2WD vs. 4WD

[LANShark42]

Just bought a TT and don't have a TV for it yet. One friend, who tows a lot of heavy things, recommends nothing less than 3/4 ton P/U. A mechanic friend, who we will be camping with, says his 1/2 ton is plenty, although he admits he had to do some work on it (programming it and dual exhaust etc). I'm inclined to go with a 3/4 ton, in case we might buy a larger TT at some point in the future.

I'm wondering whether having 4WD will help in towing capacity and/or handling. Dealer has thrown in a 10K E2 Equalizer hitch and will install towing brakes on whatever vehicle we get.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Thanks,
Michael

[dcmac214]

Other comments aside, DW & I will never get a 2WD TV again. It's not often you need 4WD, but on those rare occasions you do it's worth its weight in gold.

99% of our camping is done at a lake. More than once after a day on the water we've tried to pull the boat trailer up a wet ramp and started sliding backwards. If not for 4WD...
It's also invaluable around the farm, especially when it's wet.

[LANShark42]

[Carb_Cleaner]

LANShark42 wrote:
Again, I'd like to thank everyone for their input. Yesterday, I purchased a 2015 Ford, F250XLT, 4WD, 6.2l gas V8, crew cab. Drove it to Patti's 1880's Settlement in Grand Rivers KY for dinner last night (125 miles or so one way). Couldn't be happier with the way it drives and rides. Had 2 6'+ gentlemen (son and nephew) in the back seat and they were comfortable too.

Excellent choice. Congrats. Pics?
In the snow, 4-wheel drive doesn't mean 4-wheel stop. That's one reason people get in trouble/crashes. I've had 4WD for decades, but I know it's safest to stay home in cruddy weather. However, when it's dry, whether towing or not, when you stomp on the brakes, you'll be impressed with the Super Duty 4x4 considering all that it's doing/carrying (at least, I am).
The trick to 4-wheel drive is to put it in 4-wheel before you get stuck (assessing the situation all the while, of course).

[hondapro]

LANShark42 wrote:
Again, I'd like to thank everyone for their input. Yesterday, I purchased a 2015 Ford, F250XLT, 4WD, 6.2l gas V8, crew cab. Drove it to Patti's 1880's Settlement in Grand Rivers KY for dinner last night (125 miles or so one way). Couldn't be happier with the way it drives and rides. Had 2 6'+ gentlemen (son and nephew) in the back seat and they were comfortable too.

My truck is a 2014 F 250 4x4 crew with the 6.2.I really like how my truck preforms,it pulls my 10k tt well.Don't be afraid to let it wind when you get in the hills that is what the 6.2 is designed to do,you will not hurt it.I normally use tow haul and sometimes lock out 6th gear and let the truck do it's thing.

[ncrowley]

I would get a 3/4 ton and 4 wheel drive. Trucks do not have good traction to start with. You will probably not need 4 wheel drive very often, but when you need it, you really need it. I purchased one truck without 4 wheel drive and lived to regret it. I also like a truck that can pull more than the trailer I am pulling. It makes for a much more pleasant experience when the truck is not working so hard.

[LANShark42]

GoPackGo wrote:
Patti's - What a great place. Hope you got pie !!!

Always! 🙂

[GoPackGo]

Patti's - What a great place. Hope you got pie !!!

[LANShark42]

Again, I'd like to thank everyone for their input. Yesterday, I purchased a 2015 Ford, F250XLT, 4WD, 6.2l gas V8, crew cab. Drove it to Patti's 1880's Settlement in Grand Rivers KY for dinner last night (125 miles or so one way). Couldn't be happier with the way it drives and rides. Had 2 6'+ gentlemen (son and nephew) in the back seat and they were comfortable too.

[hondapro]

I had one 4x2 truck years ago,I was always hauling extra weight in the winter for improved traction and still had problems at times. I have had 4x4 trucks ever since.I will never own another 4x2.Not to mention 4x4's are easier to resell.

[ol__grouch]

LANShark42 wrote:
First, I'd like to thank everyone for weighing in. To try to answer questions or comments:

I DO have a Stihl chainsaw. I like to buy good stuff. Problem is, I don't think I can afford top end in this case. I can't spend $50k on a TV, even though it will be my daily driver. For those familiar with Indiana, we are in the extreme SW part of the state, near the Ohio river. The Ohio really modifies out weather. We don't get near the snow cities an hour north of us get, much less Indy or farther north. But I've had 4WD in the past and enjoy the peace of mind it gives me that if/when we DO get snow, I can go pretty well anywhere I need to. Doubt that we'll camp in the snow, but I know better than to say "never". I like the though of being able to back up a slick incline without worrying about it.

Someone asked how I got the tongue weight. I copied it straight from the manufacturer's website. As for make - I have a slight preference for the F350 because I previously owned an F150 I was VERY happy with. But I'm really looking hard at the cost on this one. Cheapest truck with adequate features will likely take this one.

Thanks again for all your help!

I'm in the same neck of the woods as you are. I'm just outside Evansville and my house is about 2 miles from the Ohio river. I have a class B so I don't tow it. However, I do tow at times and have a 3/4 ton 4X4. The extra weight in the nose does sometimes make a difference in our weather around here. Especially the mud season (right now). I have the heavy duty commercial chassis on my 3/4 ton and it's basically a 1 ton with single rear wheels.

I ran about 1000 miles over the New Years Holiday hauling cars and parts. On the highway, 2 wheel drive would have been fine. Moving around my yard and the field at the other end, I did need 4X4. I even had to use 4 low in the field down in Kentucky.

Every one was talking back around Christmas about the snow we had 10 years ago. My old truck was also 4X4 and I was one of the few people going through the two feet we got in a short period of time. Maybe 2 feet isn't much up by the lakes, when we normally get 5 or 6 inches at most, 4X4 is your friend. When you NEED it, it's too late to get it.

Feel free to PM me if you have any region specific questions.

[Speedogomer]

GoPackGo wrote:
I think that if you need a 3/4 ton truck (or larger) to safely tow your rig then it doesn't matter if it takes a few more feet to stop when you're not towing. The grey matter between your ears should tell you when to apply the brakes so you don't hit that van in front of you.

Tim

Unless it's not a van, but a drunk driver, or person running out into the road and suddenly that extra 10 ft it takes to stop becomes someone's life. It happens. Your grey matter dosent make every accident avoidable. Sometimes it's other people's lack of grey matter that causes the accident.

True, if you NEED a 3/4 ton to tow then yes by all means buy one. But if a half ton will do it safely, then a half ton is statistically more safe the other days you're not towing, which ends up being the vast majority of the time you're using the truck as a daily driver.

I'm not arguing agains the towing ability of larger trucks. They have a purpose and a place and are irreplaceable for some. Just reccommending the largest truck possible isn't always the safest, or smartest idea for everyone who tows.

[GoPackGo]

I think that if you need a 3/4 ton truck (or larger) to safely tow your rig then it doesn't matter if it takes a few more feet to stop when you're not towing. The grey matter between your ears should tell you when to apply the brakes so you don't hit that van in front of you.

Tim

[Speedogomer]

valhalla360 wrote:

Speedogomer wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Speedogomer wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Speedogomer wrote:
Another thing to think about, if your truck is your daily driver, is how well it works as a daily driver.

As a daily driver a 3/4 and 1 ton are worse in nearly every single way compared to a half ton. They're bigger, less fuel efficent, they ride significantly worse, are harder to park, and have slower acceleration and longer braking when unloaded. While they may be better the 10 days a year that you tow, they will be worse the other 355 days. Technically because of the increase in stopping distance and decrease in acceleration, a 3/4 or 1 ton truck is less likely to avoid an accident that you may have been able to avoid in a half ton. Similarly equipped trucks, a 3/4 takes 10-15 ft longer to stop from 60 mph. So they're safer 10 days a year, and less safe the other 355 days.

Ride in both and compare. My Hemi Ram 1500 rides great, my cousins hemi ram 2500 rides horrible.

No question, if you're buying a vehicle just to tow, the 3/4 or 1 ton is hands down the better choice. It's not as easy to argue if it's meant to be daily driven.

Other than a stiffer ride almost none of those downsides are real.

Fuel efficency with a big engine is lousy in both. The overall length and turning ability are not significantly different (assumes same cab and bed configuration). With the big engines, the both have good acceleration when not towing and the heavier duty trucks have larger brakes.

Yes they have larger brakes but the trucks themselves are much heavier, their stopping distances are increased, check out the #'s on them. You'll find across the board farther stopping distances.

Even with larger engines, they are slower to accelerate, again check out the #'s....and that's if they have the diesel option. Ram and Chevy both have less powerful gas engines in their 2500 than they do their 1500s. Which puts their gas equivalent even slower yet.

Most people on this forum are quick to reccomend a one ton to to someone as a daily driver. That person may tow only a handful of days a year. That one ton has a lower crash rating, worse ride, harder to park, higher maintenance and registration fees, worse fuel economy, ect ect.

Yes they're awesome if they're dedicated for towing. Daily driving one just isn't as practical as a half ton, and even they are a compromise compared to many other vehicles.

You appear focused on the ego points. If you are taking them out to a track day, I would agree there is a slight edge for the 1/2 ton (even better for a small PU by the way) but since the vast majority of people don't race thier tow vehicles the point is the numbers are really very similar.

The standard V8 has plenty of power to get them moving at a brisk pace when empty. I don't think I've ever felt the need to put the pedal more than 1/2way down when not towing in the 3/4tons I've owned and yet that has always been plenty of power to get up to speed. Fuel efficency with similar power packages are about the same. Braking isn't much different as your charts show (less than 10% variation).

Having driven both over the years, the one noticable difference is the ride is much stiffer. If you are sensitive, it might bother you.

The other possible edge though not as much as it used to be is 1/2 tons used to sit lower to the ground making them easier to get in and out of. More recently it seems the 1/2 ton trucks sit higher apparently to look more like the bigger trucks.

A minor point of interest: In the one graph, the Chevy and GMC have different results. As everyone knows, the only difference between the trucks is the badges. That leads me to believe that they did not ensure the tests were between equivilently outfitted trucks or the test has significant variability that isn't being accounted for.

If you read the test the GMC and Chevy had different tires and slightly different options, giving them different weights and braking. Which would account for the difference. So no, the difference is not just badges.

No ego, just facts. Safety is a big issue for me. If youre daily driving, the smallest truck that can safely (key word safely) do the job may be safer the rest of the year. I see accidents all the time that 10ft is the difference between an accident and no accident. Sure real world is different than a track test, but regardless a 3/4 takes longer to stop on a track and in the real world. Also non-track related, some 3/4 models have lower crash test rating than their half ton counterparts.

So in other words, they aren't comparing trucks that are outfitted identically so there is no reason to believe they are comparing apples to apples when looking between 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton trucks and the graphs are thus meaningless.

Even so, far too much variability shown to suggest a meaninful conclusion.

They compared several trucks from several manufacturers, of course they aren't identical. The fact the GMC had different tires (an available option) from the Chevy dosen't mean the test is invalid. They had all trucks equipped comparably to make a fair test, tested at the same time under controlled conditions. The only way a test can be done. There's thousands of combinations of options, there's no way they can test every single way a truck can be optioned.

There are variables, regardless the 3/4 ton trucks stopped slower and at longer distances. This isn't a court case you can argue off a technicality. You can repeat the test with different trucks, read other reviews. Across the board 3/4 ton trucks have longer stopping distances unloaded. It's a simple fact that you're grasping at straws trying to argue against.

No reason for you to keep trying to argue. I just posted test results from an independent source to support my opinion. You can choose to disagree. If you choose to keep arguing, at least come up with some information to support your point. If not, stop posting.

[Tennessee_Nomad]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
For me it's simple. If you go off road a lot or live where it snows a lot get a 4x. If you don't.............well.......don't. 🙂

Good point...