How to Build a Trailer to Pull Behind an ATV
by Don Kress
Building a pull-behind trailer for your ATV, whether you are a hunter or simply want to haul heavy loads around your property, makes practical sense. Building your own trailer can save you hundreds of dollars, and you can also set up the trailer as you see fit.
Construct the Trailer
Step 1
Cut two of the eight foot boards into four foot sections, and then lay them on the ground parallel to each other. The two closest to each another will form the base of the trailer.
Step 2
Cut the two six-foot boards into three foot sections, and then use screws to build two rectangles from these pieces.
Step 3
Use the jig saw to cut a piece from the plywood that is three feet wide by four feet long. Screw this piece to the base of the body of the trailer. Then cut the two side boards, each of which will measure one foot wide by four feet long. Cut the front and back panels next, measuring one foot wide by three feet long.
Step 4
Cut four one-foot sections from the remaining 2-by-4 board and screw these to the inside corners of the trailer's base. With all four in place, screw the top frame of the trailer to the standing pieces to form a box, and then screw into place the side boards as well as the front and back boards.
Step 5
Install the tires and wheels to the axle, and then install the axle on the bottom side of the trailer, securing it with carriage bolts. Next, install the tongue of the trailer running from the axle shaft out the front of the trailer. Drill holes where this will be placed, and secure it with carriage bolts in at least three places. Secure the trailer to the ATV hitch with a clevis pin.
References
- "The Complete Trailer Handbook;" By Richard Newton; 2008
- "ATVs: Everything You Need to Know;" By Steve Casper; 2006
Tips
- Paint the trailer with washable paint if you intend to use it to carry game home from a hunt.
Things You'll Need
- One sheet of 4-by-8-by-1/2 inch plywood
- Two 2-by-4-by-8 foot pressure treated boards
- Four 2-by-4-by-6 foot pressure treated boards
- Galvanized wood screws
- Dump cart axle kit
- Two ATV wheels with tires
- Galvanized carriage bolts with washers and nuts
- Jig saw
- Drill with a screwdriver bit and drill bit
- Framing square
- Clevis pin with a cotter pin keeper
Writer Bio
Don Kress began writing professionally in 2006, specializing in automotive technology for various websites. An Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified technician since 2003, he has worked as a painter and currently owns his own automotive service business in Georgia. Kress attended the University of Akron, Ohio, earning an associate degree in business management in 2000.
