Sandbags... How many?
12-19-2007, 09:15 AM
#41
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 12
RE: Sandbags... How many?
Purpose in the weight: To push the rear wheels down against the ground... It's like sliding your hand across a desk: If you press lightly, your hand will likely slide across. If you press your hand down hard, it'll be much harder to slide your hand. Same idea, but with pressing the tires against the pavement - more weight == more pressure == better traction.
As for what to use: Sand bags are probably the cheapest solution without wasting a ton of space. (< $3 for 50# bags) On the other hand, if you have a cat, cat litter might be better as it solves the problem of what to do with the "weight" once winter is over. I'm not a big fan of storing pet food long term in the elements. Keep in mind that any bags will likely develop small holes over time, and clean up of sand can be annoying. I put my sand bags inside of large garbage bags, and then put them in plastic containers. The short larger ones work well - the idea is only to contain small sand leaks.
Don't go overboard with the weight - at some point (depending on your tires) it will stop helping and actually start hurting.
Also keep in mind that nothing can completely prevent your car from sliding on ice. It amuses me to watch people in giant 4WD SUV's driving like idiots thinking that with all the weight and 4wheel drive they can't slide... and then hitting a patch of ice and going into a ditch. Learn to recover from sliding, learn what to do when you can't hear your wheels on the pavement (driving on ice is very... quiet..), and most of all, assume every other car/truck on the road is being driven by an idiot.
As for what to use: Sand bags are probably the cheapest solution without wasting a ton of space. (< $3 for 50# bags) On the other hand, if you have a cat, cat litter might be better as it solves the problem of what to do with the "weight" once winter is over. I'm not a big fan of storing pet food long term in the elements. Keep in mind that any bags will likely develop small holes over time, and clean up of sand can be annoying. I put my sand bags inside of large garbage bags, and then put them in plastic containers. The short larger ones work well - the idea is only to contain small sand leaks.
Don't go overboard with the weight - at some point (depending on your tires) it will stop helping and actually start hurting.
Also keep in mind that nothing can completely prevent your car from sliding on ice. It amuses me to watch people in giant 4WD SUV's driving like idiots thinking that with all the weight and 4wheel drive they can't slide... and then hitting a patch of ice and going into a ditch. Learn to recover from sliding, learn what to do when you can't hear your wheels on the pavement (driving on ice is very... quiet..), and most of all, assume every other car/truck on the road is being driven by an idiot.
12-19-2007, 09:38 AM
#42
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: The High Country
Posts: 3,547
RE: Sandbags... How many?
ORIGINAL: garyd9
Purpose in the weight: To push the rear wheels down against the ground... It's like sliding your hand across a desk: If you press lightly, your hand will likely slide across. If you press your hand down hard, it'll be much harder to slide your hand. Same idea, but with pressing the tires against the pavement - more weight == more pressure == better traction.
As for what to use: Sand bags are probably the cheapest solution without wasting a ton of space. (< $3 for 50# bags) On the other hand, if you have a cat, cat litter might be better as it solves the problem of what to do with the "weight" once winter is over. I'm not a big fan of storing pet food long term in the elements. Keep in mind that any bags will likely develop small holes over time, and clean up of sand can be annoying. I put my sand bags inside of large garbage bags, and then put them in plastic containers. The short larger ones work well - the idea is only to contain small sand leaks.
Don't go overboard with the weight - at some point (depending on your tires) it will stop helping and actually start hurting.
Also keep in mind that nothing can completely prevent your car from sliding on ice. It amuses me to watch people in giant 4WD SUV's driving like idiots thinking that with all the weight and 4wheel drive they can't slide... and then hitting a patch of ice and going into a ditch. Learn to recover from sliding, learn what to do when you can't hear your wheels on the pavement (driving on ice is very... quiet..), and most of all, assume every other car/truck on the road is being driven by an idiot.
Purpose in the weight: To push the rear wheels down against the ground... It's like sliding your hand across a desk: If you press lightly, your hand will likely slide across. If you press your hand down hard, it'll be much harder to slide your hand. Same idea, but with pressing the tires against the pavement - more weight == more pressure == better traction.
As for what to use: Sand bags are probably the cheapest solution without wasting a ton of space. (< $3 for 50# bags) On the other hand, if you have a cat, cat litter might be better as it solves the problem of what to do with the "weight" once winter is over. I'm not a big fan of storing pet food long term in the elements. Keep in mind that any bags will likely develop small holes over time, and clean up of sand can be annoying. I put my sand bags inside of large garbage bags, and then put them in plastic containers. The short larger ones work well - the idea is only to contain small sand leaks.
Don't go overboard with the weight - at some point (depending on your tires) it will stop helping and actually start hurting.
Also keep in mind that nothing can completely prevent your car from sliding on ice. It amuses me to watch people in giant 4WD SUV's driving like idiots thinking that with all the weight and 4wheel drive they can't slide... and then hitting a patch of ice and going into a ditch. Learn to recover from sliding, learn what to do when you can't hear your wheels on the pavement (driving on ice is very... quiet..), and most of all, assume every other car/truck on the road is being driven by an idiot.
The 50# bags of dog food I use are pretty heavy duty. They do mostly fill up the trunk so I don't use it for other items. No worry of a hole since they don't slide and I don't throw stuff in on top of them. And, they aren't out in the elements. My trunk is tighter than an oyster's ***, which means it is water tight. And, the coolness/cold of the air probably does something to preserve freshness like being stored in the fridge.
