Does this flat green paint make my butt look really big?

[texas pinzgauer]

There was some email discussion previously about different opinions about the value of adding weight to the rear of a 710 or 712 to aid wet weather on-road stability and perhaps to also improve off-road climbing capabilities.

How about some suggestions and examples of what people have done to address this issue?

[andy]

I did a 180 mile round trip the other day. The vast majority of it was highway driving at about 55 to 58 mph. On the way up I had 800 pounds of corn in 50 pound bags in the back of my Pinz. The roads were dry and for once wind was not a factor. About 35 miles of the trip involves up and down hills. My ending mileage per gallon for that trip was 14.8 mpg.

The main factor on that was there was practically no wind.

I carry as much as 2,000 lbs of corn/protein at times in some really bad off road conditions and have not noticed a major difference in handling or ride with or without a load. That maybe because going uphill or downhill with that sort of a load involves locking front and rear diffs and having the transfer case in low, which pretty much makes the truck idle up or down the hills. Any jolts felt are attributed to the crummy loose rock, of varying sizes, roads/trails/tracks.

I've also had the 710M loaded with 2,000 lbs of corn/protein and pulled a trailer with another 2,000 lbs in it and except for a slightly slower acceleration process leaving full stop have not noticed any major differences other than speed going up hills (paved roads) bleeds off faster and on some longer steeper hills I have to downshift. Handling pretty much stays constant.

I have pretty much worn out the rear Interco Truxus MTs though. Knock on wood, I've not had a single flat with them though and I've run over all sorts of sharp rocks, cactus, and mesquite thorns.

Regards,

Andy