Add weight to back really help in snow?

A tire spinning instead of moving you forward is also a waste.

If you think of it as 'balancing' the truck... maybe you won't be so against the idea?

The engine is in the front... and the front seats are towards the front... The bed is nothing if empty... Only a full gas tank will add some weight.

It is a 'truck' which means it was designed for carrying weight... The rear wheel drive only makes sense on a loaded truck... Trucks were work vehicles at one time. Now, they are 'fun' vehicles and many here don't use them to haul anything. They even make a 'sport truck'!

Adding weight to an empty truck bed is making the truck 'balanced'... Engine in front, cargo in back. That empty bed is also not good on mileage, not being aerodynamic.

 

One $4 70lb Sand Tube over the axle under the tonneau just in case I need it.
The bed mat & a ratchet strap keeps it in place.
The truck doesn't hop as much on the frost heaves lol.
Also run studded snow tires in stock size (245/75) that helps with traction on ice.
winter always kills my mpgs...truck warm up, towing, what's another sand bag gonna hurt

 

I have a 4 cyl, 4x4, access cab, standard shift, 08 tacoma Tacoma. Will it benefit me to add weight in the bed of my truck for added traction in winter time? If so how much weight and where should I put it? Or will a tool box do the trick?

 

I use 2-60 pound sandbags, one next to each fender well centered over the axle.

 

would the tool box help or hurt?

 

Help

 

4 used commercial truck brake drums chained to each corner tie down. Used this setup since the late 80's,,with my 1986 SR5. And I have a older Brahma canopy bolted to the bed,,which is a extra 120 lbs. Plenty of weight now and better still great traction as proven this week when everybody was spinning out and stuck as I motored by.


Those big mega chevys amd mega fords go wheeling by with nothing in the bed,,,makes me laugh because they haven't a clue. They need about 1000lbs in the back for good bite when it is slick. But hey,,they have nice wheels and tires on and it's lifted 52",,so it must have good traction. Sheeple.

 

Helps alot also to drop into a lower gear or even 4-lo when descending as to not pick up speed and have to use the brakes.

 

pickups are light it the back, it does help

 

I drive 120+ miles everyday in snow\ice\sleet in the winter time and I have studded tires and sand bags in the back and have had 0 issues.

 

Weight from snow should help enough, lol. Unless your in Canada I'm pretty sure a Pre-runner will be sufficent.

 

Get a horse stall mat from tractor supply, weighs a 100lbs and doubles as a sweet rubber floor in your truck bed

 

I have a 3/4 inch steel plate fitted to the rear of the box .Weighs about 300 pounds . This way I can still use the box .
Studded pizza cutter winter tires and tire chains . May be a little overkill , but not everybody drives over a lake to get to work or get groceries .

 

Okay, now you have me curious. How do you get to work and get groceries during the summer? If you use a boat, how do you get around after you get across the lake?

 

For RWD anything...weight helps period.

The reason FWD cars go pretty well in the snow is because of the engine's weight over the front axis. The independent suspension on the car helps as well. But on a 2wd truck or (unengaged) 4x4 truck, the axle is solid and there is not an engine over top of it to add the weight/friction.

So long story short, Yes, the added weight against the tailgate is beneficial and immediately noticed if you have ever driven a 2wd truck in the snow without. It's the best cheap advantage to 2wd traction. In the extreme extremes if you dont have 4wd, tire chains are almost as good as 4wd on flat ground... in the extremely unbelievable snow extremes....4 tire chains on 4 wheels plus weight in the bed are great...in a 4wd..and will usually get you anywhere on street roads and domestic sidewalks or in canyons/mountains.

Beyond that you might need a tracked machine.

-for 2wd traction I use to get a few bags of Lowe's sand. about 4$ a piece. disposable.

 

I take the road in the summer . Taking the lake during the winter saves me a half hour of driving and a lot of fuel savings .

 

Okay. That makes sense!

Back in the days before 4x4 pickups were all that common, I used to stop at the feed store and get several bags of chicken grit (I think it's ground granite or at least looks like it). It gave me weight in the back of my truck and if I got stuck on an icy patch, I could open a bag and toss some under the rear wheels for traction. It was way better than sand under the tires. I may have to look into that again after my tires wear down some. Right now I have no issues with traction, but the tires only have a couple hundred miles on them.

Almost everyone had a set of chains back then as well. Now the only things I have chains for are my tractors. With chains and my old '64 Chevy short box, I could get just about anywhere...very, very slowly of course. Chains weren't made for speed, just for traction. Today's 4x4 pickups are soooo much better in all conditions it is amazing. Radial tires have also been a godsend when it comes to traction. Between the two, it has really almost eliminated chains except in the mountains.