Preparing for sub-zero driving...

You've got great timing! I'm up in Minnesota, we're gonna get plastered with snow this weekend and nasty -30 windchill weather but it looks to warm up into the mid 20's low 30's next week. They should have all the snow cleared well before you come up. I always throw together a duffel bag with extra boots, wool socks, under-layers and random warm stuff and a headlamp, good gloves too, just in case. Well worth it if something does happen, otherwise it'll be the first and last time you don't lol. Sand isn't a bad idea especially if you aren't used to driving in snow, it'll give you a little more traction and if you do get stuck on slick stuff (usually somewhere stupid like a parking lot that didn't salt and spaces angle down into the curb you can crack a bag open and throw it under the tires for traction.

My pops has a 2002 Tacoma TRD Off-Road and I just bought a 2017, holy crap what a difference in handling in the snow/slick stuff! The '02 around a corner can be like "oh, hey, im looking at the side of the bed" really swings the back around and real light. I haven't even had to put sandbags in the back of the '17, super stable and feels good and squared up in its stance, loving it.

Hope you have a great trip to Madison!

 

From Wisconsin too. Honesty they do pretty well keeping the roads in good shape and many people drive little cars around and do just fine. All advice here is pretty good. You will also most certainly have to put air in your tires too when if hits -10 or -20.

I would just add that you can buy tube sand for your truck bed at Menard's or Home depot to add some weight to the back and as long as you have some decent tread on your tires you should be ok. It they are under 5mm or so I would get new tires. I don't think snow tires are even needed unless you are going to be out on the back roads in the country.

http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...4445324021-c-5648.htm?tid=5994642425382673913

 

Save big money, save big money, when you shop Menard's!

I miss Menard's.

 

If you don't have a "ice scrapper" get one, if they don't have one by you, depending on how you drive up, you should be able to find one when you stop for gas around St. Louis or so. It will be cold enough to find one.

 

Just a thought... buy 2 bags of water softener salt for the bed instead of sand, it adds weight and you can bust one open if you need to put some under the wheels to get unstuck. In Spring I dump it in my water softener.
Main roads up here are usually kept up pretty good but some folks seem to think they can still do the speed limit and more when the roads are slick and early in the snow season it's common to see tracks heading into the ditch. Just keep room around you, take it easy and you'll be fine.