Dog Boxes...Post em!

[stoked]

I'm fixin' to have a nice box built for my rhino later on, but wanted to do aluminum. Is aluminum really that much better? How much more am I looking at-money wise? Just kinda wanted to see some pics of different boxes and the materials ya'll have used. Personally, i'm open for any good ideas that look good. If it holds dogs...does it really matter what the material is made from as long as it will last a decent amount of time!?

Her is a pic of my buddies box for the 4-wheeler.

[Circle C]

My opinion....

aluminum and off-road do not mix well.  Aluminum welds have a tendency to crack/fracture over time, and rivets have a way of loosening. Additionally, to build an aluminum box that is equally as strong as a steel box, you will use considerably more aluminum on the project. So the fact that aluminum is lighter then steel, doesn't really get you much weight reduction, because of the additional aluminum being used to create a sufficiently strong dog box.  Something else to consider, is that aluminum has little to no 'memory", if you brush up against a tree and the aluminum bows a little, you can just about expect it to retain that bow. Do the same with steel, and it should go back to its original shape.

Build a box out of 1"x1"x12 or 14 ga  steel tubing, and you will get years and years of service even in the coastal areas. You will have the strength needed to support yourself and a hog, should you decide to load a hog on top of the box.

When I bought my UTV I had every intention of building a dog box, one that could hold a few dogs, onboard water, toolbox, and a top seat. Basically a quail rig.   In the meantime, while tying to research and design what I wanted, I built a little rack with two swivel boat seats.  I installed 5 short chains with clips, and I wrapped the chains with rubber tape so they would not be noisy. After just a handful of hunts, I decided that I much prefer the open bed with clips, rather than the box.  Especially when loading hogs in the bed, I just load the hogs, then clip the dogs on top of the hogs.  Here are some pics to show what I am using.

How do you get these hogs out of the woods with a dog box filling the bed?


In this photo you can see the seats, and how they leave plenty of room for dogs and hogs to be toted out.

[matt_aggie04]

Go flat bed, you won't regret it    I have seen it dont on rhino, I built on for my 610 and this winter I will have one on my 4010.  They are too handy one put one on you will wonder what you did before having it.
MG

[uglydog]

Stoked we just got out new 700 this past weekend too but it is Blue. Been too wet to go anywhere to try it out, so Thomas had to get it stuck in my front yard, to the frame. Has less than two hours but already been Muddin'.

Chris can you post some pics of your FRont Dog rack? thats what I am going to have made to fit the Rhino and I need to show my Fab guy what I am talking about. Also Is your bolte or welded to Frame? Bumper? I was thinkink of make it on the front reciever hitch with a clamp to bumper so I can take it off when I need to.

[matt_aggie04]

Kystal I would do just what you are talking about and use that front receiver hitch and maybe a few other contact points to help secure it but you will want to be able to take it on and off for sure.  Chris' bolts on...

Surely there are pictures of the rhino burried floating around somewhere 
MG

[Circle C]

My thoughts on the front rack....

Give much thought to the approach angle that you want to maintain.  They higher it sits, the better you can traverse rough terrain.  You need to consider your headlight placement too. At times, my lights are blocked my the load.  My rack is in front of the Mule, primarily because I use the under hood storage during the hunt. I did not want to have to unload dogs,and unclip pins just to access the front trunk.

 Removal/installation.  Mine has 4 bolts that hold it in place.  In hindsight, I might have been able to use several receiver hitches, so that it can be removed quickly. I did give a lot of thought to my mounting locations, and how strong the welds/ steel were in those areas. You will find that it can be loaded heavy in a heartbeat.   

Here are some pics of the front rack in use, and an idea of the weight it is holding.


Boar hog, 250# on the dot.


3 ~75# whitetail doe shot last weekend, plus 50# of corn in a road feeder  - ~275#













Looking at the pictures I posted, you can see there is a brace going from the bottom front of the rack, angling down to the lower cross member on the mule frame.  This is a vital part of my rack setup. Without it, it would put too much stress on the upper mounting point.

[uglydog]

Thanks CHris, Thats just what I needed.

[lilmisshogdogger]

circle c i kno its a lil off topic but i got to say thats a pretty bad@$$ lookin dog... but i like all these ideas i was thinkin of one myself for when i get my new mule or whatever i get

[uglydog]

Chris & Matt this is what I purchased  also, and you can see the front of the Rhino is a little diferent from the mule
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&item=170334777186&view=all&tid=410384551007

I also got a Pro Mark 3000lb winch with 50ft synthetic rope so Now we have to design a small front dog carrier for my old worn out soup hounds ( specifically for Dodge and Roo and maybe sometimes Nugget) So I am looking at 100lbs of dogs at  time. I was thinking of getting a reciever hitch basket from Cabelas and then modifying that? those are rated at 200lbs what do yall think?

[matt_aggie04]

I would take the plastic off of the bumper and mount someting to these four points and maybe use the receiver hitch for a bottom support like the piece that Chris was talking about earlier.  Another option I would look at is mounting it to the roll cage and let the bottom be supported on these four points and then you can still use the receiver hitch if you need to and it keeps the dogs up a little higher and does not hurt your turning radius.  Rowdy had one like I am talking about and it seemed to work pretty good and kept the dogs above the headlights as well.
MG

[matt_aggie04]

I might make a few changes to this design but not many, I like how it does not really change the length of the unit which allows you to keep it on a smaller trailer.  I can only imagine this about as solid as you could want one to be also.

[uglydog]

Thanks find that picture Matt. Let me throw this out there. I am really wanting this set up closer to the ground, because, My old dogs that rig, I want to make it easy on their joints, they get up and down on there own. Roo is really starting show wear and tear of some age, to the point I only hunt her every now and then, but would be much more likely to take her if she can ride and wind, up and down at her choice.
So that is why I like Chris' rig so much. I figure it would be the best set up for my older dogs and the way I prefer hunting them these days. The younger ones still have a few more years of loading themselves on the back of the bike. What do you think?

[matt_aggie04]

I would like for a front rack to be as low as possible but I get really mad when I can't get to where I am needing to go.  I think a lower rack is going to work great on level hard surfaces but the first time you get that sucker hung up in a corn/rice field with nothing to get a hold of with that winch you are gonna get po'd!  I don't think the rack will have much to do with using the winch but it is just going to get hunt up going through low spots and trying to turn.  Maybe you could make one not quite as high as Rowdy's but not as low as the rack from Cabelas either?  I also worry about you losing trailer space if you put a 2' nose on your Rhinoceros 

[wcg89]

hey Rowdy or Ellis County or whoever has that Rhino front rack now, do either of yall have any more pics of it? I'm thinking about building one for my new one so i will still be able to fit the Rhino and a horse in my horse trailer.

[Rowdy]

no thats all i have but it swiveled on the front bumper and bolted on the roll bars never had a problem with it at all and im going to build another close to the same!!

[Eric]

I don't see the advantage of aluminum over steel. Don't get me wrong they look good and would take a good deal on one in a heart beat, but not worth the extra money to pay some one to build. The main thing with steel is just once a year hit it with a wire brush and a $1 can of spray paint and it will last for ever.

On my old mule the rack I had it was u-bolted at two point on top and one on the bottom to the bumper. The one I had before that on my atv just hung on an angle iron up top the bumper with one u-bolt on bottom. Both worked well.

Definatly need some lights mounted up top on those things. When you get in the thick stuff, especially with those racks... you can't see down into the grass for holes or wash-outs.

[dabutcher]

i have to agree with Matt on this one.  i could see you gettin hung up crossing a creek or other steep embankment with something low protruding from the front of that rhino.  Matt wouldn't you think you could just make 2 sets of mounting points on the same platform so you could change mounting heights to accomodate what dogs you were hunting at the time.  it'd wouldn't cost much extra in material or add much weight.  you could just use bolts to mount it. 

[uglydog]

Any of yall that have the rhinos added lift kits? How about Wheels? I just orderd a set of GreenBall Gators. What do yall use?

Stoked, got any other modifications planned?

[stoked]

Stoked we just got out new 700 this past weekend too but it is Blue. Been too wet to go anywhere to try it out, so Thomas had to get it stuck in my front yard, to the frame. Has less than two hours but already been Muddin'.

Chris can you post some pics of your FRont Dog rack? thats what I am going to have made to fit the Rhino and I need to show my Fab guy what I am talking about. Also Is your bolte or welded to Frame? Bumper? I was thinkink of make it on the front reciever hitch with a clamp to bumper so I can take it off when I need to.

I built a sub-floor for mine that was real easy. just use a 2x4 and some 1/2" plywood. a 2x4 is perfect to get it above the  3 1/4" finderwell.  i have (2) 2x4's running long ways across the bed, about 43" i think and then a couple in the middle between the finders that are about 25 or 27" i think. throw some plywood on top and you have a sub-floor where a dog box will lay flat. something that works well until you have the money to build a box. the big box at wal-mart fits in my bed perfect. you might have to take your (4) tie-down u-shaped things off that are in the four corners of the bed. i have no idea what those things are called. anyway, i'll call my girlfriend and try to get her to take a pic and i'll post it here. i have the box on the floor because i'm painting it. ill post another one later with the box inside.

[Eric]

You would be surprised how steep of stuff you can go up with those racks. IF you are close to touching that rack you are going to be throwing dogs and all kinds of other stuff off. Where you will notice it more than any thing is turning.