Sandbags in Your 4x4 Longbed?

Last season was my first season with my ARE shell and that along with the plywood platform I built and tools, good to know, no additional weight needed. If I do any traveling off the beaten path I usually throw a 5 gal bucket of sand in the bed just in case.

Other things, I always have a blanket, gloves, hat, winter boots and a jacket in the truck for the winter. You never know when you're gonna have to start walking.

 

I keep sand bags in my truck all winter, but I've never done that with my 4x4 F-150. It definitely wouldn't hurt to add 3-4 bags of sand.

 

I love to argue, so I want to partake in this one.... I think you could make it through a 5 foot drift At least I'm pretty sure I could. Drifts are soft, easy to push through. I went playin around behind my house one day, went through a school parking lot, got to the leeward side and almost shit my pants. The snow was up to the hood. Mashed the gas, jumped a huge curb because I couldn't see it, and kept going. Scared me at first but the truck did REALLY well going through it. I think I pushed through about 100 feet of drift. Granted, that wasn't quite 5 feet, more like 4, but I think the right driver and the properly equipped truck could do it. I'm running KM2's OHHHH and no weight in the back

 

I might add, even with the stock dunflops, Tacomas are pretty capable. My wife took the truck to work one night, drove home in a blizzard with over 18 inches already on the ground in some places when the truck was still stock and had absolutely no issues. Have confidence in your vehicle, don't be afraid to hit the gas when you hit the heavy snow to make it through, spinning is not a bad thing, it just means you're moving the snow from the front of the tire to the rear, a little slower.

 

No issues with the km2's and snow ?

I've heard mixed reviews

 

I don't have any videos of the huge drift I went through, didn't have my gopro yet.... but here's a video that I post a few too many times on this forum. 24inches or so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKQqnIGthuU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

285's ?

 

X100000

I live in snowland, why the HELL would you unnecessarily add weight to your truck????

 

Yeah

 

We've already gone through this. It's about a 50/50 split

 

Thanks

Cool vid

 

because it plants the rear

 

Good to know, I'm a little nervous going into my first winter with a 2wd Tacoma, my last one was a DCLB 4x4. hopefully I'll be alright with a little weight and a light foot!

 

my truck was a little more squirrely in the snow last year than i wanted it to be. i threw some cinder blocks in the bed to add some weight over those tires it and drove in 4H without it locked in the back, cause that can be just as worse as 2wd i learned (almost the hard way) kept the blocks in till it all melted. could really tell it made a difference.

 

Adding 150-200 lbs of weight helps the rear tires maintain traction, and it's not enough weight to affect your stopping distance. We're not talking about adding 1,000 lbs here...

 

Ice shanty, case of beer. Good enough.

Mike

 

I don't agree: 4x4 helps but doesn't eliminate the problem. If you go into a corner too fast on packed snow and the rear end breaks loose it will still go ass-first on ya really quick. True that to much could make it worse but a couple hundred lbs right over or just in front of the rear axle (NEVER behind it!) gives ya margin before that happens. But always drive sanely!

I know it made a noticeable diff for me when I put some in last winter and I'll be doing the same this one too.

If ya do nothing else, just put the spare in the bed, strapping it down in front of the axle. Just moving that 80lbs from behind the axle is an amazing improvement!

What I DO wonder about though: how much does a traction control system help? My guess is it will protect you from spin-out but adding weight means you can negotiate the turn a little bit faster before the TCS kicks in and starts braking wheels.

 

No myth: the anti-freeze used in engine radiators used to be alcohol. But as soon as glycol came available they dropped that craziness.

Why put flammables in your radiator... or wiper fluid bottles? Have you ever seen an alcohol fire? well, that's the problem: you can't see it! the flame's almost invisible. Also, alcohol in constant contact with plastics and rubbers not specifically designed for it will leach out plasticizers leading to early failure.

Some windshield fluids contains alcohol, but it's mixed with other stuff to keep from drying out rubbers and protect against fire. IMO, that is bad, bad, bad advice they are giving.

 

I use 5-80lb. bags of gravel. in my SB

 

americans are pussies when it comes to snow