ATV sap haulers

[Pete S]

I have a Honda Big Red 250 that I picked up recently. I've seen a few and heard a few ATV sap hauler stories/photos.

How much sap can you really haul w/o causing driveability issues?

Photos and ideas welcome.

[heus]

Pete, I just purchased a 2003 650 Kaw Prairie off ebay 2 wwks ago. I am able to haul a loaded 65 gal leg tank on the back rack and a 26 gal plastic tank on the front rack. My dad's 250 Honda Recon has been able to haul a loaded 35 gal tank on the back and a 16 gal tank on the front. Yes these exceed the recomended weights for both vehicles. On mine, however, you cannot even tell you are loaded down with weight.

[Dan W]

I had a 2001 Yamaha Kodiak that I pulled a trailer with 2 55 gallon drums on it. Never had a problem pulling it unless through mud with the skinny tires. There is a big difference between pulling and hauling on racks though.

[Farmboy]

I pulled a 55 gallon barrel in a trailer behind my Kawaskai bayou 400. 4 wheel drive helps in the mud and snow.

[TroutBrookSH]

I have a '96 Polaris Sportsman 400 and carry 25 gals on front and rear racks. I'm careful not to ride where the weight wants to shift left or right -- no side hills.

Greg

[BobU]

Pete S,
Isn't the Big Red a 3 wheeler ? I think a 3 wheeler would be pretty "exciting" with a heavy, sloshing load. On flat land it might work OK, but on the hills, Be carefull!
Maybe you are thinking of pulling a small sled or trailer? If so try to keep it low and wide for stability.
We use 35 gal. tanks on the front and back or our quadrunners. We go slow and easy, haven't wrecked one, yet.
Be safe, have a good season.

[WoodButcher]

i own the sportier cousin of the big red , the 1985 honda 250sx . shaft drive, low/high gears... the big red is a beast . dont make em like this anymore.
when i get a wood score in the summer to heat my home , i hook the 250sx to my trailer with a cord full of wood and it pulls it from the driveway back to my wood pile 100 yards away easily. be careful of the tongue weight and that beast will carry a ton of cargo . if the tongues too heavy itll wheelie and make it hard to steer unless you hover over the bars. the front wheel being only one shouldnt effect the load stability if your pulling carefully. these things were known for high speed roll overs. i guess you need to be comfortable riding one .

but like the guys above said , watch the sloshing around side-to-side stuff ! :o

heres my sap haulin trailer... but its mostly for road use back and forth .
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/Sugarin/2011%20sugar%20season/1.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/Sugarin/2011%20sugar%20season/IMG_20110219_141405Large.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z104/italianjeremy/Sugarin/2011%20sugar%20season/IMG_20110219_141355Large.jpg

[John Wiesner's Legacy]

did you cut out holes in the barrels for the 5 gallon pails?

[WoodButcher]

ya , i just traced the bottom of the white pails on the blue drum and made it about 1/4" larger than the bottom white pail's diameter , and they lodge in there as close to air tight as you can get with no sloshing while driving on the highway .

heres a link to more details if you wanna peak . page 5 is where i start to show the build .
http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=9497&page=5

also, heres a pic below of another good idea. but i didnt want to get as fancy as this; hinge and gasket and everything . and hinge screws sealing, etc. also , with this , you would need an extra barrel to make the oversized flap to seal the hole. looks real nice though .

with both options, i like the big hole so you can clean her out at the end of the year. you can reach with your arm from corner to corner .

[theschwarz1]

I pulled a 55 gallon barrel in a trailer behind my Kawaskai bayou 400. 4 wheel drive helps in the mud and snow.
Thats just about exactly what I do!
5284

[jgavic]

54015401
110 Gallons in the back of our Ranger

[gcec]

I have a 2004 Yamaha Rhino 660 with tracks. I have two 35gal tanks plumbed together in the back. Works great.

[sbingham]

I have a 1992 PUG, works very well unless the snow gets too deep.

[anchorhd]

54015401
110 Gallons in the back of our Ranger

What brand tank in in the polaris?

[David in MI]

We use a JD 6x4 Gator to haul a pair of 55 gallon barrels in the back. Occasionally I pull a small aluminum boat trailer that I converted into a flat-bed utility trailer with a cage tank on it. I can fill it about half way without putting too much strain on the Gator.

14346

[Super Sapper]

14347

The trailer with the 100 gallon tank stays in the woods for a collection tank when I am not hauling. I have 2 collection points and use the trailer and 35 gallon tank on the back of the 4 wheeler and can put four 5 gallons jugs in the rack on the front. I have about 40 bags in this woods also and use the 5 gallon containers to collect from them. I can haul 155 gallons at a time with no problems, the trailer tires really help in the mud.