Quad in short bed
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: nmwapiti
01-Aug-23
Hey fellas. Wondering if any of you have experience putting a quad in a 5.5 foot bed pickup. Starting to casually shop for my next truck. Currently putting my Suzuki King Quad in my 6.5 foot bed without issues. Looks like I'd be about 6 inches short if I went with the 5.5 foot bed. Not sure if having the rear wheels sit on a down tailgate is a good idea or not. Thanks for the inputs.
From: spike78
01-Aug-23
I owned a Honda Rancher and it just fit in my Tacoma bed no room to spare.
From: 4nolz@work
01-Aug-23
They make bed extenders
From: walleyes
01-Aug-23
My tailgate is down anytime my sled or ATV is in the 5.5 box. I would’ve liked to get a 6.5 but around here <10% of trucks have a 6.5. So it was a hard used market with that stipulation. I have had no issues.
From: dnovo
01-Aug-23
Last 3 trucks I bought since 2015 I specified I wanted a 6.5 foot bed. I told the dealer I would walk out if they even tried to showed me a 5.5 foot bed. I worked construction and 5.5 foot bed is totally useless.
From: Inshart
01-Aug-23
Agree with dnovo, I had the 5.5 bed - sucked for the 3 of us traveling from MN out west elk hunting - filled the bed up instantly. Traded for the 6.5 bed - much better.
From: DanaC
02-Aug-23
Once watched a buddy drive his quad up into his short bed - and through the rear window. Leave yourself room for other stuff, like wheel blocks!
From: mtnlvr
02-Aug-23
mtnlvr's Link
How about some Ramps so you can close your tailgate? I've seen a 4 Wheeler loaded like this but without the ramps...front wheel right on the roof of the cab!
From: midwest
02-Aug-23
I did it with a bed extender that folded up so I could shut the tailgate after unloading the atv.
From: redneck hunter
02-Aug-23
Are the guys getting the 6.5 bed buying a quad or club cab truck or opting for the crew with extended length?
From: mattandersen
02-Aug-23
I have a Titan crew cab with a 5.5 bed. I have a trailer now but used to put my King Quad in the bed with the tailgate down and it was just fine. Strap her down good and you're good to go. Do I wish I had another foot? Yes but I much prefer the 4 door crew cab.
From: ILbowhntr
02-Aug-23
You guys have never had the tailgate cables break.
From: mattandersen
02-Aug-23
I have not
From: Jethro
02-Aug-23
I do not have an atv or a 5.5 bed, but have a friend that does and he has driven all over the place with his atv on the back. He bought the lock system that slides in your 2" receiver, goes up and around the tailgate and then has a ball receiver to attach to atv ball. Had it out west from PA like that and hauls it for food plots here in PA.
Replace tailgate cables if they show wear.
From: nmwapiti
02-Aug-23
Thanks for the comments. My gut feel was get the longer bed. I'll take the longer truck if I have to. I currently have the extended cab and would love to have a crew cab.
From: DEMO-Bowhunter
02-Aug-23
Get a Diamondback bed cover and load it sideways on top. Then put all of your gear underneath and out of the weather. I've had mine for 7 years now and moved it to two different trucks. It's been awesome.
From: APauls
02-Aug-23
Diamondback ATV package. Love mine. Takes like 3 mins to load ATV and put ramps underneath. Man do I haul a CRAPLOAD of stuff on that cover and it looks brand new like 5 years later.
From: APauls
02-Aug-23
Also makes a good scouting perch.
From: HDE
02-Aug-23
I use ramps and close the tailgate, but I don't have a 5.5' box either. Full size ATV is just long enough to where the 6.5' bed is too short.
From: nmwapiti
02-Aug-23
That Diamondback is a cool idea. I was thinking about a park on top tonneau anyway, but had not considered side-loading that would give me the option for the shorter bed.
From: WapitiBob
02-Aug-23
Get the crewcab and 6.5 bed. Use those car oil change ramps in the front of the bed.
From: Grey Ghost
02-Aug-23
I think most new pickup tailgates are rated for over 300 pounds. So I wouldn't worry about your quad's rear tires sitting on the tailgate. I've hauled mine that way a bunch. Just strap it down and go.
I actually prefer a 5.5' bed, especially with a crew cab. The extra foot on a long bed makes a big difference when parking and maneuvering in tight spots. On the rare occasion when I need more room in the bed, I just use my bed extender.
Matt
From: mtnlvr
02-Aug-23
My dad had straps fail while loading a 700 lb motorcycle in a lease truck (only a couple of years old). Nearly made it all of the way in when it dropped. Quite the scare being by himself!
I have a crew cab with the 6.5 ft box. It's noticeably longer when parking and maneuvering. If you park in a garage, make sure you have the space that you need to fit it (and walk around if you need to).
From: Beendare
02-Aug-23
Short bed here....Tailgate down no problem....just strap it down well.
I shift mine to one side once in to make room for coolers on one side.
From: dnovo
02-Aug-23
Mine are all the 6.5 ft bed and 4 dr crew cab. Yes parking can be tough sometimes. I'm usually willing to walk a bit farther in a parking lot and I live in the country.
From: Basil
02-Aug-23
Don’t trust tailgate cables. Had them break sliding a 55 gallon barrel bacon grease onto it. Another time hit a bump with the back wheels of a wheeler on it & hit a bump. Broke both the cables & dented the tailgate.
From: Grunt-N-Gobble
03-Aug-23
I've hauled my quad in 2 trucks with 5.5' beds without a problem. Use ratchet straps to secure and you'll be fine. My quads rear tires still sit on the bed but just barely. Your biggest concern is not going through the back window when loading. I use a piece of 3/4" plywood against the back of the bed along with an old dirtbike tire as a bumper so-to-speak.
From: grape
03-Aug-23
IMO. If you haul your quad in your truck, DON’T buy a truck with 5.5 box.
From: SBH
03-Aug-23
Used to haul in my truck..... I bought a small 4x8 trailer after I put a topper on my truck. Will never go back! Love having the topper and the trailer is faster/easier/safer to load the 4 wheeler. Plus I have the bed of my truck for gear/storage instead of the four wheeler in it. Trailer cost me $700
From: cnelk
03-Aug-23
^^^^ Bingo SBH. Exactly what I have
From: W
03-Aug-23
This prevents cable break.
https://www.etrailer.com/Tailgate/Gate-King/GK57FR.html
Also, use a Louisiana Guard Dog.
From: Pete In Fairbanks
03-Aug-23
Never had that short a bed.... BUT do have a job box in a pickup I use to haul a 4-wheeler. It has the same result: rear wheels rest on tail gate.
I always secure the bike with ratchet straps to tie downs in FRONT of bike so that the force holds the bike horizontally (toward the front of the bed.) I've hauled the bike hundreds (if not thousands) of miles this way with no problems.
That said, the truck is 30 years old, so it is made of steel and made well!
Pete
From: x-man
03-Aug-23
If you use wheel blocks and strap it down only in the front, compressing the suspension, there won't be more than 25# of weight on the tailgate. Same way motorcycles are tied down. I strapped my Harley using only downward pressure on the front fork. It wasn't going anywhere.
From: x-man
03-Aug-23
Double post
From: Hessticles
03-Aug-23
I had a shortbed and had a 750 king quad in it quite a bit, would just run a strap behind rear tires and call it good.
From: HDE
03-Aug-23
"Used to haul in my truck..... I bought a small 4x8 trailer"
This is what I really need to move to. But, when hauling the travel trailer, wheeler has to hop in the back.
From: cnelk
03-Aug-23
My topper is so important to me I bought a toyhauler camper when I want to take everything. ;)
From: Franzen
04-Aug-23
I'm not really following the cable-breakage for a normal quad. Where a normal quad sits will put less stress on a tailgate than two guys sitting on it. If you broke cables, you probably had another problem.
