Anyone with 4x4 1500 do you put weight in the back during winter?

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StuartBlack

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If you do how much?
If not, why not?
Where I am in Canada the storms can get awful, it seems better with weight even though I have a 4x4
 

Appyfan

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I don’t, but I have a Bakflip G2 hard cover (weighs 50-60 lbs) on a 6’4” bed, and Nexen Roadian tires. Truck has always seemed well balanced and good in snow using auto 4wd.
 

pacofortacos

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I don't mainly because I don't drive the truck often.
If I was going to, I would buy tube sand and have 2-4 of those in the bed. Can come in handy if you get stuck :)
 

BadHemi2014

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Mine was full of snow this winter. Packed it down and added more.
In past I've used bags of salt or sand, just a couple hundred pounds worth or so. Don't know how much it really helps but can't hurt, well maybe gas mileage. I have an open diff in current Ram and in previous Dakota so I try for a little extra traction.
 

392DevilDog

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I do not normally add weight for traction. However, I had 1000lbs of remodeling waste in the bed of my truck waiting for a chance to get them to the dump.

Well I emptied it on Saturday, and after having it in there for a month...i finally realize how rough riding a 2500 is. I think I am going to split some wood for camping and load it in there early...so I can take the bounce out. And get some extra traction for the rain and ice we have had.

I do recommend as other's have said. Use bags of sand or kitty litter. The weight will help with traction...and if you lose traction the sand or kitty litter becomes the traction.
 

CVX20

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Never have and never will.Just extra weight to haul around and definitely in the road if you need to load something big.I'm in central Ontario and get a lot of lake effect snow.
 

CorDog009

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Mine did fine during all the snow we got a couple weeks ago with no weight other than the spare tire in the bed. Most of the time I left it in 2wd. We did get some ice mixed in..so at a couple of stops on inclines I had to throw it in 4 high to get moving.
 

kmrtnsn

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The easiest potentially useful material to carry for winter weight is a couple of bales of hay. They’ll absorb water and get heavier and if you get stuck you can cut a band and you have ready to go traction material. In the spring cut the bands and add to a compost pile.
 

Barney556180

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I carry a few 40lbs bags of corn in the back. My wife delights in feeding the local deer so I keep a supply on hand.
 

Ridgerunner665

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It would depend on the cab style...crew cab trucks with short beds actually have pretty good weight distribution.

A long bed regular cab though, yep, put some weight in it.

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Fishstickz

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I have a 2WD RCSB, so VERY light backend. During this latest snowstorm i threw about 400-500 pounds in the bed. I’m not sure if it was the weight or the bigger tires I put on that helped more, but there was many places that 4x4s struggled to make it through that my truck got through easily

In my opinion some weight in the bed can’t hurt anything


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PoMansRam

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I used to put bags of "tube sand" in the back of my 4x2 pickups years ago, but I've never put weight in the back of my 4x4s for winter. My 2017 Ram quad cab 4x4 and current 2019 crew 4x4 do pretty well in the snow even with the stock 17" goodyears.
 

CVX20

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I have a 2WD RCSB, so VERY light backend. During this latest snowstorm i threw about 400-500 pounds in the bed. I’m not sure if it was the weight or the bigger tires I put on that helped more, but there was many places that 4x4s struggled to make it through that my truck got through easily

In my opinion some weight in the bed can’t hurt anything


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Maybe if they were in 2WD also.
 

Fishstickz

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Maybe if they were in 2WD also.

The ones I noticed were in 4WD at the time, all their tires were spinning a lot more than the truck was moving lol

But they also had tiny highway tread tires and we’re also from the south—we aren’t too experienced in winter weather driving like that. I’m sure there would’ve been less of a struggle had they had better tires or more snow/ice driving experience


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Daw14

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Sugar sand or snow weight is very beneficial to have in slippery conditions. 2wd or 4wd a weighted down car or truck will do much better.
 

El Huapo

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I put 4 sacks of sand (50# and $2 each) from Lowes in the front of my truck's bed in winter. I feel it helps. I have 4WD but only street tires and there are a lot of hills here and it snows. I have tried putting the sacks at the rear of the bed but it felt like it wanted to wag the rear end in corners.
 

DILLIGAF

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If you do how much?
If not, why not?
Where I am in Canada the storms can get awful, it seems better with weight even though I have a 4x4


The guy in NS says winters are awful ... lol... Come to Alberta were its actually cold... :p East coast winters are a walk in the park.:)
 

GTyankee

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If you think that the truck will handle better with weight

The weight used should be something that you can use during or after winter, in other words don't use scrap metal

Many people with 2 wheel drive, cut to fit a 2X6 & do this

Rams have the sheet metal contoured for just this reason
Just put the weight against the tailgate
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StuartBlack

StuartBlack

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The guy in NS says winters are awful ... lol... Come to Alberta were its actually cold... :p East coast winters are a walk in the park.:)

I’ve lived in Alberta, the storms are much worse in Nova Scotia. The cold is different compared though, more dry air out there
 
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