how much does topsoil cost?

[fatpat268]

Top Soil has always been cheaper than sand in the same quantity in my area.

Personally, I'd go for a couple of bags of rocks. That way if the bags tear or something, you don't have as big of a mess to clean up.

 

[Jeff7]

One other risk of topsoil - it might contain fruit fly eggs. Throughout the past year, I've bought topsoil/potting soil with:
- large stones (>1" diameter)
- sticks around 1/2" wide
- fruit fly eggs (water plants, and a few days later, fruit flies begin to hatch out)
- broken glass

Granted, one bag was uber-cheap Walmart-grade junk. But another bag was Hyponex, and the other was Miracle Gro.

I'd imagine that sand would be far less likely to harbor fruit flies, or other unwanted suprises of that nature.

 

[Twista]

Ok, i got 4 bags of Tube sand which is made for the exact reason we need. they weigh 60 pounds each so thats 240 pounds. Ont he way there i could break the tires loose easy because the streets are wet, but on the way back with the 240 in my back seat i couldnt break them loose.


now how should i arrange them in my trunk? should i just lay down across my trunk? Or should it be 2 stacked on each other by each wheel?

thanks.

 

[Twista]

it works in the rain i know for sure b/c i cant break the tires loose by giving it too much gas like i could before, but it looks bad with all the weight back there lol.

The back is low and the front is high:
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...21/tw1sta/PICT0024.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb.../tw1sta/PICT0022-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...21/tw1sta/PICT0023.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...T0025.jpg?t=1196616530

Should i up the tires PSI? There at 35 PSI w/o all the weight..

Bags cost $2.98 each.. all 4 came out to a total of $11 and something cents.. it wasnt over $12 which is strange..

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
One other risk of topsoil - it might contain fruit fly eggs. Throughout the past year, I've bought topsoil/potting soil with:
- large stones (>1" diameter)
- sticks around 1/2" wide
- fruit fly eggs (water plants, and a few days later, fruit flies begin to hatch out)
- broken glass

Granted, one bag was uber-cheap Walmart-grade junk. But another bag was Hyponex, and the other was Miracle Gro.

I'd imagine that sand would be far less likely to harbor fruit flies, or other unwanted suprises of that nature.

Plus moisture which will grow stuff.

Sand and rocks would be the best.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Twista
it works in the rain i know for sure b/c i cant break the tires loose by giving it too much gas like i could before, but it looks bad with all the weight back there lol.

The back is low and the front is high:
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...21/tw1sta/PICT0024.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb.../tw1sta/PICT0022-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...21/tw1sta/PICT0023.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...T0025.jpg?t=1196616530

Should i up the tires PSI? There at 35 PSI w/o all the weight..

Bags cost $2.98 each.. all 4 came out to a total of $11 and something cents.. it wasnt over $12 which is strange..

More psi will make traction more difficult. 35psi in the rear is probably a little high already. What's the factory call for in your car? I thought is was like 32/30 or 30/28.

 

[440sixpack]

Originally posted by: ironwing
Cat litter is denser than topsoil so would probably work better. Growing up, my parents always used water softener salt to weigh down the car. If you don't have a water softener, you could use the salt for your driveway.

General point on the salt idea, I've heard it mentioned before. If you're weighing down an open-bed truck or the like, I would NOT use salt. Salt + Water from snow/rain + metal truck bed = swiss cheese in no time. My business partner told me about a friend of his that did this - at the end of the winter there was barely any of the truck's bed left.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Twista

Originally posted by: alkemyst
how about learning to drive better?

You do know that gas pedal works other than just at the floor, right?

isgust;

You do know that just coming off the CLUTCH cause the back end to slide right? Opps, you was talking about the gas padal only.

Not if you know how to drive. I'm serious.

-edit-
What I really mean is learn how to drive. Your clutch allows you to control power to the drivetrain regardless of power/rpm.

 

[akshatp]

Instead of worrying how much the top soil will cost you, worry more about how much extra you will be paying for gas with all that extra weight in your trunk.

Learn how to drive. You think everyone with a RWD vehicle in snow areas is weighing down the back? I would presume they wouldnt be a very popular car to buy if this were the case. Again, learn how to drive.

 

[FoBoT]

there are cheaper heavy things than good top soil

bags of sand

large rocks

bags of small rocks

certain types of cement bricks

 

[Shawn]

use cement.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: akshatp
You think everyone with a RWD vehicle in snow areas is weighing down the back?

Just about everybody I knew did.

 

[meltdown75]

got any spare old tractor weights laying around? that's what my bro uses in his truck, although i guess not everyone has access to a farm.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
got any spare old tractor weights laying around? that's what my bro uses in his truck, although i guess not everyone has access to a farm.

Nor would it easily fit in the back end of a Mustang.

 

[tasmanian]

I thought it was bad to put extra weight in your car.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: meltdown75
got any spare old tractor weights laying around? that's what my bro uses in his truck, although i guess not everyone has access to a farm.

Nor would it easily fit in the back end of a Mustang.

they're not that big.

 

[IronWing]

Leave the car outside with the trunk open. Pour a bit of water into the trunk, let freeze, repeat. Soon you'll have a custom fitted weight in the back.

 

[FoBoT]

perhaps you can get a cadaver of about that weight

 

[Savij]

I'm no expert, but I think you went too far with the weight. You still need weight on the front end to steer the car.

First off, move the weight forward in the trunk so that's it's over the wheels more and it's not raising the front end as much.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Savij
I'm no expert, but I think you went too far with the weight. You still need weight on the front end to steer the car.

First off, move the weight forward in the trunk so that's it's over the wheels more and it's not raising the front end as much.

I agree. The weight needs to be over and/or slightly forward of the rear axles to maximize the weight over the drive wheels, yet not lift the steering wheels. Some cars have small trunks which makes it difficult to put it in the right place...hey, that almost sounds dirty...

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Twista

Originally posted by: alkemyst
how about learning to drive better?

You do know that gas pedal works other than just at the floor, right?

isgust;

You do know that just coming off the CLUTCH cause the back end to slide right? Opps, you was talking about the gas padal only.

Not if you know how to drive. I'm serious.

-edit-
What I really mean is learn how to drive. Your clutch allows you to control power to the drivetrain regardless of power/rpm.

Exactly...

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: 440sixpack

Originally posted by: ironwing
Cat litter is denser than topsoil so would probably work better. Growing up, my parents always used water softener salt to weigh down the car. If you don't have a water softener, you could use the salt for your driveway.

General point on the salt idea, I've heard it mentioned before. If you're weighing down an open-bed truck or the like, I would NOT use salt. Salt + Water from snow/rain + metal truck bed = swiss cheese in no time. My business partner told me about a friend of his that did this - at the end of the winter there was barely any of the truck's bed left.

Even in a carpeted trunk that salt will get down into the metal...

 

[Twista]

Originally posted by: akshatp
Instead of worrying how much the top soil will cost you, worry more about how much extra you will be paying for gas with all that extra weight in your trunk.

Learn how to drive. You think everyone with a RWD vehicle in snow areas is weighing down the back? I would presume they wouldnt be a very popular car to buy if this were the case. Again, learn how to drive.

Come drive my mustang with no weight in the backend with a nice amount of snow on the ground.... Good luck buddy YOULL NEED IT!!!!.



and since the pictures i already relocated the weight. I have all the weight shifted far forward as i can go in the trunk. This way all the weight is over the axle.


Also, the weight was removed when the weather was forecasted to be nice for the day. However, its suppose to snow again so i added the weight again 20 minutes ago. So, gas shouldnt be a problem and i drive my car hard anyway so im use to my gas hand being near empty always and who has an v8 thats worried about gas??????

mustangs suck in snow: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gxc7a7189pQ&feature=related

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Twista

Originally posted by: alkemyst
how about learning to drive better?

You do know that gas pedal works other than just at the floor, right?

isgust;

You do know that just coming off the CLUTCH cause the back end to slide right? Opps, you was talking about the gas padal only.

Not if you know how to drive. I'm serious.

-edit-
What I really mean is learn how to drive. Your clutch allows you to control power to the drivetrain regardless of power/rpm.

Exactly...

yeap.

to many with manuels just let the clutch pop and hit the gas. they don't know the finer points of useing it.

 

[Twista]

Okay, took it out there in the snow. much better with all the weight back there. I can actually take off without the ass swerving badly. Yes, i did some testing and if i take off in the snow with alittle than normal gas the ass end still goes nuts like we would expect. But with the weight i can take off like normal and ALL is well.