newb with a pick up and already a winter question

So I am supposed to keep the weight on the rear axle.
How do you keep sandbags from sliding around in the bed?
Don't want a weight shifting surprise

 

You could try making a T shape on both sides of the raise wheel well using 2x4s, then you throw them in the middle and you could nail down by the tops with you wanted

 

I throw a 40 lbs bag of cat litter in the bed just in front of the rear axle.

Never once had it slide around.

I highly doubt a sand bag will move given it weighs a substantial amount.

 

Cut an old truck inner tube in half, fill with sand, and then close the ends with strapping and a couple of nuts and bolts. You have nice dry sand if you get stuck and the tubes won't go anywhere in your bed.

 

even if the bed has a plastic liner in it?
I'll have to try this out then. Thanks

 

I'm also getting some winter tires. I have the Mich Xice on the Subaru ForesterXT(love that little turbo)and that thing is amazing in the winter.

 

sand bags can be dangerous in the event of a wreck ... at least tie them down! Personally I poured a thin cement slab (used to do the same thing in a larger version for trucks plowing snow) with cutout's for the tiedown holes. This sits behind the axle but because of that it can be lighter weight and still do the same job. Sticks up about 2 inches, padded with foam below to protect the bed and is easy to remove, tie down, load over, etc. With a set of Hankook winter tires and weight this setup gets around like it is tied to the road.

 

Slow down, watch the distance of the vehicle in front of you and forget the bags. Gas mileage is bad enough in the winter with out carrying extra weight.

 

+1 I do the same thing. I have a crate full of straps/cord/extra oil/chains/rope/a few tools and I put that in the back with a shovel and I do fine in 2wd in the winter. With studded winter tires of course.

 

sounds like i will just do the winter tires then.
No studs allowed here

 

worst advice i have ever heard. who cares about 2 mpg when you have horrible traction with a 2wd truck. I think being able to move from a stop and not spin the tires at an intersection is more important then 150 pounds in the back.

really, 150 pounds in the back will do a lot to help out with the traction issue. if you get3 of the 50 pound bags of tube sand from home depot or lowes and put them in an "H" shape squeezed in between your wheel wells they fit in snug and don't move around.

 

I've been doing the basics of winter driving since I got my license in 1980.
Just looking to improve the winter traction and braking a little bit. I have owned many different cars since but this is my first pickup truck.

 

worst advice i have ever heard. who cares about 2 mpg when you have horrible traction with a 2wd truck. I think being able to move from a stop and not spin the tires at an intersection is more important then 150 pounds in the back.

Here in Po- Dunk Nebraska we put down sand and gavel at intersections, and hills to maximize traction, and with a little thinking ahead you can judge whats going on at the intersection, or grade ahead of you and drive accordingly.

For me it not worth building a 2x4 cage to keep the bags from sliding around, storeing the bags and 2x4's when winter is over. The streets are usually plowed and drivable the next if not the same day.

I guess I should of included use sand bags if you have no driving skill.

 

That's a pretty ignorant response... If you really lived in a po-dunk town in the middle of no where, you'd be out driving in the snow long before the plow and sanding trucks came through your area. Pickups have a light rear end and extra weight helps with traction. This has nothing to do with driving skill as any maneuvering or stopping will be done with the front tires which have plenty of weight over them. The extra weight just helps you put some power to the ground to get you moving.

I used to use between 150 - 200# in the front of the bed. I now have a shell and carry a plywood platform built into the bed with some tools so that provides plenty of weight for the winter. Putting weight behind the rear axle unweights the front and can hinder stopping and steering ability. Also, good tires for winter are a must.

 

My bed is Line-X'd so obviously there's more friction, and I can't honestly speak to how a sandbag or bag of cat litter would do on a plastic liner.

But my hunch is that it wouldn't move if it's heavy enough. My bag of litter literally does not budge.

I also have a topper (which adds weight) so I'm not too concerned about a bag of litter coming through my back window - which I highly doubt would happen even without the topper.

 

Tell ice road truckers that driving skill has nothing to do with maneuverability on snow and ice packed roads.

Our streets are plowed in a timely manner, and Omaha has a population of 427K.

I never felt the need for extra weight in any of my vehicles as long as I had good tires, and paided attention to the driving conditions. We had a light snow fall last winter I don't think I engaged 4 wheel drive more that a half a dozen times, no extra weight in my truck.

I guess you just have to know your limitations, and if you feel safer with more weight that's great.

 

I've been driving up and down Colorado's mountain passes for the past 20 years in the most hellacious winter conditions you can imagine, in a variety of vehicles.

I always take it slow, give plenty of space between me and the drivers around me, have good tires, understand winter driving techniques, etc...

I've also added some extra weight to the back of my Tacoma (just in front of the rear axle) because I feel as though it does make the truck more secure feeling. Especially starting from a stop.

 

Read the whole paragraph... What I was saying is the Tacoma is light, putting weight in the bed increases traction. Increased traction is not directly related to driving ability. You can be the best driver in the world but if you don't have traction, you aren't going anywhere. Regardless of driving ability, increased traction will better your situation when it comes to winter driving.

I like the idea of comparing a little Tacoma on a public road to driving a big rig on an ice road. I needed a good laugh today.

 

op has a 2wd, and has no option for 4wd even if needed (seems like you don't even need 4wd because you are such a god at driving in the snow) so he needs all of the traction and help he can get. As pugga said, it's not about skill in any way, it's just common sense. More weight over the axle is more traction and is helpful when driving in the snow no matter how experienced. Wanna drop it now and just leave your little argument to die?