Winter weights for a pickup

[aczlan]

My wife drives a '97 Dodge 1500 4x4 with the regular cab and a 8' bed, the back end of that truck is quite light, and often squirrelly in the show/ice, I have been thinking (to add weight) of taking a couple of old tires from her truck and filling them with concrete (leaving some pieces of something poking out to act as lifting eyes) and putting them in the bed of the truck, this would give her a bunch of weight, it would be somewhat padded by the tires, it wouldn't freeze in a odd shaped mass like tube sand tends to and it would be easy to move around with the FEL in the summer.
I could probably get some bags of tube sand, but I figure that if I can fit 2 80# bags of concrete in each tire, I will be at 320 lbs between the two tires, which would be easier strap down and keep still than than 5-6 bags of tube sand.

am I off base here? any suggestions?

Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[2COR517]

I think that's a great idea. A scrap of plywood to cover the hole. You would need to split it to get it inside the tire. A piece of rebar in a U would be good for lifting. You should make up some sort of frame to keep the weight from sliding forward, right over the rear wheels.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Wish I'd thought of that.

When I worked up in the mountains in Oklahoma during the winter, I used to use 6 sacks of sand in the bed, between the wheels. It was surprising how much better the truck rode, even on dry pavement. In the spring I'd add the sand to my garden in Dallas, where we were on black gumbo, and till it in.

 

[LBrown59]

I've heard adding weight in the bed is not a good idea .
Can cause fishtailing or something like that i think it was.

 

[aczlan]

I've heard adding weight in the bed is not a good idea .
Can cause fishtailing or something like that i think it was.

well, atm the truck wont go up a snowy driveway without kicking it into 4x4, it just sits and spins, so it is in need of some more weight over the back tires. there isn't anything in the bed most of the time, not even a toolbox, so weight is needed.

Aaron Z

P.S. This is post # 300 yee haw

 

[Travelover]

Be careful to securely fasten any weights in the pickup bed. Years ago I had a Ranger pickup and I used those sand tubes that they sell at big box stores. I didn't realize they had enough moisture to freeze into solid chunks. One got loose and slid into the back of the bed on a panic stop and put a nice dent in the sheet metal. I can't imagine what it would have done in a collision.

That 4x2 Ranger took about 400# to really make it drivable in Michigan winters.

 

[Northland]

That's a great idea Aaron! I think I will try that too.

I have a Tacoma 4x4 with severe weather/winter rated Dunlop ATV tires on it and it is still not good in the snow or on the highway here without weight in the back.

I had a cap (200 lbs) on the truck as I use to transport my two Great Danes (310 lbs) with me everywhere but they both died this year That weight made the truck fine in the winter.

I hated the cap as it ruined my visibility so I took it off after my last Dane died. I had three 60 lb each sand bags left over from my old truck so yesterday I threw them in the bed. They were frozen solid and must have weighed 100 lbs each. After driving around awhile I remembered how they would slide around in the back bed and bang around.

 

[Egon]

The weight in the back is a good idea and will do wonders to for winter traction.

 

[nate_m]

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.

 

[Foothill Rancher]

The company I worked for installed a sheet of quarter inch diamond plate in the beds, just enough weight and left the bed open and protected.
Only had to buy it once and was moved from truck to truck.
For safety reasons make sure it's bolted to the frame.

 

[Northland]

I think this may be an effective solution based on the reviews

Amazon.com: ShurTrax LW-0056 All Weather Traction Aid for Full Size Pickup Trucks/SUVs: Automotive

 

[Runner]

I get used truck/tractor tire inner tubes (some tire dealers give these away) and cut them in half. Then, I pour a bag of sand in each inner tube half. Twist the ends and seal them up with a piece of bailing wire or hose clamp.

These are great because they don't move around in the bed. In fact, I leave one or two in the bed of each of my trucks year-round, because they are good for holding other things in place (like lawn mowers, weed eaters, etc.) that you don't want rolling/sliding around.

Used inner tubes are getting harder to find now since most of the big trucks and semi trailers are going to tubeless tires.

 

[Woody_NH]

I made a box 36" W X 16" D X 12" H out of 3/4 inch plywood with a hinged front (half way down) that can can be unlatched and dropped down to shovel sand out.
I fill the box with sand mixed with enough salt to keep from freezing. I keep the box covered and just behind the rear wheels with a rope tied to the rear tie downs and crossing in front of the box to keep it from sliding forward.

I would guess the full box is about 250+ lbs, enough to help with traction. Then if one does get stuck there is sand to spread.

 

[LarryRB]

Aaron
I see that Woody H has said basically what I just typed and will erase,.
I think you are doing it wrong.,.
I 've owned a lot of Dodge's and never felt the need for weight except one with a heavy Fisher plow,,, BUILDING what Woody just suggested or similar THe reason is simple. If she gets stuck,.,. even with her hands she can get some sand and hopefully pull out of wherever she was stuck. You are not going to throw tires filled with cement or concrete blocks, rocks and other,, under wheels to get unstuck,,, simple.,

 

[Lunk]

Local utility used to run 2wd p/u trucks for the meter readers.
They had a 48" W X 36"L X 1/2" thick steel plate bolted to the bed in between the wheelwells. Kind of permanent, but no doubt effective in Winter. Nice thing was that they didn't take up any bed space to speak of.

I myself throw a couple sandbags on a rubber bed mat (keeps them from sliding around), and if conditions warrant, toss a couple more in on the really bad days, removing them after the weather passes.

That, with 4 dedicated snow tires, gets me around pretty good.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I used to have an H-frame that fit between the wheel wells and I'd drop 4-6 concrete blocks in it for weight. I've also used a cargo bar threaded throughthe top hole in blocks and pin that in place just ahead of the wells - so the weight was above or slightly in front of the axle. another trick I've done is use bags of softener salt - which i can then load into the softener in the spring. (this is also good for summer trips if I'm going to be driving across states that don't do as much road maintenance as I'm used to here.)

 

[aczlan]

I 've owned a lot of Dodge's and never felt the need for weight except one with a heavy Fisher plow,,, BUILDING what Woody just suggested or similar THe reason is simple. If she gets stuck,.,. even with her hands she can get some sand and hopefully pull out of wherever she was stuck. You are not going to throw tires filled with cement or concrete blocks, rocks and other,, under wheels to get unstuck,,, simple.,

I hadn't thought of the ability to use the weight as traction, not certain it is needed, I am mainly trying to make it so that she doesn't have to use 4wd to get out of the driveway in the morning, where she drives there is almost always a tractor handy if she gets stuck, I am trying to make it so that the truck will have enough weight to not spin when going up a snowy 1'/10' (rise/run) grade.

My RWD '93 Volvo 940 wagon has better traction in than her truck in 2wd (but then I have ~50/50 weight distribution and ~120# of gravel in bean/feed bags sitting over the back axle)

Aaron Z

 

[thatguy]

I think this may be an effective solution based on the reviews

Amazon.com: ShurTrax LW-0056 All Weather Traction Aid for Full Size Pickup Trucks/SUVs: Automotive

Problem - 'winter' traction needed...
Solution - Just add water to a bladder in bed of truck

HMMMM
winter = cold weather
water freezes = 32 degrees
Assume winter = temperatures 32 or below..
Bladder = busts and ribs due to expansion of frozen water

Filling it with sand or gravel would be a better solution - but who would want to do that thru that fill hole..

Just my smart <deleted> comments.. LOL

Brian

 

[George2615]

I use 7 bags of sand held in place by 2x6's. I have 4WD but the sand bag weight lets me use 2WD much more.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I use 7 bags of sand held in place by 2x6's. I have 4WD but the sand bag weight lets me use 2WD much more.

I had a F-150 Lightning and it sucked in the snow. I filled the bed with snow and all it did was make it heavier to push. In all honesty I think the tires make all the difference. Bad tires and all the weight in the world=stuck.

Chris