Snow, does weight in the back help?

Duratrac RT or Baja Boss A/T

 

I guess our rare snow down here is the same (wet and slushy). But I'm sure you know what I'm talking about: driving on fresh snow is way different than the compressed ice crap.

 

Falken (although to be honest my experience was with the AT3W so the AT4W could be worse) and Toyo AT3. Again, I think the type of snow matters. I'm near the coast so we don't really get powdery very often, usually its wet heavy snow that packs into ice. My issue with BFG ATKO2's was that they seem to clog easier and once they do, you're on skates. The Toyo and Falken seem to shed the snow better leaving you with better traction. Probably a lot less of an issue in powder.

 

For sure per the reviews AT4W nowhere near good as KO3 on snow.

As for older version tires KO2, AT3W, Toyo AT3 were very close to each in snow on my 4Runners. Toyo AT3 could mark as the top, then AT3W, then KO2. Atleast for me KO2 never felt like you're on skates. If KO2 slide down my driveway on icy conditions AT3W did the same. GY Wrangler Duratracs were the only tires clearly showed an advantage with my experience.

 

Again with the ko2 hate, lol. I ran them for many years in snow country without any issues. I now have ko3’s on my 4Runner in snow country again without any issues. I’ve been in up to 20 inches of level snow and lots if ice this year already.

To the OP as others suggested good tires and 4wd will help more than adding weight.

 

In the minority here; I find that keeping 100lbs (2x 50lb bags) of sand in the rear definitely helps in the winter. Is it necessary, definitely not, but its easy to keep back there and doesn't impact my use of the cargo area. To the point others have made, the 4R is nowhere near as bad as a pickup with no load in the bed.

On the tire front, if you're in a part of the country where you see consistent cold temps and snow, I'd strongly recommend snow tires. Going to make a world of difference. Obviously a bit of a pain to swap in/out, but worth it if you're often driving in those conditions.

 

I have a full tool set and emergency kit in the back that probably weighs 100lbs in total, so i am sure it helps. 4Runners are pretty well balanced so it shouldn't be necessary, but it will help.

Love my new Duratracs, so far so good in snow and ice. I was torn between BaJa's and the RTs but i'm glad i went the way i did for my use. But to be honest the stock Dueler HT's did good in the snow too because of 4WD.

 

My AT3W's are a bit better in snow this year now that I have a drawer system in the rear. Still don't like my Falkens though.

 

To do the most good as far a stability, the weight should be "in the middle" or right behind the cab. Not only will that give the best stability, it will eliminate the possibility of sand bags coming through the rear window if you hit something solid as well as crushing your front bulkhead in case of an emergency stop

 

Living in the mountains on both paved and gravel roads, I would suggest NOT going with the ko2. Ice, slush, mud and grade were too much for these tires and thinking that studed snow tires might be the only way, though I haven't tested chains

eta I carry several hundred pounds of recovery gear, a Stihl 400 and the felling gear that goes with it.

 

You might be an outlier here.

KO2s have worked perfectly fine for me in midwestern winters, and taking me up terrain that caused the rubber duck collectors to even raise an eyebrow.

 

I'm thinking this is the main difference between your two experiences (unless bassist is traveling pretty far to these offroad spots). Sure there are hills in thr midwest, but actual mountain areas can be pretty generous with what they call "roads".

I've never used these tires (and I also don't live in a snow state), but there are plenty of complaints about the KO2's winter performance on this site, especially as they age.

OP, have you gotten any real world experience / updates with the current storm?

 

Keep the gas tank full.

 

Not only will this keep the weight closer to (f/r) center, it will lower the center of gravity and not turn into projectiles in case if an accident.

 

I've read this a few times and have tried to process. While it seems logical, since insurance companies will do whatever they can to deny a claim (business is business), I don't see how having a few hundred extra lbs in your vehicle would be grounds for denying a claim unless you are over the GWVR. 400 lbs in the back is no different than having two full sized (my size) males as passengers in the back seat. I'd fight that claim to the death

 

Unless that 400# is unsecured and it causes further damage or death as it slams into the back of the front seats.

 

True, but the extra weight isn't the cause of the accident. Only the possible extra injury to others within the vehicle. All hypothetical

 

What about everything else that’s in the vehicle everyday? Tools, storage bins, hitch receiver, shovel, etc. All of that can become projectiles in a bad crash. Even a metal water bottle is going to cause damage if it hits you in the head.

 

When I put heavy items in the back of a P/U, I always move them up against the bulkhead and/or secure them. In an SUV thr backs of the seats can serve as the bulkhead. Preventing the initial start of inertial movement is 90° of the battle.

 

Several hundred pounds behind the rear axle could contribute to the accident. Ever drive a VW Bug on glare ice? I once had to drive mine over 40 miles with the right wheels in the snow on the shoulder. Great in mud and snow, impossible to control on ice. Too much weight in the rear.

 

To be honest unless you have studded tires or chains there's nothing else you can really do when it comes to Ice vs Snow.

 

Great examples of what not to do…yes plural cause I spotted at least three mistakes (besides the obvious tire choice)

 

I am seeing a lot of comments about getting better tires and using 4wd, this is all obvious. The question was: does added weight help. Does anybody know this? I have tried a few sand bags in the rear compartment and if it helps it's not obvious. Maybe 2 bags is not enough, maybe this does nothing. Anybody have any solid test data?

 

driving in snow and ice is more of a trial and error thing that you gain through experience. No one will have the solid test data that predicts what works for you operating your vehicle on any particular day at any particular location with any particular load.

Adding weight is most helpful for pickups with empty beds whose tires slip when still with no weight to bite into the snow. The 4runner is already well distributed weight wise so better tires is always the first thing to have if you have ongoing issues not being able to getting going from stop. But once that vehicle gets going, any added weight can bite you in the rear real fast if you go too fast for the condition.

 

Weight helps unless it doesn’t.

What is the weight supposed to do?

If you need rear traction from a start, then sure. And when you go around a turn maybe it’ll help - unless you lose traction in which case it will hurt because you’re potentially creating pendulum out back.

And perhaps maybe the weight bias of a loaded vehicle is already balanced - in that case, adding weight potentially unbalances it.

Driving is a dynamic exercise the involves a system.

Perhaps it’s better to start with this: is the vehicle behaving as you want it to? If not, then what is the simplest (not easiest or cheapest) change that one can make.

As you’ve noted, tires and 4WD keep getting mentioned. It’s because those are simple changes. Adding weight is complex.

 

I think that lighter is better in the snow. Unless it’s a rear wheel drive that can’t get any traction at all without weight added. The best vehicles I have owned for snow driving were a WRX and Forester XT. With snow tires they are incredible in the snow. Lightweight with plenty of traction and power makes them a blast to drive. Accelerate right through the corners.

 

When FWD came to small cars in America, it was a game changer for people in snow country. Before that the best car I knew of in snow was the old VW Beetle, being rear engine rear drive.

 

I have an anecdote, not really test data:

I drove across the country in february, from the PNW to the lake states. My 5th gen was loaded with about 850 pounds including me, this number is accurate, I weighed everything before loading it. Weight was distributed throughout the vehicle, I tried to generally center most of the load over the rear axle so a good bit of weight on the passenger floor in addition to the cargo area. At least 80 percent of this drive was on snow & ice covered roads so I had plenty of time to get used to the handling with the load. When I arrived at my destination and unloaded the rig, it felt completely different on snow & ice. It felt like I was on old or bald tires, slipping all over. So I did notice a benefit to winter driving and braking with that load. As I stated in an earlier post, I don't feel a noteworthy difference when I just add 2 bags of tube sand. My gut tells me the weight bias is not really balanced in an unloaded 4runner, maybe not as bad as a pickup and still unbalanced.

My tires at the time were new Open Country All Terrain, 3 Peak LT's aired to about 38 psi.

Anyone have any actual test data regarding winter traction with added weight in an suv? I'm guessing someone has tested traction & stopping distance on different surfaces with different loads of weight.

 

Weight distribution is very good on the 4R - roughly 54/46 which is really damn good believe it or not.