Loading/Hauling an ATV in Pickup

[BigJohn]

I see a lot of people in my area hauling ATV's around in the back of their 1/2 ton pickups. A lot of these ATV's are now pushing 1,000 lbs. I have never heard of anyone buckling their tailgate or the cable holders failing while loading an ATV.

It has me wondering.......

How much weight can a pickup tailgate handle, when loading such beasts?


I know my Ram 1500 with heavy duty springs and air bags can handle the load, but I worry about loading the unit with rails resting on the tail gate.

PS. I have two rails that are rated at 750 lbs a piece or collectively, 1,500 lbs.
'
But what about that tailgate?

 

[atikovi]

Well, the 1,000 lb atv isn't all on the tailgate all at once.

 

[fsdork]

Sled decks are commonly used in these parts. Doing so avoids putting weight on the tailgate during loading, and spares the rails from bearing the weight of the ATV/sled and the deck itself.

 

[BigJohn]

Is there anywhere on the planet, some stated specs on what a pickup tailgate can load?

 

[BrianF]

They can handle a lot. The tailgate carries most of the weight when you load and unload. My 680 pound Polaris with my 250 pounds has yet to cause any issues with my Ram.

 

[ctechbob]

Lol, just be careful running the thing into the bed.

I helped my grandad sell his two ATV's a while back and one dude came to pick it up, ran it up some ramps into the bed of the pickup, and promptly punched the front rack through his back window.

This was pre cellphone camera's, it would have been a funny video to have.

 

[billt460]

All kinds of Youtube videos on this, showing you how NOT to do it.

 

[GON]

If one is concerned about the tailgate failing because of weight/ stress- removing the tailgate on most modern pickups is easy and takes just a minute or so.

 

[Hall]

Is there anywhere on the planet, some stated specs on what a pickup tailgate can load?

Probably not publicly because they're not intended to be weight-bearing. Their official function is to keep stuff from sliding out the back.

 

[billt460]

They can handle a lot. The tailgate carries most of the weight when you load and unload. My 680 pound Polaris with my 250 pounds has yet to cause any issues with my Ram.

Also, there are literally dozens of tailgate ramp manufacturers. I've never heard of too much weight being applied to the tailgate itself, as an issue. Most of the weight limitations are in reference to the ramps themselves... Not the tailgate they rest on.

 

[Hall]

Also, there are literally dozens of tailgate ramp manufacturers.

I was curious about what the ramp manufacturers said about using them and guessed that they would say "remove tailgate, position ramps..." but Harbor Freight (I'm sure all others do the same) show them on the tailgate directly. Their manual actually says "Do not exceed tailgate weight capacity" so apparently they do have a weight rating.

 

[SuperSalad]

I'd venture tailgate cables are somewhere around 1/8" thick?

https://www.bestmaterials.com/detail.aspx?ID=21594

340 lb working load. 1,700 lb break limit. There are two of them per tailgate and they only support a portion of the total load.

 

[IndyIan]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Thinking back, we put 2 12'wide x10' tall insulated garage door kits in the back of my Dads truck with a 5.5' bed, so maybe 1000-1200 lbs but the load essentially balanced on the tailgate. The truck was riding pretty low at the back and went 30 miles that way. No harm done, but probably hitting a bump bad enough to get airborne might of bent the gate? We didn't do any jumps to find out.

 

[c502cid]

I'm more afraid of the ramps moving while I'm going up than the tailgate failing.

 

[billt460]

I'm more afraid of the ramps moving while I'm going up than the tailgate failing.

That's usually what happens in most of these ramp loading video disasters. If I used them on a regular basis, I would come up with a way to lock, or pin them in place.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

That's usually what happens in most of these ramp loading video disasters. If I used them on a regular basis, I would come up with a way to lock, or pin them in place.

Ratchet strap the ramps to the front tie downs in the bed?

 

[jeepman3071]

+1 about the ramps being the biggest concern.

I'd look into those foldable ramps that have the integrated tie-downs to keep them secure while loading.

 

[BigJohn]

Just purchased this dude... pick it up early next week. It's 'wet weight' is a tick over 1,000 lbs.

As I stated, my ramps are rated for 750lbs or 1,500lbs together. Hope the tailgate handles the loading.

 

[billt460]

Just purchased this dude... pick it up early next week. It's 'wet weight' is a tick over 1,000 lbs.

As I stated, my ramps are rated for 750lbs or 1,500lbs together. Hope the tailgate handles the loading.

View attachment 160431

You'll be fine. Depending on the length of the ramps, and the wheelbase of the ATV, all of the weight may not be on the ramps at one time. And even if they are, they're rated for 1,500 lbs. for the pair. Your tailgate will be able to handle that.

I don't think the tailgate components used on the half ton trucks are any different than the ones used on the 3500 Series pickups, that are rated for 1 ton. So I'm sure they are going to be able to handle that.

Millions of people haul ATV's and snowmobiles in pickups every year. I've never heard of a tailgate failing.... Just smashed in rear end accidents.

 

[Creekside]

The cables will support much more than they're rated for before breaking. All of mine have been "stress" tested. My favorite design is still the steel flat bar that Chevy used on the square body.