Traction/weight in the bed for winter driving

Very nice, how much snow did you get?

 

Where in Wisconsin? I live just west of the cities, in Minnetonka. Know any places to go mud/trail riding?

Not much - maybe an inch or so. However, I have no clue how to judge snow amounts - I'm from Texas - but it was enough to do more than just dust the ground. Couldn't see grass. But my apartments street isn't at the top of the list to plow I guess...

 

Truck also still blows bonuts like nothing. Was in a big parking lot for almost 30 min 2 nights ago having a blast.

 

I use 3-70 lb bags of sand in the back of my truck with the weight of the sand plus bedmat and tonneau cover I figure I have about 260 lbs back there. The sand bags are at the front of the bed.

Be careful about putting a lot of weight at the rear of your bed. This can make the front wheels light and reduce braking and steering traction, and can make your truck spin out easier.

 

I have a 09 SC and I have five 60 lbs tube sands in the back, plus a capper. I figure I have about 550lbs in the back all through winter, looks like many people have a lot less. Maybe too much? Gets around great in 2wd and I'm wondering what the MPG difference would be from 2wd loaded vs being in 4wd all the time. I love in Northen Michigan and we have lots of snowy and icy winters. My morning commute can be quite sketchy. I'm wondering if the goal would be to get your truck as close to 50/50 weight distribution as possilbe?

 

I've never used sand. I live in Maine, and we certainly get some snow. You just can't be in a rush. Slow and easy, plenty of following distance. I usually just let the bed fill with snow, so there's any weight I need.

At work on the other hand, we keep 2 pallets of shingles in the nose of the trailer for traction. It figures out to be around 9000 pounds, but even with that, a tractor trailer still has some issues with traction.

Adding weight to the back is a distribution game. You can add as much as you want, but it needs to be centered over the drive tires. Any movement front or rear will dramatically change how the vehicle reacts..

 

I've got a custom rack I built to hold sandbags in place to prevent sliding around, truck's gone, fits Tacoma, free to p/u, in Springfield, Oh area

 

PSA: Whatever you have in the bed will be coming forwards in a frontal collision at speed (like when there's no snow on the road, but you left the stuff in the bed for 'next time'). I see people stacking cinder blocks in their beds here sometimes.

 

Absolutely correct. I put some sand bags in the bed of my truck many years ago and a truck driver friend of mine went through the roof on me - did I value my life having an unsecured load of that weight just sitting in the back with lots of projectile acceleration room if I had a head on. Guess he saw some pretty bad stuff over the years as a trucker, and those sandbags will do some major damage when your truck stops at 60 mph and the bags don't. I bought a sandbag holder - it's like a flat suitcase that you can zip the bags into, and then gets strapped to your tie down points front and rear of truck. Won't stop things if the collision is really bad, but will help. Just a thought - to each their own.

 

Anyone have a large steel sheet, kind of like the ones they use in road construction? If I could get a 41 inch x72 x 1/4 inch, I think that would give me better traction in rain and gravel, esp when starting off.

 

I keep 300# of sand in my 2WD 5 lug for Winter traction.
More important is good tires - at least aggressive tread AT tires, if not actual snow tires.
I've had good luck with BF Goodrich T/A KO's and Hankook Dynapro AT-M's

 

Most welding shops should have a good selection of plate steel.

FYI: It's not cheap though. I just bought a 19"x54" piece of 14 gauge for another project, which is only 5/64" thick, and it cost me $60. I'd imagine your piece would cost upwards of $200. Also, a 41"x72"x1/4" plate would only weigh about 210lbs; there are much more cost effective ways of putting weight in the back of your truck. Not to mention the safety issue with having a 210lb object that's only 1/4" thick and 41" wide behind the cab in the event of an accident; I'm thinking warm knife through butter.

 

A regular cab truck, especially 4X2 could benefit from a LITTLE extra weight on the back. It doesn't take much and you need to take into account where it'll end up if do go in a ditch. The Access and Double cabs have enough weight on the back that it isn't necessary.

 

Thanks for the input @TexasTacoLT . Just need to find something cheap, heavy, safe and not likely for someone to steal. Looking like sand is the best way.

I tend to spin on stop signs with rain and loose cinders below the rear wheels. I also wonder if it's the tires. I have the Goodyear Wrangler Duratecs.

 

What kind of tires do you have? Lots of tread life left??

Or

Be more gentle with the gas when you’re taking off.

 

@TegoTaco I am. Start off at maybe 700-800 rpm and they still spin.

Never does it in my 4runner, but a few times/week in the Taco only when raining. Tires have 10k miles on them.

I have Michelins on the 4runner, and never happens.

 

You supercharged? lol

 

five 40-lb bags of the water softener salt that come in in heavy duty plastic bags, use the salt in your softener during warm weather, make a wooden "corral" to keep them positioned over your wheel wells. Easy peeezy