2wd vs 4wd

Bedlam wrote:
If you drive using engine braking more than using your service brakes, 4wd does handle slowing better on adverse surfaces.

Bedlam. 100% agree with you. You are not saying 4x4 stops you better, you are saying it helps slow you better while maintaining traction. Seems a lot of people don't get this...and I guess the experts who disagree all live in parts of CA that doesn't get snow or ice. I guess their experience trumps all.

Probably not "necessary", any more than getting a Denali is necessary.
I say get it, just because and why not!

Used to drive a 4WD Ford Ex Diesel and only needed it (4X4) once at a newly opened camp ground where they had just mowed the grass.

We tend to camp in paved or semi paved camp grounds so did not have a problem otherwise.

I just got a new 1 ton GMC Truck, 2 wheel drive, so I figure its not worth it FOR ME.

Can always get a tow service for the very odd time I may not need it.

Other Miles Will Vary.

Just my 2 cents

valhalla360 wrote:

wnjj wrote:
Prior to the days of ABS, 4x4 did improve braking. With all 4 wheels interconnected up you could not lock one wheel up without locking up all. This means you could apply more pressure to the pedal and maximize the braking from the wheel(s) with the most traction.

Unless you are adding locking differentials to tie all 4 wheels together, this isn't true.

It works the same as when you try to accelerate on ice. Once a wheel loses traction, that caps the traction for the other wheel on the axle. One wheel will continue to roll and the other will be locked up.

You have two axles providing engine braking but that's not neccessarily a good thing.
- With a 2wd PU, if the drive wheels lose traction while engine braking, the front wheels still have steering control.
- With 4wd, if the front axle loses traction, you lose steering control at the same time. Then you are just along for the ride. I always hated that about front wheel drive cars. I can usually recover if the back end of my PU kicks out but with a front wheel drive car, there's not much you can do.

I guess I oversimplified a bit although on really slippery surfaces I don't think a locker makes any difference. The resistance within an open differential is probably higher than the traction at the tires anyway.

Regardless, it's still more difficult to lock up a wheel that is connected to a live axle (even if through an open diff), than one simply rolling on a wheel bearing.

Locking up only the back is the worse thing you do for steering. It's almost a guarantee that you will watch the back pass you. Locking up all 4 means you can let back off but are still continuing in the original direction.

Better to have it, and not need it, than to need it, and not have it.

Twice this year I have needed 4x4. 1st time this spring when going to a wedding. A bunch of the groom's friends parked their RV's at in a field next to his farm. Two days before, they had a torrential down pour. The entrance was horrible. But I got through with no problems in 4x4. A friend came in behind me. He has 4x2. He got stuck.

We park in a large field next to the airport for football games. Again a ton of rain had fallen before we got their. Class A's were getting stuck all over the place. To get into my site, I needed to back up an incline over wet grass. Put the truck into 4x4 Low and backed right in my spot. Without 4x4, it wouldn't happened.

If you know you will never need 4x4, great. But it's great to have those few times you really need it.

boingram wrote:
Hi all...time to open another can of worms...we r going to purchase a 2015 2500 denali duramax crew...just don't see the need for 4wd...how abt some non male ego driven opinions on the subject. ..thx...bo

valhalla360 wrote:
I always hated that about front wheel drive cars. I can usually recover if the back end of my PU kicks out but with a front wheel drive car, there's not much you can do.

Of course there is something you can do on a front drive car - shift into neutral if automatic, or push in the clutch if manual. I did it all the time living up north in snow country.

If your steer wheels are also drive wheels, it is counter intuitive, but you accelerate slowly to regain steering if they slide.

wnjj wrote:
Prior to the days of ABS, 4x4 did improve braking. With all 4 wheels interconnected up you could not lock one wheel up without locking up all. This means you could apply more pressure to the pedal and maximize the braking from the wheel(s) with the most traction.

Unless you are adding locking differentials to tie all 4 wheels together, this isn't true.

It works the same as when you try to accelerate on ice. Once a wheel loses traction, that caps the traction for the other wheel on the axle. One wheel will continue to roll and the other will be locked up.

You have two axles providing engine braking but that's not neccessarily a good thing.
- With a 2wd PU, if the drive wheels lose traction while engine braking, the front wheels still have steering control.
- With 4wd, if the front axle loses traction, you lose steering control at the same time. Then you are just along for the ride. I always hated that about front wheel drive cars. I can usually recover if the back end of my PU kicks out but with a front wheel drive car, there's not much you can do.

You just hit the button on why you see so many 4wd's in the ditch. Many drivers do not realize how bad the conditions are when traveling in 4wd until they try to brake. If you are passing a number of 2wd's in your 4wd, you are most likely driving too fast for conditions.

Having a 4X4 makes it HARDER for me to stop.... That's because having 4X4 allows me to go faster in bad conditions , thus making it harder to stop! :B.. In reality , IF ANYONE tells you that a 4X4 stops better they have co clue !! I have a 4X4 only because when my truck is not towing it is sitting,,, when it is not towing OR sitting , it is doing snow removal which is harder with 4X2...