Winter p/u weight

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Our local electric utility company runs a huge fleet of Rangers and they have a very simple method that seems to work very well for them. They have a wood frame built like a distorted tic-tac-toe board in the beds. The "center square is the width and length of the wheel wells and bordered by them. The ends of the four pieces of wood reach the side, bulkhead and tailgate. The "center square" holds cinder blocks or sandbags. The box formed by the lumber keeps them directly over the rear axle. Good luck. I hope this helps. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[beenthere]

Some good ideas to be safe with the weight as well as easy to add and take away.

A fellow where I worked (company engineer, unfortunately), would fill gallon milk jugs with water every year and set them back by his tailgate. Each week another gallon of water would appear, turning into ice. They were only held to the rear with a bungee cord or rubber strap.

It wouldn't have taken much of a quick stop (fender bender, or just a bumper tap) to dislodge those 8 # flying missiles through the rear window or over the top to 'bomb' whatever caused the quick stop. Even bringing it to his attention didn't change his design for "quick" weight in the pickup.

It makes a lot of sense to keep the weight over the rear axle.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

A 1000 20 tire from a road truck, or a 16" tire that is no longer roadable and still on the wheel can usually be found free at any truckstop. Vacuum the air out of the tire. Connect the garden hose to the tire and fill the tire with water, after you put it in the back of the truck. It will ride without slipping on the deck.
In spring, you can either play with the loader to remove it, or just hook it to a tree with a chain and drive out from under the loaded tire.
Free, Easy to do, and HEAVY.

 

[RichZ]

I second Mark's snow method. I let my Silverado fill up with snow for weight. Every weekend I transport hay and straw in it, and just shovel out the snow (only takes a few minutes), and when I'm done, I shovel the snow back. It's easy to move , heavy and most importantly, safe!

 

[MikePA]

Plus snow is fun to get out of the pickup bed in spring after it's melted down to just a few inches of snowy ice. I let the truck sit in the sun for a while and the black bedliner absorbs the heat and starts to melt the snow. In a parking lot, where it's safe, I drop the tailgate, put the truck in reverse, get going at a moderate speed then slam on the brakes. More often than not, all the ice/snow slides right out of the pickup bed, taking along with it the hay and mulch debris from the previous summer that I never bothered to sweep out. I put the tailgate up and drive off./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I have to agree with you on this one if the vehicle has four wheel drive. More weight means more mass which means more inertia to stop and or hold on a corner.

Two wheel drive and the rules all change.

I've never seen one since I'm down here in north Texas. But it must be hilarious watching a Ford Diesel pickup with two wheel drive on ice. They get stuck on flat ground when the clay is damp, front end goes straight down to China.

As for the weight being over the axle.....wouldn't the weight be more efficient behind the axle? Say like having a filled pipe rear bumper weighing two hundred pounds. Wouldn't that be equal to say two hundred and fifty pounds over the axle?

But even with the two wheel drive extra weight means more mass--inertia. But I will be the first to admit to sitting on a tailgate so a pickup could get unstuck.

 

[looch]

Problem is that if you put the weight further back, it makes it real difficult to recover a fish-tail.

I used to use sacks of sand in my old 2wd pick-up. That way, if you do get stuck, you have something to throw under the tires for traction.

 

[Will_C]

Whan I was driving the 2wd Toyota, I would use the tube sand. Four bags, nestled.along the fenders gave me a nice amount of weight in the middle of the bed. If I needed the bed, the tubes were very easy to move out of the way.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

In Texas it's against the law to try to hook fish by the tail. It just ain't sporting.

The sand in a bag is a good idea.

But with a small pickup he's better off just to depend upon the four wheel drive and leave the rear end to follow.

Unless someone has experience with four wheel drive it is impossible for them to understand the difference in snow between having it and not.

I've been doing fifty going up a slight grade in a snow storm. Toyota four by long bed just going along. Reach over and kick back into two wheel drive and come slowly to a stop. Put it back in four wheel and just motor right on down the road. It's almost the same in sand. Those front wheels pulling will pick up their share and most of what the rear axle thinks belongs to it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The only problem with keeping it in 4 wheel is if mama doesn't know to shift out of it. Thats why most all the manufacturers have some sort of all wheel drive system out, those have a normal front diff that let you turn circles without that wonderful hop that happens when the front tires have to unload the stress. Found out about that with dads jeepster when I was 14. Dad made it clear on the error of my ways. If the four wheeler says something like auto-track then read the manual and don't worry. If its the (old) normal 2hi,4hi,N and 2lo you could screw up a front end if you get on dry pavement. Wifes jimmy is a no brainer 4x4, moms 91 ford explorer, 5spd and manual locking hubs (gotta love that 74yr old) if is a little snowy out she goes and cranks the hubs and goes shopping. Me 94 suburban if I foget about the hub I remember quickly the first tight turn I make, [censored] does it gallup, make you think the front end is coming off!!
Talked to one of the test engineers at work and for handling the weight should be on or slightly forward of the rear axle, out back is good for getting moving or out of a ditch but the handling goes south really quick.

.02 worth
Tony