2wd verses 4wd.

[TSpecht]

It varies with your situation. This winter so far here in Michigan I've had to use 4wd more than in the past few years with a previous truck. Once underway I tend to switch to 2wd, but for initial movement I tend to have to start in 4wd or the tires will simply spin. I've tried starting in 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the deeper snow conditions, and occasional ice, but all seem to spin the tires just about as hard and produce an inability to move without 4wd. (The truck has the LSD option. Maybe if there was a Detroit locker available my opinion would be slightly different, but for now, seeing the lack of locking differentials, it's hard to get around the problem.

I tend to meander off road on occasion and for that, you simply can't beat a 4wd. Plus with a 4wd you get the BENEFIT of the beefy recirculating ball steering, instead of the relatively less beefy rack and pinion. R&P is for cars. How many other large vehicles do you see utilizing an R&P steering setup? My guess is not very many, and I suspect there is a reason for it...

 

[DPKetchum]

Its CHEAP. Its one piece and not exspensive to make. Less parts and easy to install. It does handle better with it but thats not the main reason it was used I'm sure.

 

[tschwab]

I know I'm in the minority here, but 2WD is the way to go for me, it is a tow vehicle for my 5vr and a commuter for my wife during the week back and forth to work. The truck NEVER goes off-road, we don't tow a boat and we get very little if any snow in western WA, so it was a no brainer. The advantages of 2WD are as follows:



Better fuel economy.

More towing capacity.

Lower bed height for 5vr.

Fits (heightwise) in my garage.

Rack & pinion steering vs recirculating ball on 4x4's.

Less cost.

Less maintenance.

No 4x4 vibe.

Balljoints don't wearout like they do on the 4x4's.

Oh yeah - Did I mention better fuel economy?

 

[Tim]

If I wanted fuel economy, I'd buy a Cavalier.

 

[CRuth]

Mine does go offroad. Even though I have Jeep for the hardcore stuff I always find myself wondering "whats down that road?". I've been stuck before in 2wd vehicles in the middle of nowhere and its not much fun. But I guess if I knew I was never going to leave the pavement it wouldn't concern me so much.



Years ago when I was fighting forest fires I visited a spot I saw on the map. Drove my 2wd pickup down a steep gravel road to the river. Turned out the river was almost dry and there and not worth fishing. Go to leave and there was no way I was getting back up the road. Tried for hours. Finally had to walk the railroad tracks eight miles back to town and cross a railroad bridge in the dark. Then I had to wait a week until my next days off and get a guy with a four wheel drive vehicle to go get my truck. Never again.

 

[tschwab]

If I wanted fuel economy, I'd buy a Cavalier.

Tim, did I mention that my 2WD gets better fuel economy than your 4x4? :-laf



I DON"T GO OFF-ROAD, I DON'T NEED OR WANT 4X4, IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY FOR ME.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I have a 4x4 now, but I sure miss having a 4x2!! If a '98 12v shortbed Club Cab 4x2 showed up I'm all over it baby!!! For a lot of highway driving like I do 2wd is the way to go.



With LSD I was able to get around well with my last two 4x2 trucks. I slogged through 12" of snow with my '03 last winter on the stock tires without chaining up. Did have some trouble getting around but never got stuck too bad.



With my '01 I towed snowmobiles up into the mountains a few times without much trouble but did have to chain up once.



Vaughn

 

[Tim]

Tim, did I mention that my 2WD gets better fuel economy than your 4x4? :-laf



I DON"T GO OFF-ROAD, I DON'T NEED OR WANT 4X4, IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY FOR ME.

I have a truck for off road use with a winch, lockers, and Swampers.



I still wouldn't tow it with a 2wd truck since I had the choice.



Oh yeah and I have a 4x4 for a daily driver that gets 21 mpg, so I doubt your 2wd gets better fuel economy.

 

[Bertram65]

Got 3" of snow last night, the street I live on ends at the top of a slight hill where it connects to a through road. This morning I went up my street no problem in 2WD, stopped at the top waited for traffic and tried to pull out, when there was an opening, truck would not move, just spun the rear tires, had to reach down and put her in 4WD, I do not think I would have been able to pull out otherwise.

 

[klenger]

Advantages of 2WD:

Better fuel economy.

More towing capacity.

Lower bed height for 5vr.

Fits (heightwise) in my garage.

Rack & pinion steering vs recirculating ball on 4x4's.

Less cost.

Less maintenance.

No 4x4 vibe.

Balljoints don't wearout like they do on the 4x4's.

Oh yeah - Did I mention better fuel economy?



Advantages of 4WD:

Better traction

Looks cool

 

[DPKetchum]

Advantages of 4x4. THEY DON"T GET STUCK. Or as near as often. Been stuck in every truck I have every owned and always swore 4x4s were needless until I SAW THE LIGHT.

 

[jeepit]

Even if I didn't do any plowing I still would have 4WD. My driveway is too steep so I can't get out of driveway after a snow in 2WD w/o a running start :-laf

 

[MFalkinham]

It seems to boil down to two types of people; those who NEED to have 4wd, and those for whom 4wd might be NICE to have if everything else was equal.



I wouldn't mind having 4wd again if I could get the same fuel mileage and it didn't raise the purchase price of the truck. But in reality I just wouldn't use it enough to justify the extra costs. I never go off-road, my driveway has no steep incline, and I don't pull boats up slippery launches. Perhaps I'll get burned on a rare occasion where having 4wd would have helped, but I won't get burned often enough to justify buying it.



For other people having a 2wd makes no sense at all for similar reasons. Everybodys needs are different, and I guess that's why they build them both ways.

 

[tschwab]

I have a truck for off road use with a winch, lockers, and Swampers.



I still wouldn't tow it with a 2wd truck since I had the choice.



Oh yeah and I have a 4x4 for a daily driver that gets 21 mpg, so I doubt your 2wd gets better fuel economy.

Tim, you as well as everyone else on this board knows, if you have two identically equipped trucks, one a 4x4 and one a 2x4, the 2WD will always get better fuel economy. :--)



Klenger - I agree, that 4x4's look cool, but my 4x2 3500 SWB looks way cool also :-laf

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I have both. a '00 2wd 2500 qc swb and a '01 3500 qc 4x4.



Lately I have a hard time fishing in the 2wd but I don't like driving the 4x4 because of mileage. the 2wd gets 18-22 the 4x4 gets 15-18/19.



I like to drive the 4x2 for ecomomy but my dually looks and handles better.



I'm really torn.

 

[LandShark]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that you can get way father into the boonies with a 4x4 before getting stuck!



I've been "stuck" numerous times with my 4x4 in 2wd on flat grass and a few times on a slight upgrade on pavement covered with leaves. Wish I had a posi rear end.

 

[RustyJC]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that you can get way father into the boonies with a 4x4 before getting stuck!

Well, I was going to say something similar. I grew up on a 176,000 acre ranch in north Texas and can still remember the first 4x4 truck that came onto the ranch - about a 1961 or so 4x4 Chevy. After a few months, someone asked one of the ranch hands what he thought about the truck - he said that he hated it. When asked why, he said that it was a lot longer walk back to the bunk house now once he finally managed to stick the thing!



Rusty

 

[FJfonda]

DRW and 2WD is not a good wet snow combo. It may work in dryer climates but here in the northeast I can't even get out of my driveway in 2WD... . and that is with 1500 lbs of stuff in the bed. Also, for the man'l trans guys... the 4x4 has a low range which is much easier to back heavy trailers (uphill) with . . all seasons. My personal experience is that I reach for the lever often... . and most times if I didn't have one to pull, it would mean a tow job, borrowing someone else's truck, or staying home.

 

[ctdodgeram]

I think everyone here has a personal reason for choosing what works (or appeared to work when purchased). My first CTD was a 2WD 97 2500 AT Single legger, with 8 ft bed. Loved that truck, added upgrades, hauled a@@, and got 22 mpg average highway.



BUT, couldn't back my 3000LB boat into my yard. So, sold it, and bought the 98. 5 Dually 4x4. When I test drove it (used), I couldn't get over the play in the steering. I just wasn't used to it. Even though I asked ther dealer to fix if I bought it, it never got much better. In any snow, you gotta use 4wd. The single legger just doesn't do anything on wet. Best I ever did was 18 MPG, at 70 on flat terrain. But, looks way cool with the stacks smoking!



So, I guess I just got used to driving it. Ball joints changed, Lukes Link, New track bar, still has play. Dealer says, it's normal.



Then, bought the '03 2WD 3500. I thought I died & went to heaven. Handling, ride, everything seems top notch. And, back to the 22-24 MPG if I keep my go-pedal @ 70 MPH. With LSD, I have NEVER been stuck, or close to it. We have had 70" of snow this year in NE, and I drive 90 miles a day back roads.



To each their own. I hate driving the 98 now. Seems archaic. I won't even take it from the wife when a foot of snow is falling.

 

[CRuth]

Hmmm, don't what this steering difficulty people have is all about. No vibration on my rig either.



To each his own, but I gotta feel sorry for people who never get off the beaten path and have a look around.