Putting sand bags in the back of the pickup for safety

[davidst01]

I concede that this is a bit of a noob thread. In the next 6 months we are going to have to drive to and from one location to another (6 hours each way). 

 

On previous trips I've sometimes felt the rear end slide a bit. Is it worthwhile putting a heavy sandbag sitting in the back above each rear wheel? Would this added weight help?

 

thanks

[transam]

Yes...

But more important is having the correct tyre pressures that are shown on a sticker stuck to the drivers door body frame for your guidance..

[canthai55]

All well and good unless you have to hit the ditch and the bags enter the rear window.

Restrain cargo in the pickup box.

[Anythingleft?]

To be fair you must be going some whack to have the back end skipping, maybe just slow down "for safety"

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[stevenl]

In my experience this will help, especially with 2 door pickups or 2+ door pickups. The 4 doors tend to have a much better ride already due to the heavier cab I guess.

 

At certain places here empty pickups or minibuses are struggling to get up slippery hills, loaded much better.

[Maejo Man]

4 hours ago, Anythingleft? said:

To be fair you must be going some whack to have the back end skipping, maybe just slow down "for safety"

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Not at all. My rear end let go in some heavy rain a couple of weeks ago at about 30/40 kph on a bend. Normally I can correct the odd twitch, but this time it went completely, and hit the kerb. A sack of sand will be going in very shortly.

 

[transam]

When I drove HGV rigids, when unloaded it was a nightmare times...

[kingstonkid]

As someone who drove on ice and wet roads I can advise that yes in fact it will help also with breaking as it will add to the down force.

[lucjoker]

1 hour ago, Maejo Man said:

Not at all. My rear end let go in some heavy rain a couple of weeks ago at about 30/40 kph on a bend. Normally I can correct the odd twitch, but this time it went completely, and hit the kerb. A sack of sand will be going in very shortly.

 

yep, only logic

If you put a potato-bag in the front , you better put the same weight in the back......Cesar used to say...........

Cesar also did not understand why people push an empty wheelbarrel around year long?

 

[thailand49]

Not sure if fact, but it work for me I felt the difference.  For trucks with the gate up when you travel particular at higher speed the wind goes over the front of the vehicle over your ceiling and ends up in your rear bed, thus the reason you see not here, people with trucks dropping down their bed lid. Most people don't have trucks to carry construction material etc, that is why their are aftermarket products that you can remove the rear lid and place a net across. I think Nissan has a actually tubular bar I've haven't seen it here in Thailand.

Yes, you can put some weight like sand bags right across the axle in the rear. This is what I use to do in my 1971 VW superbeetle since the engine was in rear and the front use to float a bit on the hwy or when raining and windy.

I have a Toyota, Revo and have a permanent hard cover in the back that can be pop up and down, I'm sure you seen them that takes care of the problem too?

[Lacessit]

The leaf springs and live axles on most pickups need to be loaded to some extent to achieve optimum handling. As the OP has noted, unloaded does hop around quite a bit, particularly on rough roads. The technical term is axle tramp.

[pieeyed]

You should fill the back with relatives like everyone else and no sand bags would be needed.

[maxipeon]

Depend of your truck I would say, and if it's a 4x4, and the weather, roads, etc...  It's not a bad idea, but not necessary in my opinion.

[Russell17au]

It might be your tyres, I had a set of tyres on my falcon in Australia and they were great but when I had to replace them I could not get the same tyres and the new tyres were s**t because they kept on loosing grip.

If you have good tyres and you drive to the conditions then you should not have a problem

[sawadee1947]

22 hours ago, davidst01 said:

felt the rear end slide a bit

maybe you cannot drive such car???????????

[ToddinChonburi]

I put 4  25 kg bags of sand in the back.  Feels more stable.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, ToddinChonburi said:

I put 4  25 kg bags of sand in the back.  Feels more stable.

Must do wonders for fuel consumption.

[tweedledee2]

3 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

As someone who drove on ice and wet roads I can advise that yes in fact it will help also with breaking as it will add to the down force.

The aerodynamic design of a vehicle and speed is what influences downforce and adding weight will not increase it. Adding weight only increases the vehicles gross weight and would slightly increase the adhesion coefficient between the tire contact patch with the roadway surface. As far as "braking", if you took 2 identically equipped vehicles, one stock weight the other with 300 pounds added weight, both traveling at the same speed, do you think they would have the same stopping distance? 

[davidst01]

3 minutes ago, tweedledee2 said:

The aerodynamic design of a vehicle and speed is what influences downforce and adding weight will not increase it. Adding weight only increases the vehicles gross weight and would slightly increase the adhesion coefficient between the tire contact patch with the roadway surface. As far as "braking", if you took 2 identically equipped vehicles, one stock weight the other with 300 pounds added weight, both traveling at the same speed, do you think they would have the same stopping distance? 

but the issue is not stopping distance but the back end sliding out. what are your thoughts on that mr scientist?

[Blackheart1916]

21 hours ago, transam said:

Yes...

But more important is having the correct tyre pressures that are shown on a sticker stuck to the drivers door body frame for your guidance..

Manufacturers recommended tyre pressure is a good starting point but a few psi either way might help to get a  better ride. I run my  Nissan 4x4 at 30psi, 6 psi under recommended. A nice easy number to remember for me, now everything is 30psi, from my truck to the wheelbarrow!!?

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, davidst01 said:

but the issue is not stopping distance but the back end sliding out. what are your thoughts on that mr scientist?

Had my Triton 3 years, and a D Max before that, never had the back slide out on me once, that's either on wet or dry roads, but then I drive to the conditions and the vehicles' capabilities. Maybe the OP has been watching too many pickup ads on TV and it's influenced his driving habits.

[BEVUP]

3 hours ago, pieeyed said:

You should fill the back with relatives like everyone else and no sand bags would be needed.

Spot on 

I use to say to the wife there's something wrong, the car ain't full the back is still empty

[White Christmas13]

Wow I thought you have snow in Thailand now

[tweedledee2]

1 hour ago, davidst01 said:

but the issue is not stopping distance but the back end sliding out. what are your thoughts on that mr scientist?

Well, to begin with, I wasn't responding to your post.  Your post is somewhat vague and does not provide enough information for at least me to give you a logical response.  It is like going to a doctor, telling him you are sick and asking him if you should take medicine.  If you would like to provide more pertinent information regarding make, model, year and condition of the vehicle. The type of tire, treadwear, air pressure, etc.  The type of road surface, condition (straight, curved, grade, flat, crowned, smooth, bumpy,) also, the weather conditions, the speed, etc, then possibly myself or others could offer you advice.   

[cnx355]

21 hours ago, stevenl said:

In my experience this will help, especially with 2 door pickups or 2+ door pickups. The 4 doors tend to have a much better ride already due to the heavier cab I guess.

 

At certain places here empty pickups or minibuses are struggling to get up slippery hills, loaded much better.

I agree and I had a pick-up truck in the past in Canada and, in the winter ,I used to put sandbags in the back to improve tration and ride  when it was not loaded. 

[StevieAus]

We had a problem with a new Toyota Vios when we bought it about 5 years ago driving not at speed and on a bend with a steep camber and incline and 

wet road the back end bounced or lifted and we ended upon the other side of the road perhaps I admit due to our inexperience

I was advised that as they are built for carrying weight they could be a problem in some circumstances and unlike the Fortuner which has the same chassis are not fitted with a stabilizer bar.

After speaking to Toyota and others we had a stabilizer bar which was really a big shock absorber fitted and never a problem since.

[stevenl]

53 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

We had a problem with a new Toyota Vios when we bought it about 5 years ago driving not at speed and on a bend with a steep camber and incline and 

wet road the back end bounced or lifted and we ended upon the other side of the road perhaps I admit due to our inexperience

I was advised that as they are built for carrying weight they could be a problem in some circumstances and unlike the Fortuner which has the same chassis are not fitted with a stabilizer bar.

After speaking to Toyota and others we had a stabilizer bar which was really a big shock absorber fitted and never a problem since.

Probably a Revo, not a Vios.

[MINIMIGLIA]

36 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Probably a Revo, not a Vios.

No Vigo 5 years ago.

[watcharacters]

On 1/25/2018 at 8:47 AM, Anythingleft? said:

To be fair you must be going some whack to have the back end skipping, maybe just slow down "for safety"

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Party Pooper!!

 

[Anythingleft?]

 
 
 
Party Pooper!!
 

Haha, OP stated "safety"
I drive my Revo pretty rapid and have not come across this at all to date...

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