How many TDR members have a 2-wheel drive 2500 Diesel?

[TomTerrific]

How many TDR members have a 2-wheel drive 2500 Diesel? I am in the market for a new truck (Dodge diesel 2500) I am trying to decide between a 2 vs 4 wheel drive. I don’t really have a need for a 4X4.

 

[GregReynolds]

I have a '04 Quad 2wd with the "Lone Star" package. That package has tow package, limited slip diff. and some other tings I can't remember, but whatever they call it where you live get it. Also the fold out platform under the rear seat (by the way get the split rear seat) is handy sometimes. I use my truck for work on construction sites and could use 4WD sometimes but this one works well for me most all the time.

 

[AFurrh]

I bought a 2005 2wd Lone Star Edition with automatic a month ago. Love it.

 

[VicR]

Got one - had it for the last 6 years and 70,000 miles. As I recall a few years back, about 70% are 4wd and 30% are 2wd, but I can't remember if that was CTD production or all Dodge trucks. I'd say the major factors are where do you live and what are you going to use it for.



Good luck with your choice. I'd drive each back to back if possible and see if that helps you with the decision.



-Vic

 

[Buddy's Ram]

I have one, and really like it. However I don't go serious offroading either.

When I went to Yellowstone last december the chains on the rear tires worked great the only time I needed them.

 

[klenger]

I very strongly considered a 2WD when I bought my 04. 5. I kind of wish I'd gotten it. I've never used 4WD in AZ.

 

[JRD]

Ive got a 76 CJ5 Jeep for off roading, so I pull the Jeep until the trail gets hairy then unload the Jeep and continue on. No reason to take your brand new truck and get it all scratched up and then have to deal with the vibration problems, transfer case, and all the added maintence of a 4wd if you dont need it, which is very rare in AZ. I dont regret my choice one bit. Not to mention a smidge better on fuel mileage But it all boils down to where you live (dirt roads with mud, snow, etc. . ) and what you will be doing with the truck in the future.

 

[SBall]

If I may ...

While I don't have a 2500, and don't have a 3rd-gen, I thought my 3500 2nd-gen experiences my be of value. My 2wd CTD has much better road manners than my previous 4wd CTD as it handles better and rides better. The lower front end provides better handling in the turns too. With fuel prices escalating as they are I also appreciate the fuel economy of the 2wd. Filling up at the same pump and with a mix of rural and hwy driving, my last tank yielded 23. 2 MPG hand calculated.



Driving in snow and ice are the few times where I miss my 4wd CTD. An unloaded dually 2wd is a challenge to say the least, but with weight and chains I can usually get where I need to go. A single rear wheel 2wd would probably provide better winter traction than my dually does in snow.



If I only could have one truck and didn't have a heavy slide-in camper to haul around at times, I'd go with a 2wd 2500 (single rear wheel) CTD.

 

[WCPoe]

Tom T, I have a 2500 QC 2WD short box and love it. I was torn between the 4wd but overall I'm glad I went with the 2wd. I'm here near Atlanta and we don't get enough snow to justify the 4wd for inclement weather. We don't have a boat anymore so the slick boat ramp excuse doesn't work either. All the other 4wd vehicles I previously owned probably got used way less than 1 percent in the 4wd mode. My friend has an 03 Red Sport 2500 CTD 4wd with the leveling kit up front and 315 tires which looks absolutey killer but is a pain for the wives to get in and out of, plus the load height on the bed makes loading ATV's and etc a little more difficult. The maintenance is a little less on the 2wd also. It all boils down to personal perference and intended use, you pick. Although, I still find myself thinking a 4WD would be great. (Isn't that grass greener on the other side of the fence ?) Best of luck on your decision.

 

[Nate]

They make 2WD trucks? :-laf

 

[MFalkinham]

Tom T, I have a 2500 QC 2WD short box and love it. I was torn between the 4wd but overall I'm glad I went with the 2wd. I'm here near Atlanta and we don't get enough snow to justify the 4wd for inclement weather. We don't have a boat anymore so the slick boat ramp excuse doesn't work either. All the other 4wd vehicles I previously owned probably got used way less than 1 percent in the 4wd mode. My friend has an 03 Red Sport 2500 CTD 4wd with the leveling kit up front and 315 tires which looks absolutey killer but is a pain for the wives to get in and out of, plus the load height on the bed makes loading ATV's and etc a little more difficult. The maintenance is a little less on the 2wd also. It all boils down to personal perference and intended use, you pick. Although, I still find myself thinking a 4WD would be great. (Isn't that grass greener on the other side of the fence ?) Best of luck on your decision.

WCPoe summed it up nicely. This truck was my first 2wd, and I had to drive 8 hours to buy it used. Wisconsin has lots of used 4wd Rams, but almost no 2wd's. I just bought an extra pair of chrome wheels and more aggressive rear tires for use this winter, as the stock Michelins are useless in the snow. We'll see how that goes, but so far I have no regrets about making the 2wd switch.

 

[Rider]

#ad


Here's mine. I like it a bunch. Only have 13k+ miles on it in 6 months, but I'm happy with it.

I thought about the 4WD, too, and there are times I wish we had it (getting ready to buy some land/cabin), but overall, here's what tipped me away from it:

a) Mileage hit when on the road.
b) Handles worse, being higher.
c) Harder to climb into.
d) More expensive to buy.
e) More expensive to maintain.

Since I'd rarely use it, I decided to skip it.

 

[WHazelwood]

I've got the 04. 5 2500 Laramie package. Great truck! We pull a 10,000# 5th wheel with ease. I've only wished I had 4wd one time pulling up a steep gravel road in North GA. Good luck and keep grinnin

 

[klenger]

f) Less bed / trailer clearance with 5th wheel.

 

[BNeathery]

I just traded a 2001 4X4 for a 2WD 3500 SRW... The 5years I owned the

4X4 I probably put it into 4 wheel less than 50 times, it was never a have to. The 4X4 front end cost me over 3 grand in repairs that I do not belive I would of had with a 2WD. Since I am moving to Az. it was an easier decision for me to go to a 2WD. My neighbor who has always driven a 4X4 is strongly considering a 2WD and he is staying in snow country. I will admit the 4X4 looks good but I really could not justify it. As klenger pointed out, I gained another 6"+ clearance for my gooseneck to the bed rails.

 

[JCleary]

If you take your truck to a dealer for service, you'll save about $300 every 15k miles when you don't have to get your front diff serviced with synthetic and the X-fer case serviced with ATF+4. That's how much those two things add up to here in Nor Cal. I do it myself, but still spend about $75 on fluids. I never see much over 18mpg, but I hear 20+ mpg is common on 2wd's.



Plus, a QC long bed 2wd has a sweet look.

 

[JasonCzerak]

With the bald tires I have now (43,000 on orignal, prolly 10,000 miles worth of rubber under the rear wheel wells , I need 4x4 just to accelerate with traffic in the rain. Stock, new, not-abused tires suck in the snow, more then 55mph in 1/2 in of snow, rather tricky.



I'm in MN, supposed to snow here alot, what was it? 12" total last year? depressing!



I wish I had a 2wd for racing. Maybe in a few years. But I'll keep the 4x4 around since it's used alot for any weather short of dry.

 

[Nate]

Personally I think the 2wds have too much of a "lowrider" look to them.

 

[Crunch]

How many TDR members have a 2-wheel drive 2500 Diesel? I am in the market for a new truck (Dodge diesel 2500) I am trying to decide between a 2 vs 4 wheel drive. I don’t really have a need for a 4X4.

2WD and the standard bed; never regretted it. Like a lot of people, I love the look of the 4X4. But I don't have a real need for it, and I read about a lot of the problems people were having with their 4X4s on the TDR before buying mine. In the end it seemed like a large initial cost, higher maintenence costs and little more than the coolness factor in return. But like others, I've found that the stock Michelins aren't very good on wet grass or snow. I'm up to 55K on the original tires, and will probably get up to another 10K out of them before they have to be replaced (compared to about 20K on any tires I've had on my old Ford). If you're concerned about traction you might look at tires with a better tread design, but others have also complained about the ride and road noise with them.

 

[JasonBrown]

If you can find a 2wd in southern Illinois it will be cheap. You can't give away a 2wd truck around here in any flavor.