Winter driving: How much weight should I put in the trunk?

[stangGT97]

Just a question for all you that use your Stangs as DDs. I'm running BFG KDW tires, brand new, and my car goes sideways easing out the clutch in 2nd gear with just some light snow on the ground. I need to put some bags of sand in the trunk, so I was wondering - how much weight has worked for you? I don't want to overload the car, but I do need some weight to help me get moving. Thanks a lot!

 

[RedDaemon]

i put 100 lbs of rock salt in my trunk (2 bags)

 

[Dusstbuster]

Let me just say this...Last year i got my new rims/wheels, the tires are Fuzion Zri's. I don't know what your BFG's are rated for snow-wise but if they're a hard performance tire no amount of weight in your trunk will give you traction on snow/ice. I got around better on my bald craptastic tires I had before, made it through a whole winter with the car and about 140lbs in the trunk. Last year I was forced to buy the winter beater because 210lbs + subs in the trunk were still not enough to give me enough traction to get the car out of the driveway even after it had snowed/iced.

 

[sgarlic]

Get a winter beater!!

 

[stangGT97]

Let me just say this...Last year i got my new rims/wheels, the tires are Fuzion Zri's. I don't know what your BFG's are rated for snow-wise but if they're a hard performance tire no amount of weight in your trunk will give you traction on snow/ice. I got around better on my bald craptastic tires I had before, made it through a whole winter with the car and about 140lbs in the trunk. Last year I was forced to buy the winter beater because 210lbs + subs in the trunk were still not enough to give me enough traction to get the car out of the driveway even after it had snowed/iced.

Dusstbuster, thanks for the input. The KDWs are a wet/dry tire, not a drag radial or explicitly summer tire. I should have bought the KDW-S all seasons, but what's done is done. I think I'm going to pick up some sand @ lunch today, a co-worker is going to drive me to home depot.

i put 100 lbs of rock salt in my trunk (2 bags)

Thanks. I'll probably start with 100-150 and go from there. I should have bought some damn Blizzaks!!!

 

[stangGT97]

Get a winter beater!!

out of the question for now, since I'm not living in my home state and would not be able to register it. I'm considering ditching the stang for a Ranger or F150 as soon as I move back home

 

[w.neurauter]

Last winter I put around 250 pounds of sand in the trunk, it didn't help at all. I ended up finding some stock wheels on ebay with winter rubber already mounted, best money ever spent on the car. Even with no weight in the trunk at all I never worried about not being able to get going.

I know a few people here in Chicago that have bought v6 wheels and put winter tires on those, that was my plan till I found the gt wheels. It's tough to spend the money but I figured it beat crashing the car and using the same money to pay the insurance deductable.

 

[stangGT97]

Last winter I put around 250 pounds of sand in the trunk, it didn't help at all. I ended up finding some stock wheels on ebay with winter rubber already mounted, best money ever spent on the car. Even with no weight in the trunk at all I never worried about not being able to get going.

I know a few people here in Chicago that have bought v6 wheels and put winter tires on those, that was my plan till I found the gt wheels. It's tough to spend the money but I figured it beat crashing the car and using the same money to pay the insurance deductable.

thanks for your input. I will see if the weight helps me... if not, I will look into some V6 wheels.

 

[shallowreef]

Let me just say this...Last year i got my new rims/wheels, the tires are Fuzion Zri's. I don't know what your BFG's are rated for snow-wise but if they're a hard performance tire no amount of weight in your trunk will give you traction on snow/ice. I got around better on my bald craptastic tires I had before, made it through a whole winter with the car and about 140lbs in the trunk. Last year I was forced to buy the winter beater because 210lbs + subs in the trunk were still not enough to give me enough traction to get the car out of the driveway even after it had snowed/iced.

SO TRUE!

I weigh a little over 300 and had 240lbs in the trunk and i still spun my tires like crazy. Now i just try not to drive my car if i know its going to snow. I usaully can get away with that since its only usually one day. But yeah when it comes to snow i don't think weight matters. I would just by snow tires. Its cheaper than a beater.

 

[rebelleader]

I know a few people here in Chicago that have bought v6 wheels and put winter tires on those, that was my plan till I found the gt wheels. It's tough to spend the money but I figured it beat crashing the car and using the same money to pay the insurance deductable.

I dont think I know you, but I would be a Chicago Guy that bought an extra set of wheels with winter rubber on them..... BEST INVESTMENT EVER..... I didnt put any weight in the trunk and had Zero problems, I might as well have been driving a 4x4.

Ditch the Sand and find yourself some winter wheels/tires

 

[Dope 97GT]

I would also say get some v6 wheels or something for the back with some skinny winter tires and put like 100-150lbs in the trunk and you will have no problems in the snow.

Any low profile tire is gonna be a hassel to deal with. My friend drove his 04 GTO all last winter and was fine with some sandbags and winter tires on it.

 

[w.neurauter]

I dont think I know you, but I would be a Chicago Guy that bought an extra set of wheels with winter rubber on them..... BEST INVESTMENT EVER..... I didnt put any weight in the trunk and had Zero problems, I might as well have been driving a 4x4.

Ditch the Sand and find yourself some winter wheels/tires

I don't think I know you either, but it is one of the best things I ever did. I always thought winter tires were over rated until I drove the car with them. I hardly ever have the abs kick in when braking. Getting going I just release the clutch and maybe the tires will spin a few revolution but eventually just bite.

Tires are everything especially when it comes to snow and ice. I think that v6 wheels are supposed to be better for snow since they are narror and will cut through better rather than float on top.

Have you put yours on yet? I figure I we have till mid november at least.

 

[Black'02]

Dusstbuster, thanks for the input. The KDWs are a wet/dry tire, not a drag radial or explicitly summer tire. I should have bought the KDW-S all seasons, but what's done is done. I think I'm going to pick up some sand @ lunch today, a co-worker is going to drive me to home depot.



Thanks. I'll probably start with 100-150 and go from there. I should have bought some damn Blizzaks!!!

If the tire doesnt have M+S (standing for mud and snow) then i wouldnt use them in the winter. All the weight in the world will not keep it from fishtailing all over the road. The tire compound and tread arent designed for snow and one you get more then a dusting controlling your car is going to be a nightmare.

My old v6 didnt have all season tires and even that thing was practically a deathtrap in the winter. Any time the tires get spinning the rearend of your car does too. When i got all season tires even when the tires were spinning the car itself moved very predictably and was really easy (if not fun) to drive in the snow.

 

[rebelleader]

I would also say get some v6 wheels or something for the back.....

I would put them on all 4 corners....

Have you put yours on yet? I figure I we have till mid november at least.

Nope, not yet. I guess I will put them on in November also. Unless Mother Nature changes my mind...

 

[Dope 97GT]

I would put them on all 4 corners....

yeah true thats what i meant to say but didnt really.

but yeah the low profile tires just get packed with snow and have to tread or taction at all. Its like driving with ice wheels. I gotta get my snow tires put on my saturn soon.

 

[Dusstbuster]

If you want I have my old rims for sale still, i'll lower the price though if you really want them. There are no tires on them though, you could probably find some cheap used tires and get those mounted on them if you wanted.
If anything you could buy 2 of them just for the rears. I'll keep 2 and possibly mount some DR's on them some day. They are 15X8's

I would highly recommend you get a winter beater ASAP though because winters do take their tolls on cars very easily. Salt + Sand + Water + Metal is a very bad combo...as my winter beater can attest to.

 

[stangGT97]

Well I appreciate everyone's input. I picked up 250lbs of bagged stone, so I'll see how that helps. If not, I'll be e-baying or selling the car

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Unless you must absolutely run the BFG's in the winter, I'd spend a couple of bucks on some narrow 15" steel wheels (or V6 wheels as suggested) and "real" winter purpose tires to run around in the snow with.

No performance tire....espeically a wide one will perform well or even compitently in any amount of snow. The right tool, for the right job.

 

[stangGT97]

Unless you must absolutely run the BFG's in the winter, I'd spend a couple of bucks on some narrow 15" steel wheels (or V6 wheels as suggested) and "real" winter purpose tires to run around in the snow with.

No performance tire....espeically a wide one will perform well or even compitently in any amount of snow. The right tool, for the right job.

thanks man. What do you think about running a set of 15x8s (like the ones Dusstbuster may sell me) in the rear, with Bridgestone Blizzaks? The front end isnt really the issue here, theres so much weight on the front wheels that its mostly just the rear that slips. Opinions? Just trying not to break the bank too bad, but I still would like to get something to get me doing in the snow

 

[XtorT'r]

Listen to this minnesnowtan. For a rwd car if you have good all seasons you can get away with 75lbs if you don't drive like a retard. If you get good snowtires like I have 'dunlop wintersport M3' or Blizzaks you don't need anything in your trunk. Just top off your fuel before it snows or before winter rain.
Because you have summer performance tires you are screwed, the second the temp drops below 40 degrees your going loose traction on dry pavement(I'm guessing you've noticed this already). Your sidewalls are probably too stiff to even unpack the snow beneith your tred.
My advice is go on ebay and look for some V6'r selling his 15 or 16 inch rims and get some cheaper snow or all-seasons on that car before you have a meeting with a lamp post.

Sooner or later you'll find out why you need grip in the front too, but the rear is the more urgent of the two because of torque spin (extream fishtails). You don't wanna have that happen out of the blue when your going 60mph. Airbags hurt!