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Comment by discardorama | Hacker News Reader

Whatever happened to putting sandbags in the back of the truck? When I lived in Buffalo, that was the preferred method of adding extra weight in the winter. Bonus: free sand in case you got stuck somewhere :-D

On the flip side: how will the ever present salt affect the aluminum body?

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Yea, sandbags are the preferred method. Problem is, there are quite a few people that still think having a truck makes you impervious to poor driving conditions...and they skip the sandbags.

All metals will corrode in the presence of salts. Though aluminum does not exhibit rusting like steel does, it will develop a chalky film and pitting in the metal surface when exposed to salt for long periods. I believe that this is aluminium oxide.

Some reading: http://www.boatingmag.com/how-to/maintenance/protecting-alum...

So then the lack of weight won't really be a factor in the snow. The ignorance of some owners will be.

The ignorance is often cured by the tow truck driver explaining what you did wrong, sometimes the police if you are particularly unlucky.

You have to design with the user in mind. Always.

Secondly, the aluminum coat prevents further oxidization unlike with iron.

Sandbags are pretty standard in the northland[1]. Although, some trucks (looking at you Ford Ranger / Mazada B4000) are just bad on snow and ice (described as death traps).

If I still lived in a state that used salt, I would follow the precaution of getting a year round carwash pass and going once a week. Plus, a good underbody coating works well.

1) put them over the back wheel, NOT loose in the bed so they slide. Rope or bungee cords are your friend.

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