Trailering your gator

[Thomas]

Has anyone had bad experiences trailering your gator for extended distances (100-200 miles)? The operator's manual has a warning about trailering on an open trailer and driving at highway speeds...........

[Deputy347k9]

One member recently posted stating he noticed a couple of cracks in teh poly roof. I really believe if your going to transport for a great distance I would utilize an enclosed trailer. Much easier on the machine as well as the machine is now out of view of anyone that may be thinking of borrowing her! Costly but again they are like the Gator, many uses.

[J Grace]

FYI

855D delx cab - towing with a 14' alum. open trailer, 7' wide, single 3,500 lb axle.
No issues @ 65/70 mph. with no sway.Tie down with four (4) straps. Backed on trailer.
Towing less than 100 miles per trip with a Chev. Silverado.

[CaptDan]

I have done 4 or 5 trailer trips of about 125 miles each way with the Gator, on an open 8.5 x 20 heavy duty equipment trailer. I back the Gator on to the trailer as the owner's manual says, use four tie downs, again just as the owner's manual states to do and have not had any problems. I have the Camo soft top which I remove while trailering.

The best guess as to why they want the Gator backed onto a trailer is that the front of the Gator is not designed for travel at 70 mph or more, and the effect of the vortex of the winds that sweep around the rear of a tow vehicle. Unless you have mounted a winch in the space on the front of the Gator, a stone thrown up from the road, at 70 mph, could go right into that opening and do some serious damage to the radiator. Other trying to protect the radiator I could not think of a reason as to why they recommend the Gator be transported backwards.


Dan

[RMOSSSO1]

Something I just learned in the last hour! I am loading a 250 HONDA RECON; 825i GATOR; and 420 HONDA RANCHER. On paper and when I measured, I would have to use a foot of the beaver tail, but ramps would go up.

I guess I will attribute this one to an engineering error. The engineer measured before adding the rear fender guards and bumper. If my son in law gets here soon, we might be able to muscle the RANCHER on sideways. NOT enough space even as I already had loaded RECON sideways.

Time to consult, so therefore, in the HOLIDAY spirit, I poured a cool glass of white zinfindel and await further progress.

[Zephyr74]

I asked my dealer why the manual says to load the gator on backwards, and they didn't know why. They said when they trailer the gators they have them facing forward. MY own thinking why they show the gator on rear facing forward is because the trailer has a single axle, probably a 12' long trailer. If you put the gator on facing forward, there would not be sufficient tongue weight. SO, they show it rear facing forward to get the majority of the weight forward of the axle to give it the tongue weight needed. Just a thought....

[purplewg]

I think the facing rear has more to do with the poly top than anything else. I have an aluminum top and trailer mine on an open trailer 125 miles one way several times a month facing forward. Not sure anything can really hit the front if you are pulling it behind a pickup. The only problem I have is the rear mud flaps want to flip up over the rear tires and the seat belts flap around a lot. I tied down the seat belts to the roll bars using Velcro straps.

Oh, I did also lose my antenna somewhere on I-95. I pull at mostly 75 MPH.

[John Deere Nick]

i use a 7x16 open trailer and hall it facing forward. The first trip it made was 200 miles to mine and my fathers land. I have had it on the trailer roughly 8 times here lately pulled on interstate each time and have had to trouble knock on wood. Like Purplewg my mudd flaps like to push up around tire. My seatbelts are still purdy new and stiff so they do not flop to to much, but they do some. I just tied a little hay string around it and went on down the road.

[CaptDan]

Ok, I have e-mailed John Deere Tech Services and asked them, if/when I get an answer I'll post it.


Dan

[Halsey]

I came across somewhere the backing it Gator on the trailer had more to do with the use of single axle trailers and keeping the tongue weight heavier to prevent sway. The engine is in the back half of the gator so pulling on would make the trailer tail heavy, inducing the possibily for sway. With any trailer, you do not want it tail heavy.