Golf Cart in Truck Bed Towing Camper: How to Haul a Golf Cart
Can’t go anywhere to escape golf. That may be the thinking of many golf widows who hope to see their husbands more often once they go on vacation. However, if the husband is smart, he may figure out how to bring his golf cart along and escape to the golf course whenever possible.
The very first step in this task is to take accurate measurements. An average golf cart’s dimensions are 48 by 96 inches. That means this vehicle will only fit in pickup trucks that have long beds. Short bed pickup trucks won’t work.
To learn more about hauling your golf cart in your pickup truck’s bed while towing a camper, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know about in order to do the job right.
Golf Cart in Truck Bed 101
Will a Golf Cart Fit in a Pickup Truck?
Not always. If your pickup truck has a length of 6 feet 4 inches for the bed, that is only 76 inches of room you can use. A standard golf cart reaches 96 inches which means you will not be able to fit a golf cart in that size of bed.
But that is only the length. The standard width of a truck bed between the wheel wells is 4 feet. That means your golf cart will fit width-wise as its standard size is 48 inches wide.
A full-size pickup truck bed measures 7 feet from the cab to the tailgate so theoretically, you could fit a golf cart in the bed of a full-size pickup truck. You may or may not be able to close the tailgate though. If not then a couple of strong steel cables should hold the tailgate in place so the golf cart doesn't escape while you are on the road.
It is possible to drive with the tailgate down but then that position may interfere with your hitch and cause other problems. It is not a recommended option at all although many people do it.
Does a Golf Cart Fit in a Short Bed Truck?
This is a definitive answer, no it won’t. The compact short bed measures roughly 60 inches of 5 feet long. That is going to be 3 feet short. Then the standard short bed size is only 6 1/2 feet long or roughly 77 inches making the bed 19 inches too short.
Unless you own a very short golf cart, you will have to pull your camper and have another trailer behind it to pull your golf cart. Keep in mind that the above figures vary only by a few inches between manufacturers as one company’s compact short bed reaches 5 feet 8 inches long.
But those extra 8 inches won’t help you in this situation. The other problem you will face when wanting to bring your golf cart along on your vacation is the weight of the cart. You have to see how much total weight your truck can haul before even thinking about putting it in your truck bed.
Light-duty trucks can haul a payload weight between 1500 and 3000 pounds while towing up to 12,000 pounds. Heavy-duty trucks may be able to hold a payload weight of up to 6500 pounds and tow another 20,000.
You need to check all factors and not just the length of the bed to successfully carry your cart. The bed may be long enough, but the weight of the golf cart may exceed the truck’s capacity. Especially when hauling a large trailer behind you.
Golf Cart Rack for Truck Bed
There are different options you can turn to if your truck’s bed is not long enough or you can’t shut your tailgate. However, you may be paying a lot of money for these alternative options.
There is a hydraulic lift option that allows you to lift up the cart once it is on the lift. This keeps the cart off your truck bed but hangs over your hitch so there are no problems with touching or interference.
Their capacity is 1000 pounds and fits most standard-sized golf carts. Or you can go with a track and rail system that fits over your truck’s bed and elevates the golf cart a little higher than the cab of your pickup truck. The specs are unknown at this time.
Then there is what is called the mighty hauler and there is one picture that shows it attached to your pickup truck. it is possible to use this device and tow your camper but there may be difficulties to overcome to do so.
These mighty haulers are supposed to hold a lot of weight, up to 5000 pounds, and may be adaptable to your truck. You would have to contact a dealer or a customizing shop to see what would be the best option for you to use.
Golf Cart Truck Bed Extender
There are these devices available as well. Usually, they are used for ATVs, Snowmobiles, and similar toys. However, the toy you place on top of it must weigh less than 1400 pounds.
However, from the images we saw, this device may interfere with your hitch and your ability to tow a camper or trailer. There is a bed extender that may not interfere with your hitch as long as you have room to maneuver when your tailgate is down.
These bed extenders are much cheaper than other models and you can find them at Amazon. They fit over the tailgate and provide a rail wall to make sure your golf cart stays in place. With a price range under $200, it is worth investigating.
If you can’t tow with the tailgate down, you may have to invest in a hitch extension. Those devices move the hitch further back away from the rear of your truck enabling you to put the tailgate down.
If so, then you have many more options available to you for hauling the golf cart. Including building your own golf cart carrier or having one built for you.
Can You Tow a Golf Cart Behind a Camper?
While this idea would solve many of your problems, some states frown on this train-like caravan. In fact, they have frowned on it so much that they have made it illegal for you to put a trailer onto a trailer.
We cannot speak for all states but Florida has these types of laws. You would have to check with your home state and the state you are traveling through or to find out if they outlaw it or let it be done. There are at present 26 states that allow you to tow two trailers.
However, each state will have its own rules. For example, the length of all vehicles cannot exceed 65 feet. Or you can only have a 5th wheel trailer towing the second trailer. Then you may need a special endorsement from the state like California and Michigan require.
The rules can get complex as each state is worried about the safety of other drivers as well as your own. Then do not expect commercial truck trailer towing rules to apply to RVs, personal trucks, and trailers. In most states, they are two separate entities.
That means that you may not have permission to tow two trailers if you see a big rig towing two trailers.
How do You Haul a Golf Cart While Pulling a Camper?
One option would be to get a camper with a built-in toy hauler. That will solve most of your problems no matter which state you are in. As long as the toy hauler is long and wide enough, you should be good to go.
Or you can modify your truck bed to hold a golf cart elevating the cart so it stands a little taller than your cab’s roof. That can get a bit expensive. Then you could tow the trailer and place your golf cart on your bed and either remove the tailgate or tow with it open.
That situation may not be to your liking either. The final solution would be to see if you could tow two trailers at one time and make your way cautiously to your destination. The available options are limited as you only have so much space to work with.
You could talk to a customizer and see what they say. Their solutions may be more expensive than you would like to pay but it may be your only option that will work well for you.
Golf Cart in Truck Bed Towing Camper
The methods you have for this option are also limited. The biggest issue will be the tailgate. Most trucks have a problem with the tailgate hitting the hitch when the truck is on lower ground than the trailer.
Depending on your hitch, this can create quite a problem. Some people do remove their tailgate which solves the issue but may leave the bed contents at risk. The bed extenders that provide a rail fence, needed a tailgate lowered and attached to work to their fullest potential.
Other options, like placing a rack on top of the bed walls can get fairly expensive and may damage your truck. There is no real great solution to this problem and the answer for you will have to come from you.
How do you want to carry the golf cart involves money and can create towing issues. It is something you have to think through before acting on it. If you own a short bed, then it may be out of the question unless you get a hitch extender and move your trailer back a couple of feet.
Hauling Golf Cart and Camper
This is a tough situation as the hitch makes all the difference. The big question that you need to answer is do you really need your golf cart along with you? If yes, then the above solutions are going to be your only options.
You can’t put the golf cart on top of the roof of your trailer, not so much because of the weight of the golf cart, but that the combination would be too high to make it under the overpasses.
Then, if you live in one of the 24 states that disallow double trailers behind the tow vehicle, you are going to be out of luck. What makes this a difficult problem is that one little thing can go wrong and you have damaged the golf cart, your camper, or your tow vehicle.
While it is possible to haul both, make sure the combined weight is under the total weight your tow vehicle can haul. That is going to be your primary concern before you start adapting your vehicle to hold both the golf cart and the trailer.
How do You Put a Golf Cart in a Truck Bed?
The best way to load your golf cart into the bed of your truck is to load it before you hook up your trailer. Using ramps is the only safe way to do this and you have to make sure the angle of the ramps is not too steep.
Also, those ramps should be able to support approx. 3,000 pounds so they do not bend or get damaged. Then, you have to make sure the ramp can handle off-set wheels. That is if your golf cart has those.
As long as you have those factors met, then it should be no problem loading your golf cart into the bed of your truck.
Once you get the golf cart loaded, securing it will be another issue. if you can’t close the tailgate or you have added the flatbed type rack to the top of your truck’s bed, then you will need strong straps to hold it in place.
Make sure to remove the roof first before you finishing tying down the cart. The roof will fly off on you so it needs to be taken off and tied down beside the cart in the truck’s bed.
Best Ramps to Load Golf Cart in Truck
The brand name does not matter as much as the specs on the ramp. For standard pickups, the 8 foot ramps should be long enough and provide the right amount of slope to easily get the cart up there.
If your truck has an additional 4-inch lift, then you will want 9 1/2 foot ramps, and any higher lift, you need to go to 11-foot ramps. While 100-pound capacity ramps are okay for most golf carts, those ramps holding up to 3000 pounds will be better.
That weight capacity leaves you with little to no risk of failure due to overweight golf carts. Make sure to have tie-downs included with the ramps. These tie-downs secure the ramps in place so that any movement will not drop them at the wrong moment and cause damage to your truck or golf cart.
How to Tie Down a Golf Cart in a Truck Bed
One expert recommended using wheel nets that hook to the truck bed in some manner. These nets hold the wheels in place so that they cannot move very far if they move at all. These nets should be easy to hook up and just read the instructions on the package to make sure you do it right.
Other experts just say to use tie-down straps of good quality. That leaves you with a lot of leeway as well as opening you up to using a strap that may not be as good as you thought. Bungee cords are not going to be strong enough to handle the weight and they may be too elastic to give you a smooth and trouble-free ride.
Steel cables are good if they are the right length. They are strong, will hold the weight, and keep the golf cart from moving. If you can get ratchet tie-downs that would be a good purchase. It takes a little more work but you or your golf cart will be very secure.
Some Final Words
There are always rules and regulations to watch out for. If you can avoid towing an extra trailer then you are better off. However, your truck bed needs to be the right size to hold your golf cart.
If the cart doesn’t fit into your truck bed then you will have to add equipment to extend the bed and even the hitch. Both can be costly if you can’t lower your tailgate.
