Will A Snowmobile Fit In A Pickup Truck Bed?
Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
If you have a snowmobile to move and you have a truck, you can probably get it in the bed of the pickup.
However, you may not be able to close the gate.
In any case, you will need ratchet straps or a good rope to tie the snowmobile down, especially if you have to leave the gate open.
Will A Snowmobile Fit In A Pickup Truck Bed?
Yes, most snowmobiles will fit in a pickup truck bed. One of the biggest concerns is that the tailgate of the truck will not close once the snowmobile is loaded.
So securing the snowmobile to the truck is important. If you are planning to transport a snowmobile with a pickup truck, consider the following.
Dimensions to Consider
From tip to tip, a snowmobile can be more than 10 feet long. However, they’re generally less than 4 feet wide.
Getting your snowmobile to fit between the wheel wells of most pickup trucks should not be a problem.
Most pickup truck beds are between 6 to 7 feet in length. The snowmobile could hang off the back by a few feet.
It is important that you carefully review your footing if you plan to drive up into the truck bed.
Once the snowmobile is snuggled up against the front of the truck bed at the back of the cab, the footing may be pretty tight. Don’t try this after dark unless you have no other options.
While your snowmobile obviously provides a place for your feet, getting yourself off the snowmobile and out of the truck may be challenging.
Do your best to do this in full daylight to avoid any mishaps.
Getting the Snowmobile in the Truck
Getting your snowmobile into the truck will be the tricky bit. While snowmobiles can be run up a ramp, it takes ramps with side guides to safely move your snowmobile.
If you try to move your snowmobile on a different type of ramp, you may tear up the tracks or be injured in the move.
The simplest way may be to put the bed down and back up into a snow bank. Take care to walk the bank to make sure it is solid.
Trying to gun the snowmobile and ride over powder into the back of the truck is a recipe for a damaged tailgate, bent skis, or a damaged ski spindle. A really hard hit can also throw a rider.
Snowmobiles are pretty tough machines. They’re built to function in rough conditions and have a high tolerance for chatter. They will take some bouncing around.
However, a hard hit to the front of your snowmobile from a solid item like a tailgate can badly damage your steering mechanism.
If you’re working on building a snowbank loading ramp, go slow.
Lift and Load
Snowmobiles weigh about 500 pounds. If you have some sturdy friends, you can pick up your snowmobile by the lift points fore and aft and place it in the truck bed.
These same folks can also lower the snowmobile to the ground.
Do take care to have a spotter to keep an eye on the snowmobile track. When the unit is lifted, this track may sag.
You want to settle the machine from the top down so the track is not bound up or damaged.
Using Ramps
If you’re going to move your snowmobile frequently, ramps are a good investment. Again, make sure you get snowmobile ramps.
The ramps that you use to move an ATV or a riding lawnmower will not be safe or stable for your snowmobile; you can also tear up the track on the wrong ramp material.
Snowmobiles are long. While a riding lawnmower is generally 6 feet or less in length, a snowmobile can be more than 10 feet from the front of the ski to the back of the track.
Those first tracks that grab onto the ramp are under a lot of pressure to pull that 500-pound unit up into the truck.
Too steep a ramp can do a lot of damage to your snowmobile.
Take it slow. Yes, part of the fun of riding a snowmobile is the speed you can enjoy when you wind it up.
However, too much speed at the bottom of the ramp means you can
- take out the back window of your truck cab
- damage your sled
- injure yourself when you go head-first into the truck cab
- actually vault over the cab of the truck
Snowmobiles are 500 pounds. You may land on top of it or end up underneath it. Invest in the right gear to move your snowmobile and transport it to the newest fun spot with great snow cover.
Final tip:
Because snowmobiles are so long, the length of your ramps can lead to a lot of play as you start to move up the ramps.
If you have a hitch, use ratchet straps to hook to the low end of your ramps and pull them snug against your truck. There is always a risk when moving anything heavy up a ramp.
Such a ratchet strap placement can reduce the risk of having the ramps move underneath you as you try to load your snowmobile.
