Looking for advice and maybe a picture of how someone can haul a rhino in the box of a 2012 ram 1500 crew cab hemi with the small box and still tow a 20' trailer?? I have seen risers that put the utv up in the air. Help? Suggestions? Will it tow everything? Thanks for your time.

 

I don't know who makes a rhino, but I would suggest going to that manufacturers forum and ask this question. I've seen things like this at the Polaris forum. As far as towing it all I'd say it depends on whats in or on the 20' trailer and how much it all weighs

 

I really don't think it's possible but a DiamondBack bed cover can haul it, I just don't know about the trailer.

 

you can do it with a sled deck, there's lots of pictures on google, just search "sleddeck" or "Sled deck ram 1500 rhino" etc.

 

You cannot tow with the tailgate down...

Side note, I have always used an extra long ball mount which allows the use of pretty much any trailer with clearance to drop the tailgate down. The extra length makes backing up easier too. You do lose some towing capacity as they are maxed out at 6klbs but if your trailer is under that I would consider it.
Again, that is side note and unrelated to your question, but if the rhino can be lifted and is hanging over the top of the tailgate, the longer ball mount will put you trailer back for additional clearance.

Sounds kind of ridiculous but what about building a ramp so when your driving your rhino into your bed, the front ramps way up which will scoot it in to allow clearance to shut the tailgate. Not sure how much room you need? You would have to create something very secure obviously so it will stay put...

 

Quote: You cannot tow with the tailgate down...


I don't know where you live but we tow in the south with tailgate up down. sideways, anyway you want to. No one I know of ever has been stopped for towing with the tailgate down, and there is no reason for not being able to. A trailer will back just as efficiently with it up or down. As long as the load is secured to the truck, its legal here.Really no different than towing a trailer with no side panels or rails, which are also perfectly legal. As long as the trailer your towing has a side jack, it will tow with the tailgate down

 

Never said it wasn't legal? Not sure where you got that? Those words never came out of my mouth.
If I tow ANY of my trailer with the tailgate down, the tongue jack will F*&K up my tailgate and hit it when turning and when going over bumps! THAT is why I said you cant tow with it down.
I have a car trailer, landscape trailer and dump trailer. All are within 1" of my tailgate when parked. They will surely hit the tailgate. Matter of fact, my father left his tailgate down when towing his landscape trailer and it effed his tailgate all up. That was a side jack too, just not the cheap folding kind like boat trailers use.

I guess it depends on your trailer. I just never had one that would allow it.

 

Just a misunderstanding. I have a utility trailer that is 27 inches from the trailer with tailgate down. Had I left the original center jack on, the tailgate would hit the jack handle, but removed it and put a retractable side jack on and can tow trailer with tailgate up or down and nothing hits. The trailer has to be lower than the bottom of the tailgate to be able to tow with no damage, if it's higher then I can see damage like your fathers. Since I know that towing with the tailgate down can be done without damage. I assumed you had some kind of law prohibiting the practice where you live

 

I found a hitch that allows me to keep the tailgate down and still tow the trailer. It's good to 6500 lbs. I still have my 06 megacab 5.9L diesel and haven't decided if I want to go to a gas truck.

My big concern is the weight limit of the 1500. The rhino weighs around 1200 lb. Plus the tounge weight of the trailer. I'm thinking I would be over the limit?

 

I think this might be the only safe way to do it. Tough to do with the short box on the crew cab.