2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive

[jblake240]

I’m looking at a new Ram 3500 diesel- why should I go with a four
wheel over a 2 wheel drive.
I's siding on a 2 Wheel. Pulling a
Keystone RV Mountaineer 375FLF Fifth Wheels
Hitch Weight 2,120 lbs
Dry Weight 11,916 lbs

[Veebyes]

DSteiner51 wrote:

Veebyes wrote:


Taken a step further, a winch is for the guys who have 4wd drive & thought they could go anywhere only to find out that they really only have 2wd, then need to pull themselves out with a winch.

???? You either have 2wd or 4wd and if the driver/owner hasn't figured out which he has he be in real hurt.

At any point with 4WD only 2 wheels normally have power going to them. A front wheel & a rear wheel. A 2WD only has power to 1 wheel, the one that is spinning joyously.

[DSteiner51]

Veebyes wrote:


Taken a step further, a winch is for the guys who have 4wd drive & thought they could go anywhere only to find out that they really only have 2wd, then need to pull themselves out with a winch.

???? You either have 2wd or 4wd and if the driver/owner hasn't figured out which he has he be in real hurt.

[Veebyes]

mountainsam wrote:
Four wheel drive is for getting you out of the mess 2 wheel drive got you into.

No, with 2wd you get out & have a look before you drive into questionable places.

Taken a step further, a winch is for the guys who have 4wd drive & thought they could go anywhere only to find out that they really only have 2wd, then need to pull themselves out with a winch.

[mountainsam]

Four wheel drive is for getting you out of the mess 2 wheel drive got you into.

[laknox]

wandering1 wrote:
You dont need a 4 wheel drive to tow an RV. You wouldnt be able to pull the dead weight of an RV thru the terrain you need a 4 wheel drive for.

Crap. There's plenty of "everyday" dirt roads that having 4wd makes for a better, and safer, tow. (Hell, I'll run 4wd on the same road when NOT towing, because it's more comfortable.) There's plenty of unimproved roads that you can tow into with a 2wd, but 4wd makes it a whole lot easier. I travel one every year to our annual family campout. Running about 15-25 mph on a daily-use dirt road and running in 4wd makes a big difference in handing and ride. Once I get off on the side road, I could, and have, run it in 2wd, but why?, when 4LO makes it so much easier, both on me =and= my FW. I'm in no hurry...

Lyle

[laknox]

bpounds wrote:
I have owned nothing but 4WD since 1985. And it gets used plenty.

I have this disease. Cannot pass a dirt road without being drawn toward finding where it goes.

Paved highways do not go to the best places.

If you don't suffer from the need to explore, you will be happy with 2WD.

I =love= it! 🙂

Lyle

[JIMNLIN]

I have both and have made a living using both and here's what I think on the subject.

Get what you need as I have no idea what you do with the truck.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

elkabong wrote:

However, I do consider myself an RVer and not a camper and I have one simple rule. If I need 4WD to go...Then I don't go.
It's also a matter of economics. 2WD is less expensive to buy, maintain and fuel. Also my 5er lines up dead level with no modifications needed.
Like others have said though, it all depends on where you plan go and what you plan to do with your rig. Only you know the answer to that.

Ken

I agree. We had to drive almost to Wisconsin to find a diesel 2WD F-350. Ours is a 2011; and gets 22 mpg on the highway without the 5er - and a respectable 12-13 mpg while towing. Got caught in that snowy/icy mess in Georgia a month ago while coming home - and remarkably, the truck pulled just fine on glare ice with the added weight from the trailer.

Also - the newer trucks, even 2WD, still have a lot of traction-control features: ours will let us lock in BOTH rear wheels for extra traction, if we need it.

I'm sure at some point, we'll have one of those "why didn't we get 4WD?" moments - we'll re-appraise our thinking if that happens a few times.

On edit: yes, we live where there's GOBS of snow. The F-350 is NOT our daily driver; if it was, it would definitely be a 4x4.

[rtazz17]

As another poster said you dont need it till you need it.Ive needed it just because the grass i was on was slick and I couldnt get rear tires to bite down.Put it in 4 low and like magic Im out.

Personally for the extra cost of a4x4 I wouldnt own one without it no matter where I live because you just never know when you will need it.
Disclaimer- just my opinion others will vary

[allen8106]

If nothing else I would think you would need it just for normal driving around in the winter considering where you live. Just my thought.

[JTrac]

A little late in this thread but here is my spin. I have never owned a 4 wheel drive anything and have only been in a few situations where it might have been needed. I just ordered a 2015 dually as we are pushing the limits of our single rear wheel truck and we do take some long trips. I ordered my 2012 as a 2wd because there was not one anywhere around. It is a real workhorse and never an issue with the 2wd. However, my dealer was hesitant to deal with me because he says my truck is not very desirable not being a 4x4. I have been a customer for many years and because of that he finally gave me what I consider to be a very fair price. I get to keep my truck till the new one comes in and he asked if I would try to sell it on my own, which I will at some point.

I decided with the money these things cost I need to bite the bullet and get a 4x4.

[empty_nest]

lakeside013104 wrote:
4WD is a must in my world. Get a little bit stuck in 2WD, hit the switch and you are no longer stuck. No embarrassment, no wrecker bill, and no damage from spinning wheels.

X2...... Wouldn't leave home without it. 😉 I've had 'em for years and wouldn't even think about being without. Just simple things like sitting level on a patch of ice in the driveway...... STUCK...... pulling the boat out on a steep and wet boat ramp..... STUCK .... sinking into some wet soil/grass on the side of the road or even my lawn..... you're either STUCK or you tear it all up.

[Gonzo42]

I once owned a Ford Bronco II with 4WD. I used it seldom, but on a rainy day it gave me a lot of confidence. Other than that I hardly used it.

When I decided to upgrade to a full-sized F-150 I decided that the extra cost up front coupled with the additional fuel costs didn't sit too well with me, so I opted for the 2WD version. I have not regretted it since i never go off road nor do I pull a trailer except in unusual, short-live circumstances.

[laknox]

jblake240 wrote:
I’m looking at a new Ram 3500 diesel- why should I go with a four
wheel over a 2 wheel drive.
I's siding on a 2 Wheel. Pulling a
Keystone RV Mountaineer 375FLF Fifth Wheels
Hitch Weight 2,120 lbs
Dry Weight 11,916 lbs

A lot of this is going to depend on your camping style. If you boondock off-road, even in easy to reach areas, you really want to have 4wd available. It's amazing how quickly, even with fairly aggressive tires, you can get stuck in a 4" deep rut in wet volcanic clay. BTDT and it took 2 other 4wd trucks to get me out. Even on a fair dirt road, running in 4wd while towing is noticeably smoother than in 2wd. If you do get into a bad spot, having 4LO to creep with can be invaluable, as well as being able to lock the wheels for better traction. With my 2500 D'max, I do miss not being able to use 4wd in "normal" wet conditions due to excess stress on the transfer case. My old 1500 and my S-10 Blazer were great in that, at the first sign of rain, "bump" goes the button, and I'm in 4wd. As others have said, resale value of 4wd is very worth it. I know of more than one guy who felt that having 4wd on a truck they sold =made= them money, over and above what the option originally cost. Personally, I'll never have another 2wd truck.

Lyle

[wandering1]

You dont need a 4 wheel drive to tow an RV. You wouldnt be able to pull the dead weight of an RV thru the terrain you need a 4 wheel drive for.