Due to this crappy NJ weather and snow, I threw in about 300 lbs worth of sand in my trunk. I plan on leaving the weight in there until the end of March. Do you guys think I will be causing any suspension damage with that much weight back there? Thanks!

 

Too much is definitely bad for the suspension - a friend of mine placed a few 45 pound plates in the trunk of his 5.0 litre for the same reason and ended up having to replace the springs after the winter.

300 pounds seems like an awful lot to me, the car must sagging in the back from the extra weight, no?

I know I never came close to putting 300 pounds of weight in the back of my old 2WD truck for winter traction, but a different vehicle for

Answer your question did this? Probably not. Hopefully there are some others who don't winter store their camaros who can help you out with how much weight they use

 

that's how they rode back in the 50's...concrete blocks in the trunk...lol

 

Last year I put 160 pounds onto the platform area directly above the rear axle. This year I went with 80 pounds in the deep part of the trunk area.

 

When there is snow on the ground I keep 210 pounds in the deep part of the trunk. This is the 3rd winter like that.

No problems.

 

Brutal . Up here in Canada, that much weight just isn't necessary! I drove my Z for 2 winters without anything in the back. First year was with the factory Goodyear RSA's (climbed snowy hills and everything) and the second winter (last year) I had a set of true "snow tires". Never put weight in the back, and never put the car in the ditch!!! Only got stuck once, but that was my own fault (doing donuts in an empty parking lot, and I dug through the snow to the bare pavement which was glare ice. It was on a hill and I had trouble getting going again!!).

I don't think that much more than ~100 lbs. would be necessary? 300 lbs. is just going to give your springs and shocks a really good workout?!

 

Ive never had to put wieght in the car, but then again i live in a damn desert.
Maybe drop it down to 200lbs

 

i have my subs in their box mounted in the well and the car barely even squats.

 

If you had two 150lb people in the back seat it would be the same. And I believe the car is rated for this. So I don't think you'll hurt any thing. I would think that it would take years of this, before the springs start to sag. However like others here, I have driven Camaro's and Corvette's for years in the snow and never had to do this.

 

Exactly, you're not causing any immediate damage but what you're doing is not good for the car in the long haul.

Added weight is harder on the suspension, and the drive train, plus it costs you gas.

Next year you might just want to invest in some good winter tires

 

After driving mine over this winter both with and without sand bags of varying weight i found that it's best to just go with none... in my experience if it's gonna slide it's gonna do it no matter how much weight you have back there, having sandbags in the bag just makes it harder to correct (I don't have snow tires btw)

 

^ Yup!! ^ Very true!

 

Either way I go (I hope I dont sell the SS) I'm def gonna pick up some nice new snow tires next October or so. Have you guys had good experiences with Tirerack.com? Looks like they would probably be the best bet for me.

 

I've purchased many tires from "The Rack", an excellent company.

 

I'd say the better investment in the long run is an everyday cheap honda or other 4banger. Saves mucho money on insurance, and assuages the fear of a snowy f-body demise.