Do you find a big difference with the weight in the back?Well, not today, but over the weekend.
Adding Weight To the Bed.... Safely.
Nearly wrecked the truck a week ago on some black ice near Cripple Creek. Twisty mountain road, heading down hill grade and the road transitioned from sunshine to shade around a left hand curve and the rear end broke loose on black ice and headed for the ditch. I was able to quickly steer right and bring it back in line but it was a pucker factor of about 10.
I've driven manual shift vehicles since 1985. While I like the Ranger... I truly hate not being able to let off the accelerator and have instant motor braking. Truck was in 2 wheel drive. Roads were dry and clear up until that point. 40 mph zone, I was driving 35mph.
So I reflected back to the old days when I drove automatic transmission vehicles and decided to add some ballast to the truck.
I installed the rear divider I previously built for The Lumber Rack. Then bought (4) 60 lb bags of Quikrete Tube Sand. The problem is these bags freeze and get hard as a rock. Then when you hit the brakes they like to move around. I'm also concerned that under heavy braking or, heaven forbid, a head on collision that these bags will end up being projected over the divider and through the back window.
So I attached a piece of 3/4" plywood by screwing it to the rear divider with (4) countersunk screws, and then added a bungee chord across the plywood, attached to the rear bed tie downs.
I'll report back.... haven't had inclement weather yet.
I remember my dad doing that with 5 gallon paint buckets of sand he'd shovel off the beach dunes. lol cause car smelled like the beach.(circa 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Fastback)Well, not today, but over the weekend.
Adding Weight To the Bed.... Safely.
Nearly wrecked the truck a week ago on some black ice near Cripple Creek. Twisty mountain road, heading down hill grade and the road transitioned from sunshine to shade around a left hand curve and the rear end broke loose on black ice and headed for the ditch. I was able to quickly steer right and bring it back in line but it was a pucker factor of about 10.
I've driven manual shift vehicles since 1985. While I like the Ranger... I truly hate not being able to let off the accelerator and have instant motor braking. Truck was in 2 wheel drive. Roads were dry and clear up until that point. 40 mph zone, I was driving 35mph.
So I reflected back to the old days when I drove automatic transmission vehicles and decided to add some ballast to the truck.
I installed the rear divider I previously built for The Lumber Rack. Then bought (4) 60 lb bags of Quikrete Tube Sand. The problem is these bags freeze and get hard as a rock. Then when you hit the brakes they like to move around. I'm also concerned that under heavy braking or, heaven forbid, a head on collision that these bags will end up being projected over the divider and through the back window.
So I attached a piece of 3/4" plywood by screwing it to the rear divider with (4) countersunk screws, and then added a bungee chord across the plywood, attached to the rear bed tie downs.
Memory trigger: With the engine behind the rear axle, some early Porsche 911 models were too light in the front end, resulting in dangerously unpredictable handling. In a very unusual move by the purists at Porsche, they added about 50 pounds of weight to the nose, in the form of molded lead weights that fit into the back side of the front bumper. As the chassis evolved, the need for performance-robbing weights was eliminated. There’s quite a bit of room in the contours of the Ranger rear bumper, and weight placed there wouldn’t interfere with use of the truck bed.Well, not today, but over the weekend.
Adding Weight To the Bed.... Safely.
Nearly wrecked the truck a week ago on some black ice near Cripple Creek. Twisty mountain road, heading down hill grade and the road transitioned from sunshine to shade around a left hand curve and the rear end broke loose on black ice and headed for the ditch. I was able to quickly steer right and bring it back in line but it was a pucker factor of about 10.
I've driven manual shift vehicles since 1985. While I like the Ranger... I truly hate not being able to let off the accelerator and have instant motor braking. Truck was in 2 wheel drive. Roads were dry and clear up until that point. 40 mph zone, I was driving 35mph.
So I reflected back to the old days when I drove automatic transmission vehicles and decided to add some ballast to the truck.
I installed the rear divider I previously built for The Lumber Rack. Then bought (4) 60 lb bags of Quikrete Tube Sand. The problem is these bags freeze and get hard as a rock. Then when you hit the brakes they like to move around. I'm also concerned that under heavy braking or, heaven forbid, a head on collision that these bags will end up being projected over the divider and through the back window.
So I attached a piece of 3/4" plywood by screwing it to the rear divider with (4) countersunk screws, and then added a bungee chord across the plywood, attached to the rear bed tie downs.
Congrats!!!I paid him off!!!!!??? No more truck payment.
That will help a lot. When I had my work van back east every winter I had to put 2 - 5 Gal buckets filled with sand over each of the back wheels. It worked out great and gave me enough traction.
Used to do something similar with the air-cooled Beetles, had 2-40 lb molded iron weights we would add in the front to cure the understeer in the winter. I think Dad still has them in the garage and uses them as tire stops in the garage. Looked similar to these.
I added a heavy Bumper to do the same..Used to do something similar with the air-cooled Beetles, had 2-40 lb molded iron weights we would add in the front to cure the understeer in the winter. I think Dad still has them in the garage and uses them as tire stops in the garage. Looked similar to these.
How much did it cost?Wet okole seat covers came in. I picked up from their shop in Costa Mesa CA and they installed for free!
Haha, I'm with you on that! I've got a hitch step but can't use it with the tailgate down, which really when Ineed it....how about this one? Looks to be at the edge of the tail gate? I'd seen one that was fixed, but was hoping for one that swiveled. This one looks good, though...Added “getting old” tailgate step.
Bestop Ranger Trekstep:
