Winter driving; weight in pick-up bed

[TheTanSedan]

I've got 560# of bagged sand in mine year round 'cause it rides rough and I'm tender. Need to reduce weight and re-locate per Jmac above.

 

[obbop]

Good advice from the assembled multitude.

Thanky!!!!!

Will keep the 4 X 70= 280 pounds of raw unadulterated sand and, after negotiating upcoming snow and ice, will add a bag or two if I deem it necessary.

Can always take a bag or two out if it feels less "tractiony" on the front wheels.

Happy motoring!!!!!

 

[Gary Allan]

Whenever I've had bagged sand (purchased bagged) ..I ended up with a solid ice cube (ice bag, actually). It was like a frozen turkey. It would have been absolutely worthless as a traction aid if I needed to use it. Now mag/calcium chloride in plastic would work well in the same capacity ..kitty-litter/oil dry works too ..but probably takes up a bit of room due to density. Most I've seen come in paper bags anyway.

 

[Sparkman]

When I used to maintain a water softener I would use full softener salt bags in the back of my Cherokee. Two 40 pounders over the rear axle would make a mild yet nice improvement in handling. They are sealed plastic with a nice handle, and as close to free as I can think of in the long run if one uses softener salt.

 

[usmc]

I use about 1000 lb of cinder blocks in my F250.

 

[Gary Allan]

That's what I put in my 2WD 75 C20. It was worthless in snow without a decent load in the rear. I made a nice box..painted it...

 

[TallPaul]

I usually put 200 to 300 lbs of sandbags just rearward of the axle. Gives pretty good traction and can throw under the tires when stuck. This year, since my tonneau bit the dust, I am free to do an old trick, which is to shovel snow in the back. Did that one time and I would drive down unplowed sidestreets after a 10-inch snowstorm, with no traction problems at all. Yeah, I had the bed filled to the brim and the rear hanging low. Ha ha, but the traction was phenomenal.