SRW 3500 2WD vs 4WD

pjberny5 wrote:
Deciding if I should purchase a 2WD or 4WD SWR 3500 but need a little advice from those of you who have a 2WD or have had both. Total 5th wheel weight loaded is around 13,500 so do not need a dually and the SWR fits in my garage The other factor is the price. Can buy a 2WD this time of year for 5-6 thousand less than a 4WD.

While I've never owned or needed 4wd for towing since '89, clearly other RVers have different needs or desires that have been stated. But if what you say is true, your real question is this, 'is 4WD worth $5k more?' That is a huge price difference and extremely hard to justify the benefit. That difference is like saying ' I'd rather spend $5-6K for 4WD for miscellaneous needs than a similar amount for a diesel option that benefits every single towing mile.' For that price, I'll take the diesel every time. Oh, yeah that is what I did.:B

rkassl wrote:
That said who ever pulls in 4WD?

LOL! Only those getting themselves out of a quagmire! Maybe - what - a quarter mile?

Tim

If you don't have a 4WD, it's a good idea to have front tow hooks installed. It will make it much easier to hook up when you need to get towed out. No need to ask how I know...I drive a 2WD...with the front tow hooks.

Just purchasing a 2016 GMC with 4WD. Trading off a 4WD, salesman said that in our area a truck without 4WD is not marketable. That said who ever pulls in 4WD?

pjberny5 wrote:
Deciding if I should purchase a 2WD or 4WD SWR 3500 but need a little advice from those of you who have a 2WD or have had both. Total 5th wheel weight loaded is around 13,500 so do not need a dually and the SWR fits in my garage The other factor is the price. Can buy a 2WD this time of year for 5-6 thousand less than a 4WD.

I have 4 wheel drive. It is more expensive, adds 300 pounds to the weight. You may never need it, but if you need it only once, it is worth the price.
ke

laknox wrote:
HAH! You've never been =truly= stuck until you've stuck a 4wd TRACTOR! :B

Lyle

When 4 wheel drive Chevy pickups came out in the late 1950s, the owners of an adjacent ranch in north Texas bought one. After a few months, we asked the ranch hands what they thought of their first 4WD truck. They said they hated it since, when it got stuck, it was stuck a lot deeper AND a lot farther from the bunkhouse which made it a longer walk home. :W

Rusty

HAH! You've never been =truly= stuck until you've stuck a 4wd TRACTOR! :B

Lyle

jerem0621 wrote:
Use to take 4x2 1978 F100 short bed hunting all the time. We hunted in a pine tree forest used by a paper factory. Had lots of logging trails. Never...ever...got stuck.. But we were not stupid about where we went either.

I have had many 4x4's and realized that I never needed the 4x4. Hunted off road in my 2007 Ford Focus for a while... took my wifes Sebring convertible hunting... Also took my Pontiac Firebird. Of course, I am careful where I go and if the roads/trails are too rough or muddy I park and hike in. Feet work great.

Last two trucks have been 2wd and will probably not own another 4x4 pickup.

Good AT tires, sensible driving, common sense goes a long way to not being stuck.

It all comes down to personal choice... Very personal choice.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

I was proud of my ability to get to the hunting grounds, camping spots, trail heads and so on with my 2 wheel drive station wagon, too! We had a Chevy Estate Wagon and went all over the wilderness area known as The Flat Top wilderness area in north west Colorado. We helped our niece get her Pinto into the furthest campground on the edge of the wilderness...

We were going to go explore another lake way back in - we were creeping along to make sure we didn't get stuck or have a problem - when all of a sudden the front end of the wagon went over the edge of a small drop off... *BOOM*! Big bang, the engine died, we were many miles back in the woods on a Monday (ever notice how few others are out camping during the week?)...the engine started, we crept on into the area and did our thing, but at that point I decided that if just that small drop off could kill the engine and cause other problems, I WILL NEVER 4-WHEEL IN A 2-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE AGAIN!

BTW, if you want to see what it is like to get STUCK, get stuck in a 4WD!

Tim

Not with 7000 lbs on the rear axle, plenty of traction.

X2 on the locking rear end.

Use to take 4x2 1978 F100 short bed hunting all the time. We hunted in a pine tree forest used by a paper factory. Had lots of logging trails. Never...ever...got stuck.. But we were not stupid about where we went either.

I have had many 4x4's and realized that I never needed the 4x4. Hunted off road in my 2007 Ford Focus for a while... took my wifes Sebring convertible hunting... Also took my Pontiac Firebird. Of course, I am careful where I go and if the roads/trails are too rough or muddy I park and hike in. Feet work great.

Last two trucks have been 2wd and will probably not own another 4x4 pickup.

Good AT tires, sensible driving, common sense goes a long way to not being stuck.

It all comes down to personal choice... Very personal choice.

Thanks!

Jeremiah