4 Wheel Drive or not

Chicat wrote:
We are buying a Heartland Bighorn 3875 FB fifth wheel which the GVRW is rated at 16,000 lbs. and the hitch weight is listed at 3010 lbs. We originally wanted to buy a Silverado 3500 4X4 long bed diesel with duel rear wheels. I can save $12,000 on a used vehicle with only a 2 wheel drive and 13,000 miles. I am asking if we really need the 4 wheel drive ???

It all depends on where you will tow and if you'll use the truck outside of towing. Personally, I won't have a truck =without= 4wd as I like to get off road. Also, even on a dirt road, running in 4wd can make it much more comfortable, especially when not carrying any load, as the back end wants to shimmy around over the washboards. 4wd really helps this. I use 4wd even when pulling my FW up to our annual boondocker near Stoneman Lake, and even use 4LO to get over a rough spot simply so I can just creep. Also helps with braking on dirt. If you never get off the pavement and only camp in resorts or other improved campgrounds, then you really don't need 4wd. That being said, keeping a good come-along in your toolbox, next to your tow strap, for that time when you need to get out of a hole or off a slick spot, might not be a bad idea. :-)

Lyle