Best way for traction with a load

Last weekend, I filled my M101 army trailer with some firewood. Guessing about 1500-2000 pounds of wood, plus 1200-1500lb trailer. The truck towed it fine UNTIL I got to the place where I store my firewood. The drive way is about a 50ft long, steep and newly graveled. Even without a load I have to engage 4H because I just spin in the gravel. Well, when I tried to drive up it towing 3000 lb's 1) I bogged down and stalled in 2wd 2) I just spun and sank in 4H 3) I spun and sank in 4L crawling, BUT when I got a little running start in 4L in SECOND gear is was a rough semi-violent fun run. I did make it up, but tires where spinning, rocks/gravel were getting tossed around, there all kinds of noises (I dont know if it was seat belt chime or not), beeping, spinning, gravel hitting the truck, gravel hitting the trailer etc. It happened pretty quick.

The question is, at what point do you damage your drivetrain in 4L? Top speed, RPM's? Etc?

Though I haven't researched it much, but, I remember reading something about a yellow wire mod (I have a '09 Sport)?

Any other suggestions? Will the gravel settle in so I won't sink?

 

As far as damaging the truck, that is what the speed and rev limiters are for. You can bounce off the rev limiter and not exactly hurt the motor, although it isn't exactly good for the motor in the long run.

As for traction, I don't know what to tell you besides adding lockers, which isn't exactly cost effective. The yellow-wire mod (If I recall correctly) should let the traction control act like having lockers so it is worth a shot and should help some.

Is it possible to put a bunch of wood in the bed to add some weight to the truck to give it a little more traction? Not sure just how effect that will be, but I can't think of anything else to try.

 

It sounds like you need to pave your driveway. I would suggest concrete. Since it is only 50 Ft long the cost would not be that much. A few years ago I had an 78' by 17' wide 4 inch thick slab poured for my mobile home, no rebar, and it was about 3500 dollars with labor.

If the concrete is 90 dollars a yard and you have a 50 ft long drive way and make it 10 ft wide with a 6 inches thick which is 9.26 yards the cost would be around 833.40 dollars plus reinforcement wire and the footer boards. You should use reinforcement wire since you drive heavy loads on it. If you hire it out the cost should be around 2.5 to 3 times the 833 dollar amount.
So for about a thousand dollars you could do it yourself. If you do not know how to work concrete I am sure there are many videos on youtube to learn from. Also you will need to specify the right texture of concrete for load purposes. If you do this be sure you add cross seams like at the boat ramp and make it a rough surface so the tires can get a good grip since you have a steep driveway. One last thing. Since it is a steep hill it will be a little more involved. A concrete with not so much water in it would be needed and poured from the bottom up.

 

That kind of weight gravel drive ever thought about a tractor? you barely can make it up empty what ever made you think you could with a ton and a half?

 

You just need better tires. Don't worry about breaking anything doing that sort of thing. The beeping noise was the nanny software. It cuts the throttle and applies the brakes to the tires that don't have traction. The problem is if all four don't have traction it doesn't work for shit. If I don't break anything doing stuff like this, yours will last a million miles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8spsWLvlhc&feature=share&list=PL5ADB3D1D0920AC25

 

Brady - thanks, you just confirmed what I was thinking.

Save - thats out of the question for now. The place where I store my firewood is 5 acre plot of land that I plan on building a retirement a-frame/cottage/chalet in about 20 years. Right now I have a little campsite on the property and of course, firewood. One option would be, in the spring renting an excavator and digging the drivway out. That would make it more gradual of an incline.

maine - "That kind of weight gravel drive ever thought about a tractor?" What ever made you think that sentence made sense?
"you barely can make it up empty what ever made you think you could with a ton and a half?" - I believe what made me think I could with a ton and a half of weight is,,, Why not?

User - once again, more good information I was looking for.

Thanks for the constructive input!

 

I put up a LOT of fire wood, steep dirt roads (I live in the mountains) no way would I waste my time and damage to the roads hulling that much weight on loose grave with my Taco but I would with my tractor. There is a tool for each job some are better then others. I don't deliver fire wood with a tractor I use a truck. You are the one that said the truck alone slipped going up frankly you would be better off just filling the truck with wood and leaving the trailer at the bottom.

 

thats going to be the next plan of attack. thanks, a tractor wouldn't be a bad idea except not really in the funds right now. though, an old 8n would be nice.