Blindlightguy,

I have a 2000 F-150 4x4, and I used to add about 300 lbs of tube sand (back when I lived up north). I built a little rack to keep the bags of sand centered over the rear axle. You are correct in that your 4x4 can usually get you out of whatever you get stuck in, but the goal is to not get stuck in the first place And as you said, its a pain to drive around in 4 wheel drive all the time, not to mention that fact that its very hard on the the truck. Just my $.02...

 

yeah we are supposed to get another couple of inches of the white stuff today I think I will go dig out my weights and see how she handles, with out the 4x4 running.


Blindlightguy

 

Wow, what a cool product (Shurtrax). Only thing is though, if I were to stick with my sand bags I figure I would have at least $100 left over.

$140.00 is a little steep. Maybe if they were half price it would be a perfect thing to buy. However, I bet it would not fly through your back window if in an accident. Looks like a good product.

 

Hey, thanks for all the replies! I went out and got 4 50lb bags of sand and have them standing by just in case.

We usually don't have too much ice here in east TN and I haven't seen any for the two years I've had this truck so, I was just wondering how it would act. It is a 4X4 and I'm VERY familiar how much that helps on pure ice (yeah, not at all!) so, if I see snow acomin', in goes the sand, if it's ice....I'm stayin' home! ;-)

Sonny

 

I got a chance to play in the snow yesterday with my '90 Ranger 4x4. I need to add some weight to the bed. I could feel it get "light" when I did a few donuts and pulled into and out of different parking spaces during the day. I also have worn all-season tires and no limited-slip diff so that doesn't help traction. I'm going to try 300 lbs. over the rear axle. The tires are going to be replaced very soon.

 

No, I haven't tried one, but it sure seems like a waste of $$ to me. Sure, it'll add weight in the rear which will assist in providing traction, but you won't be able to haul much besides a trash bag or duffle bag, as I doubt the frozen bag would take much scuffing from a set of cylinder heads, engine block, fire wood, etc. that you might want to load on top. Once a hole is scuffed into it, it'll be fine until you have a warm day, then it'll leak out/empty.

The best winter driving suggestion I've read here is to get a set of Winter-specific tires and if that's not enough (I run winter tires here in MICH without any weight) then go for the loaded spare tire secured beneath the bed, as RACSAN suggested a fews posts ago. Sure a second set of tires isn't cheap, but then neither is body shop repair work after you can't stop or turn on a snowy road!

Regardless of the type or amount of weight you add, MAKE SURE IT'S SECURED! UNSECURED WEIGHT WILL TURN INTO A MISSLE AND SMASH THE FRONT OF YOUR BOX OR COME THROUGH YOUR REAR WINDOW if you ever hit someone/something or hit the ditch at more than 20 mph! I've seen it happen to two different friends of mine. I have one friend who had a floor jack in the trunk of his car (unsecured), and when he hit the ditch to avoid a large dog, the jack hit the back of the fold-down rear seat, pushing it down then traveled through the passenger area & out the windshield - just missing his head!

Good Luck & be safe!
BarnieTrk

 

Our 2000 Ranger 2wd has already been in the ditch twice in the past two weeks. The first time we only had 100 lbs of sand bags in the bed so I added another 150lbs of weight, and that didn't seem to help any. So now we have 500 lbs worth of sand bags in the bed and it seems OK, but the it is weighed down quite a bit in the back. I built a wooden frame to secure the sandbags in the bed. We have 350 lbs over the rear axle, 150 lbs behind the rear axle, and 50 lbs in front of the rear axle. If we have any more problems in the snow, I'm going to buy a set of all-terrain tires for the truck.

 

WOW John. My 200 pounds held great the one time it did ice this year...

 

This is my first winter with the tonneau cover, I used to just let the snow and ice do the trick. I put 4 bags (60 lbs each) in the bed. I put (2) 2x4s across the bed and sized it to fit the bags perfectly so they don't shift in a sudden stop (or uphill start). I already noticed the added traction I get in 2wd before I shift into 4x4. The bags only ran me $12 for all 4 at home depot.

 

I am temporarily in the Akron, Oh area this winter and have already been 'enjoying' the snow. We don't get much winter near home (Houston, Tx).

Before I made the trek up to Ohio, I put new Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour tires on my 2wd Ranger. Just before the snow started here I put 3 of the 60 lb. bags of tube sand (from HD) in my truck. Seemed to be a good amount of weight but once the snow started I would spin a bit on take off on slushy roads.

So, I added a 4th bag of tube sand and currently have 2 40 lb. bags of Driveway Melt (for my apt. sidewalk, etc.) which I will take out soon. I added a simple 2" x 4" frame to keep the weight centered above my wheels since the bags did slide forward on my bed liner and the Ranger was sagging w/ all the weight just inside the tailgate.

No problems w/ driving traction w/ the above mentioned amount but we haven't had any real icing yet, that may be the test. My mileage is down a bit but I am primarily driving on city streets, no highway cruises.

I personally like the idea of the sand filled spare but am not planning to be here beyond next summer.

Good luck.

 

I use tube sand as well , i have 5 , 60 lb bags between the wheel wells and wedged in on the liner so they do not slide around, makes a big difference , also after that first snowfall you can throw snow in back for added weight. The sand bags also will provide needed traction if you are stuck..

 

it works great while you have snow and ice.now that the snow is gone i have to wait for the temp to go above freezing so the water will melt!!!

 

I have a bed liner with slots for a 2x4 in 2 places. xcab. I put 3 tubes of
sand wedged up front between a 2x6 and the cab. seems to help with
front end tires steering and brakeing. also have a large plastic toolbox
wedged between rear 2x6 and tailgate. nothing has slid around yet.
seems to help center of gravity, also didn't have to re-aim headlights!
Dave

 

I'm here to tell ya, the performance of All-Terrain tires ISN'T EVEN CLOSE to what you'd get with Winter-specific tires! If you plan to live in the Great White North (where it snows more than 1" more than 4x a year) you won't regret getting the Winter-specific tires!

I played the weight game - load in some concrete blocks, then tried firewood blocks, then bags of sand, etc. resulting in a lose of noticable steering response, some gas mileage, some use of the box because of the "constant cargo" in the back, etc. --- not good.

Winter tires are not designed to be run in temps >50*F, because they'll wear out faster, due to their very soft rubber compound and tread design. But if you can swing it, get a set of inexpensive steel rims from the junkyard or your local tire store and get a set of Winter-specific tires mounted up. You'll be spoiled forever more!!

Here in Mid-Michigan, I switch out my All-Terrian tires to my Winter tires the first week of November and switch them back again the last week of March. My last set of Winter tires lasted me 7 years....

Regarding driving on ice,,,,,,,,,, the Winter-specific tires help, but the only real choices for CONTROLLED DRIVING on ice are chains or studs; neither are legal in Michigan (unless you deliver USMail, Police, or such). If I'm faced with traveling on ice-covered roads - I'm looking to stay off those roads. Because even if I could stop, most of the other drivers won't be able to and end up hitting me! I'll choose to miss a day of work instead - because I don't make enough $$ in a day to pay for the parts & repair if I was to (likely) get hit or hit something due to the icy road days. As Dirty Harry said, "Do ya feel LUCKY??" Just my 2 cents,,,,,,,, I'll shut up now.

Good Luck!
BarnieTrk

 

This is why I chose to move south of Interstate 10.