Will an ATV fit in your truck bed? Generally, a full size truck with a long bed will fit any ATV, a short bed truck may or may not fit to all the ATVs, and compact trucks can only fit youth ATVs. In this article, we have done research to determine what ATVs will fit in each and every model of truck bed that you own.
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How to Determine Which ATV will fit Your Truck Bed:
The first step to determine whether your ATV will fit in the truck bed involves determining the dimensions of the ATV as well as the dimensions of your truck bed.
Here, we will consider almost every popular truck make and model to determine what size ATV you can expect to fit in your truck bed. You can look at fitting an ATV in the truck bed with the tailgate up while taking the measurements.
If you want to fit a larger ATV in your truck bed with the tailgate down, then make sure to be very careful about not setting too much weight on your tailgate. You may risk snapping the cables, ruining your tailgate and causing other damage to your truck and ATVs with the tailgate down.
However, it is not at all a bad idea to keep the tailgate down, if you do not have enough of space to close it. Make sure you are not allowing the weight of the ATV to rest on the tailgate. If you are comfortable with the tailgate down while hauling an ATV, then you can safely haul an ATV one or two class sizes larger than the suggested sizes.
You can also have a cover that goes over the top of your bed and is strong enough to support an ATV or two. In this way, you can load two ATVs sideways on top and still have a lot of space in your truck bed to keep all your gear.
Always consider the width of your truck bed:
If your side-by-side measures over 60 inches wide, it won’t fit in your truck bed. We can give a few examples like, RZR Turbo, no Maverick X3, no Ranger 1000, and no Honda Talon. If you have got an ATV that is too wide, you will need a trailer or truck rack to get it to the trail.
However, there are a lot of machines out there that you can fit into your truck bed. You can fit any trail model in your truck bed. Moreover, the machines that are manufactured before 2016 will also fit in your truck bed. For example, you can fit any RZR S 1000 will fit comfortably. So if you are worried about the length of your truck bed, make sure your UTV is skinny enough to fit.
How does the length of truck bed matters?
Your truck bed’s length usually determines what side-by-sides you can fit. Generally, you have three bed choices on any new truck you purchase; standard bed, short bed, and long bed. Furthermore, these lengths vary from model to model and they are available in a pretty predictable range.
A short bed usually measures 67 to 70 inches long, a standard bed measures 76 to 79 inches long, and a long bed has 90 inches length. Now, you can add 20 inches or so your tailgate gives you. You have now got an approximate bed length that ranges between 87 to 110 inches.
Measuring Your Side-by-side’s Or ATV’s length:
You will have a lot of things to measure in side-by-side length as compared to the length of your truck bed. Most single row UTVs or the 2/3-seater ATVs like the Maverick Sport, measure around 120 inches from front to rear. However, compact vehicles like the RZR 570 measure less than 110 inches.
Remember ATV length is much more consistent and usually they measure around 83 to 85 inches long. If you have a 6×6 ATV, then it is considered as a longer one.
However, the overall length does not matter much. You have to know the distance from the front of your machine to the rear wheel. In ATVs, the front portion of the front tires is usually perfectly lined up with the front of the machine. To measure the length of your ATV, just take your wheelbase and add about 20 inches. Now, you can figure out what size bed you need.
What Truck Bed do you need to haul an ATV?
You can fit your ATVS in a much simpler and easier way in the back of your truck. They are short, and consume a little space; however, if you have installed a long travel kit, then they can take up a lot of space.
Typically, a standard ATV measures about 83 to 85 inches long and has a 51-inch wheelbase. So if you are really worried about what ATV will fit in a truck bed, then the answer is all of the ATVs will fit in the truck bed. Even with a short bed, you can fit a 6×6 ATV. You just need to load up your ATV, tie it down, and start your journey without any hassles.
Safety Tips
Before you load the ATV, you need to purchase a set of ramps to facilitate easy loading and unloading. You also need to be very careful while rolling into the bed. If the ramps fall off, then they can destroy your tailgate. Moreover, you can shatter the rear windshield on your truck if you come in too hot. Always remember to keep a spare tire in the bed so that you do not have to go too far; however, it will take up some extra bed space.
Your ATV may put a lot of leverage on your tailgate because it sits right on the end. Here, you can invest in good support bars to reinforce it. Alternatively, you can also use metal panels or sheets of plywood in your truck bed to help spread the weight out and keep it off the tailgate. This will also help to make the loading of your UTV or ATV in the truck bed a lot safer.
If you are loading up a smaller vehicle, then there will be some extra room to haul a trailer so that you can put your longer or wider side-by-side on. You can easily get out of the truck and see the off-road things from behind the wheel.
