I have cut outs in my bed liner before and after the wheel well's for 2x4's so I cut two of them up, then filled the center with one layer of heavy fire brick we have laying around. Helps keep the load over the axle and helps keep it from shifting. We are sporting 12" + right now and haven't had an issue expecially with the new tires I picked up. Bring on the snow

 

If you are looking for the maximum weight that you should put in the bed of the truck, I would look at the advertised payload and go with that, provided all your suspension is stock.

 

agreed

 

I use 2'x2' flat concrete patio slabs. Just buy them from a garden centre. Each one weighs 85 lbs. My short bed will fit 6 slabs in total which is 510 lbs, and the tailgate still closes. I tried all 6 when I bought them, it was too much weight, you could see the leaf springs were already sagging. Currently I only use 2 (170 lbs) and I add them only when it starts to snow, they're easily removable and when they're in the bed, you can still use the bed because they are only 1-2" thick in height. I keep them in place by using this rubber type matting I bought at Wal-mart in the Kitchen dept. Its like shelf liner or a matting that keeps stuff in place, its not an actual rubber but something similar. Its sold in a roll in the cabinet shelf liner area. I lay this stuff down in the rear bed, then place the concrete slabs on top of the matting and it keeps the slabs in place, even under very hard braking.

I'm experimenting with the weight in the back, I've just put new snow tires on all wheels, Firestone Winterforce. The tires are good on their own without the weight, but when it gets too deep, I add the weights.