Might be easier, but more expensive to get a 6 X12 trailer.

 

With tailgate down I think dg makes tailgate supports. Don't rely on the cables.

 

Definitely!!!!

 

Check out rizerback racks and d g tailgate supports. My trail will fit in my 6.6 bed and the rear tires will be right in the middle of the gate.

 

I made this!!

 

I made this!! View attachment 90186 View attachment 90194

That is basically EXACTLY what I'm thinking of making. What size tubing did you use?

 

could it be backed in to get the weight of the engine over the truck's axle?...

 

Yes. I just tried it front on for the picture

 

 

 

As much as id like to not mess with a trailer ill pass on carrying it in the back of the truck. I usually trailer it an hours drive on the highway and really dont feel like having that hanging off the back of my truck at highway speeds. Only way id feel comfortable doing that is if the extender ran the whole length of the bed so i have more than just a trailer hitch and a section of square tube holding it up there. Definately would have to go in back first too for weight distribution.

 

X2^^^^^

 

I agree DRock.
600+lbs & a lot more on a road with dips hanging on a 2" receiver hitch.

 

The last few km of my trip are severly beaten gravel roads, quite a beating for that hitch. Ive already broken tie downs and gate hinges on the trailer. Theres also the stability issue you are causing yourself. Pretty sure your insurance company and probably the courts will hang you out to dry when you try to explain why you lost control and took out that family in the minivan. Little extreme example but you see my point, its just not meant to be.

 

My buddy made a similar system but his is more full length so it's not all on the hitch, and he added air bags to the suspension - plus he's got a winch mounted at the end of the bed to really keep it from going anywhere and so he doesn't have to drive it in/out. It's a hell of a setup and I'd love to not have to pull a trailer. All in his little Nissan Frontier. Says it feels great and he barely notices any change in handling. We did 75 mph for an hour and then a bunch of twisty back roads and onto a really sketchy dirt road full of holes on Saturday.

 

Airbags will make the difference there. Mine handles a heavy load but because of such a short box and the axle placement, most weight ends up hanging off the back. By the looks of that pic he has about as good a setup and about as good a weight distribution as you are going to get with a shortbox pickup. Seems like a truck with a fullsize box is a dying breed. If was going to build something it would be a setup like that. I think ideally it would be full lenght and the receiver hitch is just to support the end rather than a main component of that makes sense.

 

Yeah that's essentially all the hitch part does is help support. The frame that the cat sits on is extremely sturdy and bolted into the bed track system. If I can talk my wife into one of the new Tacoma's then I'll be commissioning him to build another one for me. Not pulling a trailer sounds amazing. Never really liked the look of the 8 foot beds, and we need the crew cab so a fullsize with big cab and 8 foot bed would be tough to even fit in the driveway, so I don't foresee going that route.

 

An 8ft bed helps.

 

I only use this hitch if I'm going close by. Other then that I haul a 26' trailer with others. Mine was build off a 2" solid square rather then tubing. So it's a little stronger.

 

I back mine in
and place a 4x10 under the frame on the edge of the bed just forward of the tail gate so when i tie it down the pressure is on the bed and not on the tail gate.
thousands of mile like this with no trouble and i pull the trailers.

 

I back mine in and place a 4x10 under the frame on the edge of the bed just forward of the tail gate so when i tie it down the pressure is on the bed and not on the tail gate. thousands of mile like this with no trouble and i pull the trailers.

just curious, can you make real sharp turns and/or backing turns without any clearance problems?...looks like your hitch extender gives you the clearance you need...

 

Mine fits in the back of the truck just fine as well, and prefer to back it in to keep the wight centered in the truck. I put straps on in the front and back. I put straps in the back of the truck in the event of a possible frontal or side accident with the truck to help stabilize the machine. The Wildcats suspension is holding the weight so it adds very little stress to the tailgate. To me better safe than sorry but to each their own.

 

"The Wildcats suspension is holding the weight so it adds very little stress to the tailgate."

Could you explain that for me?
Front of Trail is about 400lbs on the end of that tailgate, hope you have something other than basic tailgate wires!

 

i would hope folks transporting like this have more than the oem tailgate cables holding it up...with something like what we use for our a/c trv atv in the back of the bed...

 

mark7 you sharing my rig. it really does ride great. its a bit of a pain in the butt to get it lined up with the ramps but I like it much more then pulling a trailer. mine bridges the tailgate.

 

heres my set up for hauling in my bed. like mark7 said i put air bags on my truck to handle the load. i use the winch for loading and unloading. the extender is attached in the bed and gaps the tailgate and has a support that goes down to the hitch. its all pins so i can pop it apart and fold it into my bed without tools. we did a 230 mile trip over the weekend and the truck handles great.

 

 

I bought an aluminum hitch tailgate extender last summer and finally got to use it just before Christmas I hauled my WC Trail all the way from Southeastern Manitoba to Lethbridge, Alberta a distance of about 1400km and never had any problems along the way. I don't have any room at the moment to park a trailer so this is my interim fix for that. I always back it in to keep the engine weight closer to the front axle of the truck and to keep the weight off the extender as it's rated for 1200lbs. I do really like the fold up ramps and I don't have to worry about them kicking out when loading or unloading. I just have to do the throttle adjustment thing as its all or nothing especially when backing up. I thought I had a picture of it in my '06 Silverado Duramax but I guess I don't unfortunately so I have some pictures from the welding company that built it.

 

Fits pretty good in an 8 ft bed.

 

I always wanted to have this set up and now I finally do... No regrets here easy to load and unload hauls all my fuel,,, tools,,, clothes you name it,,, And gets 13+ mpg loaded...

 

and no more wandering around the parking lot looking for your vehicle...nice set-up inside...love the flag on the side wall...

 

Yes that yellow does stand out that's for sure... Got one hell of a deal on it too... Plus a 6 month warranty which I got new ball joints,,, tie rod ends,,, and rear shackle bushings and frt end alignment on the house... Penske does take good care of their customers and I would buy from them again in a heartbeat...

 

what were you able to pick up the truck for?