Adding weight for winter?

Buy 4L water bottles (which you should have in your home anyways for emergencies). Stack them in Rubbermaid bins strapped into the bed. No mess, no splashing, and gives you a chance to renew your emergency water supply each year.

 

This is what we get for the cats: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Purina-Tidy-Cats-Instant-Action-Clumping-Cat-Litter-35-lb-Pail/17252387

Buckets are repurposed. We have about a dozen of them in use for various jobs around the house.

 

You can get 40-50lb sand bags at most farm stores for about $5-7 each. They're usually sitting out front on a pallet. Two of them, one over each axle is perfect.

Are they 100% necessary? Nah. But they do make winter driving just a little more enjoyable. Smooths things out. I think our trucks drive better overall anyway with a little weight in the bed.

 

Not as fun ripping parkinglot donuts w/all the weight in the back.

 

That can be fun, too. I'll admit, i do take the bags out on occasion...

 

I prefer the no weight option. learn to drive the truck in winter w/o the weights, and you'll be surprised how amazingly it handles. AND when you want to play.. no need to remove anything.

 

I dunno man, I would think if you just open the tailgate, the MIL would just kinda ooze out. Just turn the radio up more to drown out the screams

 

Agreed, the trucks do drive just fine without weight. As I said, it's not 100% necessary. I just like the ride/transmission with weight in the bed. These trucks want to be carrying something.

The traction control stuff is very effective. It's saved my a*% on numerous occasions.

 

basic rules of snow/ice driving /severe weather , Drive so you don't need to use your brakes …. Keep your fuel tank full , that should be plenty of weight and a good practice in severe weather ! Can't wait to see how my taco likes snow !!!

 

You forgot the most important "Turn off Traction Control for those long rounded corners. ALWAYS ALWAYS go pedal to floor on corners, for maximum smiles and excitement"

 

Tacoma's LOVE the snow. 4wd eats it up.

 

Maine, no rear extra weight just makes it easier to swap ends buy rear snow tires not all weather no problem. I plow with mine never been stuck my driveway is over a 1/4 mile.

 

Where in Maine?

 

Snow tires make a world of difference as well

And put the weight over the axle.

 

thanks. how many you put in bed? over axle or against tailgate?

 

yes. I see it often here. a few smart ones plasma cut holes to shackle it to strap or chain to keep it secure

 

you happen to know how tall those are? thanks. no cats here, so Im wondering about plastic buckets. do need to get some kitty litter for traction tho. Sometimes litter is great traction on packed snow/ice. Oil spills etc in garage...

 

I believe they're around 16" Tall if I remember correctly. I stopped purchasing litter like that, as I ended up having WAY more buckets around the house than i needed, and find it hard to toss them once they're empty of the litter.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yLQoSp4JXKY

 

I usually don’t add weight in a 4wd. In a 2wd I always have. In the past I would place a wooden skid in the bed over the axle and make some sort of blocking ahead and behind to keep weight over the axle. I then took patio stones and placed them on the skid and finally used industrial stretch wrap to hold them on the skid. Never moved at all. In the spring I could remove the skid with a forklift or cut the stretch wrap and remove the patio stones one at a time.