I have a 9' x 102" flatbed on my truck, and I absolutely love it!
I use it for work as well, but when it comes to toys (when I have time for) it's super!
I have a cpl of 165" sleds, and my chum has a cpl of 174's. If we hook a trailer on behind, things git a bit escalated.
We end up throwing the back end of the sleds way out to the full 102" so that we can pull into a gas pump or whatnot.
That is with a drive-out V front.
It's not bad as long as you don't forget about the trailer back there.
A 174" sled is prolly about as long as you are talking. So - what is your plan for the hitch?
Extending the hitch on the truck? Or are you thinking that you would never want to have the deck and the trailer at the same time?
I did have a deck built that was prolly 10' long? I could git 3 ATV's on it anyhow...
This is the best pic that I have scanned for the side view of that deck. Not a very good for the app, but I was hoping to show what 10' deck looks like. It wasn't bad at all, but 12' sure sounds like a doozie.
But I could squeez 3 ATV's on my 9' bed tho too, but barely:
Now here is an idea that I have in my pocket, not exactly expecting to employ it, but in the case as you say - you could doo it if you needed to sometime ....
My ramps slide into my bed like you see here. Shown with one partially slid out, and the other'n is all comfy in it's rack.
Now - if you had a cpl'a chums, and ass_u_ming that you would have if you are wanting to add the third sled ... then two guys could lift the sled up, and then the ramps could be slid almost into place, and let the skis just set right on the partially extended ramps.
Only catch with this is that the ramps will want to move going down the road (normally moving fwd, but in this case it could be out?) so a fella would want some kind'a shot pin to keep them where they are.
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There is a chance that I used this trick 20 yrs ago when we took 3 sleds when I had both kids along. But one of the sleds was an old Yammi 300 that didn't take up a lot of real-estate. So, maybe we did that, and maybe we didn't? I don't remember anymore.
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Having the full 12' deck likely wouldn't make that a whole lot easier? Getting that third sled up the ramp isn't likely going to be a one-man job anyway. (???)
My newer truck has same design bed, but this time out of stainless!
I have a goose ball in them as well.
I REALLY like the flatbed over the deck tho! The load is lower, and feels MUCH lower! On the flatbed it is not even felt, but even with training wheels, you know that deck is up there. And on icy roads, I like low!
Could I interest you in building a bed in stead?
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