Do you put weight in back of your truck?

I put 400 pounds of sand bags in the back and you can really tell the difference.

 

I do, and I have 4x4.

 

x2 when we get snow

 

I always put weight in the bed in late December when it gets pretty slick around here.

 

Every year I go to Lowes and get 5 - 40 lbs bags of top soil for less then $7. Works great and in the Spring I can spread it on the yard.

I started doing this after one time my back end caught up with my front end while making a right hand turn.

 

Personally, I have an F350 so i dont need weight but i am curious to see what you guys think for my wifes truck?

 

you live in alabama, im guessing you guys dont get much snow there

 

Ha hah, they sure do but my Tacoma is not your average pickup. Driver, tires and suspension give my Tacoma performance beyond AWD. While most drivers in their 'pickups' and AWDs are white knuckling it, I'm in full control in a 4-wheel drift passing them. Dont make me laugh about your AWD is so much better, ha hah. There I go again...

 

We got mad snow last winter in the DC area and I felt like I had better control of my truck when I put weight in the back, even with 4x4. These trucks have a very light bed.

 

Yeah no doubt! I used to have an impreza before my tacoma... awd:4wd is like night and day. I would describe awd as "smart" and 4wd as "dumb". It wasn't until I high-centered on 6inches of fresh powder, spun sideways into a curb and did $4k of damage to the front end (and I was only going about 15mph) before I realized the importance of having a higher clearance vehicle. Of course the most important thing is to drive carefully, no matter what vehicle you're in. After that accident, I started keeping 350lbs of sand in the bed of my truck and I switch to snow tires after Thanksgiving... better safe than sorry, it does make a difference!

 

I have 4x4, but also
Supertop = 50 Pounds
Futon Mattress = 35 Pounds
Pitbull = 105 Pounds
Puggle = 30 Pounds
Total = 220 Pounds, 85 Pounds without the doggies

 

x2
I will never run non-studded winter tires again. Definitely like the stopping factor. It took me awhile, but its like my sled, its studded too. Too much ice nowadays due to weather changing patterns. added a couple of tubes of sand too. Truck rides nice & planted in the nasty stuff.

 

i voted no need i have a 4x4 regular cab with 31 inch duratracs. although since my job dictates that i almost all ways carry around on average 250 pounds give or take in the bed.

 

i put a pallet with a few boards punched out to hold three 60 pound bags of tube sand. i put it over the wheel well's. don't want to sag to much or kill mpg's. i also need a counter weight for the plow.

 

How do y'all recommend retaining weight in the back. Lately I've been letting the snow/ice buildup retain my 4 60lb sandbags, but now it has all melted and I need a more foolproof way. Would it be possible to tie them down using the given tie hooks and if so, how would one go about doing that?

Please stick to basic instructions because I am not skilled with my hands, nor do I have a ton of money to work with.

 

Do you have a bed mat ?

 

I used to put weight in the back last year but I really don't see that much of a difference with/without it. I haven't had any problems up here in alaska without the weight.

2010 Access TRD Offroad 4x4

 

I have a load bar run accross the bed close to the bed level behind the wheel wells. I just drape the bags over the load bar and they freeze like that.

 

During snowy conditions, I shovel all the snow right into the bed of the truck. About as convenient as it gets.

 

I recently had my backend swing out and cause some damage to my truck so I am now looking in putting weight over the back wheels I like the bed bar and sand/soil Idea. I will do that as soon as I get my truck back from the shop.

Since I am new I also had a question about 4x4 I know not to use it on dry pavement but specifically what will I damage if I use it when the roads are wet and slippery but not covered in snow?