Maine

Would you just be along for the day Sat?

 

Hadn’t thought about it. Not set up for winter camping. Although I have a sleeping bag I could use out in the snow. I need to figure out what the current family plans are first.

 

Ok let me know when you do. Ill let the guy 'organizing' it know out of courtesy. Also my plans are still weather dependent. If it sounds like they are supposed to get dumped on up there I may just do the day trip. Tho I really want to make it an overnighter

 

Saturday night forecast, FYI.

 

We got about 6 last night.
Changed plans and did everything last night.
Good thing solid block of ice this am.
Lot guys having issues now cause all cars are frozen in the ice and plows can't scrape lol

 

Yep, I finished at midnight last night because I did not want to put up with the frozen snow and 20-30 mph winds and negative wind chill numbers.

 

Not happening for me

 

Sounds good. Catch ya on the next one. We should do a day trip like a Stud Mill Rd later in season, toward spring time

 

Absolutely

 

Not sure if anybody is planning any home improvement projects or not, but The Board Barn in Cumberland is closing down and they are running some good closeout sales on their lumber. I just stopped in by coincidence and got a bunch of 6' tongue-and-groove pine for $1.92/board for 1x6 & $2.55/per for 1x8 on top of the D4S 1x8x8's I'd gone in for. Glad I didn't wait until March like I'd originally planned to because their last day is February 13th

 

Thanks. My daughter is a newer home owner of an older house in Cumberland. I let her know in case she has any plans for renovations.

 

Spotted a GFC on a 3rd gen in Rockport yesterday!

 

I put snow tires on the Tacoma this year (goodyear winter command). I've not been super impressed. I've used snow tires on previous cars and they always were transformed into rock solid snow vehicles even though they were 2wd.

Tacoma feels too light on the back end, particularly when I hit loose snow or slush, tends to feel like its hydroplaning. I hit a big culvert frost heave going about 35 and lost traction when my rear end came back down from orbit.

Do I need to add weight to keep the back planted? Pretty unnerving to have such vague steering and stability in snow. Traction also not helped in 2wd on inclined. I always need to engage 4wd after I stop at the bottom of my driveway to get mail while my previous cars could make it.

I feel like 200-300 pounds over the rear axle might make this a much better snow truck. Or maybe these Goodyear tires are just bad snow tires? I've previously used Firestone. I don't feel super safe going over 35 in this vehicle when there is loose snow on the ground. Previously vehicles with Firestones never felt like I was up against the edge of traction.

 

I've got arctic claw studded tires on the rear of my 2wd and regular unstudded arctic claws on the front. I can typically get wherever I need to go with a running start, and the rear end getting light in snow doesn't bother me too much.

I totally agree with the rear end going to low earth orbit on bumps... I've got a toolbox in the bed of mine with two 80lb sandbags and a junk manual transmission to help get more traction. I'd highly recommend the extra weight to help with the rear end being light.

 

Shovel a bedful of snow into the back and take her for a spin. Sandbags are a better choice for weight, but if you crash they turn into weapons

 

Also great for if you get stuck, just open one of the sandbags and dump it under the wheels. Haven't had to do it yet... the snow may help, but it's not as dense and heavy as a sandbag is typically.

 

Yeah, but if you ditch it you don't have to worry about it coming through the back window and killing you either.

 

I'm considering a Cap this summer which would add weight for next winter, but I am not sold on that quite yet.

 

Six of one, half dozen of the other. Gives you more weight and a dry(er) place to store things, but cuts down on your visibility out the back, especially during bad weather.

 

Yes the ass end of these trucks are supper light and just a little weight helps a lot. I used to put 3 stones left over from my retaining wall in mine and it was great. I’d guess about 150 was the total weight of the 3 stones. Now that I have a HC bumper it’s heavy enough on its own.