Winter ballast

[AMCJeepMJ]

I've been using 2 or 3 sandbags in the bed of the truck to weigh down the bed for better traction on ice/snow during the past few winters, but at the end of the season, the sandbags themselves are looking tattered and frayed [and slide around on the bedliner during a fast stop], and had one actually split removing it this spring. I already use studded tires for traction [2wd], and have a fiberglas canopy to add some weight in addition to bags of sand. Which leads me to ask:

 

What do you guys use to weigh down the back of your trucks? Any suggestions for alternatives other than sandbags?

[JeepcoMJ]

I used tractor wheel weights. And my spare 35 inch tire.

[Pete M]

snow tires are infinitely better than weight. :D

[mvusse]

Tire studs help on ice, but don't do anything on snow. I have used sand bags in the trunk of my Olds 98 and the bed of my F100. I have also shovelled all the snow from the driveway into the bed of my F100 once, but after a few freeze/thaw cycles I ended up with a 500 pound block of ice sliding all over the place beating it all to heck. A buddy of mine uses elevator counter balance weights, and yet another buddy built a 2x4 rack that holds a large Rubbermaid tote filled with sand in place centered over the axle.

 

I found out on my F100 that a set of good quality snow tires (like Wintermark) works infinitely better than any amount of weight in the bed.

 

Right now my dd Comanche is 4wd so I don't worry about it too much.

[Automan2164]

A member here made a framework that had a 2X4 in front of and behind the wheel wells. Then he put sandbags in the middle. Kept the weight right over the axle, and prevented it from sliding around.

 

Rob

[hick92]

my dad always had the city workers load his bed down with sand

[Pete M]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... &tab=Sizes

[Jerry]

some weight in addition to bags of sand. Which leads me to ask:

 

What do you guys use to weigh down the back of your trucks? Any suggestions for alternatives other than sandbags?

See my avatar :thumbsup:

<<

[dfreeman616]

one year i had a spare d35 lying around, so i threw it in the back of my then-2wd MJ, and never got stuck, even when the snow was deep and it took a couple days for all the streets to be cleared by the city trucks...and i pushed/pulled half a dozen people out on the way home.

[Dirteatr717]

I've always been just fine with 4wd and some nice tires, never really had to add any weight. I remember seeing the 2x4 framework with the sandbags too :nuts:

[Pete M]

[jpnjim]

Cement blocks + filled to the top with heavy wet snow got my 2wd LWB MJ (3.5" on 31's) through the worst storm of my adult life

(April Fools day Blizzard 1997.... :ack: )

 

30+ inches on the ground, and 4-5 foot drifts...

 

Overnight...

 

in April :ack: :ack: :ack:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fool ... y_Blizzard

[btm24]

 

How are those any better then a reg alt? Or even just a light truck tire?

 

Brandon

[vaquaro]

:brows: "SURE-TRAX" bed mat/ bladder ( with baffled anti-surge compartments ) adds up to 300 lbs. of water for great traction , pull the plug when winters over , yur done. BTW there is room for freezing expansion and you can put up to 500 lbs. on top with out damaging the mat . :thumbsup:

[jpnjim]

:brows: "SURE-TRAX" bed mat/ bladder ( with baffled anti-surge compartments ) adds up to 300 lbs. of water for great traction , pull the plug when winters over , yur done. BTW there is room for freezing expansion and you can put up to 500 lbs. on top with out damaging the mat . :thumbsup:

 

What if you need it out mid-winter (frozen) to carry something big?

 

That was my only question with these.

[Pete M]

 

How are those any better then a reg alt? Or even just a light truck tire?

 

Brandon

 

 

snow tires are in a league of their own. I mean the traction is phenomenal. makes snow seem like a light rain. last year I didn't know any better, but I was in desperate need of tires anyway so I figured what the heck, they were dirt cheap anyway. holy COW am I a believer now. My minivan was routinely out-performing 4x4s. best part is that they work great in rain, sun or snow. worst part is that you'll likely not see 20k miles out of them, so use them accordingly.

 

 

here's an good example: I tried to go cheap last year and figured I only needed 2 tires since the van is front wheel drive. big mistake, as the regular all season tires (used but in good shape) I put on the back had a tendency of trying to break free in a turn on snow and swinging my butt around. the solution? I gunned the gas in a turn. the snow tires had so much traction they would pull the van out straight and keep everything in order. This year I'm going to be buying another pair of snow tires. :yes: or, if I can get my 90 MJ running reliably, I'll be buying 4 tires. I'm never going through another snowy winter without snow tires. :yes:

[Exxon Valdez Jeep]

Nice van, take it off any sweet jumps? :D

[AMCJeepMJ]

Nice van, take it off any sweet jumps? :D

 

In all seriousness, I have 2 sets of good snow tires similar in tread pattern to the ones above- one set with studs [no studs missing], and one set without. Perhaps a new set of Nokians or Hankooks are in order, as both sets are a over 2 years old.

 

I like the idea of a framework around the wheel arches made out of 2bys that the sandbags can sit in.

[Pete M]

you're running snow tires AND having issues? yeah, I guess that makes sense that a 2wd pickup would still need a bit of weight.

[Comanche County]

STUDS!

[mvusse]

Kelly Wintermark HT

 

 

And yes, they are studable.

[pitbull4x4]

I just fill the bed with snow. If I don't need it all, shovel some out, need more put back end. When done with snow in bed, drive backward quickly and stop, bed empty.

[AMCJeepMJ]

Dead thread revival as it's winter; good reminder for those in certain snowy climates to throw some sandbags in and have winter tires on this time of year.

 

Just put on a set of Firestone 'Winterforce 2' studless tires on the truck, going to have to hit up Lowes for a few bags of sand for the bed.

[BeatCJ]

I was.just thinking that. I was hoping to get my son's Cherokee going for him, needs new wiper linkage and motor, and to figure out the heater motor issues. Just don't have time right now, might have to let him drive my Comanche. I just bought a set of 265/75R16 Nokia's.

[gogmorgo]

I just picked up a set of Nokians in 265/70r16. The 75 is closer to a true 31x10.5, but they come with much higher load ratings than I thought would be good for a <4000lb vehicle. 119 or 123 vs the 70’s 112. The idea is the higher load rating will be less compliant and won’t grip ice as well.

 

I personally have mixed feelings about adding ballast. It will for sure add traction on ice to get a 2wd moving on flat level ground, but the extra weight also means it requires more traction for things like stopping and turning or climbing hills. It also affects floatation in deeper snow. I’ve also found that by the time I’ve added enough weight to make a noticeable difference in traction, it really affects the balance of the vehicle and makes it harder to reign in oversteer. I also had one situation where with the ballast in my MJ I got stuck in some old crusty deep snow, and a couple guys pushing didn’t do much, neither did a 2wd truck (duh). So we piled all my ballast into the 2wd truck, and tried again, and I popped right out, except the driver of the 2wd was trying to pull in neutral...