Weighing down truck bed for traction???
 

the Scarab has been out twice and twice I have had to enlist the help of kids (usually about 6 HS kids) to get enough traction to pull out the Scarab. Is there any reason I should not get a flat 150 gallon poly tank to fill up near the back of the bed to weight down the back axle in the future. The truck is a F-250 Diesel.

You could do that, or just get some sand bags or cinder blocks, might be easier to manage. What shape are your tires in?

4x4? Its MANDATORY.

Wait til you try loading it during a slow period.......better pack a lunch!!!!

AMENNN:drink:

I always preferred sand as a ballast. You can always pour some on a slippery ramp for traction. ballast water doesn't work nearly as well.

I used stuff called Black Beauty. It was crushed coal slag- they sold it at body supply stores. Much sharper than sand- it was basically little chunks of broken glass. it ain't 4WD though- not close.

P.S. I always carried a 10K tow strap on the truck. Had a guy in a Taurus get me out- I had a C35 dually and a 38 Cig and it got me up. sometimes all you need is a little bit.

sand bags would be much safer than liquid. You could also try moving the bow stop forward 2-3 inches to get more tongue weight

I took the advise of this board and bought a new truck that would handle the job. While the 4x2's were better priced, I'm so glad I held out for the 4x4.

I can point you to my Ex's mother. If you don't mind the front wheels lifting off, then by all means throw her in the back. :evilb: :evilb: :evilb:

OK I drive a Cadillas DTS and wife has a Navigator. I'm a CEO of a hospital and driving docs around in a F-250/350 4x4 just wont get it. the 4x2 F-250 is my Dads and I basically can use any time I need. The tires are in perfect shape... it does just need a "bit" of a push and either a couple HS kids of a hundred gallons of water seem to be ok.......

Throw DT42 in the back 4 weight! That lard AZZ!:p

If you're a CEO of a hospital then you can stop borrowing your dads stuff and buy yourself a $30,000 tow vehicle. Or better yet...buy your dad a 4x4 and then borrow it from him. He'll love you for it. Son!

Dude, you are in TX. EVERYONE drives big trucks down there. Ain't no shame in a nicely appointed leathered out full size truck.

It is a conundrum.... King Ranch F-250 in Black with the natural hide leather seats or the Black caddy with stainless wheels..... it has been discussed in the familyt. just doesnt match the hospital system i run. Having and extra $40K auto sitting around also doesnt fit after being a CFO for the past 15 years either.....

http://www.ughospital.com/

get a 4x4 slade and a bit of sunspneion work :P

An AWD Escalade is not rated to tow that boat.

Same as the Navigator....... just wont make it. and not diesel which makes a HUGE difference.

I would not go black in TX. I have a black truck in VA, and its bearable with the heat and dust.

A nice silver, or maybe even the Amarillo edition would look awesome with your boat. VERY nice trucks can be had for less than $30K, especially Fords since quite a few are trading into new '08s and leftover '07s.

I grew up on the North Side .... its what we did.

SAN.... nice scarab, looks like the one we had over here. Did you recently get it from a guy in louisiana? If so that used to be "the cats ass", and unless the guy stripped it also should have a pretty nice stereo in it.

It was owned by an older Orthopedic surgeon here in Houston that I actualy know. He only had 67 hours on the engines and had it maintained by one of the marinas in Austin year round. The cabin was never used and stil smells like fresh glass.

Sounds like your tongue weight is very light if you can't pull that boat up the ramp in 2WD. Any way to adjust your tongue weight? Gotta ride like crap down the highway if it's that light on the tongue.k. Unless your trying to pull it up a dirt/junk ramp.

I've never owned a 4 WD and not once on any ramp have I needed any additional weight in the bed to pull our our 28. I aim for 8-10% tongue weight.

is there a better ramp to use?? I have a 4X4 and never use it around Chicago. (only in the winter for the sleds) The marinas that I use are so good that I never even need 4X4....just a thought......BZ

Coastal waters produce wet slimy algae covered crappy ramps twice a day. I agree that a better ramp may help, but 4x4 is PRICELESS when you are slipping down a ramp backwards with no help in sight.

Im ridin around with 1000# sack crete in the bed of my 2wd diesel pickup. I just moved up to a 31' with 7500# dry weight. Embarrased myself the first time out on the ramp. my cummins pulls the sh!t out of it down the road, i just kick my self for not shellin out an extra $ 2500 for the 4x4 18 months ago. its gonna cost me several grand to trade for a 4x4 now.

Save your money and get your tongue weight correct first. You'd be surprised. I don't slip a bit with my 2WD wet or dry. Only one ramp I've used have I had to have the Mrs back up a bit and start over. That was Jamestown at Cumberland. Wet and straight up and she tried gunning it right away not letting the limited slip catch! :D

ZP'd whats the weight on your boat. Im still trying to get the tongue weight right on mine . I may not have the right trailer.

Sydwayz hope you don't mind but I think I am stealing that as a sig:evilb:

I'm in the 7500 - 7800 range with gear, perhaps a bit more.
Can't shift my tongue wieght on this trailer without getting out the torch. I tried the 2 bathroom scale trick to get the actual tongue weight. Not sure how accurate it was but I was in the neighborhood of 775# according to that method - if memory serves me correctly.

is your truck a posi???........most (if not all) of the 2wd trucks Ive seen struggling at the ramp only have one wheel spinning.......Ive often wondered how well a true posi 2wd truck would do......heck they even got air shiftable lockers out now

btw......my 4x4 Sub has no posi in the back........and any time it spun on a slippery ramp and I had to switch to 4wd only one wheel was spinning.

last year I had to replace a front wheel bearing assy on the right front.......$700!.......makes me wonder if a properly done 2wd set up would work.......either that or a straight axle, where you do a front wheel u joint change for like $45

My 2wd is posi trac. I did at least make sure of that when i bought. I had good luck last week on the ramp. However I still Have the extra weight in the bed of the truck. I think im getting closer on the trailer adjustment. Maybe i can get by a little longer till i find the right 4x4. I will try about 500# next trip and see how she does.

prob is he would suck the air out of the tires thru the valve stems:eek::evilb: