Towing with 2 wd pros and cons

[RonD]

I am about ready to replace my 2005 4x4 3500 with a new 3500, the 2wd vs 4wd has me really thinking, first from what I see, I use the truck 95% for towing only, I live in Kalifornia, never have towed on the snow, I have never had to use the 4wd on my current truck, so why do I want another one with 4wd?, my current one has had every 4x4 part of the truck break, front end, steering, etc, the 2wd will not have any of those issues, I dont go on dirt back roads, I plan on buying a Dually, and installing A/T rear tires, some of you have towed hundreds of thousands of miles with 2wd trucks, so it must not be a problem, just looking for some feedback, thanks

 

[HBarlow]

I agree completely with your thinking. I have towed hundreds of thousands of miles with 2wd trucks ncluding on snow and ice during my three years as an RV transporter. I've never owned a 4wd truck and have never seen a need for one. I never got stuck or even had trouble when towing in snow or on ice even once when I was forced to push through 10" snow on roads and parking lots in Amarillo after a heavy snow.

If you encounter snow or ice a Ram dually will do a good job if loaded with a trailer.

Some of the dedicated 4wd owners will immediately claim their 4wd trucks will do it better and I concede they are probably right but unless you plan to drive off road a lot unloaded I just don't see the need.

As you outlined in your original post, 4wd trucks seem to require much more maintenance. Who needs it? Buy a 2wd.

 

[AABEN]

4x4 only if you are going off road. With out 4x4 they are very easy to get hung up if you are on ice or snow or off road. Frunt end heavy. Sounds like the 2wd is jest what you need. == good luck ==

 

[Tractorat]

I guess it would depend on where you live and where you will drive. I live in the PNW, and we tend to get a lot of snow in the mountains. As a "jeep" off road vehicle, the dodge really sucks. But, if you are going up a mountain in the snow, especially off road, the 4wd is really a must. But, if you drive mostly on the flat, even with snow, I have to believe that 2wd is the better choice. For maint, handleing, economy, etc.



TRat

 

[MAshley]

Well if you have truly never pulled your 4x4 lever then I think you have answered your own question.



Personally I don't use 4x4 much, but I find it nice to have. If I drove for a living hauling stuff and got a dedicated truck for that purpose... I would weight out the expense differance and actuall weight differances to figure out which way I would go. Increased Payload ability is nice when your getting paid by the lb. But not having to call a tow truck when your stuck in a grassy yard, or backing up the 5th wheel in a nice camping area only to get stuck sucks. Not that these couldn't be avoided eithor and a 2wd would work. . but again I think you answered your own Q

 

[Bill Stockard]

Also don't forget that a 4x2 (rear wheel drive) truck is equipped with a rack and pinion steering system. I've owned four Dodge 2-wheel drive trucks since 1992 and driven some of them 100K miles and haven't spent a dime on the front end (ball joints, track bars, tie rod ends, etc. ) on any of them. No road wandering, no pulling to the left or right, no front end alignments, and no death wobble.



I can't say that about a F250 4x2 that I owned.



Bill

 

[Barry]

185 K on the miles and I have done nothing. Nada. Zip, zilch, zero. Never even a front end alignment. I finally ordered a new set of shocks from Genos Friday. Thought it might be time... ... ... ... ... :-laf

 

[Matt400]

On a new truck I would get it with 4. 10's especially the auto trans with 6th being so high geared. On mine I use 4-low to maneuver the RV on steep sections of our drive to save the trans and use 4x4 in the winter when not towing but sounds like you don't need it and would be happy with the 4x2.

 

[EricBu12]

Heres a couple pics of GVW and trailer capacities... . This is for my 2009 truck

Looks like you gain 30# on the payload capacity for 4x2 verses 4x4 Assuming Quad cab longbed Dually on both... and I dont know how this is looking but it looks like the 4x4 has a higher GVW. . 12,200# verses 11,500# where the payload weights are...

And it looks like you lose trailer weight ability with 23,000 GCVWR verses 24,000 . . and from 16,500# on longbed dually 4x4 to 15,850# 4x2 Longbed Dually

The Manual transmissions are even less at 21,000# with 3:73 rear end and 13,000# towing

If you get a Dually with Auto and 3:73 rear and don't tow too heavy. . you do get some tow rating increase on 4x2 verses 4x4... . About 350# . . 13,850 verses 13,500. .

 

[BDaugherty]

I agree that should purchase a 2wd based on you past experience of never using the front axle. I, on the other hand, have found 3wd (both rear and one front) to be very, very handy and my next truck will have a front axle.

 

[BIGNASTY]

You bet

I agree completely with your thinking. I have towed hundreds of thousands of miles with 2wd trucks ncluding on snow and ice during my three years as an RV transporter. I've never owned a 4wd truck and have never seen a need for one. I never got stuck or even had trouble when towing in snow or on ice even once when I was forced to push through 10" snow on roads and parking lots in Amarillo after a heavy snow.



If you encounter snow or ice a Ram dually will do a good job if loaded with a trailer.



Some of the dedicated 4wd owners will immediately claim their 4wd trucks will do it better and I concede they are probably right but unless you plan to drive off road a lot unloaded I just don't see the need.



As you outlined in your original post, 4wd trucks seem to require much more maintenance. Who needs it? Buy a 2wd.

I agree with Harvey I know it matters not just my 2 cents

 

[LBARTLETT]

after 25 years of owning nothing but 4x4's and all ctd's since 1989 I sold my 01' 1ton QC dually 4x4 and purchased a 06' QC dually 2-wheel drive with 5,600 miles, it was a deal I couldn't pass up



granted, I now live in east Texas but I couldn't be happier with my decision, it drives wonderful, steers wonderful, runs easier, runs quieter and no more front end problems in the future



I'll probably never own another 4X4, at 57 years old if it's bad enough to need 4 wheel drive I'll just stay home and get on TDR

 

[AMink]

For your use, it sure sounds like 4x2 is the way to go. If you think you might hit weather, throw in a set of chains and call it a day. I'm guessing that duallies can be chained, no?

 

[JMetzger]

If I didn't live where I do & lived in a warmer area with no snow I would go with the 4x2. We go to the bay area a lot in the winter & I am to Da-- old to chain up.

 

[CharlesHoward]

I'm very happy with my 2WD 05 Dually for towing my Fiver. I can get 21 MPG on the HWY empty and 12+ when towing.
However, I've had to have help TWICE pulling the 12K Fiver out of the mud in wet GRASS parking spots (both times in LA where the ground was former swamp). Once I had to push (reverse) and a 4WD Ford with chain on Trailer axle pulled (Trailer wheels were sunk up to the rims). The other time I got stuck trying to park it on very wet grass (had been raining for days) and another truck strapped to my bumper helped pull me get back on more solid ground. Then when I did back into my spot on somewhat firmer ground approach to park and stop the trailer prior to putting out my under the tire boards to back the trailer onto, the front trailer wheels sunk almost 5 inches into the ground (the rear not so much), so I gave up and left the trailer there. About a month later it dried up enough that I wanted to move the trailer back a little and onto boards but the tire holes were so deep (just semi-circles in the ground, not ruts, that might as well have been curbstops) I could not get the trailer to budge before spinning my duallys on the dry grass, so a friend used his 4WD to move it for me. However one benefit from being stuck in holes was the trailer was never so stable as when the tires were sunk in the dirt...

So my lesson learned is DON't park on wet grass where the soil is soft! And there are always good Samaritans who want to demonstrate their 4WD prowess!

 

[DMillard]

Getting in and out of the truck looks like it would be easier with the 2wd. We have a lot of loose dirt here in the desert and I've used my 4wd option a few times. I like having it but if I had found a better deal on a 2wd I would have bought it.

 

[Bill Stockard]

... if it's bad enough to need 4 wheel drive I'll just stay home and get on TDR

Yep, that's been my plan.



Bill

 

[AH64ID]

It sounds like a 2wd fits your needs better, which is why they make them. You will enjoy a better ride, easier entry, better mileage, and fewer failed parts.

Then there are those of us that can't go without 4wd.

 

[jgillott]

My trucks need to go off road almost daily, so a 2x4 is out of the question for us now at this point. My father has owned 2 wheel drive trucks for nearly 45 years now I believe. I remember them all, and other than a wheel bearing and tie rod end here and there, I can't remember any major repair on the front end of any of them. They were all work trucks with 250K or more on them when he sold them. If I didn't need the 4 wheel drives, I'd go to a 2x4 in a heartbeat.

 

[RossCo]

I like my 4X4 for towing and will likely never be without one. About 80% of my truck milage is towing. I pulled into one campsite that was on a sandbar between two lakes. We were assigned a site and we drove around to it and as I pulled through the site I felt the backend of the truck start to sink (this might not have happened if it was a DWR). I shifted into 4X4 and finished parking the trailer. With out 4X4 it would have taken much longer.
I don't live in California so I have to deal the the occasional snow storm and on gravel roads we find the 4X4 smoothes out the ride a little.
Yes I have spent some money on the front end - for me the extra expense is worth it.