tobogan and pull that with 20 to 30 pounds on it to pack. Once its packed you can pull any trailer or sled you want down it, or just use your wheeler like you planned.
 

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