Fellow northerners...how much weight do you run in the bed during winter?

ghunt81 · Nov 23, 2015

I know these trucks are light in the ass end. Just wondering how much weight you other guys that have to deal with snow run in back. I picked up 3-50 bags of play sand today, but wondering if I should pick up one more?

Mac · Nov 23, 2015

I usually run 250-300 lbs in mine, one is 3.73 L/S and one is 4.10 open.
Dave

Doofy · Nov 23, 2015

250-300 pounds is about right for my truck. I fill sandbags every Fall and place them directly over the rear axle. The sand also comes in handy to throw out on glare ice and also if you or other folks need a little extra traction.

This year I filled the sandbags with coarse gravel instead of sand and plan to just throw it out on the driveway, come Spring. (I seem to plow away some of my driveway every year)

ghunt81 · Nov 23, 2015

I might go pick up a couple 50 lb bags of fine gravel too then. So, if I really needed it I'd have sand AND gravel available

Do you guys build any sort of frame out of wood or anything to keep the bags from sliding around? I have some spare 2x6's laying around and thinking about making something that will fit in between the tailgate and wheelwells.

redhurricane · Nov 23, 2015

Isolate the bags to the farthest tail end, use 2x6 lumber to keep it from moving forward under hard braking. The last thing I would want is a 50# bag of sand coming at my head in the event of a collision.

Mac · Nov 23, 2015

The further back, the more effective the weight is. It also greatly accentuates the rear end wanting to come around in a quick swerve, that's why over the axle, closer to center of gravity is best. By all means secure the weight.
Dave

Doofy · Nov 23, 2015

I generally buy empty sandbags from Amazon but I'm sure you have Tractor Supply or some other outfit that sells them. Can't think of any way to secure sandbags 100%. That is a lot of dense mass to try to corral. Thought about anchoring through the bed somehow but didn't want to penetrate the bedliner. I live in the boonies and drive very defensively.

alwaysFlOoReD · Nov 23, 2015

Use 2x6 front to back and side to side jamming them against the side. Make it so there is a small compartment filled with sand and cover with plywood screwed down.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

Doofy · Nov 23, 2015

I've often thought of building some type of platform in the bed to the level of the wheel wells that would aid in boxing in the sandbags and also make plywood hauling easier. With hinged lids I could securely haul lots of things. Then again...the weight of a platform may negate the need for sandbags. Ohhh, it hurts my brain!

alwaysFlOoReD · Nov 23, 2015

Ohhh, it hurts my brain!

adsm08 · Nov 23, 2015

I don't run any extra weight, I just leave the bed open and run whatever the snow weighs.

I have had my truck in an uncontrolled (reads "not on purpose") spin exactly three times in 15 years of driving her. One of those was on snowy/wintry roads, and I was goofing off when I hit ice. The other two times were in the same spot near my parents' house, there is a corner where all the oil that creeps up from the asphalt collects due to the shape of the road and that caused me to loose it in the corner.

pjtoledo · Nov 23, 2015

putting the weight all the way to the rear is a bad idea.
1. it increases the chance the tail will get happy and slide sideways.
2. it takes weight off the front axle, thus decreasing the traction needed to steer and brake.

I put 300 in the rear, first 3 bags of sand against the front ,next three bags just before the rear axle. that covers the front half of the bed.
that puts the extra weight closer to the center of the vehicle which reduces tail wagging, does not try to lift the front, and is close to the rear axle for traction.
sand bags tend to conform to the shape of the bed and have never moved for me. half the winter they are frozen in place.

Perry

Captain Ledd · Nov 23, 2015

Last year I ran 400 lbs right over the rear axle. I have a tool box in front of the wells that keep them from sliding forwards and a simple plywood brace that keeps them from sliding back towards the tailgate.

Blown · Nov 24, 2015

I run 3-60lb tube sand bags made just for the purpose. I put them in a plastic box over the rear axle strapped down with 2" ratchet straps. I bolted in some tie downs in the bed.

I cut the rear bumper down, removed the spare tire holder and have my spare tire and tools in front of the box just to eliminate much of that swing weight behind the rear axle.

Good tires are more important than weight.

redhurricane · Nov 24, 2015

Blown said:
Good tires are more important than weight.

This. Aggressive block pattern mud tires are no match for tires that have lots of good siping in the pattern. Without heading this off into another direction, I have had great success with Goodyear Silent Armor tires. decent looking A/T tire, with exceptional snow traction. The only thing I liked more was the Michelin LTX but they get pricey.

Fellow northerners...how much weight do you run in the bed during winter?

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