Which Tow bar?

[SHaRPS]

So I am planning on using my ATV this year for the first time to tow some gear. I currently have 3 sleds which are the Jet sled 1, Jet sled jr, and a cabelas sled with the molded bucket holders. Can someone point me in the right direction as to which tow bars I need for the jet sleds? I would love to tow the cabelas sled behind the Jet sled 1 but its just not as hard as the jet sleds and I do not currently have runners on it, where as the jet sled 1 and Jr both have brand new runners on them. Any ideas what in I need and best place to order?

[Kobey]

I have found them at Dick's.  They are thinner conduit tube though instead of square steel like the older ones.  The way they are made now, it almost doesn't pay to buy one when you can make one a lot cheaper.

[hardwater diehard]

I use a Shappell hitch ...you can buy some eye bolts..spread them out and make extras for other sleds...also add some eye bolts to front and rear to each sled to tow

https://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Shappell-Jet-Sled-Universal-Hitch/productDetail/Ice-Fishing-Sleds-and-Accessories-/prod99990133774/cat101078?ref=google&msclkid=cf64ba5af6b61004414de64884dd3f3c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BNG%20-%20Shopping%20-%20NB%20-%20MISC%20-%20DSK&utm_term=4580359287167425&utm_content=Unassigned

[SHaRPS]

Hardwater DieHard -

Is this the shappell Hitch you use? I noticed that the holes on this hitch almost make it look like you are supposed to bolt it to the "top" lip of the sled. Are you at this point attaching the carabiner to the eye bolt of the sled and that hole on the hitch? No issues of it bending? OR are you also attaching an eyebolt to the hitch ends and attaching that chain to the eyebolt? (hope that makes sense)

https://www.amazon.com/Shappell-JSH-HD-Heavy-Duty-Hitch/dp/B003FBJE2G/ref=asc_df_B003FBJE2G/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142476371&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2591013138685287997&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002212&hvtargid=pla-634574996077&psc=1

[hardwater diehard]

Hardwater DieHard -

Is this the shappell Hitch you use? I noticed that the holes on this hitch almost make it look like you are supposed to bolt it to the "top" lip of the sled. Are you at this point attaching the carabiner to the eye bolt of the sled and that hole on the hitch? No issues of it bending? OR are you also attaching an eyebolt to the hitch ends and attaching that chain to the eyebolt? (hope that makes sense)

https://www.amazon.com/Shappell-JSH-HD-Heavy-Duty-Hitch/dp/B003FBJE2G/ref=asc_df_B003FBJE2G/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142476371&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2591013138685287997&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002212&hvtargid=pla-634574996077&psc=1

I use the hitch in my link ..its light duty but its easy on /off ..I did not mount it to the lip of my Jet Sled but below it ..its great for moderate distances over semi even terrain.. I attach the hitch to my ATV then to the Jet sled or my Frabill two man or my HT Polar one man ..each one of my shelter/sled has an eye bolt front and rear in the middle ...I then can train another sled behind that via the carabiner/chain . Once again not too fast across my lake/access but gets a lot of gear out .

[hardwater diehard]

Another nice tow bar if  looking for a long haul ...also a neat idea for pulling around

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/frabill-universal-tow-bar

[FISHFORPIKE]

Hardwater DieHard -

Is this the shappell Hitch you use? I noticed that the holes on this hitch almost make it look like you are supposed to bolt it to the "top" lip of the sled. Are you at this point attaching the carabiner to the eye bolt of the sled and that hole on the hitch? No issues of it bending? OR are you also attaching an eyebolt to the hitch ends and attaching that chain to the eyebolt? (hope that makes sense)

https://www.amazon.com/Shappell-JSH-HD-Heavy-Duty-Hitch/dp/B003FBJE2G/ref=asc_df_B003FBJE2G/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142476371&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2591013138685287997&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002212&hvtargid=pla-634574996077&psc=1

I use that hitch on a JetSled.  I bought 2  3/8" eyebolts, large washers and nuts.  Open the eyebolt enough that you can slip the ends of the towbar holes onto them.  Mount the eyebolts on the upper 1/3 of the sled front with a nut and washer on the outside.  I put a thin 2X3X24" piece of plywood on the inside of the tub, for backing.  With the eyebolts mounted and the open ends up, you can install and remove the towbar - no tools.

[SHaRPS]

Hardwater Diehard,

Sorry i missed the link on your original post. I just took a look at that Frabill universal tow bar and really like it. heavy duty and it looks like it will work just fine on my jet sled 1 as well as a secondary from the jet sled 1 to the jet sled jr. I can get 2 for $100 so thats not too bad. Thanks again!

[FG Steve]

I really like the Shappell HD hitches

http://shappell.com/jshhd.html



I use them to tow Jet Sled XLs behind snomobiles, and I am adapting my custom ice fishing sled to use one as well.

I purchased them all at Dick's online using 20% off and free shipping = about $40.

[SHaRPS]

FG Steve,

How did you use this tow bar and attach it to your sleds? From the picture, it looks like its meant to attach to the top lip of the sled. Is this how you did it or did you do something like mentioned above? I like the idea of some sort of quick connect. Any details you could provide (or pictures ) would be very helpful so I can order 2 of these asap and work on the sled mods.

[FG Steve]

FG Steve,

How did you use this tow bar and attach it to your sleds? From the picture, it looks like its meant to attach to the top lip of the sled. Is this how you did it or did you do something like mentioned above? I like the idea of some sort of quick connect. Any details you could provide (or pictures ) would be very helpful so I can order 2 of these asap and work on the sled mods.

I attached to the front of the sled (I think using the rope holes?), using the provided hardware and following the instructions printed on the box.  Yes it is something like the description from fishforpike but the hardware is ready to go and the support inside the tub is a flat metal bar.  As long as I can keep my brain engaged to remember, I will get you some pics when I get home tonight.

The "quick connect" idea had me skeptical at first but it works great.  EZ on, EZ off, no tools.

[SHaRPS]

I attached to the front of the sled (I think using the rope holes?), using the provided hardware and following the instructions printed on the box.  Yes it is something like the description from fishforpike but the hardware is ready to go and the support inside the tub is a flat metal bar.  As long as I can keep my brain engaged to remember, I will get you some pics when I get home tonight.

The "quick connect" idea had me skeptical at first but it works great.  EZ on, EZ off, no tools.

Thank you for the follow up!

If you are able to provide pictures tonight and i like what i see, I will order 2 of these tomorrow. I will also try to rig up a quick connect system since 90% of my ice fishing is pulling a sled by rope.

Thanks for helping out everyone.

[FG Steve]

If you are able to provide pictures tonight and i like what i see, I will order 2 of these tomorrow. I will also try to rig up a quick connect system since 90% of my ice fishing is pulling a sled by rope.

OK after three tries here are some pics.  I got my reply built a couple times and lost it clicking around and previewing before submission.  Finally composed it in another window and pasted it into the reply window.  Whew!

We got lucky and my brain stayed engaged long enough to remember to take pics.  Here they are.  All are 800 px wide but shown at 400 px.  I.e., click any to enlarge it.

For towing by hand, I plan to build or have built a handle or tee bar that pins in to the front of the hitch.  I have had a big tee bar on my custom sled and really like something solid when going downhill.

Basic hitch construction:

   

   

Attaching it to the sled:

         

And a closer look at the hardware installation and how it looks hitched up.  I forgot that the instructions put the flat bar in front and just a washer behind:

      

I hope this helps you with your decision.

[Alex Delarge]

I like the otter sled tow hitch.

[hardwater diehard]

 FG Steve...Thanks for the pictures . How far apart can the hitch spread... distance from narrowest to widest ?

[FISHFORPIKE]

Those towbars go from 0 to a 180°.

[SHaRPS]

FG Steve,

Thank you so much for taking the time to produce these photos. This is perfect because its the hardware set to the sled that is not shown when buying the HD tow bar. You have me sold on this HD tow bar now especially since its on sale!

Check it out.... I just pulled the trigger on 2 of these. (And a Striker Bib for my old man for xmas.)

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/shappell-universal-heavy-duty-hitch

[SHaRPS]

last question -

Anyone use either of these and can you advise on the performance? My first sled is a jet sled 1 so it will be going onto the back end of this sled to pull a jet sled jr. I just want a strong receiver to pull a heavy jet sled jr (wood for fire, flashers and bait, etc) Right now i am leaning towards the Clam as it looks like its a bit stronger with 4 screws vs 2.

Clam sled hitch receiver
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/clam-sled-hitch-receiver

and the Otter outdoor universal
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/otter-outdoors-universal-rear-sled-receiver

[FG Steve]

Thank you so much for taking the time to produce these photos. This is perfect because its the hardware set to the sled that is not shown when buying the HD tow bar. You have me sold on this HD tow bar now especially since its on sale!

Check it out.... I just pulled the trigger on 2 of these. (And a Striker Bib for my old man for xmas.)

Great! I hope that they work out as well for you as they have for me.

FG Steve...Thanks for the pictures . How far apart can the hitch spread... distance from narrowest to widest ?

Those towbars go from 0 to a 180°.

They fold up to where the tips are touching (nice for storage).  At that point, the holes are about 1 1/8" apart, center-to-center.

They actually will extend past 180° but of course when you get out close to straight I don't think they would be very usable because there would be too much pull to the inside.

At 90° the holes are about 51 1/2" apart, center-to-center.

I suppose they are designed to pull all the jet sleds up to the magnum, which is 45" wide and would probably have hardware about 40" apart.

[kasilofchrisn]

I have the same setup that fgSteve has.
Mine are on the jet sled (?) Kodiak.
While I like them the easy on off feature can be problematic. Case in point we were towing to the lake which is about three and a half miles and we had to go down a fairly steep Hill.
With two snowmobiles each one towing a sled.
I was in the lead and while I was going down the hill was passed by a jet sled zipping by me at a high rate of speed.
Apparently the sled my ex was towing hit a bump and the hitch came disconnected on the sled end and the sled passed me up.
Fortunately it went into a soft snowbank and didn't get damaged.
I've since replaced the eye bolts it came with that were open ended on top and put solid eye bolts and have connected them with quick links.
I'm thinking I need to modify this system as well though or come up with something different because now it has a double pivot point and in certain situations such as on really hard pack trail or glare ice can get a little squirrely at speed.
I do have the runner kits on the bottom of each sled which really does help in tracking in the snow.
I also like to add a a good stiff spring in my hitches. Particularly if I'm towing a heavy load such as a full load of firewood or something like that. It just helps as a shock absorber to take some of the stress off of the hitch where it connects to the sled.
We were back in the mountains once about 10 miles and had a hitch come apart because a bolt pulled through on the snowmobile end of a husky hauler sled on really rough trail.
A little redneck ingenuity with some rope and we made it back fine but after that I decided a spring was probably a good idea.

[FG Steve]

Wow!  My towing is pretty much from the truck to the ice and back, with the steepest terrain being a boat ramp.  Certainly no rough trails.  Never had a disconnect, for sure.  Kasil, do you pull the regular Kodiak or the XL?

[800stealth]

I have the same setup that fgSteve has.
Mine are on the jet sled (?) Kodiak.
While I like them the easy on off feature can be problematic. Case in point we were towing to the lake which is about three and a half miles and we had to go down a fairly steep Hill.
With two snowmobiles each one towing a sled.
I was in the lead and while I was going down the hill was passed by a jet sled zipping by me at a high rate of speed.
Apparently the sled my ex was towing hit a bump and the hitch came disconnected on the sled end and the sled passed me up.
Fortunately it went into a soft snowbank and didn't get damaged.
I've since replaced the eye bolts it came with that were open ended on top and put solid eye bolts and have connected them with quick links.
I'm thinking I need to modify this system as well though or come up with something different because now it has a double pivot point and in certain situations such as on really hard pack trail or glare ice can get a little squirrely at speed.
I do have the runner kits on the bottom of each sled which really does help in tracking in the snow.
I also like to add a a good stiff spring in my hitches. Particularly if I'm towing a heavy load such as a full load of firewood or something like that. It just helps as a shock absorber to take some of the stress off of the hitch where it connects to the sled.
We were back in the mountains once about 10 miles and had a hitch come apart because a bolt pulled through on the snowmobile end of a husky hauler sled on really rough trail.
A little redneck ingenuity with some rope and we made it back fine but after that I decided a spring was probably a good idea.

I found the same problem with the opening of the eye bolts releasing on steep hills... I just put the opening facing down instead of up, you have to lift the sled up in the front to slip the hitch on and off but it wont fall off on the steep hills...
I have it installed on a Bayrunner, I believe the runner is built on a Magnum Jr. sled, I'm easily in the 140-150 pound range while towing...

[SHaRPS]

Wow!  My towing is pretty much from the truck to the ice and back, with the steepest terrain being a boat ramp.  Certainly no rough trails.  Never had a disconnect, for sure.  Kasil, do you pull the regular Kodiak or the XL?

This will be my style as well, no off roading.

I am thinking eyebolts on the sled AND the hitch and then a carabiner connecting both. This should still be stiff enough to prevent the side to side movement when towing yet strong enough and quick enough to disconnect when needed.

Where did you add the spring out of curiosity?