Do you put weight in back of your truck?

I run with (4) 60lb bags of tube sand, with a couple scrap boards and rope to anchor them right on top of the rear axle. If you're using any kind of ballast then I heavily recommend securing the load. It's a pretty ugly setup but luckily the tonneau cover hides the mess. I have 4x4 but in my opinion those rear wheels still aren't doing anything if they have no traction.

 

Come to Canada. I will show you what snow and ice is .

 

That doesn't sound like a warm welcome to me.

 

I had a 1st Gen Prerunner with a couple hundred pounds of sand in Colorado. Did fine around town with snow and ice, but on hills, it sucked balls.

I had just completed an internship in Winter Park during the summer and then moved to Golden in the fall. One of the first freezes and snows, i was at work. It was 70 *F when i went in and froozen when i left. Truck wouldn't make it up a hill to the apartment so i parked it at a church.

I walked uphill, through the snow, in shorts and Chacos. 1/4 mile later i walked into the apartment thinking i should amputate my foot due to frost bite. Warming those suckers up felt like pins and needles and ant bites on top of a sun burn.

Sold the Prerunner and got a Subaru, but then moved to Texas. Doh!

 

You only put 2 snow tires on? If so that's a bad idea, better to have 4 AT or highway tires than 2 of each kind, that's asking for a bad accident.

 

I don't see a problem with it people around here do it to the front tires on front wheel drive cars

 

Did you think i was going to be welcoming with a Canadian face wash in the snow?

I'm starting to think with all the snow and ice we've been getting. I'm thinking of changing the idea of weight in the back.

 

If you have 2wd, it is highly beneficial to have some sand bags in the back. if you have 4wd and decent tires, you'll be good to go!

 

Some recent points.

 

With only having a few days above freezing, wasn't enough to melt all the ice. Today it started snowing again and the temps are suppose to be dropping down to the -20's(Celsius) again. So everything is going to be ice with a nice layer of snow on top. I think that winter tires should be mandatory in Canada(I know it is in some places already). In the end though, winter tires aren't going to show you how to drive in the snow and ice.

 

Haha

10C here yesterday

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=34

Just because people do it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Mixing tire types is a bad idea.

 

+1

 

I agree that 4 is ideal...a little better handling and braking. But I've got 30 years experience driving in crap conditions. The rear snows just keep me moving in the event that the white stuff gets really deep. In fact, I don't even put them on unless we get a decent snow.

 

+1^; Have used tubesand on all my Datsun, Rangers and now Tacoma Light Trucks. Put those four bags in November and take 'em out in April up here in the PNW. Just a safe way to go. I frame 'em in over the axle with 2x6 frames (front and back). Works great!

 

I actually put about 75 lbs rock salt bags after i got in a pretty gnarly accident while driving in the mountains. ever since, it felt like my truck had better traction. Also the salt bags serves a dual purpose

 

During a front end collision, your truck will be in a nose down attitude and anything loose in the bed will be catapulted forward, quite possibly through the back window. Enough impact force can blast it on out through the windshield. I've seen it happen.

Tie that chit down to the bed rings, give yourself and loved ones a fighting chance. They will thank you.

 

Better stop using the bed I guess ha.

 

Great advice 06!

 

I've been driving 4 wheel drive trucks in Michigan for over 40 years.
Never had the need for weight in the back. Bought my first Tacoma about a year ago, and it gets around great without.