Adding weight to your Deli for the winter

[jessef]

I had a couple of hours of playtime while the ladies were shopping so me and bro-in-law grabbed the weights and found some places to play around in.

My Delica has Nokian ice/snow/AT tires, sits level and suspension is moderate-stiff meaning no wobble or lots of dipping when turning/braking.

Delica was empty (stock with both bench seats) except for the two of us up front.

I added six 45lb weights and two 25lb weights in the back in between the rear wheel wells while up in whistler over the weekend.

HUGE difference

On flat ice, all four tires grabbed and lurched the van forward. Without the weights, the rear end slid out about 20*.

Going uphill basically snowplowing about 3 feet of snow (past tires, up to headlights) it hauled well. Without the weights, the rear end was shimmy'ing on small bumps/ice patches.

Going downhill on hard packed snow (tracks I made after going up), braking was mediocre. I need the larger brakes. Without the weights in the back, the Van dipped forward more compared to having the weights. The added weight made the decent more controllable, but at the expense of adding weight. I think I would take controllable decent over light decent if I'm slipping.

320 lbs of flat weight on the floor between the rear wheels made a big difference in how the Delica handled.

Without question, I will drive with these weights in there everytime I head up to whistler or local mountains this winter.

If you put the Delica up on a hoist in the middle or high center it, the front end will drop down.

Because of the short wheelbase, front-end pig heavy weight, adding weight over the rear wheels will make a noticeable difference on ice and snow.

Diagnosis : Three thumbs up.

Drive safe out there no matter what you do this winter

[Ozibatla]

The hubs will NEVER unlock driving forward,

Well mine does!

Then get them checked asap! because I wouldn't trust them to stay locked in 4wd either in that case! (and are you sure you are looking at the "wheel lock" light and not the 4wd light?)

Yeah mate. I did it today. Did a little hill climb. Took it out of 4wd, reversed for 10 metres, no wheel unlocking, drive forward not even a metre and she unlocks.

It used to unlock in reverse but one time doing the same little hill cimb thing I did today, I tried to do it in 2wd but no dice. So i throw it into 4wd while the van is still on this slope (should've backed down to the flat) get her going and it makes a pretty large bang as the diff locks, like it was under a little bit to much stress to be put in 4wd. After that it unlocks going forward.

[jessef]

Are you sure you don't have the flanges instead of auto hubs ?

[Green1]

it makes a pretty large bang as the diff locks, like it was under a little bit to much stress to be put in 4wd. After that it unlocks going forward.

I'd say you broke something...

[Ozibatla]

it makes a pretty large bang as the diff locks, like it was under a little bit to much stress to be put in 4wd. After that it unlocks going forward.

I'd say you broke something...

So this is what Ive worked out. The times that it clicks and unlocks going forward is only after I have tried to unlock it in reverse. So not once has it unlocked without reversing.

That being said, as its snowing fairly good here in Van, using 4wd today, unlocked 4 times reversing up.

[Green1]

using 4wd today, unlocked 4 times reversing up.

if it is unlocking in reverse while you are still in 4wd I would be quite concerned, that's not something you want happening!

[Ozibatla]

using 4wd today, unlocked 4 times reversing up.

if it is unlocking in reverse while you are still in 4wd I would be quite concerned, that's not something you want happening!

LOL nahh mate, sorry it unlocked in reverse after I took it out of 4wd.

[Green1]

the way it works on mine is that it always unlocks when reversing, however sometimes the light doesn't turn out until you drive forward again afterwards, the light seems to need motion to detect the state of the hubs, for example if you leave them locked when shutting off the vehicle, the light won't come back on again until you start to move forward, this doesn't mean the hubs aren't locked, only that it can't detect whether they are or not without some motion.

[jessef]

Update.

Driving around Vancouver/Burnaby with the soft pack/icy conditions.

The extra 300+ lbs over the rear tires does provide more traction uphill, flat and braking.

Taking the weights out, it was more slippery and less predictable.

It's not a necessity to put weight back there but it does help, not hinder driving in snow/ice.

Just wanted to confirm that.

[knight]

Having been a fire fighter in Calgary for years, and working on one of the emergency trucks that responds to car accidients with the "Jaws of Life", is dont have any extra weight in your vehicle that isnt securly bolted down.

Car accidents are way more common in the condtions that might warrent the extra weight, and the last thing you want is a sand bag or 45lb weight flying around in the case of an accident

[jessef]

Having been a fire fighter in Calgary for years, and working on one of the emergency trucks that responds to car accidients with the "Jaws of Life", is dont have any extra weight in your vehicle that isnt securly bolted down.

Car accidents are way more common in the condtions that might warrent the extra weight, and the last thing you want is a sand bag or 45lb weight flying around in the case of an accident

x2

Mine's in a military box bolted down. Flying weights is not a good thing.

[fishslapper]

I have yet to hear any audible sound when shifting into and out of 4wd or locking and unlocking the hubs !
Every post i read has said you will hear a clunk click etc....etc... but on mine it is silent. I sure know it works though !!!
I had to take muy wife the womens hospital in vancouver on wed. during the storm. Trucks and cars were sliding backward downhill on 56th ave (route 10) and
it was stop and go on the hill. The delica acted as though it were on dry pavement. The tires never spun !! I drove to the right of all the slipping and sliding vehicle and went
right up the hill. Simply amazing !!! I love this van !! We would not have made it in most vehicles with just all-season tires.

cheers

[konadog]

I have yet to hear any audible sound when shifting into and out of 4wd or locking and unlocking the hubs !

Do your hubs look like this?:

flange hubs.jpg (46.41 KiB) Viewed 6611 times

If so you have hubs that are permanently locked so no clunking will be heard!

[PlantDrive]

Just a note as a cross-post to the SVO section.

I just made a post about the new tank we are working on, which will be at the rear of the van, spare tire left in place, spare carrier left in place, capacity maybe 60 litres, not sure yet, but if it comes out at that, then 60 litres of WVO is about 100 pounds, plus about 50 pounds for that 1/4" aluminum tank, in-tank heater, and hardware. I wanted this design for my new Delica versus removing the spare and spare carrier. Moving the spare to the front has been considered, but it's a pain, nobody wants to move their lights, and it would mean less weight at the rear and more way out front...exactly what we DON'T want.

Provided it all works out, it should be in the van mid-January, and I'll post pics and put it on the website.

[Green1]

While I have heard the sound, it's relatively rare, and usually while I'm pushing my comfort limits (ie engaging 4wd from the point of unlocked hubs when already stuck so there's no forward motion until the hubs engage) when your system is in good working order, and you use it without an overabundance of zeal (ie, don't throw the shifter and then floor the accelerator) it's pretty close to silent.
Those who describe their system as "loud" most likely have a maintenance issue of some form... maybe something needs to be oiled or replaced?