Who takes a golf cart along with their bus?

[Paladin]

Yep, I thought of that and even though of maybe making it so that the cart could roll on, turn sideways and lift or turn sideways on a lifted platform and lock. That way it would take advantage of the narrow width of the cart instead of sitting lengthwise.

I don't even have a hitch on my bus yet but it sounds like I'll probably be putting a bit of a load on it if I want my toys. I'm a little worried about the added weight that would inevitably be put on the forward end of the trailer and the subsequent increased load on the tongue. I could strap the car a little further back on the trailer (benefit of an 18' bed over a 16') to help offset or even load the car backwards thereby putting the most weight to the rear (most cars are front heavy) but does anyone know how much tongue weight a bus can handle?   

[gumpy]

That's gonna depend on how you mount your hitch. If you tie it into the frame and beef up the engine cradle supports, you would have no problem pulling a 20K trailer (2K tongue weight). I wouldn't want to, though.  if you just mount it to the cradle like I did, I would not put over 300 lbs tongue weight on it (and I don't).

If you put a full length platform on, you can put the cart anywhere on it you desire. There's a company in NE that builds trailers with an upper deck that raises up on 4 posts, like a 4 post car hoist. You put your boat on the trailer, raise it up, and then drive the car in underneath it. Pretty slick, but big $$$.

[Paladin]

As I think about it, I think I could fix one end rigid at the front of the trailer and pivot the top deck downward to the rear so that it would also be a ramp although I'd still need a winch which I have. At the lower end  I could put linear actuators to lift it level. The stroke of the actuator would give me plenty of lift to clear the hood of a car but I'm having a hard time finding one rated at much more than 400 pounds.

[gumpy]

Here's an idea...

Look into how boat lifts and docks are designed where a single cable winch is used to evenly raise a platform up 4 poles.
They wind the cable in and out of the pulleys in the corner poles. You could rig this up on the trailer so the platform is on the deck. Drive the cart up the trailer ramps and pull up with the winch. Once you get it raised, insert some pins through the
poles to keep the platform from coming down accidentally.

If anyone know how this works, I'd sure be interested in seeing an explaination.

[buswarrior]

Care needs to be taken in loading a trailer without enough tongue weight.

They start swinging like a pendulum back there, while underway.

And snap around when you put the brakes on, trying to correct it!

Someone else will know the recommended percentage of weight that should be on the tongue?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[NJT5047]

Craig, there are bass boat trailers with folding upper boat cradle, as you describe.  The upper rack folds down, run the boat up onto the rack, and it powers up like a car hauler.  Then you load the lower boat and you're on the road.   I would guess that these trailers are right expensive.  
Regarding low profile golf carts, an old gas powered Yamaha is what Bill ...aka "Homegrowndie".. has stuffed in his Eagle bay.  It would fit into an MC9 too...with small wheels...as has been described already.  His steering has a universal in the steering shaft so it'll drop down.  He cut the column and added a sleeve to the outside.   Believe the sleeve slides upward and the shaft drops.  When the sleeve is slid downward, it connects the upper and lower sections of the column and the steering is in a normal position.  This is a fairly accurate description of what he did.  
A belly golf car is going to be "personality limited."  No lift kit, no 12" wheels and tires, no top, no big plush seat... ...could do the 72V mod..  That'll mess with the campground owners.     Might as well forget the custom paint job too...get all scratched off trying to get the car into the bay.  
Another thing I've run into with my stock height Club Car is that the sucker will bottom out on my trailer.   Usually we can find a low spot to unload it...a PITA when towing with the bus.   Redoing the ramp is one of those things that keeps getting put off....
In any event most motorcycle stores, and probably Northern Tool and Tractor Supply sell arched aluminum ramps that have a capacity of 1500 lbs.  These would allow one to roll right into a bay with the car almost level.  They would store under the cart.
Something else I've run into is that ATVs, UTVs, gasoline powered golf carts, go carts, scooters, and other gas powered toys are not welcome in most bonafide campgrounds.  Ya'll know where you're going and the requirements...this is for those with little experience in campgrounds that may be thinking about buying gas powered toys.   I'd be riding a Yamaha Rhino or Kawasaki Teryx ( the ultimate off-road Man Toys when properly assorized) if not for that requirement.  
One other point and I'll be quiet for a bit (yes, I promise), quite a few campgrounds will require proof of liability insurance before you unload the cart.  
Recommend tongue weight is 10% ...could be tough on some bus cantilevers.  Most light trucks and cars with this much tongue weight use weight distributing hitches.   I don't see how that would work on a bus....   If placing a golf cart 5' above the deck of a trailer, that better be a heavy duty trailer...on the order of an equipment hauler I would think. 
Well, we've gone full circle here...still appears that loading into a pickup toad is the cheapest, most safe, and easy on the bus.
Cheers, JR


 
 

[RJ]

Paladin (and others) -

A solution to the tongue weight issue is a Tuff-Tow unit:

https://www.shogunindustries.com/cgi-bin/ws400CS.cgi?cart_id=&page=tufftowindex.htmlindex.html

Click on the "Visit Tuff-Tow" button in the lower right corner for all the info.

I'd like a golf cart too, but my 4106's bays are way too small. . . guess I'll just stick with a Dahon for now.

FWIW & HTH. . .

 

[cody]

One thing about hauling a golf cart in the back of a pickup is to be careful about the tailgate, libby's clubcar fits nicely in the truck box but we can't close the tailgate with it in, the tires do fit completely inside the box tho. The truck is a 97 dodge ram 1500 4X4 and we were told that a truck with a cable type tailgate support may break under the weight of loading the cart, we found that the cable support off a ram 2500 was heavier duty for some reason and switched them out. Now if only we could have gotten the base plates installed on the truck, she would be terrorizing the florida blue hairs with it right now lol.

[NJT5047]

Reckon a Club Car would fit into a wide bed  S10 pickup?   Anyone have any idea how wide an S10 body might be?
Have to put some HD rear springs and shocks on the thing...but a 4X4 S10 pickup would be a good.
JR

[steamguy56]

Have been thinking on this subject for awhile. 2007 chevy pickup put one of the hit/miss motors in back, winch off\on...going to some of the shows up North, stay a few months on the show circuit. Alittle stuff out of the belly of the beast to swap, trade and or sell. Afterwards use toad to explore..dream will have come true.
                                 Danny

[HB of CJ]

Great pictures Ednj and H3Jim.  Thank you.  I ride a old restored '86/87 Honda Reflex 195cc street legal trials bike.  Goes absolutely anywhere almost. Got the curb weight down to 205# full tank.  I carry it on the rear bumper of my '81 VW Rabbit Diesel.  Perhaps you can transition to a "motor bike" and hang it on your rear bumper tooss. 

[Busted Knuckle]

Aw shucks just get a 24-30' enclosed trailer then ya got road for the toad, golf cart/atv, scooter and a shop on wheels! Not to mention a pretty nice dog house to stay in when ya's in trouble! Problem solved!
  BK