Extra weight in pickup

super99 · Dec 31, 2020

I have 4 rear axle weights for a MF combine that I carry in my pickup for traction in the winter. I made a frame to keep them from sliding around, I always put them at the back of the bed. A co-worker said that was dangerous, if you get in an accident, they will fly up through the cab. So I tried putting them in the front of the bed this year. I can’t get around as good now on snow and icy roads. I think I’ll move them back to the back of the bed. If I get in a wreck and get killed, at least I won’t live long enough to get Alzheimer’s!!

UncleTom · Dec 31, 2020

I always filled up half inner tubes of sand and put hose clamps on the ends of inner tubes. I left enough on the ends so they were like ears and used them as handles to load and on load. They dont slide around.

Bob Bancroft · Dec 31, 2020

It looks like you have anchor brackets. Maybe you could run a chain, or cable through them and anchor them to the rear brackets. I agree, back in the two wheel drive days, I had to have something in back, and it had to be way back.

old · Dec 31, 2020

Back when I still had a 2 wheel drive pickup I would go down to the creek and get bucket full of gravel and dump it in the bed and always carried a shovel with me. If/when I got stuck a bit of gravel under the tires got me out 99% of the time and also got other people out

SVcummins · Dec 31, 2020

Put em back where you had them and don’t get in an accident

DoubleO7 · Dec 31, 2020

Put them in the back, then run a 1" pipe or some angle iron, etc. Over the top and bolted on ends to those tie down loops in back.

DoubleO7 · Dec 31, 2020

(quoted from post at 19:23:01 12/31/20) Back when I still had a 2 wheel drive pickup I would go down to the creek and get bucket full of gravel and dump it in the bed and always carried a shovel with me. If/when I got stuck a bit of gravel under the tires got me out 99% of the time and also got other people out

back when I lived in Michigan, I ran a one ton dually as a daily driver for a couple on years.
Used a loader bucket of gravel for weight.
Come spring time just shoveled it off onto the gravel drive way.

Bruce from Can. · Dec 31, 2020

I used to put a round bale of hay in the back. Then one day local news paper had a story under a picture of a pickup in a parking lot in town on fire. Some jerk must have tossed a cigarette into a truck that had a bale in the back for weight.

muleman51 · Dec 31, 2020

I have a top on my truck. I always just buy extra feed and put in it then just feed it up in the spring. I know some people use softener salt but that can be tough on the bed.

timcasbolt · Dec 31, 2020

I used to keep a few 80 lb. bags of salt in the back. The plastic bags would last a couple years before they started cracking. Doesn't hurt to have a small shovel on hand in case you get hung up, either.

db4600 · Dec 31, 2020

Back when I had a 2 Wheel drive pickup I had a girl friend with plenty of ballast. I tried to keep her in the back, but she always slid up front!...

SVcummins · Dec 31, 2020

Put em back where you had them and don’t get in an accident

Russ from MN · Dec 31, 2020

Back when I had a 2-wheel drive truck I used to leave the back of the box full of firewood all winter. When I needed wood I would back up to the house and put it in the basement, then go refill it at the woodpile. If your worried about an accident I would bolt the iron weights into the box.

gab · Dec 31, 2020

When I was in about forth grade one of my classmates was in a station wagon with his dad and another brother or two with a lawn mower in the back. Somebody while passing in a no passing zone nailed them head on, lawn mower got the dad in the back of his head. The kids got beat up from the head on but lived through it.
I used to throw three bags of tube sand in my 2 wd but I'd never try wheel weights.

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 1, 2021

When you put the weights in the front of the bed, half the effect of the weight ends up on the front wheels.

When you put the weights in the rear of the bed, you actually get MORE effect than just the weights, because you are also levering some weight off the front wheels as well, and adding it to the rear wheels.

Just make a frame that goes all the way to the front of the bed.

I love these guys who put a couple of 25lb sand bags over their wheels and say, "Ohhhh, I've got sooooo muuuuuch weighhhhht now. Lookit how good my traction is." Sorry fellas, it's all in your head. You need REAL weight. 300lbs is a good start.

Ultradog MN · Jan 1, 2021

Back when I was still running 2wd pickups I bought 20 of these 60 lb elevator weights pretty cheap. Used them for tractor weights,
on my disc and in the back of my C20 Chevy.
I layed 12? of them out flat in the bed and threw a used sheet of 1/4" plywood over them. They didnt obstruct the use of the bed at all and gave me good traction.

showcrop · Jan 1, 2021

There is no doubt that a pick-up truck needs additional weight in the rear in order to go in snow, but it is also good to be able to go in the direction that you want. Weight that is too far back will very suddenly cause your rears to break traction sideways which makes control a challenge. The best idea is to secure it so that the center of the mass is 2/3 of the way back and that it will stay put. SV apparently has the capability of never getting in an accident but most of us probably do not.

Tom Massachusetts · Jan 1, 2021

(reply
to post at 08:47:59 01/01/21)

I plow snow for the town with a F350 diesel. I put 6 Rail road ties 8ft long in the bed, still leaves a flat floor to use the bed but gives extra traction. They are 8"x8" and 8Ft long.

jimtrs · Jan 1, 2021

A co-worker said that was dangerous

Umm.... So is getting out of bed in the morning

think I'll move them back

Yup

Here's about 525 lbs. The board is just so they stay in the back

Richard G. · Jan 1, 2021

Use to pile firewood in my 51 Chevy half ton and those narrow 650-16 inch tires would go anywhere in snow.
Drove it in 14 inches of snow here in the late 80's and another snow that drifted so bad that unless you knew where the road was, you were in the ditch.
Passed many 4 wheel drive trucks and Jeeps in the ditch with their stupid wide tires.
Richard in NW SC

K Effective · Jan 1, 2021

When I had my 86 Chevy K30, it carried a 7.5 foot Western plow with wings with no front sag. I replaced it with an 89 K15 and tried to hang an 8 foot Pro Plow on it- the plow frame would drag on the driveway entrances with no counter weight, even with the torsion bars maxed out. I formed and poured a concrete block in the bed of the truck behind the wheel wells and in front of the rear posts. There are a couple of old T-posts inside and chains throughout for lifting. I think I used eight 80 pound bags of Quikcrete? I'd guess 600lbs seems about right.

It fits in my 2002 2500HD bed okay, but not perfect due to the spray-on bed liner. I carry an 8.5 foot ProPlus, but still turn the front torsion bars up. The weight allows me to plow with the tailgate removed for best visibility and not worry about it falling out. Makes it a little tough to slide things onto the bed, but I can lift it out with the loader in a minute or two. I can also set stuff on the bed in front of the block and not have it slide out the back. It certainly makes the ride smoother when the plow is off!

The factory Western plow installation instructions describe how to calculate needed counter weight, but don't tell you how to fabricate or install it.

the tractor vet · Jan 1, 2021

A Word to the wise here , Adding weight is a vary good idea BUT yes you had a wooden frame hold them for NORMAL movement BUT IF you were to hit something you now have four 80 Lb Missiles that will travel at the speed of light thru that wood like they were tooth picks . I plowed snow for 20 years and carried added weight a lot more then just four suitcase weights . I used my I H rear weight set on my pulling weight wheel brackets and set them in the bed with the back hoe on to two 3/4 inch Bolts coming un thru the floor off brackets that were Bolted to the frame After they Shell we say moved once from the back to the ft. adding new fetures to the in bed tool box and ft of the bed and back of the cab when i found a curb while plowing a new apartment complex . Never hurt the plow but that sudden stop at ten MPH sure moved them two racks with eight 150 lb weights setting on them. I was also involved in a head on crash ( not my fault ) and that time i happend to have a 4x8 sheet of 3/16th plate layen on a 3/4 inch piece of plywood setting tight up against the ft. of the bed that i had picked up at the place where i bought my steel from i just had not taken it out yet and that sheet even though it was tight up against the bed WENT THRU the bed and THRU the back of the cab and half way thru the seat . And it did not have any chance of gaining any speed like those weights just setting in that wood box.

showcrop · Jan 1, 2021

(quoted from post at 09:12:54 01/01/21) A Word to the wise here , Adding weight is a vary good idea BUT yes you had a wooden frame hold them for NORMAL movement BUT IF you were to hit something you now have four 80 Lb Missiles that will travel at the speed of light thru that wood like they were tooth picks . I plowed snow for 20 years and carried added weight a lot more then just four suitcase weights . I used my I H rear weight set on my pulling weight wheel brackets and set them in the bed with the back hoe on to two 3/4 inch Bolts coming un thru the floor off brackets that were Bolted to the frame After they Shell we say moved once from the back to the ft. adding new fetures to the in bed tool box and ft of the bed and back of the cab when i found a curb while plowing a new apartment complex . Never hurt the plow but that sudden stop at ten MPH sure moved them two racks with eight 150 lb weights setting on them. I was also involved in a head on crash ( not my fault ) and that time i happend to have a 4x8 sheet of 3/16th plate layen on a 3/4 inch piece of plywood setting tight up against the ft. of the bed that i had picked up at the place where i bought my steel from i just had not taken it out yet and that sheet even though it was tight up against the bed WENT THRU the bed and THRU the back of the cab and half way thru the seat . And it did not have any chance of gaining any speed like those weights just setting in that wood box.

Tractor Vet, what you say is true but most here at YT do not get into accidents, as other posters to this thread have already indicated.

dlbuck · Jan 1, 2021

I didn't know that if you just say "don't get in an accident" you won't get in an accident. I am going to save a lot of money on
insurance that I don't need now. I am even going to say "my house isn't going to burn down" that will save me even more on fire
insurance.

Old Farmall Fan · Jan 1, 2021

Years ago I had some sand bags at the back of the box of my 2wd pickup and a guy insisted they would do more good if they were placed right over the rear wheels, "then you get all the weight onto the drive wheels". No way I could convince him that the rear of the box actually added some leverage. I finally told him that he could do his truck however he wanted and I would load mine.

larbear · Jan 1, 2021

An old neighbor used to line the bottom of his box with patio stones, once they froze to the box they would stay put for basic driving around and leave a lot of room for whatever else you might want to use the truck for. I know the idea of travelling concrete doesn't sound too smart.

Extra weight in pickup

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