• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Genius winter driving hack for truck owners


97RangerXLT

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
6,738
Reaction score
3,841
Points
113
Location
Fishers, IN
Vehicle Year
1997
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2"
Tire Size
31"
https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/comments/e0imyz
I gotta say this guy is on to something, but I don't think there is much room between the back bumper and the spare tire on my Ranger... judging from the photo, this looks like an early Dodge Dakota with the 8 ft bed

Keeps the bed free as well.

AJ
 


85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,206
Reaction score
17,520
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
The weight is a long ways to the back which can cause some weird handling issues.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
What the hell is he gonna bench press all winter?!
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
I like the concept but like 85_Ranger4X4 said, the execution is flawed. Off the top of my head, I don't think this would fly with either of mine and not much room else where for them. Over the axle hung from the bottom of the bed maybe...
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
What the hell is he gonna bench press all winter?!
My guess, the bench is performing more like a coat rack than a weight bench, like most exercise equipment does.
 

Broo

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Messages
52
Reaction score
31
Points
18
Location
Quebec
Vehicle Year
2006
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Size
3.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
I use 5 concrete landscaping tiles during winter. I put them so the weight is distributed about evenly on the bed floor. Two in front of the wheel arches, a larger one in between and two more behind the arches.
 

91stranger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
1,806
Reaction score
512
Points
113
Location
Whats round on the sides and hi in the middle-OHIO
Vehicle Year
2003
Make / Model
Gets Mo Chicks
Engine Size
4.2 straight six powered by gremlins, goblins and mudbloods.
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
That's a terrible idea... So as the concrete inside them old weights start breaking and falling out they can take out innocent people?? Not sure how it is attached either but I think I see a u-bolt on the one side. Bet money that those are going to slowly crumble and once one is broke off then the rest will have slop and side-to-side play which will make them break faster..... It's probably illegal too just by looking at it. Sand bags are only a few bucks and these burst on impact instead of concrete.... Plus the weight is all behind the axle which we all know aint right.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
Sand... sand is the only practical solution for winter weight.
 

pjtoledo

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
5,338
Reaction score
2,908
Points
113
Location
Toledo Ohio
Vehicle Year
20002005199
Make / Model
Fords
Engine Size
3.0 2.3
That's a terrible idea... So as the concrete inside them old weights start breaking and falling out they can take out innocent people?? Not sure how it is attached either but I think I see a u-bolt on the one side. Bet money that those are going to slowly crumble and once one is broke off then the rest will have slop and side-to-side play which will make them break faster..... It's probably illegal too just by looking at it. Sand bags are only a few bucks and these burst on impact instead of concrete.... Plus the weight is all behind the axle which we all know aint right.
not if they are frozen

in my experience bags of play sand aren't waterproof and will absorb some moisture, thus freezing solid.
I use 6 or 7 50lb bags.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
I buy crap bags of sand at ace, put each one in a contractor bag to keep them "dryish". Never had one so waterlogged and frozen I couldn't scoop it by hand when I needed to throw some under the tire. :dunno:

I'm drunk so not sure if we are arguing over the safety of sand bags or those stupid barbell weights... the barbell weights are retarded. And I can say that cause I'm drunk which means I'm legally retarded.
 

1990RangerinSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2016
Messages
2,346
Reaction score
1,312
Points
113
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
That's a terrible idea... So as the concrete inside them old weights start breaking and falling out they can take out innocent people?? Not sure how it is attached either but I think I see a u-bolt on the one side. Bet money that those are going to slowly crumble and once one is broke off then the rest will have slop and side-to-side play which will make them break faster..... It's probably illegal too just by looking at it. Sand bags are only a few bucks and these burst on impact instead of concrete.... Plus the weight is all behind the axle which we all know aint right.
That's a really good point. And, frankly, *anything* under the bed can be a road hazzard, if it's not secured properly (and those aren't). If *I* was going to do something like that, I'd put them in the bed (an open bed is not really usable in the winter, anyway!), and I'd mount them either directly above the rear axle, or forward of it. Actually, I might put them right up against the cab, since then they also put weight on the front axle (but the closer to the rear axle they are, the higher percentage of the weight will be on the rear axle).
 

alwaysFlOoReD

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
TRS Banner 2012-2015
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
13,870
Reaction score
5,030
Points
113
Location
Calgary, Canada
Vehicle Year
'91, '80, '06
Make / Model
Ford, GMC,Dodge
Engine Size
4.0,4.0,5.7
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
If I'm not using the bed, I fill it with snow. Come spring it all melts out. No muss, no fuss.
 

1990RangerinSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2016
Messages
2,346
Reaction score
1,312
Points
113
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
If I'm not using the bed, I fill it with snow. Come spring it all melts out. No muss, no fuss.
That's the easiest way to add weight to the bed, for sure. I threw two sandbags, and two inflated tires (on rims) plus my spare) into the bed, along with the snow.
 

97RangerXLT

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
6,738
Reaction score
3,841
Points
113
Location
Fishers, IN
Vehicle Year
1997
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2"
Tire Size
31"
I do like the idea of having the weights out of the cargo space. probably using cast iron would be better than the plastic coated concrete/ sand weights. a nice rebar rack up between the frame rails to clamp said weights on just above the axle would be nice

AJ
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
A Spare tire should hold about 9 gallons of water with anti-freeze
So 72lbs of water plus the weight of the rim and tire, like a tractor tire
Be 100lbs at least
And you could still use it as a spare, lol, although hard to move around, and drive slowly

Not sure how much weight the spare tire winch is rated for....................lol

I like sand, yes water resistant bags of sand, in the bed, 100-200lbs behind the axle, you have other issues if that causes steering or handling problems
 
Last edited:

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top