ATV on a Diamondback HD cover

[Randy2400h]

Went to pick up a spare ATV and snow blade from the family cabin yesterday. Drove it home about 2 hours over snow covered roads and a mountain pass. As you can see from the picture it’s a really tight fit and a bit tricky to find a place to load/unload unless you have a semi-trailer loading ramp nearby (which sits only a couple inches lower than the top of the cover). Afterward I thought, “why didn’t I just get a small trailer?” Riding up ramps from level ground to the top of the bed cover would be a bit extreme for most people.
The truck handled remarkably well with it strapped to the cover. Down the highway it was honestly hard to tell it was there. Around corners, no crazy body roll. Over decent bumps in the road I felt the rear suspension hit the bump stops a couple times, but it never felt harsh or squirrelly when it did.

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[WVmanowar]

Sweet! I have been waiting to pull the trigger on getting a Diamondback bed cover due to the cost, but really like this cover.
Q:
Did the ramps not fit in the bed of the truck?
Did you get the rails to use as a wheel stop or just rely on the tie down straps/cleats?

 

[Randy2400h]

Sweet! I have been waiting to pull the trigger on getting a Diamondback bed cover due to the cost, but really like this cover.
Q:
Did the ramps not fit in the bed of the truck?
Did you get the rails to use as a wheel stop or just rely on the tie down straps/cleats?

I did not get the Diamondback ATV rail kit. I set a couple small paver stones on the opposite side and rode it onto the cover, set the parking brake, put straps on, removed the pavers, repositioned (centered) the ATV on the cover, fully tightened the racheting straps, and Re-set the parking brake. The bed of the truck was holding the entire snowplow blade assembly, which fit with the tailgate closed.

 

[TheDo114]

I did not get the Diamondback ATV rail kit. I set a couple small paver stones on the opposite side and rode it onto the cover, set the parking brake, put straps on, removed the pavers, repositioned (centered) the ATV on the cover, fully tightened the racheting straps, and Re-set the parking brake. The bed of the truck was holding the entire snowplow blade assembly, which fit with the tailgate closed.

What model is that ATV? My buddy is looking to get a ranger and he's trying to figure out if his ATV will fit sideways or if he will need to load his atv lengthwise with the extension on the cover.

 

[Randy2400h]

What model is that ATV? My buddy is looking to get a ranger and he's trying to figure out if his ATV will fit sideways or if he will need to load his atv lengthwise with the extension on the cover.

1999 Kawasaki Prairie 400. It’s my snowplow ATV.

 

[TheDo114]

1999 Kawasaki Prairie 400. It’s my snowplow ATV.

Thank you!

 

[TheDo114]

Another question. Did you carry your ATV that way again? and if so, how was it?

Thanks a bunch

 

[Randy2400h]

Another question. Did you carry your ATV that way again? and if so, how was it?

Thanks a bunch

I haven’t had any ATVs on it since that occasion. If I’m being perfectly honest it would be way easier to just hook up a rented trailer and move it that way. Loading it up on the cover was a total pain, now obviously if I had the installed side-loading ATV accessory from Diamondback it would have made it easier to load, but nowhere near “trailer-easy.” Once loaded though, it drove around great, I remember hit the bump stops on the rear leaf springs on a good sized dip, but it otherwise it may have effected the aim of my headlamps with all the extra weight.

 

[TheDo114]

He's planning to get the side-loading kit to make loading easy.

He doesn't have space for a trailer and we usually go so far into the bush (60+ miles from the nearest point of civilization) that when you bring a trailer you need to bring a spare trailer in parts because it will always break.

Thanks for the answer.

 

[TheDo114]

Ha, me again. My buddy finally ended up in a frontier and I'm getting a Ranger

How's the diamondback holding up and did you use it with your ATV again since?

Thanks

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