# wood trailer for ATV



## maplemeister (Oct 13, 2008)

:greenchainsaw: Was surfing the net last night and came across a site for Nichols Trailers out of Wilton, Maine. They make two models of ATV trailers in the 3' by 6' with
12" sides. They come in single and tandem axel and look very rugged to me over the net at least. You can also add a stakeside option to really pile up the load if you wish. They are pricey at first glance but might be just the ticket for hauling wood out of lots where you cannot use heavy equipment. I was just curious if anyone here has actually used one of these trailers and if so, what do you think of them.

Maplemeister


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## dwinch53 (Oct 13, 2008)

*wood trailers*

Those are nice...i am looking for plans for something similar for my winter project...just what i needopcorn:


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## ktm rider (Oct 13, 2008)

I looked at them but dag done they are expensive !! If i was going to shell out that kind of cash I think I would go with the mountain goat trailer

www.mountaingoattrailers.com


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## maplemeister (Oct 13, 2008)

No doubt about it, they aren't cheap. However, the tandem model with three foot width and six foot length is rated to carry 3000 pounds. I just got done removing 12 cord of wood from a lot near my home using a 10 c.f. John Deere cart behind my A.T.V.. The Nichol's tandem would have pretty much cut my time in half for pulling those same blocks out of the woods. Around here, a lot of landowneres are hinky about putting heavy equipment on their property, espceially skidders. I am thinking that maybe this tandem unit behind my A.T.V, might be just the ticket to convince some of these property owners that they can get their dead standing and storm damaged wood removed without tearing up the woodlot. And I of course would expect to be getting a lot of free wood for my effort. I looked at the Mt. Goat site and agree that it is a rugged and versatile unit but I think the Nichols has still got the edge as far as size and weight capacity is concerned for the firewood game at least. I have a deer camp in Maine and will be heading up there to track down a large Whitetail buck during the last two weeks of November. I have to go through the town where the Nichols trailers are made to get to my camp and hopefully will be able to stop in and check things out a little bit
closer. 

Maplemeister


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## Moss Man (Oct 13, 2008)

Nichols isn't far from me, they have a solid reputation. They make lots of different ATV trailers. If you plan to have the trailer long term, it may be a wise investment.


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## Hedge (Oct 13, 2008)

> However, the tandem model with three foot width and six foot length is rated to carry 3000 pounds.



3,000 lbs STOP... Hang ON.... That is like 3 times the average towing limits of most ATV's and the trailer doesn't have brakes. Being around the farm for my 38 yrs I have made the mistake of overloading a few tow units (tractors,trucks and ATV's). I have taken a couple wild rides with trailers pushing me down hills and it is a real sick feeling when you can't do anything about it... I'm here to tell you a few extra trips are well worth the safety of not to risk having a major wreck.... I get the idea of getting something done in as few trips as possible but towing is no diffierent than operating a saw safely. Sorry to rant but this is a great site and I would hate to see anyone get hurt doing what we all live to do (make the chips fly and keep warm doing it).. 






I built this trailer several yrs back with an axle kit from Gemplers. Perfect it isn't but it does give me some options as the bed comes off with one bolt and I have a sprayer that goes on the axle. I would like to add other beds for specialty jobs but haven't taken the time to do it yet.. The best part is that at the time I built it I had less than 500 in it.


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## ktm rider (Oct 13, 2008)

I currently use my Yamaha Rhino to get the firewood out of the woods but I am selling it for one of these bad boys. They are about half the price of a new Rhino and have a 6ft bed and as you can see the sides fold down. They are only as wide as a Rhino but a bit taller and of course longer. 

I also have to plow a 2.5 mile driveway/road in the winter pretty much on a dialy basis and this little joker will work nicely. Especially since it has a heater. 
Some states will allow them on secondary roads also.


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## TJ-Bill (Oct 14, 2008)

ktm rider said:


> I currently use my Yamaha Rhino to get the firewood out of the woods but I am selling it for one of these bad boys. They are about half the price of a new Rhino and have a 6ft bed and as you can see the sides fold down. They are only as wide as a Rhino but a bit taller and of course longer.
> 
> I also have to plow a 2.5 mile driveway/road in the winter pretty much on a dialy basis and this little joker will work nicely. Especially since it has a heater.
> Some states will allow them on secondary roads also.




That is a cool rig, who makes them?
I want!


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## maplemeister (Oct 14, 2008)

I agree with Hedge that an ATV trailer with 3000 lbs of weight is most likely overloaded in any situation without brakes on the trailer. I only pointed out the weight range claimed by the manufacturer to illustrate how rugged these units must be if the 3000# claim is legit. Caution is always in order when considering these things and many variables will come into play. Size of the hauling unit, steepness of grade when moving load, dry terrain or snow, etc., green wood or dry, and all these things should be taken into account before making a decision to purchase. However, your point is well taken, safety must always come first.

Maplemeister


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## aandabooks (Oct 14, 2008)

TJ-Bill said:


> That is a cool rig, who makes them?
> I want!



They are imported used from over seas. Generally they come with small narrow tires but I've seen people around me putting 4-wheeler tires on them.


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## RodneyG (Oct 14, 2008)

TJ-Bill said:


> That is a cool rig, who makes them?
> I want!



TJ, do a Google search for Japanese mini trucks. You can also find them on E-Bay. Mitsubishi, Diahatsu, Suzuki, Honda, Mazda and maybe others make them. Some come with A/C, Auto, man trans some even have tilt beds would be great for farm use.


RodneyG


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## ktm rider (Oct 14, 2008)

TJ-Bill said:


> That is a cool rig, who makes them?
> I want!



Try this site www.minitrucktalk.com


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## jayfromjay (Dec 3, 2008)

Hey guys, thanks for checking out our web page.Our trailers are a little heavy on the wallet, but they have a 10 year warranty and nobody will back an ATV trailer that long that we know of. The tandem now has 18" sides so it will haul more without stakes, but you should NEVER haul more than your quad can tow AND stop. We do offer brakes on all of our stuff along with a bunch of other options. The newest UTV trailer we have is a goose neck for the Kubota RTV900. The other rig is something we built for a fella in southern Maine to tow behind his tractor to work his wood lot. Feel free to drop me a line and stay warm!


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## Major Wood (Dec 3, 2008)

The key in my humble opinion to any trailer you are going to use for getting wood is the width of the tires. I have a 5x8 that I use but the wheels are narrow, when pulling through mud they sink and bottom the axle out, then you have to winch it out. Without a doubt my next purchase will be an ATV trailer with a tandem axle and a dump bed. Last year I buried the trailer behind a tractor had to get a 50ft chain and a 4x4 to get them both out what an adventure!!! Check out ATVtrailer.com also.


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## ASEMASTER (Dec 3, 2008)

jayfromjay said:


> Hey guys, thanks for checking out our web page.Our trailers are a little heavy on the wallet, but they have a 10 year warranty and nobody will back an ATV trailer that long that we know of. The tandem now has 18" sides so it will haul more without stakes, but you should NEVER haul more than your quad can tow AND stop. We do offer brakes on all of our stuff along with a bunch of other options. The newest UTV trailer we have is a goose neck for the Kubota RTV900. The other rig is something we built for a fella in southern Maine to tow behind his tractor to work his wood lot. Feel free to drop me a line and stay warm!



hey I saw your trailor at the timberwolf shop in Rutland ,that thing is quite impresive.


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## air19 (Dec 3, 2008)

*My custom Nichols trailer*

I had Nichols build me a custom trailer about three years ago. It probably has more things in it than you would want to consider, but perhaps it will give you ideas about just how good a trailer Nichols could build for you.

Over the last three months working in my woods I have hauled 50 sawlogs and about 30 cords of wood out with this trailer. I am pulling this with a Polaris Ranger and there are certainly times when the Ranger is about maxed out. When it comes to moving wood out, I haven't found a better combo that has minimal impact and can get the job done quickly. With two of us working together in the woods on our best days we moved 3 cords out to the landing. 

My Nichols trailer is a tandem axle with a 3 foot by 8 foot bed. There are a couple of key enhancements that make all the difference. First I have electric brakes on all four trailer wheels. That means when I have a full load of about half a cord, the trailer brakes will stop everything (Polaris, Trailer, and the load) on a 15 degree downhill. That's a very comfortable feeling to have that type of control with a load. I never use my Polaris brakes which are worthless in these type of conditions. 

Second I have huge turf tires on the trailer. They run in the same line as the Polaris tires. The big benefit is that when my Polaris tires dig in for grip, these trailer tires follow along and smooth out everything. No more tire ruts in the wet areas. 

Third I have an electric dump body. So when we get back to the landing with a load, I raise the dump body and start driving forward and most of the time the wood slides out for me to pick up later. Of course the dump body is useful for dumping materials and I'm constantly moving fill or rocks to improve the wet areas on my trail network.

Forth I have a boom and electric winch up front so when I want to get sawlogs I can use this combo to pull them into and up on the trailer. With my 8 foot trailer deck, I have successfully moved 12.5 foot pine logs out by wrapping the winch cable to the log end hanging out back. Most of the time I'm moving 8.5 foot hardwood logs in. When I'm gathering firewood I leave the boom behind and just cut the firewood into lengths that I can lift into the trailer. 

This trailer is my lifetime trailer. It is used mostly with my ATV, but given it's capacity I have also used it behind my tractor. I have gone through half a dozen trailers before this that usually broke down at some point, or left big tire ruts on my trails because most of them had narrow width tires, and none of them had features like the boom or dump body to really help my productivity in moving wood. Now I have just one trailer. 

Nichol's business is producing trailers of all types. And they are very capable of doing custom features for your needs - could be something as simple as big turf tires, or more detailed like what I had done. 

Here are some pictures of my setup.


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## Major Wood (Dec 3, 2008)

Wow air19 I just got aroused!!


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## GrndsKpr-Wlly (Dec 4, 2008)

Our wheeler club bought this trailer, has brakes, electric dump and rubber mount axles... Tows like a dream, you don't even have to think about it....we paid 1500.00 delivered to by door,,I am doing some changing to the electrics so everyone can use it, battery on front for brakes and dump, and a cord up to driver with a momentary swith for dump and brakes, no need for pushing and accidents when we have trailer brakes......http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u32/GroundsKeeper-Willie/Xmas%20parade%2008/?action=view&current=Parade082.jpg
I tried to add pic, but it never showed, so I posted a link to one...


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## jayfromjay (Dec 4, 2008)

thanks air19. Glad to see your rig is working well. With a switch to street tires you can pull any of our trailers down the road with no problems(we towed a 3x6 atv to DR in Vermont to prove a point, now they sell our trailers!). We use the Dexter EZ lube axles because they are virtually bullit proof with proper maintance. If any of you have ideas kicking around of a rig you would like, just give me a call and we'll see what we can do for you. Like air19 said, it's a lifetime trailer. 
I was looking at some of the logging arches that members have built. Pretty cool. This is one we make and the J.D. green 3x6 was a custom job for a guy in Livermore Maine to give to his dad, Crystal Rock Farm decal with a J.D. look to it.
If you want to see some video go to my youtube page, www.youtube.com/jayfromjay and I have video of the 3x6, log arch and Log Dog on there. Stay warm!


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## jayfromjay (Dec 4, 2008)

ASEMASTER said:


> hey I saw your trailor at the timberwolf shop in Rutland ,that thing is quite impresive.



Thanks. Which trailer did you see over there?


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## MotorSeven (Dec 4, 2008)

A single axle wave runner trailer can be converted to a wheeler trailer using a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 PT plywood. A used trailer can be had in the $50-100 range. This is what i use for hauling wood behind the wheeler and behind the diesel Jetta for those items that won't fit in the trunk. I have also hauled the wheeler on it since the axel is rated to 1K lbs. 
It's a cheaper alternative......

RD


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## ASEMASTER (Dec 4, 2008)

jayfromjay said:


> Thanks. Which trailer did you see over there?



the one with the yellow bunkers and hoist.


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## jayfromjay (Dec 8, 2008)

ASEMASTER said:


> the one with the yellow bunkers and hoist.



That must have been Gerry's. we built him one with a manual hoist the first time and he liked it but wanted to upgrade to something his wife could run as well.


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## dingeryote (Dec 8, 2008)

'Been doodling plans for a welding project ATV trailer for a while now.

Takin' notes gang, takin notes!!!
Keep 'em coming!

Thanks to air19 I might have to hook nitrous up to the Polaris, but keep 'em coming!!

I was going to mod an old Jeep trailer, then rehash a rotted out old John Deere Manure spreader, now.....??

This could get silly!
Thanks guys!
Dingeryote


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## forestryworks (Dec 8, 2008)

TSC sells a 4'x6' ATV trailer rated to 2,000lbs. for $260


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## spowers (Dec 9, 2008)

*Nichols trailers*



maplemeister said:


> :greenchainsaw: Was surfing the net last night and came across a site for Nichols Trailers out of Wilton, Maine. They make two models of ATV trailers in the 3' by 6' with
> 12" sides. They come in single and tandem axel and look very rugged to me over the net at least. You can also add a stakeside option to really pile up the load if you wish. They are pricey at first glance but might be just the ticket for hauling wood out of lots where you cannot use heavy equipment. I was just curious if anyone here has actually used one of these trailers and if so, what do you think of them.
> 
> Maplemeister


These trailers are fantastic- extremely well built with heavy duty components throughout. The tires provide excellent flotation with the heaviest of loads. I couldn't recommend them more- you get what you pay for!


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## bluelightguy (Dec 9, 2008)

a buddy that i cut wood with made a atv trailer out of an old house oil tank and a shortened axle out of a dodge caravan, i could not believe how tough and ridgid it was , and cost next to nothing to make it .


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## matt9923 (Jan 2, 2009)

My trailer is unbetable it has 8" wide tires. 2 in back 2 in front that steer. Hard to back up but their is no stress on teh atv with IMO is tha way to go i have a regualr axel trailor and can onley get 1/3 of teh wood with this one. It was manufactured flat bed but i welded tube on the side and made 16" sides for it. So if i nee dteh flat bed i have it but it also a grat hauler that put no stress on teh IRS.
Matt
Ill get pic tumarow


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## matt9923 (Jan 3, 2009)

hers my rig. sometimes with a spliter but this is my 1/2 home made trailer. was a flat bed landscape trailer i got from my freind he used on his nursery. Then i welded tube steel on and made the sides out of 2x3s and OSB. Also have other sides for full loggs. This thing can hold alot of wood and the 700cc grizzly pulls it like nothing.
This 4 wheel steering traior has advantages over a regular one. It fallows your exact tracks so its good in tight woods and their is no load on the atvs irs.
Matt


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## Thechap (Jan 4, 2009)

My wife bought me a 2009 Polaris Ranger to replace my 11 year old Yamaha Grizzly that has worked it's butt off pulling trailer loads of wood. This thing realy pulls. The trailer is about 6X8 and can hold a chunk of wood.


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## matt9923 (Jan 4, 2009)

Nice. You like to Polaris? iv had the worst of luck with them.
I like my tailor for the reason it put no strain on my IRS! I think you could tighten the suspension up in the back? I can on mine. I didn't get the rhino because its too big and it be the same as the truck (more carrying wood to it. With the ATV i drive through tight squeeze and come to the wood. 
My next toy (i mean tool) will be a jap.... mini vehicle those little things are cool. And the Honda one will last forever i bet. and they ware 1/2 the price of the new grizzly.


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