4WD or 2WD

The first thing I do when I buy a new truck is take the stickers off with cute little sayings like 4x4.
Towing in the snow is not good. Neither is towing in the mud, but it is less terrible with 4x4. You are going to get stuck in worse places once you buy a 4x4. No one ever said you were not going to get stuck. That is the stuff spoken by salesmen and the inexperienced.

ksss wrote:
I am pretty sure no one is buying a 4X4 just so that they can have a sticker on the side of their truck. I don't see the marketing departments of the various OEM's pushing 4X4 over 4X2 either. You don't have to push what people are already buying by what 95%? I don't understand the purpose of a 4X2, the logic escapes me, but I can respect someone's decision to be in the 5%ile. The fact made that pickups may soon be 4X4 only makes sense when compared to the manual transmission's fading from the option sheet. There are very likely currently more manual tranny drivers than there are 4X2 drivers and yet the manual option is gone. The costs of providing both 4X2 and 4X4 as an option is certainly much higher than either auto or manual tranny. Since vehicle height is brought up often as a reason for 4X2, perhaps offering a slammed 4X4 as a new pickup option or maybe a yearly subscription to a yoga studio would help with that.

You don't understand the purpose of a non 4 wheel drive vehicle? How about the simplest reason in the world, and it's very similar to your handle: KISS.

just to stir the pot a little....I'm on my 4th truck and my first 4wd...the 4wd truck is the only one I have ever been stuck in the mud with :)

I am pretty sure no one is buying a 4X4 just so that they can have a sticker on the side of their truck. I don't see the marketing departments of the various OEM's pushing 4X4 over 4X2 either. You don't have to push what people are already buying by what 95%? I don't understand the purpose of a 4X2, the logic escapes me, but I can respect someone's decision to be in the 5%ile. The fact made that pickups may soon be 4X4 only makes sense when compared to the manual transmission's fading from the option sheet. There are very likely currently more manual tranny drivers than there are 4X2 drivers and yet the manual option is gone. The costs of providing both 4X2 and 4X4 as an option is certainly much higher than either auto or manual tranny. Since vehicle height is brought up often as a reason for 4X2, perhaps offering a slammed 4X4 as a new pickup option or maybe a yearly subscription to a yoga studio would help with that.

I have towed with both, I don't see a lot of difference road wise. Both 4x2's I've towed with were fine on a hard surface and certain to hang up on grass or mud.

ppine wrote:
Some people seem to think a 2wd gas powered tow vehicle with a Class II hitch is just the ticket. Good luck to all of them.

actually A 4X2 TRUCK WITH THE PROPER HITCH IS A great TV. I have towed for the past 45 years with all kinds of TVs 4x4, 4x8, 4x2. and the ones that actually tow the trailer down the road BETTER, with more control, are 4x2 vehicles. They are more stable, and have a higher towing capacity than a identical truck with 4x4.

Now if you plan on towing your trailer thru the river, or thru the mud. 4x4 would be better until you hit the road.

Having said that. 4x4 can be more fun once you unhook.

Durb wrote:
From a currently running thread in this section: "Oil sender failed, cluster failed, transfer case seal failed, front hub/bearing failed"

I wonder if "very little additional maintenance" really applies.

My 2WD truck doesn't have a transfer case, or front hubs, or front u-joints or CV joints, front drive shaft u-joints, front differential seals, or additional fluids. So, none of that stuff has failed on my truck nor needed to be maintained.

Your 1wheeeler peeler does have front unit bearings unless it’s really old. I can’t think of any new vehicles that have conventional replaceable individual bearings anymore.
Good for you. You have a simpler vehicle. What’s your point?
Heck even 1 guy who “hates 4wd” in this thread said when the roads are bad “I take the Subaru”. Oops!! 4wd!

This is about what a person wants, needs, can afford, etc. has nothing to do with right or wrong but geezernet can always turn a simple discussion into a bag of ____!

Some people seem to think a 2wd gas powered tow vehicle with a Class II hitch is just the ticket. Good luck to all of them.

FishOnOne wrote:

wnjj wrote:
Just used 4x4 this evening to back my flatbed trailer uphill on the gravel driveway to its parking spot. It simply wouldn’t happen with a 4x2.

Did it make towing easier?

Only in reverse.

falconbrother wrote:
If you get the 2x4 you really must be careful of getting stuck. .

Agreed, 4x4 gets you stuck much better and farther from help.

If you are into off roading or boondock in rough conditions, yes a 4x4 makes sense.

Probably 95% of towing, you never need it. About the only thing handy is low range so you can slowly creep up hills in campgrounds without racing the engine but even that isn't a big problem.