I have a 2wd truck that has been struggling at boat ramps. Both concrete and dirt ramps get slick. Im usually able to get in and out no problem but a little too often I have to use the boat to push the truck or get towed by another truck. Adding some weight to the bed helps but not enough.

Currently have Michelin LTX MS.

Would putting a more off road tire significantly help? If so, recommendations? Those Michelin's have been really great except for that one specific task.

Maybe lower your air pressure. That may help. I have Cooper discovers and have not had issues at the boat ramp but my boat is not that heavy.

Tell the wife we recommended a brand new 4wd truck!

I think the smart move would be to just a house on the lake with a dock. That way you don't have to risk your life taking the boat in and out all the time at the dock.

Lower tire pressure is probably your easiest remedy. Drop them to ~20psi. Get a 12V compressor to air them back up before getting on the road. Just need to lower pressure in the drive tires.

Agree with the lower pressure. I've done it on the beach before when the sand is real dry and loose.

Get you one of these compressors. Great little units that will provide a lot more PSI, especially useful if you're running the higher pressures that you see on 3/4 & 1 ton trucks. Most of these will easily do 100psi vs a lot of the cheaper 12v compressors that top out around 40, so you're maxing them for a 35psi tire.

https://www.viaircorp.com/portables
Available through Amazon

The viaAir compressors are legit. Much faster than the cheap ones.

Yeah, without 4wD the only choice you have is a bigger tire footprint using lower pressure, but if the ramp is slimed up, that might have limited effectiveness, but will help.

Out of curiosity, what model truck?

The things I'm about to suggest will be fairly obvious to most of the posters here, but doesn't hurt to mention:
-Lock the axle, if you have a rear locker.
-Make sure you're in a low gear.
-Like the others said, lower the tire pressure for better contact.

If all else fails and you decide you need some all-terrains, there are a lot of options out there.

Thanks for the replies. I'm due for tires soon anyway, online everyone says they have great grip when wet so I'm thinking of staying with them.

'16 Silverado 1500 pulling 23' boat

Trying to post a pic but Imgur isn't cooperating

It might help to semi set the parking break maybe a quarter of the way down. Slow the wheel speed down a little bit

bb2003 said:

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It might help to semi set the parking break maybe a quarter of the way down. Slow the wheel speed down a little bit

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if you don't have a locking differential the parking brake may help as well

This thread gave me nightmares about a trip to Medina lake. I almost became an innernet boat ramp sensation, but, fortunately the boat floated as the truck was sliding and was able to stop. Sold that truck and got a 4WD about a week later. Will never again own a 2WD

Yep, with a 2wd, the front wheels can hold the truck in place but only the back wheels can get it out. If you're sliding in the back, you can't let go of the brakes, and the farther back you slip, the less traction you have.

I'm not really sliding back, so its not scary. I just lose traction when the weight of the boat starts coming out of the water, especially ramps where the trailer wheels drop off at all.

TxAg20 said:

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Lower tire pressure is probably your easiest remedy. Drop them to ~20psi. Get a 12V compressor to air them back up before getting on the road. Just need to lower pressure in the drive tires.

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X2

Do you not have a locking rear diff?

Tires dont make as much as a difference as being able to lock the diff to get up the ramp.

FIDO*98* said:

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This thread gave me nightmares about a trip to Medina lake. I almost became an innernet boat ramp sensation, but, fortunately the boat floated as the truck was sliding and was able to stop. Sold that truck and got a 4WD about a week later. Will never again own a 2WD

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cranes mill gives me nightmares for similar reasons. Though I was a kid.

What about a few 50lbs sand bags in the back? Put more weight on those back wheels. I was told they do that up north with 2wd trucks in the snow to get better traction. I'm not sure if it actually works...

This reminds me of a story from my teenage years.... we had a 1982 F150 with an inline 6. My dad and I would take our 1979 Cajun fishing to a small lake with a shady boat ramp. My dad had a 55 gal drum in the bed and filled it with water to get the boat in and out and he'd drain when we got home. About a 10 mile round trip on backroads.

Well we went fishing one Saturday morning and really got into them and we didn't want to leave. But we had to be back for a family deal so we were in a rush when we got home. Dad never drained the barrel. He later "says" he told me to but he didn't and I don't argue with him. Anyways, night time comes and I'm ready to hit the backroads with my friends so we load up in that Ford and go. We'd drive the backroads and kill snakes by slamming the brakes and sliding on them....welp, the first snake we came to, I slam the brakes and that 55 gal drum full of water comes sliding forward and slams into the back of the cab and explodes the back windshield. Scared the poop right out of us.

Got home and told dad. Once again, he "says" he told me to drain it.

Moral of the story, get a 4WD.

A 4WD will make this a non issue in your life. Used trucks are bringing good value these days, maybe look into a new truck if finances allow?

Need a 4x4 truck with some good All Terrain tires like the BF Goodrich KO/2

15-20 psi and 300 lbs of sand in the bed. If that won't work with your boat at your ramp, I think you need a different vehicle.

I put 400lbs of tractor weights in the bed and it handled a ramp I usually have trouble at with ease.