How's your 2wd drive in the snow?

[SBall]

My vote is 2wd

Despite having our share of snowy roads and hills to contend with, I'm getting by with my 2wd dually in winter. Yes, a nose-heavy diesel 2wd dually is about the worst combination for slippery roads. I need almost a ton of weight in back AND good snow tires. I run a set of Cooper Discoverer MS on the back in the winter season, and put chains on the outside tires if the going gets real tough. At least with the dually, it's faster and easier to put chains on the outside tires by driving the inside-rears up on my small ramps.

For contrast, my earlier truck was a 92 CTD W250 4wd and it was able to trudge through almost anything, but the road feel was "nervous" and bouncy as compared with my 2wd dually.

Since 99% of my driving is not in snow, I'll stay with my 2wd.

 

[hwebster]

As much as I loved my '93 D250 I ALWAYS regretted the decision to go 2WD. With good rubber, I was usually ok in light snow or mud. Beyond that forget it. With the heavier front end I was useless.

Much happier with my '08 4WD...

 

[guldam]

I have a 4x4 Dodge Dakota, and 4x4 Ram CTD and Honda Element All Wheel Drive. I will spend the extra bucks on 4wd on the next vehicles. Though I hardly ever venture off road, and I don't get to launch and retrieve my boat that often, and I only see snow a couple times a year up around Lake Tahoe, those few times I need the 4wd it's there and it has saved me much grief.



Off road? I've come close to getting stuck even with 4wd in the mud.



Boat ramp? I launch on some very steep, moss covered ramps at low tide sometimes, and I thank the lord I have 4x4 on both trucks. There have been a couple times I don't think I would have gotten back up the ramp with the boat hooked up. I really don't like the idea of taking my truck for a bath in salt water.



Snow? I head up to Tahoe one - three times a year, and every time I've been up there it's snowed. The Honda Element has been a wonderful little snow car and has yet to get stuck or handled badly in the white fluffy stuff. Front wheel drive would be ok, but when I feel the wheels start to slip and AWD kick in I feel so much safer with my family sitting beside me, knowing that the car just does what it's supposed to do in crummy traction conditions.



GulDam

 

[Jeremiah]

If you live or need your truck where it snows more than 2-3 inches at a time, you need 4WD. If you have a steep driveway or street you need to go up from a slow speed, you might need 4WD w/1-2" of snow. I wouldn't be caught w/o 4WD unless I didn't need to go anywhere.

 

[AHolt]

My truck is 2 wd, I live in upstate NY, A lot of snow

in winter. I use snow tires and weight in bed. Have

never had any problems driving in winter.

 

[MChrist]

If I had to guess, 1000 pounds in the back and Blizzaks would get you through the winter. Then again, Blizzaks and 4WD would be even better

 

[Jeremiah]

Congratulations to one and all. You wouldn't make it out of my Colorado driveway without 4WD. Been living here 32 years and it didn't take me but one winter to realize the difference between getting out and being stuck where I was -- it's called 4WD.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Being in Michigan I HIGHLY suggest you get a 4wd - 2wd diesel are worthless here. My 4wd will get through anything. Last winter my vacuum line became disconnected (not sure how) and I got stuck on my road in a neighborhood with about 5 inches of snow on the ground because I couldn't get it in 4wd. I have to put my truck in 4wd to get out of my driveway if there's more than an inch of snow on the ground and I don't have a particularly steep driveway. There's no way I'd even remotely consider a 2wd diesel here unless I planned on leaving it parked all winter. We've even had to swap a 4wd truck under a guys 5th wheel trailer in a KOA when the grass was wet because his 2wd couldn't get the trailer to the gravel!

 

[JohnBoy5]

sounds like a few people that do not know how to drive. i hear about 1" you cant move 5" you cant move. i have been in far worst snow and ice with my 2wd and did just fine... is tinker bell putting pixie dust down under my tires or something??? LOL

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

I had a 93' 2wd (RIP:{) with a locker and about 1000lb 1" gravel shovelled against the tailgate and still ended up getting stuck on flat ground!! Very embarrassing getting stuck at the grocery store to say the least!! Had a few white knuckle trips along I-80 and ended up using chains... Then I finally had the cash to get a 4wd

I have since got wise to the fact that if the weather is bad enough that I have difficulty walking that it's better to just park it! I do some off roading and like having the option of low range and extra traction when needed, but do miss the economy of the 2wd.

2wd will be the best truck with the least problems 99% of the time, but there WILL be a time when you want to kick yourself for not going with the 4x4.

 

[rjones]

I live in Michigan I will never survive with a 2wd been there done that..... 4WD for life btw love some peeps sarcastically chiming in in a no snow state ... .

 

[Road Dog]

sounds like a few people that do not know how to drive. i hear about 1" you cant move 5" you cant move. i have been in far worst snow and ice with my 2wd and did just fine... is tinker bell putting pixie dust down under my tires or something??? LOL

Sounds like a few people don't know there's different types of snow. Once it's cold (like -15C cold) then the snow (and ice) is easy to drive on. It's the near freezing point that's slippery. Stuck in traffic once I saw a full size van stopped but the rear wheels were still spinning. Not much traction that day.



On many mountain highways it's 4WD/AWD OR chains required.

 

[Grizzly]

With the weight of the mighty Cummins over the front wheels, it's a mistake to get a 2WD if you intend to get off the road or expect to drive in snow and ice. It doesn't take much to bury the front end. Besides, you'll get a much better resale price when you go to sell it.



george

 

[chazj]

Sounds like a few people don't know there's different types of snow. Once it's cold (like -15C cold) then the snow (and ice) is easy to drive on. It's the near freezing point that's slippery. Stuck in traffic once I saw a full size van stopped but the rear wheels were still spinning. Not much traction that day.



On many mountain highways it's 4WD/AWD OR chains required.

I agree with this statement. In the Sierra Nevada there is generally a fair amount of snow yet the temperatures aren't as cold as the midwest. Water forms easily between the snowpack and tires thus slippage becomes a real issue. In MN, where it gets much colder than here, I can travel in 2 wheel drive whereby in this area I would be relegated to four wheel drive for the above reasons.

 

[hwebster]

Truth is you make do with what you have. I spent 10 years with my '93 2WD. For general getting around is was great, just didn't venture out into a storm. However, once I got my own 4wd - I would never go back. You lose some fuel economy and the ride is stiffer, more things to go wrong, BUT - you can usually get where you are going under most conditions... .

 

[JTucholke]

I came from a small, light 4x4 Toyota to my 4x4 long bed CTD. Right after I got the CTD I gave the g/f a ride and intentionally drove off the side of the road to turn the beast around. The CTD sunk right down in the mud and I barely got out WITH 4wd. I was pretty sure my light Toy would have driving out in 2wd with the tires I had.

A long bed 4x4 3rd gen rides pretty darn nice IMO. AND, the resale of a 4x4 is WAY better if you ever need to sell.

. $02

 

[Grizzly]

JTucholke, ... AND, the resale of a 4x4 is WAY better if you ever need to sell.









I thought I said that!



george

 

[JTucholke]

JTucholke, ... AND, the resale of a 4x4 is WAY better if you ever need to sell.









I thought I said that!



george

:-{}



Well, it is a 3 page thread and I didn't re-read it all. How about this, I 2nd the 4x4 resale is better line of thought.

 

[Turbo_Bob]

You wouldn't make it out of my Colorado driveway without 4WD. Been living here 32 years and it didn't take me but one winter to realize the difference between getting out and being stuck where I was -- it's called 4WD.

Wanting to move out your way, COS, Black Forest area. My truck would be useless in the winter time. Cash poor and not going to take on any more debt, so I guess I will have to get some used 4 wheel Subaru piece.



Noticed your signature, you broke two BD short shifts, how did that happened? I have one on mine, so far so good, well over 100K on that.