short box over long

[Rusty Rider]

dose the short beds get any better traction over the long in crapy weather (slush and stuff ). Going to take some skill in a 2 WD that is this light in the back i plan on making mine a daily driver but might go with a new/diffrent frame if it will be worth all the work. lol and it gives me a feasable excuse to tell the wife "well honey the cab realy dose need to come off while I sand blast this frame".

[1971 Cheyenne]

I'd say that the longer wheelbase truck won't want to come around as easily, and will weigh a little* more in back, so it would probably be better in snow? I have no personal experience with this....


But it sounds like you want to change to short, so stop trying to rationalize it and just do it!

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by 1971 Cheyenne

I'd say that the longer wheelbase truck won't want to come around as easily, and will weigh a little* more in back, so it would probably be better in snow

My thoughts also... with rear LSD, good traction tires, and a few hundred extra pounds in the back, you'll probably get around okay...

[glock35ipsc]

I drove a 2wd short bed for years here in the Northern Colorado winters (back when we actually HAD a winter!). It's all in how you drive it, and a little in where you go

[Rusty Rider]

Thanks fellas, just want to make shure I don't build some thing that I could had headed in a diffrent direction to suit my needs better at this point of my project.

[Peregrine]

My dad has a longbox 82 and its gotten away from us a few times. That was because of black ice though. No one in Louisville knows how to drive in winter weather and it drive me nuts. My dad just piles stuff in the back of the truck as it gets close to snowing and it eventually gets enough crap back there to make it safe. I like being cleaner (weird) so buy some buckets with lids, fill them with sand (or if they are hefty buckets put a cinderblock in to) and you just store them during summer. If you do that there probably won't be a difference. And drag cars are long to make them stable, so?

[68w/sbc406]

put a 2x4 by the inner wells so the buckets wont slide forward too

[Peregrine]

Thanks, forgot that part.

[Rusty Rider]

yea, adding weight would probly get what I need more affectively insted of moving the wheel forward to loose some of the leverage you get from the longer wheel base.

[shuttermutt]

Speaking as someone that's driven a 2WD 68 LWB in Northern Maine and Minnesota, here's what I do to get around:

• Clean the bed out before the first good snow. Make sure your drain holes up near the cab are free of leaves and junk. You'll be glad you did come spring.
• Get 4 big Rubbermaid tubs. Get ones that are nice and flexible. The cheap ones will get really brittle in the cold and will crack if you stare at 'em wrong. Fill them with sand and toss a coffee can in one. Put two behind and two in front of the wheel well on each side. Cut two 2X4 and place them in between the tubs across the bed to prevent them from sliding.
• Keep a good tow strap in one of your tubs. You don't want to have to dig around for a frozen strap in the middle of the night, do you?
• Make sure your choke is in good working order. It's much easier to adjust when it's relatively warm out than when it's -30 below zero.
• Replace your wiper blades with ones that are rated for extreme cold. Now's a good time to make sure your windshield washer is working and full of an extreme weather fluid (NOT the $1.49 blue stuff).
• Lube your door locks with whatever you normally use. I prefer a little shot of silicon spray with a blast of graphite powder.
• Check your defroster. Again, it's more fun to deal with when you're not freezing your butt off.
• Toss one or two of those $0.99 disposable hand warmer packets in your tool box/bag along with a pair of cold-weather gloves (I really like the cold weather rated ones made by Mechanix).
• Make sure you're running a real winter tire. If you're allowed to run studs, do it. I had real good luck with Cooper Weather Master II tires on both of my trucks. They do well even without studs.
• The next time you're down at the parts store, have 'em test your battery. The cold weather is a real bear and a stout battery is very important.
• Make sure you've got good jumper cables, a small shovel (army surplus collapsible shovels are great), a blanket and other common sense items.
• Check your antifreeze. Don't just look and say, "It's green so it must be okay!" Get a cheap tester and make absolutely sure.
• Clean your battery terminals and inspect the cables.
• Consider moving to a 5W-30 or even 0W-30 synthetic if you're going to be seeing temperatures at 0 degrees or below.
• I know you're not supposed to, but I keep a half pint of whiskey in my toolbag. It's handy when you need to melt a little bit of ice or, in a pinch, you can soak a rag with it, stuff it in the bottom of your coffee can and use it like a can of Sterno.
• If it can be lubricated, it should be lubricated. Extreme cold will not only amplify a lack of lubrication, but will also make parts more prone to breaking.
• Double-check your fresh air vent flap (located on the passenger side in the cowl) to make sure it's fully closed.
• Hit your local BMW dealership and ask for a product called Gummiphledge. It's a little-known tube of goo used to keep weatherseals pliable even in very cold weather. Unfortunately, the dealership told me they had discontinued the product recently. If you can't find it, Sonax makes a similar product. Note that Armor-All is NOT what you want.
• Check your belts very well as they can get very brittle in extremely cold temperatures.
• Check all of your fluids.
• Throw something in the bed you can use to chock your wheels with. Personally, I don't recommend using your parking brake in the winter as they tend to fail to release when it gets really cold out.
• Triple-check your brakes. If you've got a problem, get it sorted out now. The last thing you want on an icy road is a truck that pulls to one side or the other or doesn't stop at all when you hit the pedal.
• Consider an engine block heater if you'll be parking outside.

That's about all I can think of right now. It's true that a LWB will be more stable than a SWB truck, but either one will get you anywhere you want to go with some weight in the back and if you take the time to practice your winter driving skills.

[Rusty Rider]

Wow, Shuttermutt. That is about one of the most useful detalied threads I have ever read about winter prep. I keep chains in what ever I am driving in the winter along with water and extra cloths but this is alot about the prevntive mant. that realy should be addresed. Thanks for all the information and clearing my mined on how the long bed will get through without haveing to tuck the wheel up closer to the bed to get more weigh on them With out haveing to cluter the bed.

[shuttermutt]

Originally Posted by Rusty Rider

Wow, Shuttermutt. That is about one of the most useful detalied threads I have ever read about winter prep. I keep chains in what ever I am driving in the winter along with water and extra cloths but this is alot about the prevntive mant. that realy should be addresed. Thanks for all the information and clearing my mined on how the long bed will get through without haveing to tuck the wheel up closer to the bed to get more weigh on them With out haveing to cluter the bed.

No problem at all, Rusty. As any of the Northern boys on this board will tell ya, winter is a season that demand respect. With some common sense, some prep work and a twist or two of a wrench, these trucks can tackle even the worst of it without batting an eye. Heck, maybe this is a good candidate for the FAQ section, eh? I'm sure folks will have things to add that I didn't think of.

[71 Blazer CST man]

i have a block heater but have never used it. The plug is right under/behind my front bumper. Are these supposed to be plugged in with a timer and only "on" an hour or so before you plan on driving???? I'm afraid to plug my truck into a socket all night heh heh. I'v never used mine.

[Brainchild]

Well if you want some extra weight in the slick stuff just shovel your driveway right into the back.Snow is heavy,plus you don't have to unload it

Get the stuff in the drive that doesn't have the salt addative

Of course if you have to use your truck like I do you better sharpen the driving skills.
I have always driven LWB trucks,they're not too bad in the snow.Tires makes all the difference,and of course some caution,and common sense

[GMC AMI]

Studded snow tires and a 4 wd can't be beat for winter driving! Once you have one you will not wish to drive a 2wd in the snow again. IMO

[Kas68c10]

I used bags of sand to weigh mine down, right over the axles, sure noticed a difference and they never slid around

[krue]

Heck, maybe this is a good candidate for the FAQ section, eh?

Yep, I am gonna put a copy of your reply in the FAQ section.

[Dave Reed]

Man, I lived in Boston and now CT, and you guys sweat it too much. My SWB 2 wheel drive can handle anything. I used to drive my Mustang in all of it. It's called rear wheel steering. I just add gas and go. 1' or more and never had a problem. I never load the bed besides what snow falls in. I am a sick puppy any who rides one of them ricers at mach 1, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me.

[67cst]

you can leave your block heater plugged in all night

[Rusty Rider]

I had a 77 long bed as a kid back in Dallas. That is what i learned to drive in but here it isnt flat like back home and the snow stays on the roads for more that a day. lol. I never seen a snow plow till I moved here. coolest darn thing I ever seen ( big ol truck shuttling down the highway blasting snow from a giant chunk of metal being pushed acrose the pavement ). My van (2 WD Astro ) dose great but the weight is more even on it than my truck. I drove it in 2' so far but I think the truck will need more bite to get up the hills and taking off. I will try alot of things come first snow here before this is my main driver.I just got to thinking that tucking the wheels closer to all the weight would give me that bite.

[Russell]

The absolute best thing to keep you stable while driving in bad conditions is to go slow...

Also, if you lock the rear brakes up when trying to stop for a red light or stop sign, and can't stop, release the brake, throw the truck in neutral, and slow down with a constant braking, pumping the brakes does NOT work, you simply lock the brakes up for a second, then not then lock them up again etc etc, it doesn't slow you down much more than just letting go of the gas and idling down. The reason why it is a good idea to toss the truck into neutral is becuase even when you arn't giving any gas to the truck, it is still putting that 700 rpm into the drivetrain, and could (and often does) give just that extra amount of push that is causing your brakes to lock up rather than slow the truck down.

Also, turn your idle up for the winter, I find my truck won't idle below 700 rpm in drive until it warms up, no one wants to sit around and wait for their truck to heat up, so just idle it up to 800 - 900 rpm in park, with the fast idle running between 1500 - 2000 rpm (just give the pedal a kick before you are ready to go, it kicks the fast idle off and slows the idle down to where you set it)

My truck has started in -40 F weather without using a block heater, just make sure that you've got an oil that is rated for the temperature you'll be running the truck in, and make sure that your coolant is concentrated enough for the conditions.

All this said, the easiest way to prevent an accident, or hitting the ditch is to take it easy and drive slow, watch out for the other guy, becuase while you may be in control and able to avoid an accident he may not be able to... Don't fiddle around on the roads, power sliding around corners and stuff, you're just asking to hit the ditch, or cause a big accident, sure we all love doing doughnuts in the big empty parking lot after a fresh snow fall, but no one loves getting stuck in -40 weather...

Its also a good idea to carry a cell phone with you if you've got one, even if you don't have a plan on it, you can still call 911 with it. I've got an old Nokia that I keep in my glove box, I charge it once a month to make sure the battery isn't dead if I need it sometime...

Oh yeah -- If you are planning on getting new tires for the winter, get a tall skinny tire, a 7" wide tire is real nice, a skinny tire has much more traction than a wide tire as more weight is put into a smaller area. The tall tires help with driving through deep snow, you won't have nearly as much snow to compress with a skinny tire, and the height of them give you more ground clearance. I run 32" x 7" tires on a 16 inch steel wheel in the winter, take your fancy wheels off in the winter, the salt is not very friendly to your nice shiny mags...

If you are worried about rust, wash your truck at least once a week, making sure to crawl underneith to wash out the spots that collect dirt / road salt such as cab corners, wheel wells etc.

[68w/sbc406]

i am glad we only get snow once a year and it only lasts at most a week
sure sounds like a PITA

[mr402]

Boy, do I agree with 68w. Used to live right off Lake Ontario in NY. Hated to watch my cars/trucks rot away. Nothing quite like having those door skins just flappin in the breeze. Trucks out here are a lot easier to work on too. Don’t have to worry so much about rust falling in my eyes either.