Sleddeck or Trailer????

[Skyd Ram]

If you can afford both, a sled deck and a shorter trailer are a good combo. I used to have a longer 3 place enclosed and parking/mileage sucked especially when I was going alone with one sled in a 26' trailer. I now have a TruckBoss and a 16 footer. I am going by myself or just my wife I toss the sleds up on the deck. If we have more sleds going we grab the trailer so we can take up to 4 sleds yet parking isn't quite as bad. My truck is a shortbed so I don't put the longer sleds up on the deck when using the trailer since my trailer has a really short tongue. The 121's go up on the deck and the 136"+ sleds go in the trailer.

My truck has a 6" lift and 37's but I also run airbags for stability and to avoid squat. My truck has softer replacement leafs so the air bags were a must.

As far as mileage goes, my deleted 2010 6.7 Cummins gets 16-17 highway empty as long as I am watching my speed. With a sled or 2 on the deck that drops to 14 using the same driving habits. With the loaded trailer I get between 10-11 depending on wind. I haven't checked the mileage with sleds on the deck and the trailer at the same time yet. Those numbers may seem a bit high but things are pretty flat here in the midwest.


No airbags in this pic:

 

[Burr]

I have both and like them both depending on the day. Get what you can aford now at get the other later.

 

[thspepper@gmail.com]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the comments. Especially the pics nice truck and trailer. What's the spec's on that trailer.

I'm thinking I'll buy a deck now(A riding buddy has a older 4 place inclose). Then this fall get a 3 place inclose. Feel free to send more pic of trucks w/decks. Thanks guys.

 

[bebaldus]

WOW AC.... nice set up. I would post pics of mine but one would laugh after such a nice looking combo. I am with the guys on the milege...i have seen and heard it all but seems whenever i step into a pickup lift it big tires deletes ect it never seems to get the milege everyone claims............if your gonna play your gonna pay. Who cares what milege ya get. If you want to factor that in sell your sled/truck buy a yamaha phaser and a toyota 4 cyl pickup. As for me I have an 08 dodge 35's 4 in lift, no air bags everything deleted. If I put it in nuetral coasting down hill with my 27' eclosed i can get 32 mpg. But for the most part I am around 14. I had a cheep tilt and an enclosed for a few years and enjoyed them. I have rode with the sled decks and loaded unloaded on 6" lifted 38's. Just sold the tilt and am going to get a deck..... just as soon as i can figure out how to write off a sled deck on a cabinet buisness. The enclosed i use for everything,(sleds, camping, big boars, cabinets hauling moving, four wheeling, storeing ect. seems all my buddies like to use it for everything also......For sure i would have an enclosed 1st. just my personal opinion.

 

[Bkinz]

Is your pickup bigger than your trailer!?

 

[Blk88GT]

I'd like to go to a deck from my 3 place open trailer for the fuel savings. I think it would pay for itself in the long run.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Trailer. Keeps all of your gear out of the cab, keeps it dry. Warm place to change or fix something that can be done in the field. Store spare fuel. And deters thieves. You can bolt a tool box in the trailer. You have no idea how many peeps know I have tools and ask to borrow 1 or 2.

But, then again I don't like decks or open trailers.

 

[SledGuru]

Good lord. I dont usually do this but I just have to call bs on 17mpg with 2 sleds on a deck. Maybe if you were going 50, and had a 70mph tail wind. Just curious what pickup your talkin about though. Ive had a deck for 9 years and been with my buddies who have them and about the best we ever get is 12mpg in anything, including diesels.

I have a 6.7 dodge with extras and 35" tires run a deck and I can get 16-18 with it loaded doing the speed limit all the way up the mnt and it doesn't drop below 11 with my freinds 28 ft enclosed , on a second note I like the deck its quick it puts wieght on your truck in slick conditions don't have to worry about tires or tags on trailer, mine never get dirty from road grim, and on those long trips there is usually a friend that has a enclosed I think personally it boils down to money

 

[winter4ever]

I have a 6.7 dodge with extras and 35" tires run a deck and I can get 16-18 with it loaded doing the speed limit all the way up the mnt and it doesn't drop below 11 with my freinds 28 ft enclosed , on a second note I like the deck its quick it puts wieght on your truck in slick conditions don't have to worry about tires or tags on trailer, mine never get dirty from road grim, and on those long trips there is usually a friend that has a enclosed I think personally it boils down to money

huh, i guess my truck is junk then. I guess it was just hard for me to believe cuz my father in laws 2010 1 ton duramax never got 17mpg empty on the highway! only got 10 with it loaded, so he went back to a gas. Anyways, got a little off topic. The biggest gripe i have with my deck is having to unload sleds when we get home so I can use my pickup the next day, With a trailer you can just unhook and your set. Also kinda a pain to load and unload the deck its self, I have some straps hanging in our barn I just back in and hook straps then lift her up and it just hangs there... otherwise lifting it off the ground sucks.

 

[Skyd Ram]

huh, i guess my truck is junk then. I guess it was just hard for me to believe cuz my father in laws 2010 1 ton duramax never got 17mpg empty on the highway! only got 10 with it loaded, so he went back to a gas. Anyways, got a little off topic. The biggest gripe i have with my deck is having to unload sleds when we get home so I can use my pickup the next day, With a trailer you can just unhook and your set. Also kinda a pain to load and unload the deck its self, I have some straps hanging in our barn I just back in and hook straps then lift her up and it just hangs there... otherwise lifting it off the ground sucks.

My Truck Boss has telescoping sides so you just slide them in when not sleds are on there. Alot of guys leave them on year round for hauling quads,utvs,etc......

 

[M8Chris]

Might be buying an enclosed this winter. I love my deck though. Now it comes down to if I really need the enclosed. It would be nice not to have to unload after every ride. And I could keep the sleds in the trailer instead of the storage unit.

 

[rteller]

come on guys use your head enclosed is top notch all your gear your sleds and not having to load and unload. now if you're looking to save money and if you're 1 of those guys thinks there's better than everybody else's you should probably go with sled deck for show and tell and to help your ego!!! if it is purely a $$ situation open place and cover is probably the best choice.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

for those of us who keep our sleds in the garage to work on etc between rides, the deck is awesome, nice to be able to rip around town and not feel like a semi. and on a fullsize truck, the mirrors are wider then the deck already, so full width all the time isnt an issue.

for colder weather i do LOVE the enclosed as its nice to get dressed inside, spring is when i love the deck 10x over a trailer, going up roads and turning around like normal rocks.

 

[Blk88GT]

Since everyone dogpiled Bugito about this mileage claims, I figured I'd post some actual data of my trip to Island Park last spring after purchasing a deck. These are hand calculated numbers. I drove ~72mph for the duration of the trip unless the speed limit kept me going slower.

MPG - Details
11.91 Pembina to Fargo, heavy wind
14.64 Fargo to Bismarck
15.03 Bismarck to Miles City
15.24 Miles City to Bozeman
17.69 Bozeman to IP and back to Bozeman
16.47 Bozeman to Miles City
16.55 Miles City to Bismarck
16.12 Bismarck to Grand Forks
16.39 Grand Forks to Pembina

AVG: 15.56mpg

On the same trip with a 3 place open deck with fold up front ramps, I came in 3mpg (avg) less. Both trips I did the same speed and hauled a single sled.

 

[Twostroke]

Sled deck here. My trucks sole duty nov-july is snowmobiling, I have two other vechicles for around town, etc..

Trailers are a pain, parking, limited passing abilities when your stuck behind Joey on the way to the hill, storing them, looking at them all summer, etc.. If I had to drive my truck as a daily driver it might not be as convient. Unless we have sled work to do, we just cover them and leave them on the deck between ride days.

 

[10003514]

I got a sled deck and a 26 foot enclosed, areas I ride are really close anywhere between an hour to 4 hours drive. If its just 2 guys going sled deck all the way. I find the trailer a pain specially on some of the bad roads.

 

[Mafesto]

Fueling

How do you fakkers with deck gas up your sleds?
Do you wear jet packs?
Do you have a helicopter come in & help?
Do you carry a step ladder?
Do you levitate?
Pogostick?

Just wondering, that's all.

 

[SpencerA]

I love having a enclosed. I wouldn't go any other way. Love being able to just hook up and go. We don't ride areas where parking is a issue though. If it was then I might consider a sled deck.

 

[347strokin]

Since everyone dogpiled Bugito about this mileage claims, I figured I'd post some actual data of my trip to Island Park last spring after purchasing a deck. These are hand calculated numbers. I drove ~72mph for the duration of the trip unless the speed limit kept me going slower.

MPG - Details
11.91 Pembina to Fargo, heavy wind
14.64 Fargo to Bismarck
15.03 Bismarck to Miles City
15.24 Miles City to Bozeman
17.69 Bozeman to IP and back to Bozeman
16.47 Bozeman to Miles City
16.55 Miles City to Bismarck
16.12 Bismarck to Grand Forks
16.39 Grand Forks to Pembina

AVG: 15.56mpg

On the same trip with a 3 place open deck with fold up front ramps, I came in 3mpg (avg) less. Both trips I did the same speed and hauled a single sled.

What year and make and mods on your truck?

 

[Blk88GT]

Mafesto, I climb up on the deck and fuel the sled. Getting down is the hard part. I'm a short guy too, you have no excuse

06 GMC LBZ CCSB. 5" exhaust, EGR blocker, rail shim, TransgoJr, Cognito leveling kit with 295/65/18 Duratracs and a custom EFI Live tune.