Good morning,
For the many that have pick up trucks, during the winter months, do you add any additional weight to the truck bed for better traction? If so, what do you use and how much weight do you estimate you add?
TIA
FDR
I dont, but if you do add some they have these bags filled with sand that are intended to be used to add weight. Dont add anything like cinder blocks or whatever those are a dang projectile if you were to get into an accident. The sand bags are designed to burst if they slam against the walls of the bed of your truck so they arent going to do much damage.
Four tubes of sand at 60 pounds each. Two over each wheel well. (Chev one ton)
-J.
I dont, but if you do add some they have these bags filled with sand that are intended to be used to add weight. Dont add anything like cinder blocks or whatever those are a dang projectile if you were to get into an accident. The sand bags are designed to burst if they slam against the walls of the bed of your truck so they arent going to do much damage.
Never thought of cinder blocks, but certainly don’t want anything that would potentially be a projectile. Thanks for the heads up.
FDR
Sand bags are the way to go. However if you want the most weight in a small footprint get a couple chunks of railroad track.
Nope, never weighted the bed and never had issues. (Ram 2500 cummins).
Always run good skins though.
Sand bags or the best thing I’ve seen is a large piece of plate steel fitted to box then bolted to frame.
I used to run 4 sandbags with Michelin LTX M/S2 tires in my first truck which was a 2WD. Only issues were parking on icy hills, the tires are important.
Stopped running bags when I upgraded to a 4WD, the Auto 4WD setting on GM trucks offers a good balance between fuel economy and 4WD kicking in when you might need it.
There’s no substitute for good tires. I’m actually excited for my current set to wear out enough to justify new Michelins, and I won’t go back to the Cooopers those were a liability in the rain in my experience.
Sand bags or the best thing I’ve seen is a large piece of plate steel fitted to box then bolted to frame.
Steel plates bolted to the frame seem like a permanent solution to a mostly temporary condition?
Stopped running bags when I upgraded to a 4WD, the Auto 4WD setting on GM trucks offers a good balance between fuel economy and 4WD kicking in when you might need it.
My previous vehicle had the “auto” 4WD and didn’t trust it. There was a time or two when the vehicle started to slide and the small delay in the “auto” 4WD engaging was still enough for the vehicle to continue into an uncontrollable spinout. Perhaps the newer vehicles are better?
Curious about more input on sandbags. My current vehicle is a 1/2 ton and in 2WD that back end has little traction even with new tires.
Wondering if the sand bags would help as I’d rather not drive in 4WD all the time especially when there’s only an inch of snow or less.
Sometimes when it gets really bad I make the FW ride in the box. 
Sand bags are great for weight. They have a dual purpose if you need the sand on ice as well. Plus they are very cheap.
DT
Bags of water softener salt also work.
Four tubes of sand at 60 pounds each. Two over each wheel well. (Chev one ton)
-J.
I am in the same boat with Jon, I have a 1 ton 4×4 single rear wheel and I actually leave the sand bags in the truck most of the year as I think it helps soften the 1 ton ride a little bit.
My first truck was a 3-in-the-tree early 70s Chevy short box pickup rear-wheel drive. I put in 4-6 logs that were the full length of the box. If there was a heavy snow storm I would shovel a bunch of snow into the box for even more weight. Had good show tires on it and that thing went through a lot.
I used to plow snow. My 2500HD I would put 480 lbs of softener salt over the wheels. Made a frame of 2×6 to hold them in place. Use the salt up over the summer at the house. Also never ran the tires much past half tread.
In my 2014 F150 I don’t add anything. There’s probably a couple hundred pounds of ice gear in there at any point though.
In the 96 Powerstroke F250 I have probably 500# in sandbags to counter the plow.
In the 2002 3/4 ton Silverado with the plow I have a similar amount of sandbag weight.
Neither of the second 2 trucks see more than 1000 miles or so a year as they just stay around the buildings and town…but they eat snow when called on. If constantly traveling in snow I don’t think the weight is a bad idea.
For a 2WD drive truck or one that has to be shifted into 4WD with no auto setting, I don’t know how you’d get anywhere without some sandbags in the back.
I always used bags of sand with my little GMC back in the day. That was 4WD but I had to shift it into 4 WD so sometimes you were slipping before you knew to shift it in.
I always used the sand tubes from Menards.
Sand bags are great for weight. They have a dual purpose if you need the sand on ice as well. Plus they are very cheap.
DT
X2
Sometimes when it gets really bad I make the FW ride in the box.
Oofdah… 
If she sees this you’ll probably never ride in the box again yourself…
I have never weighted the back of my trucks with anything other than say my shack and gear. My plow has a Saltdog spreader so that has like a 1/2 ton of salt to offset the blade.
Do you guys not use the bed of your truck in the winter?
Seems like a PITA to have 4 big bags of sand in the way all the time.
Sand tube style bags are about 6-8” diameter and I just leave mine tuck in front and behind the wheel wells so nothing is really lost and rarely have to move them.
I have a 2wd F150 and a 4wd F250 and run them both with 4 sand bags each. The bags weigh 70lbs each and I put them behind the rear axle between the wheel wells and the tailgate. They make a huge difference. I have been stuck in the 2wd and moving one person from the cab to sitting on the tailgate was the difference between stuck and driving away. It helps.
A 750 pound four wheeler makes a world of difference 
Do you guys not use the bed of your truck in the winter?
Seems like a PITA to have 4 big bags of sand in the way all the time.
I put my sand in 6 gallon water jugs and tie them to my rail system. This way they sit in front and back of my wheel wells and keep my cargo area wide open. I had a bag rip open and sand all over my Bed Rug and said that would never happen again.
My previous vehicle had the “auto” 4WD and didn’t trust it. There was a time or two when the vehicle started to slide and the small delay in the “auto” 4WD engaging was still enough for the vehicle to continue into an uncontrollable spinout. Perhaps the newer vehicles are better?
depending on how long ago that was yes, it has definitely improved but that is still somewhat of any issue. If there are several inches of snow I just put it in 4×4 but if I’m running around town and roads are not covered I will use auto.
depending on how long ago that was yes, it has definitely improved but that is still somewhat of any issue. If there are several inches of snow I just put it in 4×4 but if I’m running around town and roads are not covered I will use auto.
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Exactly. an inch or two of snow it’s in auto. Actively snowing, or icy, or lots of snow I keep it in 4hi.
Good tires, good tires, good tires, and slow down. I’ve been driving hwy 61 between hastings and st. paul for about 9 years now and for the life of me I can’t understand why, in inclement weather, the right lane is going 30 and the left lane is going 90. If everyone just went 50-55 we’d be fine and we’d all get where we want to go.
I put 3 40lb bags of softener slat into a large heavy duty garbage bag
I have a 2×6 apparatus built between the wheel wheels – nothing special just 2 2×6’s held together w 2×4’s ( One on either side of the wheel well and the 2×4’s hold them together)
I put 3 bags next to each wheel well then then a total of 6 more between for a total weight of 480 that is right over the axel ( where you want it) and then would be helpful for traction if stuck and inside the plastic bags they don’t greet wet so I use in my softener after winter.
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