Who needs a stinking trailer? Not Me! (Update: Version 2)

[djraider700]

i thought about doing all this with my truck. then i just bought a trailer.

would be nice to launch the ski from the bed of the truck, but the ramps around me suck. id have to back in up to my front tires.

 

[Crab]

Im going this route.

 

[QuickMick]

Im going this route.

Im sure its built well, and Ide go that route on short trips around 20 miles, maybe 30. But on a road trip I dont know. I just keep thinking with that setup you cant see the whole ski and if anything goes wrong, the hitch fails, hitch pin fails, the rack or welds fails... It will be a roadside yardsale.

 

[showmepro1200]

Im sure its built well, and Ide go that route on short trips around 20 miles, maybe 30. But on a road trip I dont know. I just keep thinking with that setup you cant see the whole ski and if anything goes wrong, the hitch fails, hitch pin fails, the rack or welds fails... It will be a roadside yardsale.

My kneecaps are already screaming bloody murder, just looking at those sharp angled ends on the pipes - OUCH

 

[Crab]

lol

 

[Speedfreak]

If you used one for one summer you would have it no other way. I have made maybe 6 or so trips from Illinois to Myrtle beach. You can see the nose and tail of the ski so if anything went wrong you would know it. But after a while you don't even worry or look back you just know it will be there.

Im sure its built well, and Ide go that route on short trips around 20 miles, maybe 30. But on a road trip I dont know. I just keep thinking with that setup you cant see the whole ski and if anything goes wrong, the hitch fails, hitch pin fails, the rack or welds fails... It will be a roadside yardsale.

 

[Crab]

If you used one for one summer you would have it no other way. I have made maybe 6 or so trips from Illinois to Myrtle beach. You can see the nose and tail of the ski so if anything went wrong you would know it. But after a while you don't even worry or look back you just know it will be there.

Launching at the ramp is easy as pie also, same height as my cart, frees up space in the bed for more gear if I only want to take one ski to ride, and much easier to find a parking space.

 

[Vumad]

I'm using a cheapo steel harbor freight rack with some 2x4 atm. My new silverado sits too high to load the ski in the bed with the beach cart. This has been working great for me. Also loaded a B1 just fine. I'd feel just fine taking a long trip with this. The only part that concerns me is large bumps that create a lot of lateral leverage that makes it rock side to side. Up-to-down is of no concern, few lateral bumps on the roads, drive slow on the beach, works great.

 

[Vumad]

Thats great except my ski is 20" longer than my little s-10 is wide, not to mention I would then definitely need helper springs and besides, I don't trust a device like that.

So at maximum it's only 5" wider than the mirrors on each side. It would work fine for you. That's a lot of tounge weight for a midsized truck. 400 lbs for something rated at 200 lbs. I'd certainly get some sort of airbag or spring assist.

 

[eeerieski]

you haven't seen the unfinished part yet, I've got an excellent idea that does involve my 2" receiver except not how you guys are using it.
I'm a mechanical engineering student (senior) and I don't trust the racks all you guys have for the receiver.

I'm pretty sure my truck with mirrors extended is 67", a 750sx is 87". I will confirm this width tomorrow. None of the trucks in your pictures are mini trucks, the most I see is a colorado and frontier which by my standards are full size regardless of their capacity ratings.

 

[Daralekt]

works awesome. And I can park in front of the bar at the marina instead of a mile away in some parking lot full of trucks and trailers.

 

[Speedfreak]

I used mine with my Jeep Wrangler which had the softest springs you can find. It did squat the rear end enough that driving at night was hard. The headlights were up in the trees. But not so much that I couldn't stand it. I sold my old hitch to a guy that used it on his Chrysler mini van, The hitch almost drug the ground but he said as long as the ski didn't touch the ground he was find with it.

 

[Don 79 TA]

works awesome. And I can park in front of the bar at the marina instead of a mile away in some parking lot full of trucks and trailers.

Now all i need to do is have Phil set me up with a double one like this and i could park near the front of the ramp too
makes refueling an easier task when its 110+ out

need to make an adjustable extension on that too

 

[shawn_NJ]

I'm using a cheapo steel harbor freight rack with some 2x4 atm. My new silverado sits too high to load the ski in the bed with the beach cart. This has been working great for me. Also loaded a B1 just fine. I'd feel just fine taking a long trip with this. The only part that concerns me is large bumps that create a lot of lateral leverage that makes it rock side to side. Up-to-down is of no concern, few lateral bumps on the roads, drive slow on the beach, works great.

Becareful with that HF hauler. One of the welds broke on mine with my dirt bike on it. I always safety strapped the bike to my spare tire mount, and I think thats the only reason the hauler didnt totally fail. Inspect the welds often.

 

[baxt3r]

I've got a reciever rack and I like it just fine. I'm not huge on it when I'm towing the couches using the rack though. I've actually gone to sliding the ski in the bed and running a ratchet strap around the back over the steering nozzle. I can still get my four 5-gal VP cans and a cooler in the bed. This is a 5.5' F-150 SCrew bed. Tailgate down, obviously.

 

[swapmeet]

I didn't exactly 'read' every post in this thread, but it looks like this is a good place to post my alternative to the OP's problem.

Mine's on a Nissan Titan, I 'borrowed' a design that I found for sale on Google.
Carrying my FX1 (note the trailer i'm not using in the bed LOL, this is the day I bought it.)

And right after I built it, for my JS.... pre-carpet.

And uh... *cough cough*

 

[eeerieski]

This thread is not about my problem and potential solutions, it is my solution to a problem many other people have.

Sorry bout the lack of updates, I have 4 hours between work and sundown and my garage doesn't exactly have a bunch of light in the right spots. plus it's been damn hot for this area of the nation (I teach snow skiing in the winter) AND I've been destickering my ski. That alone took up 2 of my evenings and I'm not even done yet.

 

[eeerieski]

Some pictures of the nearly completed ramp/bunk setup, I messed up the settings in some of the pictures so there was some unintended lightpainting (flash + long exposure).

 

[Kawikazi]

you all might think this is silly but heres my setup idea. Currently I tote my ski with my silverado. It has a 6" lift which is a pain to load and unload from that height so I leave a piece of mining belt in the back and usually park my bed in the water that way I can use my bed as a launch. When I'm done riding I just ride back up onto the mining belt. Pretty convinient. I can lock my truck and hide the keys and never have to step on the ground, changing in the back of truck and all. Bad part is the water is staring to take it's toll on the truck so I figure since I never ride alone and lifting skis to tailgatelevel is that high, I'm gonna go ahead and order a thule rack for my bmw. I've got one picked out the will hold the load. I'll prob order it next week. What you guys think. I'll post pics. I figure it'll be good for road trips. I.E. Blowsion surf slam it's like 2700 miles for me.

 

[Speedfreak]

Do you mean like in a roof rack... How do you plan on getting that up there? I think it would ride fine but getting it there would be a problem without an engine hoist. Even a few guy picking it up would be a pain because you would have to hold it away from your body to walk it over the car.