NEED YOUR HELP! ATV Towing System

[Tree Spud]

That's funny Bill! I wish I had that luxury.

Buckly - I lease the land at the end of my 3-mile dead end road but I own property (35 acres) on the road. Many people probably have driveways in better condition than this road.

View attachment 31319

I did get a ticket for driving on the shoulder/slowly one year. Considering it's a 90 minute drive to get to my place, I wasn't going to drive that same 90 minutes (3 hours round trip) to fight the ticket in court (which how do you really fight a ticket in court aside from taking a lawyer?). So I'm looking for a tow-bar or something like that but I fear if my front wheels are on the ground they may not stay straight. That to me is the dangerous part.

That's the road you got ticketed on?

 

[35-acre]

That's the road you got ticketed on?

LOL - yup. That's a nice pic of it. Even grade, sunlight and branches nicely hanging over it.

I always take my chainsaw because you just never know if you can get to your place. you

 

[35-acre]

What the chances you caught on that dead end road again? Maybe once in five more years? I’d risk it for $85.

Your mistake was driving slowly. Should Have had her wide open and been out of dodge before he could have turned around or caught up to you. :)

That's funny Bill! I have to pass one other camp and I try not to do that. I may have to change tactics and save some money.

 

[buckdeer1]

We pull 4wheelers from field to field behind pickups with just a homemade tow bar on front.Now we can drive on roads unless state or fed in the county I live in Kansas

 

[Telemark]

I have a winch. I have a Silverado. What do you hook it to in order to pull it into the truck? I can't find anything in the front of the bed that would work.


I also have a cap on the truck - but my atv fits under it.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I doubt it would work with a cap. We used 2x4s anchored to the holes on the top of the bed.

 

[Knehrke]

That's not a road, that's an ATV trail! I'm in Western NY too, and I can't believe that even an overzealous newbie would ticket you for that. On a seasonal, limited use highway? Wearing a helmet and traveling at reasonable speed? I think you got very unlucky.

 

[roymunson]

What's the cop even doing on that road?

In Ohio i have a plate I can run any township or county road in the state. $35 gets me 3 years of legal.

Not sure on the legality of 5 people riding in the front of a side by side, but that's just details.

Im amazed at the stupidity there. He needs a break.

 

[35-acre]

LOL Roy. That's the difference when you live under a dictatorship like we do here in NY. I have to have my ATV registered annually and have insurance on it in order to get the plate from the state but it's still not allowed on the road. They come up (Conservation officers) to check to ensure that nothing illegal is going on from the hunting angle. That's pretty much the only time they come up is during hunting season.

Anyway, back to my towing situation...

I had also received a personal message at the same time I was looking at a tow-bar. The local Harbor Freight had one for $70. I hooked it up last night. I wish I would have taken a picture.

• I used straps to temporarily attach the pin connector brackets to the front bars on my ATV (the pic doesn't really show what comes with it - which is a quick connect pin/cotter key. In this pic below, the pins are rotated out 90 degrees, but they swivel).
• I used a bungee cord on each side of the handlebars stretched to the back rack just to make sure the handlebars wouldn't lock out in either direction if the ATV didn't follow along nicely.

I had had my son get on the ATV while we talked to each other on our cell phones to make sure if something went awry we would catch it right away. I was able to pull out of my driveway, tow him down our neighborhood street and make a u-turn at the intersection and the ATV just followed along without any issues - it just followed along behind like a puppy. He didn't have to steer it at all. AND we didn't see any cops - LOL!.

So I think I'll be sticking with this setup. While the front wheels are on the ground (called flat-owing) it's a legitimate way to do this. A lot of "jeep people" tow their off-roaders this way. Some even use a bungee cord on the steering wheel inside the vehicle to prevent lockout. The nice thing is that this bar quickly connects/disconnects and folds together so it won't take up a lot of space. I can just toss it in the back of the truck without taking up much space for my other stuff (Ramps, chain saw, gas, oil, target, etc.).

 

[yoderjac]

Just saw this thread and didn't read through all the suggestions, so forgive me if someone already suggested it. Have you considered towing the ATV backwards? Not sure if you have a tube on your rear hitch. Mine does. I would think you could put a receiver on the end of a bar. Put the bar in the sleeve instead of a ball bar on your ATV and then connect the receiver to your vehicle ball. Just a thought...

I have the harbor freight haul master shown in the picture above. It should work well. I got mine so that if a tractor died in the field, I could use it to tow it back to the barn. It is pretty light duty, but should work fine for your application if it connects to your ATV.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Tree Spud]

LOL - yup. That's a nice pic of it. Even grade, sunlight and branches nicely hanging over it.

I always take my chainsaw because you just never know if you can get to your place. View attachment 31334you

I would have drove up and contested it. You most likely would've won as it is not an improved roadway rated for any kind of regular traffic as it is a dead end.

At least that way you would have to go through what you are going through now.

 

[WeedyJ]

Wait...does your wife know you used your son as the guinea pig???

 

[35-acre]

Wait...does your wife know you used your son as the guinea pig???

Nah - she was out out with her mom and cousins for dinner. She doesn't even know about the trip to Harbor Freight. All she knows is that I moved my ATV out of her spot in the garage so she could park inside.

 

[MRBB]

ok, odds are it will also be ILLEGAL to tow your atv this way as it would not meet any states towing laws
so if your having issue's with a cop that is over ego on things, your not going to save any fines towing this way!
and here in PA<> if you OWN land that is farmed , you can add a orange triangle to back of ATV and be OK to go short distances down STATE roads NOT hi ways!
Just saying!

NOW I can 100% fully relate to a need to two a ATV being a truck or even a tractor, I work food plots a lone often and its nice not having to drive one thing back and then walk back to get another

that said, I have just hooked a chain to the ATV from my trucks ball and towed things as is< NO MODS PERIOD,
IT WORKS,
not pretty, and will dog walk behind truck, but going a few hundred yards down dirt roads and fields has never harmed atv (been doing to same atv for 15+ yrs)


NOW< another option if you have help(if I have help I never need this option)
is you can stand ATV up on its tail, back truck up with tailgate down, and then place ATV"S front tires on tailgate, add straps from truck to atv on each side and drive truck away, in a straight ish line and things will follow the truck, just don;t have straps too loose to allow atv to pull off tailgate,and DON"T go fast or stop suddenly, this works, I have done it MANY times when I was younger and could stand atv;'s up myself, now I need help doing so, bad back now, but if I have help again, I just have them drive atv back for me?



these above all can be done with ZERO mods to truck or ATV, or any real money invested!


NOW< if you wish to have a little spending done, you can simply BUY a trailer hitch carrier, just get one with say a 350 lb rating or so, and wide enough to fit your tires in, you don't need it to look pretty, just getting front tires off ground and secure atv to carrier then,
lift atv front tires into the carrier and, strap down, and away you go!

won't again be a LEGAL way to haul an atv on a STATE roadway however, so fines again can be handed out if a cop wishes to!

as minus using a STREET legal trailer, or again a hitch hauler, getting ALL 4 atv tires off the road way, your breaking the law in any way you two an atv that the atv tires are on the ground




NOW?
if you wish to be more LEGAL and spend more $$$, they do sell actual ATV hitch haulers
like this,
https://www.discountramps.com/vh-90...85238368561288&utm_content=ATV Carriers - POW


they are not cheap, and honestly on a 1/2 ton truck, it will most likely be past your rated tongue weight, but to NOT go far and be LEGAL< it is a option, and if your handy with a welder gather you can make one pretty cheap!

 

[Buckly]

That’s why I was asking if 35 acre owned the land he could just put a triangle on and probably get away with it but, alas the best way maybe is to get on a first name basis with the warden. Get to know all of them and then get their idea on what they think. I think you’d be surprised once you get to know them

 

[35-acre]

Thanks guys. I got it solved as I mentioned above.

Yesterday I talked to my neighbor who works for the state police (he wasn't a trooper back at the time of the ticket that I got). He said there's nothing in the laws that says that I can't flat-tow an ATV with the towbar that I showed above. In fact, the only thing is that I can't use it on the NYS Thruway (which isn't my plan). Now he did mention that if I was towing a car, I would have to have someone in the second vehicle licensed to drive (assuming it was a car). He said it if it were him, he wouldn't give out a ticket on something like this especially given the distance and circumstances. So at this point, I've got a high-level of confidence that I wouldn't get a ticket by doing this IF I happened to run into a conservation officer while doing this. Plus I also have his courtesy card (but I don't rely on that stuff anyway).

 

[BobinCt]

I’m a retired cop and whatever cop issued you a citation for driving on that road is a real prick or got beat up at his bus stop in high school.

 

[MRBB]

I’m a retired cop and whatever cop issued you a citation for driving on that road is a real prick or got beat up at his bus stop in high school.

that's kind of my thought to the ticket, a cop over zealous and however this is also why I stated odds are if your towing with ATV's tires on the ground, he will ticket you again!
even if NOT a REAL ticket, it still can be taken to court and wasting your time and money to prove its a in valid ticket,
MOST times will get tossed by magistrate before going to court, but never know

and keep in mind, cops DON"T always KNOW ever law on the books, most don't know HALF of them(and NO pun on cops, I am a BIG supporter of law enforcement tons of close friends in the business)

but its a fact, cops don;t know all the laws even troopers

any unlicensed NON street legal vehicle cannot have its wheels on a STATE or federal roadway in every state I know of, being towed or other wise, the TIRES are still on the state property and have NO legal reason to be on them, its about insurance reasons of the state and federal government
unless you LIVE in a state that allows LEGAL use of atv's or likes ON there road ways

SO, I honestly would question the info you were given, NO bash meant to the cop that told you it, just saying!
I doubt it a legal way to transport on any STATE roadway, regardless of distance being pulled
if you got a local cop with a big chip on his shoulder, he Will cite you for doing so if he has the chance, he al;ready proved he has no tolerance of atv's on roads even if back roads and dead ends!

where as , MOST cops would turn a blind eye unless they got a LOT of complaints and HAD to act on them!

again, taking legal advice from a COP< can GET you in trouble, as there NOT lawyers and NO dis respect meant here, just a FACT!
I have dealt with over delirious cops before(had over 20 citation written that were ALL Illegal tickets, 8 were from a State trooper with 20+ yrs experience and ALL were wrong, it happens!)
again, I mean no disrespect to law enforcement offices, just saying, legal advice should come from a lawyer , this way you have recourse if anything happens,
you can also, again, TRY and email DOT in your area and ask legal info on laws, same with even law enforcement in your area, and THIS way you have something in writing from THEM you can use in your defense, as it seem's you again have ONE Cop that does;'t like either you or ATV"S or hunters or???
as this cop maybe won't care you have a st trooper as a friend that gave you info!

ALL cops have the ability to use there OWN discretion at times on mild matters, and this cop already showed you where HE stands!
I wouldn't give him a chance to give you a second ticket! without KNOWING for certain what laws are, or proof of them or better yet BOTH!

 

[birdog]

I’m a retired cop and whatever cop issued you a citation for driving on that road is a real prick or got beat up at his bus stop in high school.

I'm also retired LEO Lieutenant. If that had been one of my guys I would have chewed his ass and had the ticket dropped. His lack of common sense would have been documented on his eval.

You should have called his supervisor at the very least. I have a feeling this guy probably gets a lot of complaints.

 

[35-acre]

I ended up building a front bumper for my ATV and then am going to be using a tow bar. All legal for me and easy enough with pins/clips to connect and disconnect quickly. It works great.

 

[35-acre]

The bumper and the brackets (black) stay attached to the ATV. The pins come out (after pulling the cotter keys) and then the whole thing gets folded up and goes in the truck.