How much weight is enough?

[racsan]

winter tires and a fiberglass cap for winter. I do have 400# of softner salt in the bed right now, really didnt have any other place to put it. Normally the bed is empty except for a spare & the tool box. The escape ia awd and has it set of dedicated winter tires on. Its eats snow. The ranger does pretty good itself.

 

[pjtoledo]

2wd reg cab, 300 lbs in the front half of the bed. I use bags of play sand.
usually add some to the 4wd x-cab too.

 

[Josh B]

Our sand is good as yall's In Tennessee I'd put a couple bags of contractor sand or playground stuff, whatever was available at Lowe's or the Home Depot. It's good to have too if you get in an icy spot to put in front of the rear tires. We had a winter mix of snow and ice blew in one day while I was at work and I had nothing back there so I loaded it down with 12x12 construction blocks. Soon as I left the job site and got on the freeway traffic slowed to a crawl and it was uphill half a mile or so but that thing poked along right up it. We were talking about it at lunch a few days later and I learned those blocks were 40 pounds each and I had been driving around with about a ton of them on that little half-ton Ranger

 

[Roert42]

In my mustang I would run 150lbs of sand in the trunk. In my truck I normally run about 200lbs if I think we might get some snow.
It really depends. If we get regular snow I will just leave the 200lbs in. If not I may just run it empty.

Couple years ago I wasn’t running my ranger regularly in the winter so when it did snow bad I filled the bed up with snow to use it.

One year I had to drive a lot for work and we had a really bad nor’easter and I put 480lbs of tube sand in the bed. I didn’t realize they were 80lb bags. Was worth it because I was able to get through several miles of 2’ heigh snow with an open rear. Even on some very steep hills there was no tire slipping.


No matter what I always keep a plastic snow shovel in the bed or trunk. Handy to dig yourself. Don’t need it often, but when I did, I was very happy I had it.

 

[Lefty]

Our sand is good as yall's In Tennessee I'd put a couple bags of contractor sand or playground stuff, whatever was available at Lowe's or the Home Depot. It's good to have too if you get in an icy spot to put in front of the rear tires. We had a winter mix of snow and ice blew in one day while I was at work and I had nothing back there so I loaded it down with 12x12 construction blocks. Soon as I left the job site and got on the freeway traffic slowed to a crawl and it was uphill half a mile or so but that thing poked along right up it. We were talking about it at lunch a few days later and I learned those blocks were 40 pounds each and I had been driving around with about a ton of them on that little half-ton Ranger

I miss talking Memphis!

I remember when I lived down south in Memphis. I was surprised to find that the roads can be perhaps even more treacherous in winter. Those roads have a way of glazing over with ice as temperatures change from melting to freezing and back again. And then again, there were some wicked ice storms.

Cinder blocks may be heavy but you are right about the danger. Some sand bags can let in water and freeze up solid. maybe also dangerous. Maybe fine gravel is best; comes in sealed water tight bags. It's also good if you get stuck.

 

[Lefty]

Yes sir.

I've been driving stick for twenty five years. I found that a little extra clutch work kept the wheels under control. Maybe I've just got to get used to automatic.

 

[Josh B]

I remember when I lived down south. I was surprised to find that the roads can be perhaps even more treacherous in winter. Those roads have a way of glazing over with ice as temperatures change from melting to freezing and back again.

That is certainly correct sir, and your worst nightmare may very well be the first other vehicle you see.
I spent a winter in a beautiful Black Hills town and almost the first thing I thought was the outcome if only a dozen or so drivers from Dallas were unleashed on that town
.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I put 300lbs in mine (6 50lb bags of rock salt all the way against the tailgate)...with my general grabber ATX's i had zero issue in the snow. Went like a tank. I might only use 200lbs this winter though, it did make some steering situations a might hairy...but not bad with common sense.

 

[Blmpkn]

I've been driving stick for twenty five years. I found that a little extra clutch work kept the wheels under control. Maybe I've just got to get used to automatic.

Ford autos will put the tranny in 2nd gear from a dead stop if that's where you put the shifter, that method has helped me out a bit in the past.

 

[Curious Hound]

Okay Eric. You can be as snarky as you want...as long as it's funny.

That's really all the "snarky" I had planned for this thread.

 

[Lefty]

Ford autos will put the tranny in 2nd gear from a dead stop if that's where you put the shifter, that method has helped me out a bit in the past.

I'll give it a try.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I'll give it a try.

Another trick ive learned over the years is if youre stuck (as long as you arnt totally buried) is to sit there and burn the tires at about 20-25mph in the opposite way you wanna go untill you feel them start to grab something good. Immediatly grab the brake, switch to whatever gear will take you the direction you wanna go, let off the brake and when the truck rolls in its own ruts hammer it and dont lay out of it.

If you have an open diff wait untill one stops spinning, then wait till the other grabs decent.

This is eaiser on drivetrain componets then the normal rocking method and usually works better in my experence.

 

[19Walt93]

Ford autos will put the tranny in 2nd gear from a dead stop if that's where you put the shifter, that method has helped me out a bit in the past.

I'm always surprised when people don't know that. 60's C4 cars had 2 drive positions, identified by a big and little red dot. The big dot was next to the low gear position and was actually drive, the little dot near neutral would take off in second and shift to 3rd at speed. We sold an F250 plow truck to a local hospital and the GM leaning knucklehead who plowed with it came in after the first storm complaining that the transmission was slipping. We couldn't find anything wrong so I went for a ride with him. He shifted into what he called drive 3 and put the throttle down, turned to me and said "see?. It was hard to convince him there was no drive 3 and that he was taking off in 3rd. While plowing! After arguing with him for a while I told him they assumed someone smart enough to buy a Ford was smart enough to read the owners manual and to know what gear they wanted to be in. I got out of the truck. His supervisor came in and I explained what his gibroni was doing to the new truck and told him to expect an early transmission failure.

 

[Lefty]

I'm always surprised when people don't know that. 60's C4 cars had 2 drive positions, identified by a big and little red dot. The big dot was next to the low gear position and was actually drive, the little dot near neutral would take off in second and shift to 3rd at speed. We sold an F250 plow truck to a local hospital and the GM leaning knucklehead who plowed with it came in after the first storm complaining that the transmission was slipping. We couldn't find anything wrong so I went for a ride with him. He shifted into what he called drive 3 and put the throttle down, turned to me and said "see?. It was hard to convince him there was no drive 3 and that he was taking off in 3rd. While plowing! After arguing with him for a while I told him they assumed someone smart enough to buy a Ford was smart enough to read the owners manual and to know what gear they wanted to be in. I got out of the truck. His supervisor came in and I explained what his gibroni was doing to the new truck and told him to expect an early transmission failure.

And by the way, that C4 was one very solid transmission

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I got a sheet of 3/4" plywood in the F150. Not for traction, just as a "bedliner" and to reduce donkey kicking over bumps.