Why 4 X 4

[Usnthedog]

Every place you look, every dealer it's all 4 X 4's. I have a 4 X 4 and never use it. Why is it so popular? Is there anyone out there that has a 2 X 4 and is unhappy with the truck? How about with a 4 X 4? My first 2 trucks I bought off the lot hence the 4 X 4. I'm looking to order and almost feel ashamed to consider a 2 X 4. I pull a 12,000# 5th wheel. No mud holes and backroads. Thanks.

And diesel, but that is another post.

[Tvov]

About the height of trucks...

When I am in a parking lot with a bunch of other pickups (99% of which are 4x4), it seems like my truck is almost 6 inches lower than everyone else.

One big complaint on these forums has consistently been how high trucks have been getting.

Some of the newest trucks have adjustable height?!?! That is awesome! Almost like people at the manufacturers are actually paying attention to what people want.

My truck is a 2008 - when I am next to friends with new Chevy 4x4s, my truck is noticeably lower (trust me... they let me know that!). So I guess Ford has raised the height of their 2wd trucks? Many models of Chevys have usually over the years have been lower than Fords - which was one reason that many people I know bought Chevys, because they were easier to get into (and they always seem to have far more comfortable seats, I don't know why Ford can't do something similar).

So if manufactures are actually paying attention to complaints of new trucks height, that is great!

[alexleblanc]

a few weeks back on our vacation while camping at the track at Watkins Glen, we struggles to get our fifth wheels parked and not stuck while in 4wd low gear, a whole bunch of 2wd trucks and motorhomes had to be pulled out - I was some happy to have 4wd then.

My truck also gets a ton of use in the winter and around here, we get real winter, not that wimpy stuff everybody south of Michigan and Maine get.

[valhalla360]

Learjet wrote:
What about slippery boat ramps?????

I try to keep my 5er off boat ramps. 😉

But if we are going to wander off topic, a couple brother-in-laws pull mid-20' boats and no issues with 2wd on boat ramps over many years.

[WaterJosh]

I live in Tucson, and while I don't need 4 wheel drive while hooked to the 5th wheel, in order to get up the gravel part of the yard without spinning the tires that I have to go up in order TO hook up I need it. To each their own I suppose, I like having it as a backup in case I need it. Not to mention the flooded roads and **** washed onto the roads here in monsoon season, I go through the sand washed onto the road fine, my 2 wheel drive brethren, not so much

[grizz272]

BarabooBob wrote:
What a bunch of bull. Here in Wisconsin we actually have snow and we don't stay at home because we got 6" of white stuff. We go to work, we go out and play in it, we pull our snowmobiles and go skiing in it. Winter lasts 5 months here. Unless you want to live indoors, you will probably be using your 4x4.

I agree with BarabooBob
There have been times where I have left the truck in 4x4 for weeks at a time. I had to go to work period. I was a Vol. Firefighter and had to go when ever the call went out so 4x4 was a must.
Being retired now I can wait if the roads are bad. Why wait it is snow and I am equipped to deal with it. One thong I do not drive on is ice. I stay home when ice is on the road.

[ReneeG]

Super_Dave wrote:
All the guys defending 4 X 4 use it. It appears that the OP never has and likely never will. I think he is safe ordering the smoother riding 4 X 2.

Then let the 4x4 pull him out when he gets stuck.

[Super_Dave]

All the guys defending 4 X 4 use it. It appears that the OP never has and likely never will. I think he is safe ordering the smoother riding 4 X 2.

[ford_truck_guy]

Terryallan wrote:


Fact is. 95 percent of 4x4 sold will never ever be put in 4x4. They will never see a muddy road where it is needed. They will never run down a sandy beach, or go thru a soggy field. As for snow. No they won't go out in the snow, Because some one may run into them. I hear it every winter. I go to work, and all the other guy with 4x4 stay home because they don't want their truck wrecked. They don't even know if the 4x4 even works, because they have never used it. But it looks good, Don't it.

I am crying foul.... 95% ?? Really ?? I do not believe that... here in PA its nice to have 4x4 in the winters IF you want to get to work..like stated above, we don’t stay home with 6” of snow... here is one of my rides HOME FROM work... we were getting 3” per hour.. ended up with over 27” that day... but we worked.... kids didn’t go to school, but we worked...I would BET nobody with a 4x2 truck got to work that day...you southerners crack me up.... This was on rt 132, its a 4 lane road in SE PA, that bridge ahead of me is the PA Turnpike

[BarabooBob]

Terryallan wrote:


Fact is. 95 percent of 4x4 sold will never ever be put in 4x4. They will never see a muddy road where it is needed. They will never run down a sandy beach, or go thru a soggy field. As for snow. No they won't go out in the snow, Because some one may run into them. I hear it every winter. I go to work, and all the other guy with 4x4 stay home because they don't want their truck wrecked. They don't even know if the 4x4 even works, because they have never used it. But it looks good, Don't it.

What a bunch of bull. Here in Wisconsin we actually have snow and we don't stay at home because we got 6" of white stuff. We go to work, we go out and play in it, we pull our snowmobiles and go skiing in it. Winter lasts 5 months here. Unless you want to live indoors, you will probably be using your 4x4.

[Hammerboy]

Usnthedog wrote:
Every place you look, every dealer it's all 4 X 4's. I have a 4 X 4 and never use it. Why is it so popular? Is there anyone out there that has a 2 X 4 and is unhappy with the truck? How about with a 4 X 4? My first 2 trucks I bought off the lot hence the 4 X 4. I'm looking to order and almost feel ashamed to consider a 2 X 4. I pull a 12,000# 5th wheel. No mud holes and backroads. Thanks.

And diesel, but that is another post.

For a relatively inexpensive option why wouldn't you? It's one of the best value options you can buy plus it's awful handy when you need it even if for peace of mind. For far less $$ than the next upgraded trim package you could have 4x4 which could get you out of a pickle whereas that the fancier trim package wont.

Dan

[Bluhorn]

I have had 3 4X4 trucks and my daily driver now is a 93 Dodge D250 2wheel drive.It does fine down here in Florida.I will get a second truck by the end of the year. It will be a 4X4 because they have saved my bacon countless times towing and not towing through many states. Its not a macho thing, its what works for me and gives a more confident feeling in bad weather. If 2 wheel drive works for you thats great.

[Hammerboy]

Terryallan wrote:

Usnthedog wrote:
Every place you look, every dealer it's all 4 X 4's. I have a 4 X 4 and never use it. Why is it so popular? Is there anyone out there that has a 2 X 4 and is unhappy with the truck? How about with a 4 X 4? My first 2 trucks I bought off the lot hence the 4 X 4. I'm looking to order and almost feel ashamed to consider a 2 X 4. I pull a 12,000# 5th wheel. No mud holes and backroads. Thanks.

And diesel, but that is another post.

honestly. It is a macho thing. As in. I just got to have a 4x4. They look so good. No I'll never go gully jumping, but I got to have a 4x4. OH! I may get stuck on a wet leaf, so I need 4x4. It reality, it is an image thing.

honestly. I have been towing for more than 40 years, and have never once needed 4x4, even though I have has several 4x4s. I have taken them gully jumping, and out on the beach, but haven't needed them for towing. In fact the BEST, most STABLE TV I ever had was a 4x2. I miss it.

Macho thing? That is the dumbest thing I've read in awhile. 4wd vehicles are SOOOO commonplace today how can they be macho thing anymore? 30 years ago maybe that was true but not today.

My wife has a 4wd Nissan Rogue, she drives it for the peace of mind in our snowy winters, not to be macho. I have 4wd because it's nice in the winter and pulling my construction trailers into construction sites. Plus try selling a 2wd truck around here.

If you want people to turns heads around here for that "look at me moment" buy a 2wd truck, other than some commercial vehicles it's like spotting a unicorn or bigfoot, people may even start to take pictures with you driving it lol.

How about buying 4wd just because it make $ sense? Very few people want 2wd around here at least.

Dan

[Terryallan]

laknox wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

Usnthedog wrote:
Every place you look, every dealer it's all 4 X 4's. I have a 4 X 4 and never use it. Why is it so popular? Is there anyone out there that has a 2 X 4 and is unhappy with the truck? How about with a 4 X 4? My first 2 trucks I bought off the lot hence the 4 X 4. I'm looking to order and almost feel ashamed to consider a 2 X 4. I pull a 12,000# 5th wheel. No mud holes and backroads. Thanks.

And diesel, but that is another post.

honestly. It is a macho thing. As in. I just got to have a 4x4. They look so good. No I'll never go gully jumping, but I got to have a 4x4. OH! I may get stuck on a wet leaf, so I need 4x4. It reality, it is an image thing.

honestly. I have been towing for more than 40 years, and have never once needed 4x4, even though I have has several 4x4s. I have taken them gully jumping, and out on the beach, but haven't needed them for towing. In fact the BEST, most STABLE TV I ever had was a 4x2. I miss it.

Absolute cr@p! I have 4wd because it's =practical= for my needs, not because I want to be a bad a$$. I like to do some backroading in my stock truck and I've been out with guys with 2wd trucks. Yeah, they may make it up that road, but they tend leave a =lot= of rubber behind doing so. Me, I just drop to 4lo and creep up with hardly a spin. I actually use 4lo to get into one of our camp sites, not because the road's steep, but because it's got some rocky stretches and I can simply idle over them without rocking the FW too much. As I said before, our first time out this year, I needed 4wd to back into my site in an improved CG with dirt/gravel roads and sites. I knew without even trying that 2wd wouldn't work, so went right to 4wd and =still= spun a bit.

Lyle

Fact is. 95 percent of 4x4 sold will never ever be put in 4x4. They will never see a muddy road where it is needed. They will never run down a sandy beach, or go thru a soggy field. As for snow. No they won't go out in the snow, Because some one may run into them. I hear it every winter. I go to work, and all the other guy with 4x4 stay home because they don't want their truck wrecked. They don't even know if the 4x4 even works, because they have never used it. But it looks good, Don't it.

[fj12ryder]

Well, it's obvious you're not going to get people to say "Oh yeah, I bought my 4WD cause it looks so bad". It's like people admitting they ride Harley's because of the image that they want to portray.

And actually, most people on this forum will probably use 4WD occasionally. Considering how many 4WD trucks and SUV's are bought by people who live in town and have rarely seen a muddy road, it could be a wash overall.

But why else would people who live on completely paved streets pay more money to buy something they'll never use? Either they've been totally conned by the salesman, very possible, or they are trying to look like something, not sure what.

[ppine]

macho? In what Universe?
anyone that has to ask why 4x4 would not understand the answer.

I have been stuck on a level road with all four wheels chained up on a 4x4 in pure clay. Hell I get stuck trying to pull boats out of the water a long way from any boat ramp. Nearly all of the interesting places to boondock require it. Its how you get away from all the tourists. Getting stuck in 4wd is a way of life in the remote parts of the West like Nevada.

For people that only drive on pavement, without snow and stay in RV parks and Wal-Mart parking lots you don't need it.