Transporting your side-by-side on a trailer opens up a world of offroading adventures.
Allowing you to explore and conquer terrains beyond just what’s in your own backyard.
But how big of a trailer do you need to haul a side-by-side?
In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about UTVs and trailers.
We’ll look at critical measurements for both your machine and potential trailers and evaluate which trailer sizes work best.
We’ll also discuss enclosed trailers, toy haulers, and even converting a horse trailer to carry your side-by-side.
What Dimensions Do You Need to Determine if a Side-By-Side Will Fit on a Trailer?
Determining if a side-by-side will fit onto a trailer requires looking at several key measurements for both your vehicle and the trailer.
For the side-by-side, the most important specs are:
- Length – The total length from the front bumper to the rear. Watch for accessories like spare tires adding extra length.
- Width – The total width including tires and any protruding components on the sides.
- Wheelbase – The distance between front and rear axles.
- Ground Clearance – The height from the underside to the ground. Important for ramp angles.
- Curb Weight – The total weight with fluids but without passengers or cargo.
For the trailer, look at:
- Trailer Type – Common types include utility, multi-purpose, flatbed, and enclosed.
- Bed Length & Width – The interior floor dimensions of usable cargo space.
- Ramp Dimensions – Length and width of the ramp.
- Door Opening Height & Width – The max opening size of the rear ramp door. (Enclosed Trailers)
- Axle Rating – The maximum weight that the axles of a trailer can safely carry.
- Trailer Payload Capacity – The total allowable weight the trailer can safely carry.
How Big is a Side-By-Side?
To figure out if a side-by-side will fit on trailers of various sizes, we first need to know the average dimensions of one.
So we looked at the specs of over 25 different side-by-side models across the most popular UTV brands to come up with an average for length, width, height, ground clearance, and curb weight.
Average Side-By-Side Measurements & Specs
- Length: 108 – 152 Inches / 9 – 12.7 Feet
- Width: 55 – 65 Inches / 4.6 – 5.4 Feet
- Height: 60 – 85 Inches / 5 – 7 Feet
- Ground Clearance: 10 – 15 Inches
- Curb Weight: 1,200 – 2,000 Pounds
Will a Side-By-Side Fit on a 6×10 Trailer?
A 6×10 trailer is a very common utility trailer size for hauling ATVs, motorcycles, and smaller powersport vehicles.
But it’s on the smaller side for transporting large UTVs.
Only the smallest side-by-sides will fit on a 6×10 trailer, as larger models will exceed the available working length of the trailer.
Popular UTVs that Will Fit on a 6×10 Trailer
- Polaris RZR Trail Sport
- Honda Pioneer 500
- Polaris Ranger SP 570
- John Deere Gator XUV560E
- Yamaha Wolverine RMAX 2 1000
Will a Side-By-Side Fit on a 6×12 Trailer?
Stepping up to a 6×12 trailer makes a big difference, if you’re trying to fit a side-by-side on it.
As the extra two feet of length compared to a 6×10 trailer, makes all the difference.
Most small, mid-size, and large side-by-sides will fit on a 6×12 trailer, as this size offers more than enough working length and width to accommodate all but the largest four-door models.
Popular UTVs that Will Fit on a 6×12 Trailer
- John Deere Gator XUV835M
- Polaris Ranger XD 1500
- Can-Am Defender DPS
- Honda Pioneer 1000
- Polaris RZR Turbo R Sport
Will a Side-By-Side Fit on a 5×8 or 5×10 Trailer?
5×8 and 5×10 trailers are great for many things but hauling or trailering side-by-sides is not one of them.
Smaller 5×8 and 5×10 utility and flatbed trailers are best suited for smaller powersports like dirt bikes, motorcycles, and ATVs.
Only the smallest side-by-sides will fit on a 5×10 trailer, while none will fit on a 5×8 trailer, as it doesn’t offer enough working length to accommodate even the smallest side-by-sides.
What is the Best Size Trailer For Hauling Side-By-Sides?
While 6×10 and 6×12 trailers will accommodate a wide variety of side-by-sides, in my opinion, they’re not the best option, if you’re looking for the most versatility and functionality, for several reasons.
The first is that even though they will accommodate many side-by-sides, they won’t accommodate all, especially four-door models.
As four-door side-by-sides often have lengths that exceed the working length of even 6×12 trailers.
The second reason is that even if the trailer can accommodate the UTV, there is often very little room for anything else, forcing you to store gear like gas cans, tools, and other equipment in the tow vehicle.
Which is less than ideal.
So what is the best size trailer for a UTV?
In my opinion, the best-size trailer for hauling a single side-by-side is a 6×14 trailer, as this will accommodate just about any UTV, including four-door models, and leave plenty of room for storing extra gear on the trailer.
If you’re hauling two side-by-sides it’s best to go with a 6×20 trailer at a minimum, as this will allow you to load two compact or mid-size UTVs onto the trailer, while still leaving some space for extra gear.
Will a Side-By-Side Fit in an Enclosed Trailer?
Enclosed trailers provide the ultimate protection for powersports against road debris and weather.
But can you fit a side-by-side inside one?
Well, this largely depends on the size of the enclosed trailer, because just like utility and flatbed trailers, cargo trailers, come in all different sizes.
Ranging in size from 8 to 28 feet long and 5 to 8.5 feet wide.
Because of this, whether a side-by-side will fit in an enclosed trailer will depend largely on its size.
However, most average-size enclosed trailers will fit a single side-by-side.
There are two additional factors you need to consider though with enclosed trailers and that’s the height of the UTV, which can range from 5 to 7 feet tall, and the ceiling height of the trailer.
The good news, however, is that most enclosed trailers have ceiling heights of 7 feet, which means that side-by-side height is typically not an issue for most enclosed trailers.
Will a Side-By-Side Fit in a Toy Hauler?
Toy haulers are one of the fastest-growing segments in the RV industry, as they allow you to bring all types of powersports, like dirt bikes, ATVs, and yes, even UTVs with you while camping and traveling.
Ranging in size from small travel trailers to massive 5th-wheels, most average-size toy haulers will accommodate a side-by-side.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule, for example, some of the smallest toy haulers will often not have a garage large enough to accommodate a UTV, due to a lack of length, width, or both.
Because of this, before purchasing any toy hauler it’s important to check that the workable garage space inside the camper can accommodate your particular side-by-side.
Will a Side-By-Side Fit in a Horse Trailer?
Just like enclosed trailers, horse trailers come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 10 feet to as much as 40 feet long.
Because of this, most side-by-sides will fit inside a horse trailer, with the only exception being the smallest options.
As the smallest horse trailers are only around 10 feet long, which is not enough workable length to accommodate many mid-size and large UTVs.
Something to keep in mind though is that horse trailers are designed and optimized for equine and not four-wheel off-road vehicles.
So to make a horse trailer into a side-by-side toy hauler, you’ll likely need to perform some modifications and remove divider walls and other horse trailer features to accommodate a UTV.
With some modifications, however, horse trailers can successfully take your 2-seat or 4-seat side-by-side into the backcountry.
Frequently Asked Questions
UTVs can be hauled on a utility trailer as long as the trailer’s dimensions and weight capacity are adequate for the UTV’s size and weight.
A 4-seater Polaris RZR typically requires a trailer that’s at least 14 feet long, due to its length. For example, the RZR XP 4 1000 Sport is 146 inches long, and the RZR Turbo R 4 Sport is 157 inches, both of which would exceed the working length of a 12-foot trailer.
The trailer size needed for a side-by-side typically ranges from 10 to 14 feet in length, depending on the model. For a standard 2-seater side-by-side, a 10-foot trailer may suffice, but for larger 4-seaters or models with extended wheelbases, a 14-foot trailer is best.
To haul a UTV, you’ll want a heavy-duty trailer ideally designed specifically for powersport vehicles. Look for an open multi-purpose trailer or enclosed trailer with a large rear ramp, multiple tie-downs, and dimensions and weight capacities large enough to accommodate a side-by-side.
Single-axle trailers, generally have weight capacities of around 3,000 pounds, which is more than enough to haul a Polaris RZR. However, you should always check the specs of the trailer, as capacities can vary greatly from one trailer to the next.
Polaris Rangers are between 108 and 152 inches long, depending on the model. So to fit the smallest models you’ll need a 6×10 trailer and to accommodate the largest ones you’ll need a 6×14 trailer.
Final Thoughts On Trailer Size for UTVs
Transporting your side-by-side for offroad adventures requires having a properly sized trailer to match.
As we’ve covered, you first need to carefully measure your UTV’s specs – length, width, height, and weight.
Then compare these to potential trailer sizes to achieve the right fit with adequate capacity and buffer space.
For most compact and mid-size 2-seat models, a 6×12 trailer works well, however, for larger 4-seat models you’ll more than likely need to upgrade to a 6×14 trailer.
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