How much weight should I put in the bed of my '98 tacoma for better traction on snow and ice? I'm running 33" BF MTs, which have no siping, so I'm not sticking to the road real well. My snowchains are on order from 4-wheeling America and should be here later in the week, but I bet I'll still want some additional weight in the back.

Thanks,
Greenman

p.s. I would've liked to make this post a poll, but couldn't figure out how to do that. I'll add a poll if someone will tell me how.

 

Oh I would guess a couple of sandbags that weighed around 400lbs. total should do the trick.

 

instead of using just sand i like to use two 40lb bags of sand and two 60lbs bags of calcium chloride, just incase i need it.

so it will be 200lbs for me

 

somewhere between 200-400 pounds. Carry sand/salt that way if you need it, you've got it.

 

http://www.shurtrax.com/index.asp

 

have to be come a contributing member

 

all you need is "tow truck in a box". https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vc...inabox/257806/

 

with my old truck i had 400lbs of sand and a 40lb bag of salt this year i am going to mix up some salt and sand in a 5 gallon bucket and carry 50 lbs of new cat litter not used

 

This is the best thing I have viewed snice sliced white bread!!! You can still carry weight on top of it even though it will freeze, Sand bage are hard loading and draw moisture to your bed, also Calicum cloride my be a little harmful to your bed if the packege breaks open. You put the bladder in fill with a hose and you have 50 gal of water that weighs 8lbs per gal.= 400lbs and its looks like the bladder is durable to any freezing come spring time instead of looking for a place to dump out rotted sand bags you just let the water out of the bladder, dry it out and store for next year.

I wish I had thought of it. Also remember that you are going to chang handling of your Truck when you add "ballest" to the rear. so excerise caution on slick ice roads the extra weight will push you. Also if you have a rear locker your rear will have better traction so be careful with reving and spinning the rear tires it can cause you to have no control over your steering, ie you turn the wheel and the trucks keeps going straight. Just some advice from someone who's been there and done that. TJ

 

Oh come on!! Your kitties want to go 4x4ing and a little used cat litter just makes it clump better for better traction...... TJ

 

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/sipe/ looks like doing that helps alot

 

When the temp drops below zero here, that'll freeze solid in an instant. And since water is one of the unique molecules, it expands as it freezes, hopefully the bag isn't too full of water otherwise you'll tear it wide open.

 

I run 300+ pounds. Two at the front of the bed and two at the back of the bed.

Quick question... do you have 33x12.50 and 3" suspension lift and no BL?? If so the chains will more than likely rip your fenders clean open....

Also what is your air pressure? Drop drop drop... lower psi = more traction. I usually only run 16 or so in the winter in my 35 BFGs, and about 22 on my 285's.

 

Answer: 33x10.5, no BL, enlarged fenders. I've still got 35 psi front and back from summer. I was under the impression that chains needed normal tire pressure to support them. Not so?

 

I use sand bags, 2 in back, They stay put really easy too. Wrap them in contractor trash bags if you dont want them to leak or rip open.

Course having an x-cab, shortbed and a loaded toolboc I can drive in the snow if I am easy on it.

 

i would assume you put some rv antifreeze just as you do when you close a pool for the year.

in my opinion i dont like it, it takes up the whole bed, and i would be hesitant to put things on top of it.

i forgot to quote it but someone said something along the lines of calcuim chloride being dangerous in the bed. i plan to put the calcuim chloride into two 5 gallon buckets and strap them down to the rear corners of the bed, then strap two sandbags to the fender wells on the inside of the bed

 

you could build a wood platform over the shurtrax

 

good call, that would make me like it a lil more, we put 4 or 5 snowboards in the bed of the truck, so its out for me.

 

I've got a 4runner now, but when I had a truck I had an old pool table slate in the box. I had to put a blanket under it to keep it from slipping around -- but other than that it was the greatest thing ever (I just left it in year round).

 

Well, that's assuming you're intelligent individual, which you are. Most people won't understand that if you fill one of these bags full of water for the winter that IT WILL freeze.

I've realized that 99% of people are given too much credit for their intelligence. They are really idiots and need to be coached through every part of their life if they plan to live past 40.