Winter driving, sand bags

I welded 18" of railroad iron to and old hitch and stuck it in the receiver when it iced when I had a 2wd years ago. It worked well being that far back and added a little beef in case some nut slid into me. I also tacked on a couple of short safety chains in case the weld broke, wouldn't want it to get loose and hurt someone. Any shape should work if you don't have RR - channel, I-beam, heavy wall pipe, etc.

 

In my old lifted chebby i carried about 800 pounds in the bed, benefit was it rode like a caddilac, also drank fuel like crazy. In my DC Tacoma I only had 2 bags of sand about 40 pounds ea, it was a good balance of added traction and didn't kill the leafs or the milage too much. Either way the weight was just forward or directly over the axle, never behind it.

 

Although I have 4WD, I am able to stay in 2WD in up to 4 inches of wet Cascade snow heading up to the pass to go riding in the winter with a canopy on the back, 4 people in the cab, and probably 200 pounds of gear in the back. I agree with the weight distribution points, but tires are key too.

Keep a full tank of fuel, that helps too, even though its on the left side...

 

I keep two 60 lb tubes of sand in the bed. I bought them at home depot a number of years ago, but don't know if they still sell. They are long "sausage" type container with a durable (tyvek?) cover and so far have not leaked.

 

4 40lb sandbags, in the canopy with the toolbox, hi-lift, straps and chains, shovel, boots, blanket, gloves, and winter tires.
That's my gear for winter.

 

Use old truck or car inner tubes and cut them so each section holds approximately 75 lbs of sand. Tie one end with wire, fill with dry coarse sand, and tie the other end with wire. If you or someone else gets stuck you have a source of dry, ready to use, resealable sand to get off the ice. Its especially handy for frozen boat ramps when duck hunting and steelhead fishing in the winter.

 

I had a '07 SR5 Access Cab, LB. I would put 4 x 60lb sand tubes in the back (two behind each wheel well) and could go through about anything (I live in Iowa where we get snow, ice and pretty much everything else).

 

We should stop using the beds of out trucks.

 

I fixed the problem with better tires and proper inflation... Michelin Defender LTX MS/2's. I don't want anything in the bed because I don't want to unstrap/unload it when I need to haul chit. Yes dear, I always strap chit down in the bed, so it won't come crashing through the back window someday. I also turn off ABS in the winter, as conditions dictate. Thanks Crom.

 

2WD Prerunner. Have always put 4 - 60lb socks of sand in my truck. and run with winter tires

 

It depends on how much snow we get. I go in steps of 300-600-1000. Back in the day when my uncle Paul was alive he had a 93 Silverado long bed 2wd with the 4.3 and a 5 speed. He filled his bed entirely with cinder blocks, he could take on any road in Kentucky with that thing sitting on half bald street tires.

 

In Western Canada it's not just about getting there. We also have to be able to steer and stop. Often in a hurry. I'll take really good snow tires first before weight when I'm driving over solid ice covered by a foot of snow. For us snow and ice is an 8 month deal.

 

Just fill the bed up with snow and don't drive like a lunatic.


Who drives 60 on ice and isn't in WRC? That seems a bit excessive.

 

I was just about to make a thread asking about this. Very real possibility that we may be moving up to NY from FL. I have a 2wd OR that I just got a little over a year ago. I have zero experience in snow/ice driving. So 2wd+weight+snow tires+locker= make it through winter? Locker worse for snow/ice?

 

Slowing down and be gentle on the gas pedal is first and foremost in winter weather. Any larger vehicle with 4wd gives a false sense of security hence why the vast majority of crashes are involved with at least one 4wd vehicle in my area. However during a blizzard nothing will replace a good 4wd. Good tires will help as well. You would be surprised how far a 2wd drive vehicle will be in snow when driven patiently.

 

snow tires and two 60lb bags of sand.... and i typically stay one gear lower than normal to help with the early stages of stopping

 

Four 70lb bags of sand

 

Tires, no weight for me.

 

5 x 70 pounds of tube sand. Fits nicely across the bed over the axel.

 

Nothing is going to magically save you. Not 4X4, or weight.
Get the best snow tires available and slow down to the conditions.
Many people with 4X4 or AWD think that automatically makes them invincible.
It doesn't. I've been driving in Canadian winters for over 50 years. I've never run into anyone else or off a road. Even in tiny RWD cars.
Just slow down and get there a little later, but at least in one piece.