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Traction/weight in the bed for winter driving

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by HardCase, Oct 20, 2008.

  1. Oct 20, 2008 at 6:17 PM
    #41
    -TRDMAN-

    -TRDMAN- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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    i mean no harm!
     
  2. Oct 20, 2008 at 7:01 PM
    #42
    Okkine

    Okkine Well-Known Member

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    Haha. I did come across a little harsh. Sorry about that. Winter really is my favorite time to drive (kinda wish I lived in the boonies so I could have a little more fun with it), but I've seen alot of people in the city whipping around icy streets as if they're the only ones on the road, and alot of cars wrapped around telephone poles as a result. Safety first. Fun Second. :D

    Friends? :proposetoast:
     
  3. Oct 20, 2008 at 7:03 PM
    #43
    wawireguy

    wawireguy Well-Known Member

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    And it's not our fault your mother can't drive on ice. "Evil grin" but women and driving weren't ment to mix!
     
  4. Oct 20, 2008 at 7:07 PM
    #44
    -TRDMAN-

    -TRDMAN- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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    i know what you mean... well not in a city just when i go into town wich is why we have are fun on the back roads!! and im the easiest person ever to get along with!!! i just dident want to send the wrong message!
    and damn strait friends!!!!:drunk:
     
  5. Oct 20, 2008 at 7:09 PM
    #45
    Okkine

    Okkine Well-Known Member

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    Haha, I'd be mad at that comment, but I've made too many 'woman drivers' jokes myself. :D
     
  6. Oct 20, 2008 at 7:10 PM
    #46
    -TRDMAN-

    -TRDMAN- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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    thats not very nice to say.... but it might be true.... it makes me think of my other half!:rolleyes:
     
  7. Oct 20, 2008 at 8:00 PM
    #47
    zuter

    zuter Well-Known Member

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    Living in Canada all my life you learn fast about winter and how to drive on snow and ice! And since Minnesota is boardering the Great White North and Lake Superior you and snow/ice are gonna become real aquainted. Here are some pointers to get you up ready for the big freeze:

    First, get a block heater...when the mercury dips below -25 that beasty ain't starting if it isn't plugged in! Check the anti-freeze in the rad make sure it good for at least -45 or lower. dump the windshield washer fluid and get winter stuff, it should be good to -35 minimum. Check all your belts and hoses, replace as required. Never let your gas tank go below 1/4 tank...gasline anti-freeze (aka methalhydrate) should be added at start of winter to remove any water from the tank. Winter there http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Minnesota can be brutal on your ride so give it every advantage.

    Second, snow tires! Get a descent set of 4. While you can add sand or weight in the back, tires are your first and best defence...they are your only contact with the road so make sure they stick! Weight will work but really sucks once you're sliding/stoping!

    Third, drive slow and easy. Practice this in a large "empty" lot, do donuts and learn how you and your truck react in these conditions. Coming from Texas you probably have limited to no experience in snow/ice. Become a defesive driver. Leave plenty of room between you and the other guy and go with the flow of traffic. Being too slow or fast compared to everyone else is just as dangerous.

    Lastly and most important, vacation often during winter...somewhere warm and tropical. ;)
     
  8. Oct 21, 2008 at 8:19 AM
    #48
    ImpulseRed008

    ImpulseRed008 Gone But Not Forgotten

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    Don't lump us all in that basket, buddy. :rant: :argue: :rant: I can drive just fine thank you very much!!! :violent:
     
  9. Oct 21, 2008 at 8:34 AM
    #49
    LonghornTaco

    LonghornTaco Can you pass the bailout please?

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    I think I can get a little reprieve - I live in the Twin Cities, so about 3 hours south of Duluth and Lake Superior. So I'll be about 5 degrees warmer on average (so I'm told).

    Also, I got lucky - I have an underground, heated parking garage in my apartment complex. Don't have the same at work, but at least overnight I'll be covered. However, I've seen the engine block heater mod listed here for real cheap. But do you actually have to "plug it in" to a wall outlet?

    Just ordered new tires (BFG M/Ts) but they said they will sipe them for me to help with traction in snow.

    You are correct about my experiences with snow/ice. I had only driven in it once before moving here last March. So, I caught the tail end of winter, but did have to drive in snow a few times. I went slow (and was hella nervous!). But, I bought an '09 4x4 just for this. Also, the '09s come with traction control. So I'm told these things are also going to help me. And notice I said "help"... I realize that I'm still in a whole new world!
     
  10. Oct 21, 2008 at 8:45 AM
    #50
    Jester243

    Jester243 all I wanted was a god dang picture of a hotdog...

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    some of this, a little of that

    Let us know how the siping and traction control works. Traction control is one thing I wish my 08 had.

    -Dan
     
  11. Oct 21, 2008 at 10:21 AM
    #51
    Demoncleaner

    Demoncleaner Well-Known Member

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    Traction/ Stablity control only operates in 2wd, and your typical winter driving is in 4hi, so an 09 is no different than an 05-08.
     
  12. Oct 22, 2008 at 8:37 AM
    #52
    HardCase

    HardCase [OP] Winter is coming.

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    I'm curious about how much weight and some of the 'whys' of it. As I mentioned, I got four bags of tube-sand at 60# each for a total of 240# and laid them directly over the rear axle in the bed. That doesn't seem like a huge amount of weight to me, I've had lots more back there on a couple of occasions and these trucks are designed to haul what, roughly 800# back there? So 240 seems like an okay amount, just the weight of one big dude sitting in the back of a small SUV or something. I'm wondering why you think that this is too much? I'm not trying to be smart-ass or sarcastic here, not in the least.

    In fact, last night I drove for the first time in the dark and was surprised at how much 'higher' my headlights seemed to be aimed, and got flashed a couple of times by oncoming motorists.....that's with the 240 back there. Oh, no snow here yet so no comments on how it'll work for that. But I think I'll remove one, or maybe even two bags and set them aside for starters, can always add or subtract weight and 'play' with it a bit once the snow/ice arrives.

    Janster, your experience with the Wrangler mirrors one of mine, unexpectedly hit a patch of black ice while going about 60mph, realized what had happened, didn't touch the brake but did just ever-so-slightly (I know from decades of icy-road driving not to make any sudden moves when that happens) begin to take pressure off the accelerator pedal, and the rear end began to come around. I did a full 360, followed by a 180, and went into the ditch on the opposite side of the road backward, being narrowly missed by a semi and, in the ditch, missing a house-sized boulder by inches. No damage was done......except to my underwear and my psyche. Thereafter I was pretty careful to avoid driving the Jeep on icy roads. I'm guessing, although don't know, that the new Unlimited (4 door) versions of the Wrangler might handle ice better than the short ones.
     
  13. Oct 22, 2008 at 8:57 AM
    #53
    Jester243

    Jester243 all I wanted was a god dang picture of a hotdog...

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    some of this, a little of that
    I never took your response as sarcastic. The reason I say this is the truck’s suspension is notoriously “light” and as you mentioned raises your lights. By my thinking does is also lighten the front end even slightly? Anyway on my other Tacoma I never liked the feel of too much weight in the rear all of the time, made the truck feel sloppy and on ice made the rear track oddly. On a road with a slight camber to the right the rear would feel like it was being drawn down the slope of the road. In my current truck the overall additional weight of the truck seems to be a good thing. When I said that more is not always the best it is not because of loading limits of the truck. I regularly haul motorcycles and a four people. It just seems that with the weight of the truck you may not need 4 bags, however to each their own. I am honestly still on the fence if I am going to haul any additional weight or not. On a side note my truck does not have the TSB done on the suspension so I am basing my guess on how it will ride on my experiences. Anyway let us know how yours does this winter. Also I found in my old truck that carrying the weight just foward of the axel seemed to ride a little better than sqared over it or just behind.

    -Dan :D
     
  14. Oct 22, 2008 at 9:41 AM
    #54
    HardCase

    HardCase [OP] Winter is coming.

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    Thanks, makes sense. My Taco is a 2.7 regular cab, so probably a fair bit lighter than yours. I think, however, I'll try starting out with two bags, add one if that seems insufficient, etc., experiment with it a bit. Mine doesn't have the TSB done either, and from what I can tell from reading the TSB which was just recently amended to include '08 Tacos, it would appear (to me) to apply only to Access and Double Cabs, and not to the regular cab. Does anyone have a definitive answer on that one?
     
  15. Dec 3, 2008 at 8:53 AM
    #55
    TacticalBacon13

    TacticalBacon13 Sorry for party rockin'

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    i use 6 50 pound bags of gravel in the back. there just as cheap as sand and if im stuck in ice and snow i can always break one open to throw down for traction.
     
  16. Dec 3, 2008 at 9:06 AM
    #56
    LonghornTaco

    LonghornTaco Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Man, good idea! :)
     
  17. Dec 3, 2008 at 9:06 AM
    #57
    106Tacoma

    106Tacoma Well-Known Member

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    Well its been snowing, 4 bags does the trick right over the rear axel or against the tail gate, Truck is awsome now in 4x2. I have not used 4x4 yet.
     
  18. Dec 3, 2008 at 9:10 AM
    #58
    kmrofka

    kmrofka Im so hungry i can ride a horse...

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    good to know this i am going to utah this winter and being a desert rat... i dont have experiance driving in snow... lots of experiance with no traction... due to my own doing but not like ice... thanks for the info here
     
  19. Dec 3, 2008 at 9:18 AM
    #59
    LonghornTaco

    LonghornTaco Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Snowed here last night and it's my first time this season having to drive on snowy streets. Leaving my apartment this morning, there is an uphill, windy driveway and I started slipping a bit. Then, that nice new feature in the '09 called Traction Control started beeping at me and kicked in.

    I LOVE THIS TRUCK!

    My PreRunner would have just kept sliding...
     
  20. Dec 3, 2008 at 9:19 AM
    #60
    jmasterj

    jmasterj Samsonite...I was way off!

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    I live in Wisconsin actually rather close to the Twin Cities and I always run sand in the back. This year I am running 5 60 pound bags. I usually only run 3, but I am hoping this will help my TSB leaves settle a little, two birds with one stone. It will take down your gas mileage, but the safety is worth it in the long run.
     

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