Adding weight for winter?

I put one bag of water softener salt behind each wheel well. It adds enough weight to help keep the rear end where it belongs, stays put and in the spring I put it in my water softener. Can be driven without it but much, much better with it. I also like the fact that I could break open a bag and sprinkle some out for traction should I need it, of course you could do the same with sand. I have a 4x4 and live in rural Wisconsin, we get snow.

 

No snow here in Florida. We get sunburns though ....

 

I’ve never added weight in the bed of either of the trucks I’ve owned, other than snow that accumulated in the bed
I just got used to how it drives in the snow and I drive carefully in the winter.
It’s pretty much the norm to get 2-3ft of snow overnight up here, and the roads don’t really get plowed. In fact we already have snow...

 

Weight in the bed of the truck is meaningless if you don’t have good tires.

A good set of snow tires will trump anything you put in the bed. Extra weight can just create more momentum and make it even more difficult to control in extreme conditions.

 

Stones? I’d hate to get in an accident with a bag full on stones in the bed. Flying projectiles.

I’ve never felt the need to add weight. But I’ve always had good tires like mentioned above.

 

Adding weight is a time honored solution to a light ass end. All the weight in the world won't help if you have crap tires. It's all just simple physics.

 

Keep the wife and kids in the back .... the dog rides upfront.

 

Living in western PA offers plenty of times to need traction. I typically put 3-75# sand bags in the bed between the wheels. With the way roads are plowed and salted these days its rare that slippery stuff lasts all day. Regardless what your driving or tires, ice is everyones nemesis. Just about everyone can get moving but 2/3 of travel is steering and stopping. Two important parts. Ive had 5 mid size pickups including 3 Tacomas. Ive driven a lot on and off-road in the winter for work in pickups and dualies. The stock TRD OffRoad tires on mine may not be the BEST tire, but with some weight and all the electronic stuff I'm thinking that driving and parking on hills I'll be fine.

 

Yeah, but all that weight over the middle of the frame will snap it like a twig

 

https://shurtrax.com/

 

https://www.fleetowner.com/hd-pickup-van/tires-just-wont-do-your-sierra-2500hd-try-tank-treads

This is for a GMC, but still. Won’t need weight in the back if you never lose traction.

 

They’re probably garbage anyway.
Had some ATVs at work that had track kits put on em, they would constantly break and even when they did work you couldn’t drive over 30km/hr.

 

It is common up hereto buy 200-300 pounds of sand/gravel and leave in the bed.

 

A good set of tires and bags of sand . If you get stuck you can rip open a bag and spread it on ice as a last resort before recovery.

Studded designated winter tires are your best bet though.

Good luck. These trucks are light. I drive 3rd shift in New Hampshire where they don't touch the roads until 630am. And an MT. Can be interesting

 

On our trucks, VSC won't let you lol. OP you don't need to add anything. Just shift into 4HI when it's slick.

 

Just drive. Theres no need to add weight in the bed.

 

Snow tires also reduce stopping distance. Weight in the bed can be your enemy in an accident. Here in greater Chicagoland I just put it in 4x4 when needed without the rocks in the bed.

 

I use old kitty litter buckets full of sand and gravel, ratchet strapped down at the very back of the bed. Added bonus that you can use some of it for traction if necessary.

 

Like a bear getting ready for hibernation?