Weight in-bed for Winter Traction
#18
my brother took a 2x8 cut to fit between the boxsides, infront of the wheelwells, then filled that with rock, using the wheeltubs to hold it up there.
my method is to use some ratchetstraps to hold some logs or concrete pillars together, and a couple others to the bed so they cant slide or roll into the sides front of the bd or the tailgate. it is time to get the weights together....snowing 30 miles to the west right now
my method is to use some ratchetstraps to hold some logs or concrete pillars together, and a couple others to the bed so they cant slide or roll into the sides front of the bd or the tailgate. it is time to get the weights together....snowing 30 miles to the west right now
#19
#20
I use old inner tubes from trucks or cars (get em free from tire shop) cut to desired length, tie end with wire or snap ties, and fill with blow sand or just plain dry dirt, rubber tube won't scratch bed, won't slide around, conforms to bed, or lay on inner fenders, and you have sand to throw out if needed for extra traction. If the bag is too heavy cut the tube shorter. I carry several hundred pds. in my rig. And in really icy conditions I have thrown them on the floor of friends cars (back seat) so they can get to their destination.You will want to make extras while the sand is dry for this reason.
#22
When my 2wd 86 F150 was my primary winter vehicle I just filled the bed up with snow for added traction. Since my house and the neighbors house are fairly close there's really no where to pile up the snow on the sides of the driveway. So I'd pull my truck up to the end of the driveway, aim the chute of the snow blower straight forward, and walk forward from the end of the driveway eventually blowing all the snow into the back of the truck. It was a good no-nonsense system. As it got warmer and the street thawed so did the load in the truck, and since I'm somewhat lazy I just let it melt instead of having to unload anything out of the truck.
I live in northern Iowa and 2wds with no weight just plain suck up here in the winter. My 82 F100 had an open diff and 3.08 gears, it was worthless even with weight. The 86 F150 has a limited slip 3.73s and a good set of 31 inch BFG all terrains on the rear, it got stuck in my driveway a couple times empty, loaded down it went through 14 inches of snow pretty damn well.
I live in northern Iowa and 2wds with no weight just plain suck up here in the winter. My 82 F100 had an open diff and 3.08 gears, it was worthless even with weight. The 86 F150 has a limited slip 3.73s and a good set of 31 inch BFG all terrains on the rear, it got stuck in my driveway a couple times empty, loaded down it went through 14 inches of snow pretty damn well.
#23
Heya guys and galls. I'm trying to get ideas on what to use for weight this winter. This is my first winter up north.
What do you all use for weight in your truck bed?
How much weight is appropriate?
I'm looking for ideas for materiel that is free or cheap and won't hurt my truck box (scratching it up, denting the tailgate, stuff like that).
Thanks folks
-Bill
What do you all use for weight in your truck bed?
How much weight is appropriate?
I'm looking for ideas for materiel that is free or cheap and won't hurt my truck box (scratching it up, denting the tailgate, stuff like that).
Thanks folks
-Bill
#24
I have a 2wd dually, I drive a lot in snow... When I tell people it's likea 4x4 even with no traction weight added they usually laugh, but it honestly does amazingly good just as long as I don't slow down too much, cause once she spins out she's done. Used to have BFG A/T knock-offs last winter and all the traction weight I was carrying around was contained in the 20-gallon rear fuel tank, this winter I'll be with some more highway-friendly tires tho so I'm thinking of fabbing up some racks under the rear tank to load up sand bags on so I don't clutter my bed, that way they will also be unable to slide around.
#26
I have a 2wd dually, I drive a lot in snow... When I tell people it's likea 4x4 even with no traction weight added they usually laugh, but it honestly does amazingly good just as long as I don't slow down too much, cause once she spins out she's done. Used to have BFG A/T knock-offs last winter and all the traction weight I was carrying around was contained in the 20-gallon rear fuel tank, this winter I'll be with some more highway-friendly tires tho so I'm thinking of fabbing up some racks under the rear tank to load up sand bags on so I don't clutter my bed, that way they will also be unable to slide around.
#27
Of course, my 2x4's usually had a heavy fiberglas cap on the back--I'm guessing it weighed 200+ lbs.
However, I know Diesel Brad is correct when he says:
Originally Posted by Diesel Brad
I would also recomend studded snow tires for the back too!
Studs also help when descending icy roads, slowly, as they obviously can dig in.
All of my vehicles were manual trannys, however, and I believe this allows greater control, in low speed handling, especially. Perhaps I would not have been as successful with an automatic.
Buy yourself 2 extra steelies at the pic-a-part, and get some nice, old school SELF-CLEANING winter tread tires, and have them studded. (You won't have the expense/inconvenience of having to have them mounted/broken down each year, which can also tear the beads). It'll be the best $200.+ you can spend. Nothing wrong with making some sand bladders out of tractor-trailer tubes, as has been suggested, either. Just be sure to cut off the 8" long valve stems (you can tape up the bases of the stems, where they enter the tube), and then you won't scratch your bed or gore yourself, should you take a tumble in the box.
Then, when you get a winter beater (and it's a 2x4) you can switch the tires and bladders to that truck. Or get a cap and dispense with the bladders, as I did.
Big Six
#29
around here studded tires are illegal, so check the books b4 you get them studded if you decide to. but buy some really good winter treads, get bags of sand, or tubes of sand. i have in my f150 usually 300-400 lbs of sand in the back. yet to get stuck, when i wasnt screwing around that is. i have also been very impressed with my mud terain tires in snow traction. for me, just as good as snow tires, and look a whole lot better. it tends to be hard to find 33-12.50x15 snow treads...
#30
Oddly enough yes, as long as I don't lose momentum she will chug along pretty good. Can't do with 1-foot drifts obviously, but half-footers I can go through alright. And I agree with the big Ford redneck, studded tires are illegal in MI as well - go figure out why, as it's the huge number of very heavy tractor-trailers that mostly kills our roads, but I guess MDOT really likes to clean up pile-ups, as we got plenty of those each year. That said I did have studded tires on my big Lincoln, and I have been pull over while driving on them, every time I told the officer that yes I know it's illegal, but I'd rather tear up some road and then beat up my car and have to replace some ball joints, than lose traction and plow into a soccer mom's minivan and kill some kids, I've always been left alone with no tickets issued.