Twin Cab utes, Light in the rear end

[buggerlugs]

Does any twin cab owners be it 2 or 4 wheel drive have problems with the rear end being "Light" ? Son has a late model Triton GLX-R twin cab and it gets very taily in the wet, even with new tyres on. I have heard of people putting a bit of weight in the back.......

[Mad_Pom]

Any 1 tonne or greater Ute can get light in the rear, as the suspension has been setup to function when loaded. According to the press though the only exception seems to be the new Ranger / BT-50 which has the following quote - "With the tray loaded with a few hundred kilos of cargo, the Ranger felt a tad more stable but you’d really have to be pushing it to notice the difference." from this link http://www.caradvice.com.au/138988/ford-ranger-review/

Which was present in all reviews around the time. The difference between loaded and unloaded is only very subtle on a Ranger

[EDManual]

I have a current model GLR dual cab, and yes it does get taily in the wet (i dont mind that though) just have to be careful when road surfaces change. On dirt and gravel its nice and progressively sideways and a lot easier to drive fast strangely!, but when you hit slippery wet tar from grippy wet tar you really have to be careful!
One thing lots of owners do with these sorts of utes is to put new tyres on the back only, and keep replacing the back, and put the old ones on the fron. That way the front isnt gripping much better (hopefully worse so you understeer a bit) than the back on slippery surfaces so hopefully you arent going to lose it into the trees unexpectedly!

[Kryton]

Throw the factory suspension out and get some decent aftermarket ones in there.
Set up right, the issue will be minimal if at all existent.

[Rambunctious]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Does any twin cab owners be it 2 or 4 wheel drive have problems with the rear end being "Light" ? Son has a late model Triton GLX-R twin cab and it gets very taily in the wet, even with new tyres on. I have heard of people putting a bit of weight in the back.......

You need to help your Son out here.

Fit a small pully to the roof just behind the drivers seat.

Run a cord from the accellerator pedal up through the pully and tie a brick to the cord so as every time he hits the go pedal the brick will hit him in the back of the head to remind him to slow down.

[EDManual]

Originally Posted by Rambunctious

You need to help your Son out here.

Fit a small pully to the roof just behind the drivers seat.

Run a cord from the accellerator pedal up through the pully and tie a brick to the cord so as every time he hits the go pedal the brick will hit him in the back of the head to remind him to slow down.

They are NOT fast no matter how floored they are, they handle a LOT different to cars. One thing to watch out for is any bump mid corner in the wet! Never had cars mind that to much...
Its not about going slow, its about knowing what the ute handles like.

Dont give advice to go slow, you sound like the govt speed limiting country roads where theres a few corners to 90, 80, 60 whatever! That just makes someone think they are safe going slow (or a certain speed) and kills more people than someone knowing their skills, their car, and the conditions.

What needs to happen with your son, is you go with him, and find all these difficult spots and show him what happens so he understands how and WHY to control himself when he has to!

[Rambunctious]

Originally Posted by EDManual

They are NOT fast no matter how floored they are, they handle a LOT different to cars. One thing to watch out for is any bump mid corner in the wet! Never had cars mind that to much...
Its not about going slow, its about knowing what the ute handles like.

Dont give advice to go slow, you sound like the govt speed limiting country roads where theres a few corners to 90, 80, 60 whatever! That just makes someone think they are safe going slow (or a certain speed) and kills more people than someone knowing their skills, their car, and the conditions.

What needs to happen with your son, is you go with him, and find all these difficult spots and show him what happens so he understands how and WHY to control himself when he has to!

I am not giving advice to go slow, I was having a joke but seeing as you want to make it serious so will I.
Unloaded utes, overall, are very loose at any time let alone in the wet.
The best advice I would give is do an advanced driving course where he may just pick up a few good things that will keep him and other road users alive.

[rancidpunx]

My missus has a PJ Dual cab Ranger that has a canopy on storage racking in the tub and it still slides about. You get used to it and just have to modulate the throttle. It stills catches you unaware sometimes. Like taking off fro a set of lights on a slight hill or taking a turn into a side street as if it were dry.
Loaded up though its good as gold.

[aquahead2001]

I've got a PJ Ranger Twin Cab 4x4 and driven utes for years. Most utes with reasonable power are tail happy, it comes down to their long wheel base, high centre of gravity, light rear end and usually short gearing.

My Ranger was a bugger for rear wheel steering in most conditions until I got rid of the standard tyres and put on some BFG A/ts. it improved no end (I could let the wife drive in the wet).

The comments about helping him learn to control/aviod/correct the issue are the best solution. After 30+ years of utes, gravel roads & V8s, a bit of rear wheel steering for me is a bit of fun, but for my 16 year old L plater son, its lethal. I'll be working on his skills when he is at the right point in his learning period, I certainly don't want him to find out the hard way...

Good on ya for raising a good question too!

[TheInterceptor]

Mine used to get tail happy when your giving it a bit on boost. New decent tyres pretty well fixed it. Will only kick out if you make it kick.
I have a second spare in the back now too. I have pushed it to see when it lets go and it didnt let go!

[buggerlugs]

Speed isn't the real worry with my young bloke. He is very sensible. My daughter on the other hand.............Sweeping left or right handers seem to be the problem. 2 of the spots that give him a bit of drama are in a 60kph zone.........

[ebxr8240]

At Least they learn the limit of the vehicle at a much lower speed than most modern sedans..
I drive a 4WD Triton diesel .. Yes when power comes on it gets your attention.. It's all about driving with in vehicles, roads limits though...
Would much rather back step out than have under steer any day..
Yes they step out on bumps but quick opposite lock keeps things on track..
Much more forgiving than older light trucks...

[InTrail]

Mate had a dual cab Triton, and even from new it handled like a boat.
Bilsteins & King Springs all round, and it's now quite respectable.

[EDManual]

I put 265's on mine and it helped heaps with handling! Bit more tilty, but hangs on better and turns in better, now though! I can get on 2 wheels going round corners if I hit an inside wheel bump mid corner ;-D!

[xm289]

Ive got a 2005 courier dual cab 4wd turbo and gets tail happy in the wet, nature of the beast(car and driver!!!!).

[mik]

having wagon wheel suspension does`nt help, better springs and shockers as Intrail has mentioned sounds like a plan.

[Rambunctious]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Speed isn't the real worry with my young bloke. He is very sensible. My daughter on the other hand.............Sweeping left or right handers seem to be the problem. 2 of the spots that give him a bit of drama are in a 60kph zone.........

Hmmm, you wouldn't be talking about the slow sweeps at the back of Mooloolaba leaving and entering the freeway would you.
The VZ Dunnydore Wagon doesn't like them.

[BPXR6T]

I have a D22 Navara ST-R with VG30E V6. So slow there is not much hope of accidental traction problems under acceleration.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Rambunctious

Hmmm, you wouldn't be talking about the slow sweeps at the back of Mooloolaba leaving and entering the freeway would you.
The VZ Dunnydore Wagon doesn't like them.

Thats the one's !!!

[Kevaclone]

Heh
try driving 12 tonnes of unloaded 8X4 500hp fuel tanker in the wet
Roundabouts can get a bit errr exciting at anything more than neutral throttle no matter what speed