2wd vs 4 wd?

06Fargo wrote:
A 2wd tow vehicle is very capable for non-off road towing especially with a no spin differential:

Eaton Tru-Trac how it works

And 4WD with 2x Tru-Trac is even more amazing :B

I really don't see what the debate is?? You get a truck for what you need it to do for YOU.. Right??

You either need 4wd or want 4wd..

If neither of those answers works for you, then you've got YOUR answer.. ;)

But, if you still don't know... Well... There you go.. :)

Mitch

The logic of if you have to ask...you don't need it...is flawed. There are plenty of questions and answers that may need to be understood for decision points or to weigh how the scenario may apply to oneself.

4*4 is nice to have, do you need it..probably depends on the area you live in and where you plan to travel. Yes you can get stuck on wet grass with some trucks...as dumb as that sounds. (2wd). All situations can't be dealt with the old-school idea that I was driving before 4wd was created. You can get stuck with 4wd too...

There are way too many variables to give a solid answer....most likely if you stick to the pavement and lower elevations and avoid extreme weather then 2wd will serve you well.

At some point the weight and conditions will get the "old-timers" too. Its hard for me to believe that unless you camp in the wal-mart parking lot...that you have not gotten stuck... that is unless you only travel in the summer and you stay below the snow line and are on hard surfaces 100%. Will 4wd solve all your issues about getting stuck..no! A trailer generally magnifies your problems...especially traction (snow/mud/ice)although weight is an asset at times....all depends on the situation. Of course if the trailer swings around and tries to jack-knife....its time to really question if you should not be stopped somewhere.

I have a 3/4 ton truck 2wd 2500 HD and I tow about 10K... I watch where I go and where I can back up etc... A 2wd will probably be a 99% solution....for most of the time. I stick to the hard ground when on grass (off the pavement or gravel). The tow rating for 4wd is reduced by a few hundred pounds due to the weight of the transfer-case...and front end components.

4wd will be on the next truck I get...it can make the difference in moving at times.

06Fargo wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

06Fargo wrote:
We like 4wd when towing The Big 5'er on roads like this:

That is no issue a lot of bare pavement.

This a good reason for 4X4.

Of course, what was I thinking. Monida Pass on I15 is a piece of cake in a snowstorm :) Are you pulling a tri axle 39ft 16000 lbs trailer on that road?

No it was our old King of the Road, likely about 9,000# to 9,500#, 5er, but please note mine is a picture from the passenger seat, while actually driving on the road. Unlike yours which is a stock picture from Trip Check. :B

In addition we needed to come to a full stop on an uphill grade while the SP cleared a spin out of a car. No issues getting going.

I grew up driving back hill roads with two wheel drive, made it where I was going 98% of the time. Many was the time I would park a tractor down the road,and not even attempt it with the car or truck.
Yep I got along just fine with out four wheel drive for thirty years. There are now three licensed vehicles in my driveway,all of them are either four wheel drive or all wheel drive. It is sweet. sure footed cpable,we all go with confidence. I have four wheel drive because I like it,never will go back.
If my TV was a 100% dedicated tow vehicle I might have it be two wheel drive. I realize that a few posters are well off enough to have a dedicated towing vehicle,but I am not one of them. My TV does many duties and towing the camper is only one of them!

I have had both. I like the 4x4 because I live in MN and and a two wheel drive won't get out of its own way in the winter off road. Now if all you do is tow on pavement to a modern campground, no need for 4x4.

If you have to ask...do not get it...

This subject never gets old. It is like "Which type of anchor is best?" with boaters.

Looking at the responses, the answers are always the same. Most who have 4wd have never needed it in a RV using situation. 2WD works just fine. They do use it for work, for sightseeing on 4WD trials or because they really do need 4WD in winter. Some have it "just incase they need it". It is their security blanket I guess.

Never owned a 4WD here. Being 2WD makes me think before attempting to go somwhere risky. My security blanket is a piece of towline kept in the truck fulltime. Tim the toolman is never far. He probably does not have a towline with him but he does have 4WD which he has not used in a long time & is always looking for a reason to have it. He can tow me out if I get stuck. He will be waiting a long time for that to happen too. 7 years, over 140,000 miles & have not been in need of a tow yet.

I'm one of the geezers who grew up without 4wd. Even when I worked in Yellowstone, we had 2wd vehicles only, and managed to get home most nights.
Epiphany: in the early 90's I bought an old Isuzu Trooper, for a work commuter that couldn't be hurt. Replaced the rubber rags with new all season tires. Had a bad winter that year. The old Trooper was 4wd, and would go anywhere. Not quickly, but anywhere. When we got into dragging a 31 foot fiver around and bought our now old Duramax, I didn't want 4wd. Couldn't find one without it. I have used it more than I ever thought I would. Loose gravel, winter in northern Colorado, wet grass, wet boat launch...
Darned useful, if you need it. And, you can't sell a 2wd pickup around here.

I know what a 2-wheel drive is capable of, that's why I own 4x4's.