Bed Weighting for Winter Traction

Or a loose nut behind the wheel!

 

I personally think that knowing how to properly drive in the snow makes more of a difference than what you drive. Last winter during the one big dump of snow that Vancouver gets each year I rather easily passed about a dozen cars spinning their tires trying to get up a steep, icy hill. I wasn't driving anything special, just a '99 Neon with summer tires. The only thing I had that they didn't was my knowledge of winter driving that I got growing up in Alberta (My Dad actually made me take my driving lessons in the winter, theorizing that I could then handle summer driving with no problem). I just wish I could have seen their faces as I slowly but surly crawled by them while they were sitting there with the pedal to the floor trying to move.

That said, if a person does know how to drive in the winter, then the snow tires/extra weight/4x4's will certainly make it that much nicer and safer.

 

okay say i dont have a 4x4. i just have a 4x2. could i just shift into 3rd or second on the I4 to slow down my engine rpms? plus i would have some weight in the back as well.

 

Your about a 1 1/2 hour drive from me so we have similar winters. I think all you need is two to three 50 lb. bags of Play Sand from Lowe's thrown in the bed by the fender wheels. This is all I have ever had in the bed and it has worked well.

 

Bad idea ..slow the rear tires too fast and ..........Around you go...spin out. We used to do that when we were kids, hit the jake brake and around she goes in the parking lot, road, whereever with a couple inches of snow on the ground.

 

I think this is what beastlytaco was asking for:

You can start out in 2nd to prevent too much torque on manuals, or use 2nd/3rd on an automatic from a standstill to utilize engine braking and prevent the vehicle from shifting to too high of a gear. I don't think the engine would brake you fast enough to cause problems...


but yeah, wiscdave is still right, too

 

thanks. i dont know what the farmers almanac is calling for this winter, but ill know what to do. thanks guys

 

I thought automatics would start in 1st regardless of what gear you have selected as the selection lever only limits the HIGHEST gear it will shift to. (So putting it in 3rd would keep if from going to 4th and 5th, but still use 1st and 2nd.)

 

I really gotta quit posting during work - I keep posting unclearly. It's fixed now

 

I use bodies......as they dry out and lose their fluids the weight changes, so I just dump them and pick up a few freshies.

Actually, sand.....last year I had 6 - 60lbs bags in the rear. I secure them with a tie down and they work great, not to mention a cheap solution.
With all the skiing I do, I need the extra weight, as the truck is just too light without any weight in the rear when driving on the wet sloppy snow. I also had to get my tires sipped as they were horrible on ice when I first got them.

And as others have mentioned.....s l o w down, that is the key.

 

yeah. i figured id take the advice of someone on here and go to an empty parking lot and see how my truck responds and handles in a icy situation this winter.

 

Watch out for light standards, they'll get you every time.

 

I think I'm gonna listen to this guy because

1. His avatar
2. His first comment made me laugh
3. He is a skier
4. Sound advice as well

 

I agree with Wiscdave. Beside, do you want to get in a front end collision with 600 lbs of concrete hitting you in the back of the head????