4x4 or not

[Doc Tinker]

Maybe the REAL drivers are the one with 2x4s who can still get there. LOL



Doc

 

[RustyJC]

Doc,







We've owned our 4x2 since July, 1996 and have never been stuck (and that includes living in Ohio during the winter for part of that time. ) Since we use our truck almost exclusively to pull our 5ver, the new one (see signature) that's scheduled for an 8/1/01 build date will be 4x2 as well. Hey, it works for us - ya pays your money and ya takes yore choice!



Rusty

 

[Leon R]

If you don't drive in snow at all then stick with the 2X4. I spent the first 34 years of my driving experience without a 4X4 and this was mostly in Alberta and did just fine without it. When I got my Dodge in 94 and was travelling through a spring snow storm near Calgary I was not in four wheel drive and found with the heavy front end that the back would slip out very quickly and was a little unnerving to say the least. Putting it into four wheel drive made all the difference. With the heavy cummins front end, 4X4 is a must if you are going to be using your vehicle on slippery roads.

 

[chuck3]

4x4

etc,etc etc yda,yda yda, but 4x4 look better.

 

[Ray J]

My offroading is done in a Wrangler, so my Ram will never go offroad voluntarily. I've found the 4 x 4 very useful in the winter as well as turning around on grassy slopes, loose dirt, gravel, etc. Even pulling into a friends farm in the spring with trailer and Jeep attached bogged the 2 x in his "driveway" mud. A simple shift to 4 X took care of it. To me, its worthwhile having.

 

[Skydiver]

Stay stuck.

With %70 of the 6200 pounds on front of my ext. cab 4x2 that comes to about 2200 pounds per each front tire and 465 pounds on each of the 4 rear tires. Needless to say with 215/85/16's the front tires will sink like a rock and the rear will not even dig in.

If I get up to about 35 or 40 MPH I can go through a 10 foot mudhole.

We need to have a contest on backing uphill on gravel. I can't do that either.

4x2 cummins are ment to ride on hard surfaces ONLY.

When I get my 2008 model it will be a 4x4 if they still make diesels.

Tim

 

[wrk2mtch]

I can't count the number of times I lost traction on something as simple as a gravel driveway or wet grass (or even wet pavement if it was steep enough) with my '69 D-200. On the other hand my 2wd drive dually Toyota would go anywhere with 4 studded snow tires on the back.

With the camper on and an LSD you should get lots of traction (although the camper special package will hurt traction without the camper on-IMO), but for those few times that it's not enough it's nice to have that transfer case lever. I know I'll never buy another 2X.

 

[SlyBones]

4x4, especially if you start bombing.



Got a hill on the way to work, that you have to stop at the top of, and the truck is at a reasonable incline. Then try and start out and make a left turn. When its raining, it too slippery. End up making the turn with the rearend hanging out there, looking like I am having too much fun ( yep ).



Anyway before BOMBing is was not too bad, after BOMBing seems like ya gotta stick it in 4x4 just to get to work in the rain.

 

[MCummings]

Maybe I'm still to young and like the Southern swing of my 2wd truck. .



Might not be "safe" but I don't travel on snowy highways, or anything of the like, heck, I haven't even SEEN snow in the last 4-5 years.



here in Laredo Tx the highest Speed limit I travel is 65MPH, and my most often traveled road has a speed limit of 50MPH.



I guess Laredo is still a small town.

Most streets are 30-40MPH roads. The best part of me being 18yrs old, is when it is raining.



Here's a trick for the 5-speeders. I learned this on a wide open road, when it was raining, if you are doing about 30MPH on "older/oily pavement" Push the clutch in, downshift to third and at the same time hit 3K RPMs, let the clutvh out real quick, and the truck will start peelin' out for, what seems like forever, or until you lift off of the "go pedal"

This Cummins really shows its torque on wet pavement.



I would be very cautious with a 2wd truck in snow, but Mud is fun!



That's my story,



MerrickNJr

 

[FMcClaren]

I,ve always bought 2wheel drive because I never needed

4 wheel. But I figured what to heck,So I bought my first

4x4 CTD.

The second time I pulled with it was to Gaston,Ind. It had rained

there every day for 2 weeks and the only way I could back in my site was 4 wheel drive, even with LSD. Good feeling to know

it,s there if you need it. ENJOY



Frank

 

[roycrown]

The ONLY reason I got 4wd was for the "LO" range, to slowly move trailers around on my small lot.

 

[rich m]

my score: 2 to 3

Have had 2 trucks that were 4x2 ( '66 F100 and 92 pathfinder)

Never had the Nissan stuck, and I think 80% of my "stucks" in the Ford were due to bald tires (I was a low-budget guy, just ask my wife).

Since then, I've had a K-1500 (virgin girl truck--- soft, but never got stuck )

An old W-100---also never stuck, but, was really tired, and needed lots of re-work/re-hab---

This big ol' RAM... also never gets stuck.

(my definition of "stuck" requires another vehicle to extract you. . not simply a temporary loss of traction... . they all did that! )



I'd have trouble going back to a 4x2... If I'd never gotten 4x4, I'd probably never think I "neeeeeeded" it, but now, I don't think a truck's complete without it. .

Purchase/resale makes it a "wash", but costs about 1-2 MPG during the time you have it..... if lots of miles/year, an occasional towtruck might be cheaper, but, who wants to wait hours for him to arrive?



4x 4me 4ever

 

[John_Barks]

My thought is, if your just buying a truck (for the bed) and you are not worried about haulin any weight then get a 2wd but if you are going to haul some heavy stuff the 4x4 may come in handy (wet boat ramp, uphill gravel road at slow speeds, thru a muddy patch) I admit that primarily my 4x4 has come to be usefull primarilly in the snow it has been on some steep ramps and steep gravel roads. I kinda believe that one should be prepared for the worst. (Well if that was the case I would own a duce and a half 6x6)

 

[JVick]

This thread discussion has been an eye-opener for me---I did not know that there was such a thing as a two-wheel drive truck. Seriously though, even if you live where you only use four-wheel drive once or twice a year it makes it worth the added expense. Plus all the reasons allready stated.

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by JVick

This thread discussion has been an eye-opener for me---

LMAO!



Rattle Trap... love your signature!



As long as people have never owned a 4x4, they don't know what they are missing.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

Let's hear it for Training wheels

Originally posted by Pete Peterson

Plus the 4X4 Dodge Cummins is the best looking truck on the road, now if you just would have ordered the dually ... ... ... ... ... Pete

It gets even better when you upgrade to the 19. 5 inch tires and rims also!!

 

[DRR-24V]

You say you have no need for 4wd, if not, don't get it. ! I have always had 4wd except for my 96 Dodge and I use the 4wd. The 2wd hauls more, rides better and usually gives better mileage. Less parts to break also. It's like an A/C in Siberia, just extra weight.

 

[SMcCarty]

THANKS FOR THE INPUT. I CHANGED MY ORDER TO A 4X4. IT WILL TAKE AN EXTRA 5 WEEKS, IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT.

 

[Archive]

SMcCarty... read the manual, use it properly, run it on a dirt road evry once in awhile, and you will get years and years of trouble-free service from it.



When you tow something, before you backup, (not on hard, dry pavement!), throw it in low range. That alone will convince you that you made the proper choice!