Adding weight to your Deli for the winter

[trialsmaster2]

I was wondering what people are doing to add weight to the back of their Delicas for the winter months (or if you even are adding weight). With my old pickup, I'd throw a few sandbags in the back and call it done. With the Delica, I'd like an option that wouldn't have me constantly cleaning up spilled sand from broken or leaking sandbags.

[Golf Cart]

Try wet sand in half an inner tube.

Take the tube ( preferably dump truck size) and cut in half. Take 2 pieces of wood and screw them together closing off one end. Fill it with wet sand. Once its full, take 2 more pieces of wood and close off the other end. No spillage at all.

[Green1]

no need to make this already thirsty vehicle any thirstier, save fuel, carry less weight...

[marsgal42]

If your traction is questionable, use 4WD. That's what it's for.

...laura

[jessef]

The back end is fairly light.

With the spare out, no people in the back and two heavies in the front, you can actually 'endo' this thing.

In the snow, I usually use a couple of 45lb flat weights. Slide under the seat and that's it.

It does make a difference on the highway, around corners and up hills.

Especially when it's snow/ice mix.

[The Pinkfingers]

With it already being 4000 lbs, I don't think you need more weight. As Laura said, just go to 4wd.

That would make an interesting experiment: what is more fuel efficient - being in 4wd or being in 2wd with more weight in the back.

[Green1]

That would make an interesting experiment: what is more fuel efficient - being in 4wd or being in 2wd with more weight in the back.

I can certainly tell you which one is SAFER....

[konadog]

The first thing I did when we brought Hazel home was remove the really heavy back seat so she's even lighter back there. And while I have yet to drive her in the snow, I did drive my Nissan 4x4 pickup around for 13 winters and never bothered to weight the back - I just left the hubs locked and went in and out of 4x4 as needed - And that one was not an "on-the-fly" switch like the deli. Never had and issue with that and I anticipate even better things from the bus. By the look of the looming weather forecast even us BC South Coasters will be finding out first hand how delicas do in the snow real soon... rats

[Bessie the Mud Slayer]

I'm going to get probably 2 sandbags. I was thinking throw them both in a tupperware container to keep the mess out, and away I go. 4WD should not be necessary for any normal road driving, no matter what the conditions. Sandbags and decent winter tires got me through a dozen winters in Smithers, BC, without 4WD.

[Green1]

. Sandbags and decent winter tires got me through a dozen winters in Smithers, BC, without 4WD

but occasional use of 4wd is both safer, and probably more efficient than permanent extra weight.

[konadog]

4WD should not be necessary for any normal road driving, no matter what the conditions.

The converse is also true - Sandbags should not be necessary for any normal road driving, no matter what the conditions -if you're piloting a four-wheel-drive with appropriate tires... But, I do have to admit that the sand from those weight bags could be useful should one get stuck for lack of grip - spreading a bit under the tires can make all the difference

[jaggedfish]

I think there's a lot of us here that have taken our buses up mountains in the snow - myself included. My own experience was that extra weight was totally unnecessary. I left it in 2wd to see how far I could go and only ground to a halt on a steep incline with frozen tracks (ice). Shifted into 4H... a little slide backwards, easy on the peddle, and away she went. I would consider that representative of the worst road conditions here on the coast. Remember, these vans are 4000 lbs - yes a lot is up front, but that means when you shift into 4wd the front wheels will pull you out of that bad place and give you good steering control.

In the deep, less tracked snow, Blue Jean was unstoppable in forward and reverse. One should always adjust their driving, especially in snow - slow and steady does the job (throttle response is very controllable on Delicas), don't be foolish and floor it - THAT's when you end up in bad situations.

I have the Sumitomo tires on mine... they are a mud and snow tire but nothing overly special as far as compound or tread goes.

Just my 2 cents.
Bring on the snow...
Cheers!
Ian

[jessef]

One should always adjust their driving, especially in snow - slow and steady does the job (throttle response is very controllable on Delicas), don't be foolish and floor it - THAT's when you end up in bad situations.

x2

[DelicaMark]

I have to say that a good set of snow tires will make you go almost anywhere in the snow. I am regularly in the mountians in the winter and have never even consider weight in the back...snow tires really are the way to go if you are concerned.

As an example of the difference snow tires make, last year myself (snow tires) and warmland89 (no snow tires) where in the same area and he was losing traction all over the place. It was to the point that he was convince that I had a LSD...it was the tires.

-Mark

[Gibs]

This has probably been asked before but I am a bit unclear on locking the hubs and 4wd on Delicas.
I understand that it is bad to drive in 4wd on a non slippy or non loose surface.

So if I am driving in 2wd in the snow and find myself slipping, I stop, put it in 4wd high/lock the hubs.
I'm in traffic and get to a point where they plowed the streets and will be going from snow to a plain wet surface.

Does this mean when I hit the wet surface that I have to stop, put it in 2wd high and also unlock the hubs?
Tough to do in traffic.