Talking about fitting toys on the deck - any suggestions? Please read to the end to see the issue.
We got the Z1 so we could take trips out here in the Arizona desert to do some rockhounding and desert photography.
The old 28' HiLo was great to haul only losing 5 mpg.
The UTV trailer worked well, too, but then we couldn't camp out and bring the UTV.
This was the ideal combination of travel trailer that we could take anywhere and bring the UTV for closer to home trips.
It does have its drawbacks, though.
We got the truck to haul the HiLo and it did a great job. Now, we have lost another 5 mpg on trips WITHOUT the toy.....10 mpg total.
Apparently the Tundra isn't tough enough to do as good a job hauling the Z1 because it's bogging down to 55 mph up long grades in CO and WY. This is without the toy on a trip to Longmire Days. That's disappointing. The HiLo was actually heavier than the Z1.
Being on SS, getting a new truck is totally out of the question.
Now, about the dimensions of the front deck. After doing a LOT of research and not being able to see the unit, Camping World in Mesa worked with the one in Golden/Denver. Don't EVER try that. It was a nightmare. One place didn't talk to the other. CO insisted on full payment before shipment. Mesa said we could check it out before we paid. No way says CO.....after we had decided on buying it. Absolutely NONE in AZ. No kidding. We were meticulous about measuring the UTV to be sure it would fit across the front deck loading with the stock ramps. What we found on the specs for deck width was supposed to work.
It's a couple of inches too short for the UTV. What a disappointment!
Now when we load it, the rails/ramps bulge!!!
Our friend who does welding had a few suggestions. Then my brother, an engineer, came up with a simple non-techie solution which we will try in a few days when it cools down enough to be 'out there'. He said to just get the toy a few inches higher on the deck so the diameter of the wheels will be above the rails. Kind of hard to explain.
We already keep it tied down safely.
Any suggestions other than ramping up a couple of inches?
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2008 Tundra 5.7L V8 double cab
2016 Z-1 225TD front deck
Landmaster 400 UTV
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