Wheel barrel as a ATV trailer, crazy or not? - ATVConnection.com ATV Enthusiast Community

TLC · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 02:38 PM

Looking for a camping ATV trailer that can just carry my heavy cooler with two blocks of ice and food. I have a ATV trailer but it requires a small truck trailer to get it down the highway. The wheel barrel can be lifted upside down over the ATV seat while in the truck.

I was thinking if I remove the wheel barrel's stands/legs and tie the handles real good to the back of the ATV and pull it back wards first it could not tip over and the wheel barrels are designed to be tuff and have a 600lb carrying capacity.

My thinking is its cheap,light and strong. just needs holes drilled into it for buggie tie down points.

What do you guys think? LOL or i,m I nuts?

I can get everything on my ATV for camping but that cooler and ice.

Scootergptx · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 03:02 PM

I could see it working around the campsite. Not too sure about it on a trail. Maybe an open smooth one.

As far as it not tipping over, it would all be relative to how full the cooler is with my experience.

TLC · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 03:07 PM

My thinking was if the two handles are tied to the ATV then the whole ATV would have to tip for the wheel barrel to tip. Should not bounce on the trail to bad with a 70 lb cooler in it.

MooseHenden · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 05:20 PM

I would cut the handles short to the point where they would fit between the back tires with an inche to spare on both sides. I would attach a bar of steel between them and bolt it to your trailer hitch in a way that is tight enough to keep from tipping but loose enough to turn.

jaybeecon55 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 07:44 PM

If both handles are tied securely to the ATV to keep it from tipping then it also prevents the wheelbarrow from pivoting to make a turn. A trailer has to flex at the connection point otherwise you'll just scrub the trailer wheel sideways and rip it all apart.

Agreed that you could probably make this work for smooth, straight runs a low speed in a campground but it's not going to work on a trail.

TLC · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 12:03 AM

Thought about that but with only one wheel it should pivot and turn as easily as when a person pushes one. You don't, lean a heavily loaded wheel barrel into a turn.

Speeddrive1 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 07:58 AM

It needs to pivot at the connection point to the atv unless the wheel on the wheelbarrow pivots.

TLC · #8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 08:43 AM

I get what you mean now . Thanks.

Scootergptx · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 09:17 AM

Seems like a making a setup similar to this one wouldn't be that hard to do. Just have to change a few things on that one and you'd be set. Looks like you could bolt it to the existing handles.

rancher55 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 09:00 AM

I don't think that the axle and bearings would hold up to the abuse either. The bearings are generally just pushed into the wheel and come out too easily.