2WD or 4X4 for a truck camper
Okay,this is for hauling a truck camper only and what a new guy should get when going to buy a truck camper.. Here is a pretty honest opinion of the pro's and con's of both and yes,he has a truck c...
Forum Discussion
I’m not sure what constitutes need since there is no way to know what might happen on a trip.
Last February, I left the ranch when there wasn’t any snow forecast. We were going to be back in a few days. Just headed over for a grandkids birthday. The forecast changed and snowmageden set into Western WA.
We had to wait at my daughters for the snow to settle down so we could head down I-5. We stayed at the Mother-in-laws, and woke up to another unforecasted snow. We were able to make it out of their neighborhood and were actually the only vehicle that left the in laws house. They only had 2WDs: a truck and a Camry.
They lost power and so we went by the store in the truck/camper to get some things they needed. So, we stayed another night and got propane even though there was 8-10 inches of snow.
Power came back on, so we went to the next relatives house. That night … you guessed it, snow again. Her uncled stayed home in his 2WD truck because he didn’t think it was worth chaining up to get back up his driveway.
We continued on to Salem, OR to visit my brother. The passes were still nasty so we were giving them time to clear. By the time we got to Salem, the roads were clear.
After a couple of days, we headed back from Oregon. Along the way back from Oregon, we hit unforecasted snow/ice in the Gorge and then up by Kennewick. DW drove after I dislocated my collarbone for the days we were gone. She is more than capable, but I wouldn’t have wished chains on her and that would have added about a day to our trip home since you can drive very fast with chains.
When I got back to Montana, I couldn’t even get up my driveway with 4x4 and good tires. The snow was too deep. So, I walked the 1/3 mile up to my upper shed and got the Ranger UTV that already had the plow on it. Good thing, because I dislocated my collarbone while in Washington. After plowing for a couple of hours to get rid of the foot or snow and the drifts that were even higher, I was able to get the truck with camper up the driveway. No, I didn’t try to install my chains.
Maybe a 2WD could make this trip, but I had DW put the truck in 4x4 several times and we drove at least 100 miles in 4x4. We could just stay home in Winter. :D
Last February, I left the ranch when there wasn’t any snow forecast. We were going to be back in a few days. Just headed over for a grandkids birthday. The forecast changed and snowmageden set into Western WA.
We had to wait at my daughters for the snow to settle down so we could head down I-5. We stayed at the Mother-in-laws, and woke up to another unforecasted snow. We were able to make it out of their neighborhood and were actually the only vehicle that left the in laws house. They only had 2WDs: a truck and a Camry.
They lost power and so we went by the store in the truck/camper to get some things they needed. So, we stayed another night and got propane even though there was 8-10 inches of snow.
Power came back on, so we went to the next relatives house. That night … you guessed it, snow again. Her uncled stayed home in his 2WD truck because he didn’t think it was worth chaining up to get back up his driveway.
We continued on to Salem, OR to visit my brother. The passes were still nasty so we were giving them time to clear. By the time we got to Salem, the roads were clear.
After a couple of days, we headed back from Oregon. Along the way back from Oregon, we hit unforecasted snow/ice in the Gorge and then up by Kennewick. DW drove after I dislocated my collarbone for the days we were gone. She is more than capable, but I wouldn’t have wished chains on her and that would have added about a day to our trip home since you can drive very fast with chains.
When I got back to Montana, I couldn’t even get up my driveway with 4x4 and good tires. The snow was too deep. So, I walked the 1/3 mile up to my upper shed and got the Ranger UTV that already had the plow on it. Good thing, because I dislocated my collarbone while in Washington. After plowing for a couple of hours to get rid of the foot or snow and the drifts that were even higher, I was able to get the truck with camper up the driveway. No, I didn’t try to install my chains.
Maybe a 2WD could make this trip, but I had DW put the truck in 4x4 several times and we drove at least 100 miles in 4x4. We could just stay home in Winter. :D
