2wd vs 4 wd?
Does 2wd make a big difference then 4wd .other then 4wd gives better traction. But does it gives better towing abillities
Forum Discussion
- Fascinating answers so far. Thanks , to all who responded
.so far myredracer wrote:
How to make your 2WD Ford truck handle like a 4WD: Ford Truck Forum :R
Learned a trick once if you have a 2WD, rear wheel drive vehicle with a tire spinning and you're stuck - lightly pull the e-brake so the brakes are slightly grabbing then move. Has gotten me out of a slippy situation a few times with 2WD. Surprisingly effective.
Starting off in 2nd gear will give better traction as well. Reduces torque, and allows the tires to move before they break traction. A cool trick I learned towing boats up slick ramps in the 70s- Great responses so far I will add that in our case I specifically wanted 2wd for one reason... to keep me off the really rugged roads. This truck is used to safely move our house from point a to point b. No need to add additional wear and tear. Kind of like being a sugar addict... if I stick candy in the house I will eat it. No need to be tempted with 4wd.
While towing I have needed 4wd twice. First time a lite tug from another truck got me loose. Second time I had to lay down wood under the tires to get loose. Neither episode would convince me to get 4wd. - It totally depends on where you go. If you stay mainly on paved or good gravel roads, you may not need it. If you like back roads, sandy beaches, winter camping (assuming snow) you probably won't want to be without it. Personally, we use 4-wheel drive nearly every gone we go out, but we don't stay on good roads - we explore logging roads and the back country. As mentioned before, limited slip helps, but it's no where as good as four wheel drive. 4x2s often don't have limited slip unless ordered as an option, but I'm not aware of any 4x4 that doesn't come with it. Don't worry about more maintenance or worse mileage with 4x4 as there really isn't any difference. Payload is reduced a little bit, but you're only talking a few hundred pounds; hopefully you're not that close to your capacity. Resale is also way better with a 4x4 - a two wheel drive is nearly impossible to sell in our area. Folks who use their trucks for double duty - towing RVs and for work often prefer the four wheel capability as well.
- How to make your 2WD Ford truck handle like a 4WD: Ford Truck Forum :R
Learned a trick once if you have a 2WD, rear wheel drive vehicle with a tire spinning and you're stuck - lightly pull the e-brake so the brakes are slightly grabbing then move. Has gotten me out of a slippy situation a few times with 2WD. Surprisingly effective. batavia02 wrote:
Does 2wd make a big difference then 4wd .other then 4wd gives better traction. But does it gives better towing abillities
To me, if you have to ask this question, then you probably don't need 4wd.
For towing on good solid surface roads, 4x4 is probably more of a liability than a help. 4wd will only be a better tow vehicle when traction from the rear tires becomes insufficient to move the truck/trailer combo. Some also like the compound gearing from low range provided by the transfer case.wnjj wrote:
NMDriver wrote:
Like Miltvill said if you have a locking rear axle or limited slip you should be fine without 4x4. 4x4 is for getting stuck, if you are towing you just need limited slip/posi-traction/locker hubs on the rear and common sense.
Most people think their truck has a no/limited slip rear end and it does not. One tire starts to spin and they are stuck. Same with many "4x4"'s if they do not have locking axles or a limited slip then the 4x4 becomes 2x4 spinning two wheels.
I have towed with both. I had a 4x4 powerstroke ford and now have a limited rear end Chevy. My limited slip, with the 5er sitting on the rear axle, performs as good as the 4x4. The only time I ever got stuck towing was with the 4x4 because I thought it would pull through and did not. When the mud is deep all the tires spin. I have used chains on the 2x4 and it performs like a half track even in 4x4 stopping clay.
BTW: I had a front wheel drive Civic in Germany which would go up snowy/icy roads that stopped my Army issue jeep when in 4x4. It is all about weight and traction, not how many wheels you can make spin ;)
Yep. Guess where the weight and traction is on an empty pickup truck?
Yessir, that is why I simply can not understand why anybody would drive around in a pickup during the winter, with no weight in the bed, then complain that there is just not enough traction, and they "need" four wheel drive!
By the way, once again, a "2X4" is the nominal dimensions of a piece of lumber. When referring to vehicles, the first number is the number of wheels on the vehicle (duals count as one wheel), and the second number is the number of wheels that can be powered. Thus, a 2 wheeled vehicle that has 4 wheels that can be powered is obviously impossible. It is really a 4X2.NMDriver wrote:
Like Miltvill said if you have a locking rear axle or limited slip you should be fine without 4x4. 4x4 is for getting stuck, if you are towing you just need limited slip/posi-traction/locker hubs on the rear and common sense.
Most people think their truck has a no/limited slip rear end and it does not. One tire starts to spin and they are stuck. Same with many "4x4"'s if they do not have locking axles or a limited slip then the 4x4 becomes 2x4 spinning two wheels.
I have towed with both. I had a 4x4 powerstroke ford and now have a limited rear end Chevy. My limited slip, with the 5er sitting on the rear axle, performs as good as the 4x4. The only time I ever got stuck towing was with the 4x4 because I thought it would pull through and did not. When the mud is deep all the tires spin. I have used chains on the 2x4 and it performs like a half track even in 4x4 stopping clay.
BTW: I had a front wheel drive Civic in Germany which would go up snowy/icy roads that stopped my Army issue jeep when in 4x4. It is all about weight and traction, not how many wheels you can make spin ;)
Yep. Guess where the weight and traction is on an empty pickup truck?- I started driving in 1958. I got my first 4X4 in 1970.
Y'know, all those years when I had 4X2 vehicles, mostly with open differentials, I got along just fine, even in fairly harsh, snowy Montana winters!
When we were full timing in a 32 foot fifth wheel, my tow vehicle was a one ton diesel dually 4X2. Of course, I had good traction tires on it, front and rear.
These days, our car is a front wheel drive 4X2. W3e drive it all winter, no problem.
My truck is a 4X4, mostly because that is usually all one can find. It also replaced a Jeep Wrangler and the one ton.
I very rarely put it in four wheel drive. I learned long ago, after a 2 foot snow storm, that pickups have no weight to speak of on the rear axle. In the winter time, I always run with at least six 60 pound sandbags in the bed of the truck.
So, OP, do YOU need 4X4? I really don't know, that is a choice only YOU can make.
Choose well. - Like Miltvill said if you have a locking rear axle or limited slip you should be fine without 4x4. 4x4 is for getting stuck, if you are towing you just need limited slip/posi-traction/locker hubs on the rear and common sense.
Most people think their truck has a no/limited slip rear end and it does not. One tire starts to spin and they are stuck. Same with many "4x4"'s if they do not have locking axles or a limited slip then the 4x4 becomes 2x4 spinning two wheels.
I have towed with both. I had a 4x4 powerstroke ford and now have a limited rear end Chevy. My limited slip, with the 5er sitting on the rear axle, performs as good as the 4x4. The only time I ever got stuck towing was with the 4x4 because I thought it would pull through and did not. When the mud is deep all the tires spin. I have used chains on the 2x4 and it performs like a half track even in 4x4 stopping clay.
BTW: I had a front wheel drive Civic in Germany which would go up snowy/icy roads that stopped my Army issue jeep when in 4x4. It is all about weight and traction, not how many wheels you can make spin ;)
