4x2 or 4x4?

Worked construction for forty years and mostly drove 2wd pickups. In and out of ditches and on miles of unpaved roads. Like someone mentioned, it may take a little more planning and skill to stay out of places that will bury any pickup. I have even walked a half mile to avoid such distractions. I also appreciate getting a few hundred pounds of payload for free. Another myth is how they handle ice and snow. They accelerate better, but decelerate the same. That's why we see so many SUV's and 4X4 pickups in our winter ditches.

BTW, this is a recurring argument for those willing to do a search.

If you ONLY use your pickup to haul your camper, then unless you tow a heavy trailer I can't figure out why you don't choose a Class A or Class C motorhome.

The 2WD/4WD question isn't about whether you go 4-wheeling or live in Antarctica. That situation is a no-brainer.

The low-range gears are very useful (especially with manual front hubs that let me effectively have 2-Low) when loaded heavy on an incline.

The ability to have the front climb up a leveling block instead of pushing it is nice.

If you ever drive your truck without the camper on it and ever pull a trailer, try to get moving from a stop if you're on gravel, or maybe even a wet street.

I've had 2WD pickups and lived to tell about it but unless it was gonna be a lowered, tricked-out cruiser, I'd never buy another. It has NOTHING to do with going off-road. There are just too many times a 2WD pickup sucks ON the road!

I won't even beat the dead horse about driving in snowy or icy conditions.

It is true using a 4x2 requires more driver forethought and skills at times.

~DJ~ wrote:
but I love those that say "my 4x2 will go anywhere you can, even farther". :B

If you are going to use the winch, I guess you could use street tires as well.

jefe 4x4 wrote:
wheelholder wrote: "I have always been told 4wd just lets you get further into the woods before getting stuck." This is one my favorite Urban Myths.

I've heard that a lot too. but I love those that say "my 4x2 will go anywhere you can, even farther". :B

Ok, The photo says it all for me. Do not know what you want to use your camper for but for me this is it. That is a Lance 1055 on a F350 dually 4x4 V10, which is pretty heavy set up and I have no problems.

One thing which is often overlooked is the gearing that comes with a 4x4. One previous poster mentioned using the 4-Lo to get up on blocks. I have also used it for steep boat ramps and descending steep roads when loaded. In most cases, I am in conditions easily managed by a 2wd, but really appreciated using my gears to stay at 15mph on steep fire roads rather than my brakes.

As far as 4wd for traction, it pays off on snow, gravel, and even the dirt roads in the Midwest that turn to goo with any rain at all.

Wo.ody wrote:
OK...lets say your camper is a 4500 lb monster like a Lance 1191 or an Arctic Fox 1140 or a heavier Eagle Cap 995. You may get off the pavement to camp but you aren't going to do the Whazoo with it.

Your going to trade maximum load capacity if you add 4x4 to a new truck. Sure, we all want 4x4 but do you really NEED 4x4 for a rig that is specifically used as a warm weather TC hauler?

Hey Bryan Appleby, could you get by without a 4x4?

I've got to have 4*4 for my camper hauling. The point of the TC for me is to be away from pavement. We dry camp and ride quads many times 10 miles from pavement. Also some of the best riding is in the winter when you can be in snow and icy roads. Many times the gravel ''roads'' are a couple inches of muck.

The camper weight goes on the rear axle mostly.
4*4 would be more up front so does not impact my decision making.

If all you do is camp grounds in the southwest I could see doing 2 wheel drive.

I've personally used 4 wheel drive 2 dozen times during the 13/14 winter....

I'm about ready to put a winch on my dually.

too funny Jefe. I took my 72 FJ 40 with a warn winch over those same trails in 75.

wheelholder wrote: "I have always been told 4wd just lets you get further into the woods before getting stuck." This is one my favorite Urban Myths. It is always espoused as support by those who have never owned a 4WD, never will, or lived in a place where you might need 4WD. If you have 2WD, just don't go looking for trouble: get in the cue. If you NEED 4WD you had better have a good 'feel' about what it will do and how far out you can go with it. Personally, i've had about 500 sticks in various 4WD's over my lifetime. Some of those were the result of an application of fearless youthful testosterone. I still go looking for the edge, not cringing away from the edge, adjusted for a falling testosterone and a rising common sense. Just personal preference.
Here is just one scenario: In June, 1969 (yes, 45 years ago) we were on our way to Monache Meadows in the Sierra Nevada, near the South Fork of the Kern river. It was an honest jeep trail then and we were a little early in the season and ran into a little mud. One meadow was about 300 meters across and we were following the two tracks. The snow was just off and it quickly turned into a axle-deep bog. The FJ40 i was driving had a factory PTO winch which i had just upgraded by enlarging the shear pin hole and using drill rod as a shear pin greatly increasing the capacity of the winch. We tried backing out and got no where.

There were no convenient trees or rocks to winch to. So, we took the spare tire off the back and rolled it forward about 100 feet up the two-track carrying the X tire iron; go back and get the shovel, dragging the winch cable along; dig a 3 foot hole just larger than the diameter of the tire; drop the X-iron into the hole: lay the tire into the hole; hook the winch hook onto the X-tire iron through the center hole of the wheel; bury the tire; walk back and put the winch into gear; get into driver's seat and work the winch levers while feathering the gas in low range; at about 80 feet stop and dig up the spare tire. What then? Repeat the process above, over and over again dragging the diffs through the mud until you are across the bog. Could i do this with 2WD and no winch? Not in your dreams. But I would not go looking for it either.
jefe