Buyers Remorse might be starting...

[gapper2]

Artsyguy,

  I will throw my 2 cents in.  To answer a question in your OP,  Is this normal?  Unfortunately yes.  I have a 2012 gmc savana 2500 and I also have a very steep driveway.  Only about a 25 degree incline but still very steep, but it's only 75 feet long.  I've backed on a fairly level portion of my grass and have been unable to make forward progress.  Almost There hit the nail on the head.  The rear end in these things are extremely light.  The original tires are pretty sad too.  Highway tires.  I have planned my build to have several hundred pounds over the rear axle as Almost There suggested.  Temporarily you'll need much more weight on that rear axle.  We don't have lots of snow in winter but I park my van on the street if I think I have to go somewhere.  Those street tires just don't cut it.

 

[Ballenxj]

  I had them down to 65lbs, but that triggered the tire sensors and I don't like glowing lights on my dash, so the dealer set them back to 80.

Have I ever mentioned I hate tire sensors? Well, I hate tire sensors. They tend to limit your options by telling you what you should do, as opposed to what is best at the moment. I try not to let a computer tell me what to do unless it's absolutely necessary for the well being of the drive train.
 Fortunately I never had that problem with any but one of my vehicles. I sold that one.

 

[gapper2]

I had them down to 65lbs, but that triggered the tire sensors and I don't like glowing lights

That is another gripe I've got the darn TPMS system.  I perform most of my own maintenance including rotating my tires.  After rotating, yep yellow warning light on dash.  The problem is it takes a special "tire relearn" tool so the computer knows where the tire is.  After living with the light for several months I ordered one off of amazon for $23.  Still pissed about that.  I'm not going to take it to the @#$# dealer everytime to reset!!

 

[Artsyguy]

question when down to 65psi did it slip on the drive way?  were they underinflated?  what's the minimum psi that doesn't set the sensor off?  highdesertranger

I think I can take the rears down to 70 without tripping the TPS.

 

[Artsyguy]

Artsyguy,

  I will throw my 2 cents in.  To answer a question in your OP,  Is this normal?  Unfortunately yes.  I have a 2012 gmc savana 2500 and I also have a very steep driveway.  Only about a 25 degree incline but still very steep, but it's only 75 feet long.  I've backed on a fairly level portion of my grass and have been unable to make forward progress.  Almost There hit the nail on the head.  The rear end in these things are extremely light.  The original tires are pretty sad too.  Highway tires.  I have planned my build to have several hundred pounds over the rear axle as Almost There suggested.  Temporarily you'll need much more weight on that rear axle.  We don't have lots of snow in winter but I park my van on the street if I think I have to go somewhere.  Those street tires just don't cut it.

This is useful me. I'm not sure what I can do to get it heavier, since it's more of a weekend trip van rather than a living full time van. Plan currently was to have one 12v deep cycle battery behind driver seat. 20lb propane tank at passenger rear corner. My Camp Chef stove weighs around 20-30lbs. Those are my heaviest things that I need.  I'll get it figured out for sure, just need to make a few minor changes in driving/parking style. First World problem!

 

[gapper2]

You will need water also for wash and drinking.  4  seven gallon containers from walmart full of water is another 200+ lbs.  And if you're like me you've got 200 lbs of toys to bring.  

I bet that would get you up and down your driveway.  Except in the snow.

 

[Artsyguy]

You will need water also for wash and drinking.  4  seven gallon containers from walmart full of water is another 200+ lbs.  And if you're like me you've got 200 lbs of toys to bring.  

I bet that would get you up and down your driveway.  Except in the snow.

Like I said previously, I'm not living in my van.  I take 3 gal jugs of water with me on a race weekend, and use about 1/2 that.  No room for toys, since I'm rocking a full size bed.  Where I go water and showers are plentiful and free.  I may just throw some concrete slabs under the bed, in the back for the winter and see what happens.  I think it will come down to just resigning myself to the fact that it's just a flatland vehicle and adjust my driving habits from there.  It's really no different than understanding I no longer can park in parking garages.

 

[John61CT]

Sandbags better than concrete.

Secure so can't move in an accident.

 

[bullfrog]

We used to carry in winter what we called "dead dogs" pieces of truck tubes filled with sand folded over on the ends. Extra weight helped and when stuck on ice poured out the sand in front of drive wheels for traction.

 

[tx2sturgis]

If the van is always very light, you don't need 80 psi...I run 70 in the rear and 65 up front and that's plenty. 

And yes, you can buy a learning tool to reprogram the TPMS. Not sure how the GM unit works but with the Ford, you get the dashboard computer in learning mode, 3 on-off cycles of the ignition key or something like that, then you use the little keyfob style transmitter at each wheel, and the horn beeps to let you know the computer accepted the current pressure as the correct pressure.

 

[WanderingCanuck]

Kitty litter (chunks of bentonite clay) is good as a temporary weight. You can use it for grip in the snow/ice too, but don't use it when it's wet and sloppy because it makes things more slick.

And hey, if you've got a cat then you're all set come spring.

 

[Artsyguy]

Kitty litter (chunks of bentonite clay) is good as a temporary weight.  You can use it for grip in the snow/ice too, but don't use it when it's wet and sloppy because it makes things more slick.

And hey, if you've got a cat then you're all set come spring.

I HATE cats...

 

[MotorVation]

For what it's worth...........
I bought 4 tires from a mobile installer for my '02 Dodge Ram Wagon 3500 ext. I asked him to put 85lbs in the rear tires as that's what it calls for on the door jam sticker. He told me that pressure is for when the van is loaded and that if I kept that much pressure in there unloaded that the rear tires will actually bounce at highway speeds and cause flat spots in the tires because the rear of the van is so light. He recommended 65lbs in the rear. I have about 52 in the front tires. (They're load range E all terrain).

He's been working with tires for 25 yrs so I took his advice. I don't have air pressure sensors in my wheels, tires. So far so good. I'm no expert on this.

I haven't started my build yet. I've been buying what I need piece by piece (and storing it) as the finances allow so there is really very little weight in the van right now.

 

[Burbanlife]

When I was a kid and street racing was in, we all bought traction bars...might check into those things... this link is just for an example, not the ones needed for the van u have...
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...mmc=pla-msn-_-shopping-_-srese2-_-scott-drake