How to fit a long track snowmobile in a short bed Tacoma

Cheers.

Thought id share this for anyone who finds themselves owning a sled after buying a tacoma and not wanting to trade in for a half ton.

I will mention that this RMK 163" is setup with the skis on the narrow setting and that they clear the wheel wells. The sled fits with the stock tailgate however the track sits at a downward angle and puts lots of pressure on the lip of the tailgate. My solution was to remove the tailgate and have a hitch platform fabricated by a local custom trailer manufacture. The platform sits 4" above the bed deck allowing the track to sit level and put more weight forward onto the skis and off the rack. It is legal in the US and Canada with a flag however I plug in an LED running brake light for additional visibility. Not much room for my ramp however I usually just back it into a snowbank and drive it off. I strap it with two large ratchet tie downs from the front corner D rings back to the running boards and strap the track down to the platform on highway trips.

The rack weighs 30 lbs. more than the stock tailgate. Sled weighs 420 lbs. dry plus 15 gal. petrol is an additional 90 lbs. Factor in roof rack, skis, beer and snow at another 200 lbs. and CBI skid plate another 100 lbs and its about 850-900 lbs. without occupants.

I will note that truck has the lighter Dakar springs, Bilstein 6112 @ 3rd clip and Bilstein 5112. Bottoms occasionally on bad highway whoops but that's about it. I would not recommend the heavier duty Dakar springs as the ride is already somewhat rough when unloaded. Im running passenger rated Falken wildpeak 265/70R16 at 36/41 PSI and getting around 17-18 mpg at 68 mph.

Have about 1000 miles driving with the sled on and it tracks great, feels a little heavier than two dirt bikes and camping gear. I will be buying a two sled enclosed this summer however this works great for short trips and hauling your sled over to your buddies house to load onto his one ton with sled deck (maybe one day).

Happy sledding!

 

You can also use a hitch extender designed for carrying long lumber. That’s what I used to use before getting a trailer for most days.

$180 Lund 601021 Hitch Mounted Truck Bed Extender, Black

https://www.amazon.com/Lund-601021-Hitch-Mounted-Extender/dp/B001P2HWC6

 

Yes, I looked into these but was not wild about the bad departure angle but definitely a good option! The rack cost me $300 to build plus another $25 in rattle cans and another $12 for the light and $20 for 5' of super glide.

 

Good job! A whole lot better than trusting that tailgate and cheaper than having to replace it.

 

Great solution. I love it. Mackay, any chance you have plans/drawings for your fab'd hitch platform?

Second, the lumber hitch mount extender, I assume that you'd add that after loading the sled and take it off before removing the sled from the bed. Any experience with that thing?

 

I used a similar hitch extender for my sled when i had the tundra, but with the tacoma's composite bed, tonneau cover, and width, i just bit the bullet, and decided to convert my 5x10 utility trailer to haul the sled which seemed an easier option.

 

Judging from the pics the center mass appears to be right above and maybe just a bit forward of the rear axle so center of gravity/weight distribution with and w/o driver doesn't seem to be an issue. Wonder if the lower elbow support arm was angled a bit more it would improve departure angle w/o compromising strength?
Nevertheless looks great and Nice job!

 

BrraaaAAAAAP.

Great job.

 

Good choice of ski(s)

 

I noticed the skiis on the tunnel. Do you ride 2 up and ski down, and if so is it side by side or front to back. I am going to try and do some snowmachine / Ski combo this season in the Easter Idaho Western Wyoming area.

 

Keen to hear how this setup is holding up? Just got a 165 Skidoo Summit and can't decide if I should do an in-bed deck or trailer.

 

what did you end up going with?

 

I managed to get it in the bed and it was pretty sketchy, so I sold my Tacoma for a stupidly good price and got a 23 TRD Pro Tundra.

The bed ain't much bigger but the truck is heavier and feels way more planted. Back to square 1 with my setup though.

 

haha makes sense, thanks for replying

 

Hey I was wondering what the width was between your wheel wells in your bed, and if you have any measurements on the attachment.

 

It’s not clear to me that the rack is stronger than the tailgate. It could be, but I need to see numbers.

I did some static analysis of the tailgate load capacity in this thread and came up with an estimate of 1500 lbs. See the assumptions in the post.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tailgate-weight-capacity.569305/page-2

post #29

I’m not sure why there is widespread belief that the tailgate is weak. Has anyone broke one?

 

This doesn't directly answer your question but the skis on a trail sled won't fit between the wheel wells.

 

can the platform tilt vertical to act sort of like a tailgate?

 

It certainly doesn’t look like it. It looks to be rigidly attached to the hitch receiver. Note also that the OP is likely long gone.