Winter weights for a pickup

[Northland]

I would be using some 2-4" long (have to see what I need) 3/8" bolts, and drilling holes through the floor and into the subframe of the bed, I will put big fender washers on both sides of the hole and put the bolt through one end of a piece of chain (probably 3-4 links long) and then I can hook a strap, or whatever to the other end.

Aaron Z

Sounds well thought out Aaron

I recently transported 12' lenghts of metal roofing in the back of my truck's 6 ' bed with the tailgate down. I used ratcheting straps across the roofing attached to the D rings and another one lengthwise. That roofing material didn't budge 1 inch on the 20 mile drive home I later used the same set-up to hold a borrowed log splitter in place.

 

[davitk]

Here's a thought for all you loose cargo police: run some lag bolts up through the bed, lay down wire mesh, then mix up and dump in eight bags of sacrete. Come spring bust it out with a mall.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I think you guys are overthinking this. 5gal buckets of sand or sandtubes work great and are almost free.

 

[Northland]

I think you guys are overthinking this. 5gal buckets of sand or sandtubes work great and are almost free.

Maybe in Kentucky that works but not up north where where the roads are ice/snow covered for up five months of the year.Buckets and sandtubes slide around in the back bed and bang around. That isn't safe either.

 

[JoelD]

I use 10 x 40lb bags of crushed gravel. Secured in place by a 2x4. I noticed much improved traction in my Dodge Ram.
In the Spring, the gravel is used to fill in any pot-holes that have formed in the driveway.

My neighbor does the same with tube sand and he's been pleased.

I guess another positive to the tube sand is having sand (if not frozen) to through under the wheels if needed.

I personnally like the idea of the sand better, I would imagine, that god forbid in an accident those tires could do almost anything.

I do like the idea that they are rubber encased though.

Still like the idea of being able to pull the bags out one by one.

Joel

 

[firefighter jim]

I've owned nothing but pick up trucks since 1989.
The were
1* 79 Datsun
2* 83 Dodge D-50
3* 86 Dodge D-50
4* 89 Dodge D-50
5* 89 Nissan
6* 92 Toyota
I still have trucks 3 5 & 6.
All 6 were 2 wheel drive.
Never carried sand bags or other extra weight in the bed of any of them.
Never had traction or handling problems on ice or snow.

L . B .

I've had many 2 wheel drive pickups in my life and they were all terrible in the snow due to being very light in the back. 4 wheel drive makes a big difference in a pickup.

 

[firefighter jim]

very true, and I don't have a problem using 4wd when it is necessary (why have it if you never use it), however why put needless wear and tear on the drivetrain by kicking it into 4wd to get out of the driveway (almost flat, and only 3x the length of the truck) and kicking it back out as soon as you are on the road when it is possible (and safer) to have enough weight in the back to keep the back end from sliding around when it gets even the slightest bit snowy?


Aaron Z

I'm sorry, but that's rediculous. Use the 4 wheel drive! Or better yet. Park the truck and walk if you're so worried about wear and tear.

 

[Northland]

Here's proof that tires are the most critical component in safe winter driving:

Watch all the videos in succession....

Be Tire Smart – Play Your P.A.R.T. - Videos

Also, some thoughts on winter driving with 4WD trucks

CanadianDriver The Four Seasons Auto Tech: Winter tires for trucks

 

[Cat_Driver]

Maybe it's me but just have he put in in 4wd - that's what it's for. Adding weight to the vehicle for 6 months will cost a lot on money in extra fuel costs for a few minutes in 4wd when needed?

All that stuff floating around the bed of he truck not tied down correctly will actually be dangerous in an accident.

 

[Ductape]

Here's proof that tires are the most critical component in safe winter driving:

Watch all the videos in succession....

Be Tire Smart – Play Your P.A.R.T. - Videos

Holy moley, these videos are more biased than the two Impalas crashing into each other. How can you do a side by side comparison with two completely different cars?? They don't weigh the same, nor have the same handling characteristics.


Back to the subject at hand....... when I drove my 2wd Nissan, I used a few hundred pounds of tube sand. Got my money's worth, as I reused the same ones the following winter. I never worried about them flying through the back window and killing me......... since I had no intentions of getting into an accident.