Loading/Unloading a Toyhauler

[asahoffman]

I need some facts, or maybe a lot of opinions....When loading or unloading my Seismic 4114, do I need to leave it hooked to the truck? Or is the weight of the UTV not enough to cause a problem? And is it a problem after all the landing jacks are down and the trailer is level? Enquiring minds want to know.....

[33 RLDS]

Originally Posted by asahoffman

I need some facts, or maybe a lot of opinions....When loading or unloading my Seismic 4114, do I need to leave it hooked to the truck? Or is the weight of the UTV not enough to cause a problem? And is it a problem after all the landing jacks are down and the trailer is level? Enquiring minds want to know.....

I have a 24ft cargo/car carrier that's only 3700 Lbs empty and it don't lift the tongue when loading a UTV. I cant see how a toy hauler would be a problem. As long as the wheels were chocked good and/or landing gear in down, I wouldn't worry abut it. But maybe better to hear from a Toy haul owner

[DonaandDon]

I've helped my family with there loading and unloading their toy hauler. Always unhooked, and before leveling do they remove the toy. Like wise always prior to coupling (after unleveling) do they load the toy. Seams the need to raise the front landing gear (a lot) is necessary to keep from bottoming out the toy.

[kneeslider]

I prefer to be connected, but then I can't snug stablizers & wheel chocks!

[Turtle Tim]

I have a RZR and always load and unload when hooked up to the truck.
I have never read anything that said either way, but just feel that it would put a lot of stress on the landing gear, especially if you read about some of the failures of the front landing gear that has been posted on here.
It's a lot of weight shifting in the TH even if you are smooth when loading/unloading.
I back mine in so the heaviest part will be as close to the axles as possible. So when loading, it can shake the TH somewhat. Unloading is a lot smoother, but still dont want to put too much stress on the leveling landing gear, so I stay hooked up.

[PlayersZ28]

If you have to be hooked up to load/unload wouldn't that preclude using the unit as a storage garage when parked at a site? If I was leaving my trailer for the day in an area where a UTV was useful I'd want it locked inside.

[curver900]

hooked up... parking brake set on TV...

Unless it is chocked (with good solid x type chocks) and landing gear is down... then I would do it off...

I would never ever take it out without one of the two above.. you get the tongue light enough it will take off on you.. simple physics...

when you see a tailgate with a dent in the middle of it about 1/2 way up that is where they tried to put something on or off a trailer without it being attached or secured....

I know this because one time I was loading a car and my "helper" thought to unhitch it while I was bringing the car around so it would load easier.. to his surprise when I stated up the ramp up came the tongue and he was trying to stop the trailer when I hollered get the blank out of the way... and poop it went into the back of the tailgate... lesson learned for him... me well I traded that truck off later

[neil11975]

I store my rzr in my seismic 416w full time and I load and unload it all the time with it just sitting on my property. It is leveled with the stabilizers down. I wouldn't worry about it much. That is a heavy trailer. I dont know if I would do that with a bumper pull.

[Victoria]

Our Octanes have always been fine Loading not hooked up. I get eveything loaded and ready to roll the day before we leave.

[JeffL]

5th Wheel Toy Hauler I always load and unload unhooked. I did it all the time with my old Raptor also without the rear jacks down. The tongue weight of a 5th wheel is well over what you would load in the back. Bumper pull is a different story.

[vankaye]

I don't see my toyhauler ever teetering like that even with loading a side-by-side.

Now my car trailer is another story. I have both loaded and unloaded mine while inadvertently forgetting to have the coupler latched. It jumps up pretty fast in my experience!!