2WD or 4X4 for a truck camper

[jaycocreek]

Okay,this is for hauling a truck camper only and what a new guy should get when going to buy a truck camper..

Here is a pretty honest opinion of the pro's and con's of both and yes,he has a truck camper..Northern lite 10-2

2WD vs 4WD with TC only

Do you "Really Need" a 4X4 with a truck camper?..

[wnjj]

jaycocreek wrote:
One of my favorite quotes on RV.NET concerning getting stuck with a TC loaded up...

"What you need is 4 wheel drive then your tow bills will go up, my last one was $750."

Here is a link, thanks to Ramblin' Ralph,of him sticking his TC in an odd spot and 4X4 did no good at all once stuck..

TC stuck on FS road

As mentioned above,this is about needing 4X4 with the truck camper loaded up ready to camp as Ramblin' Ralph did and did 4X4 really help with the TC on...

When I read Ralph’s post it sounds like he didn’t have 4x4. His rear diff high centered but no mention of the front which looked to be on smoother ground. I’m guessing it would have walked right out with the front end powered, kind of blowing your case.

Did you read something different?

[jaycocreek]

One of my favorite quotes on RV.NET concerning getting stuck with a TC loaded up...

"What you need is 4 wheel drive then your tow bills will go up, my last one was $750."

Here is a link, thanks to Ramblin' Ralph,of him sticking his TC in an odd spot and 4X4 did no good at all once stuck..

TC stuck on FS road

As mentioned above,this is about needing 4X4 with the truck camper loaded up ready to camp as Ramblin' Ralph did and did 4X4 really help with the TC on...

[specta]

[Kayteg1]

I think G-Dog would be much happier driving 6x6 to get his 6-pack, but than he is "BS of the year" award winner and works hard to get another one.

[KKELLER14K]

Nothing better than a 4x4 with a TC in the bed...you got a great combo if you got it and you got both in one package...especially if it is a dually...been there. Your world is wide open..it is a hand in hand..so many checks as to a good ride and experience to the the camper glamping. It is the question ...where are you going? and what are doing and what road do you you take?..Are you a 4 season camper? This is what you have to ask yourself....

[jaycocreek]

This is what this thread is about not what people like G-Dog and some others want to turn it into...

Jaycocreek wrote:
Okay,this is for hauling a truck camper only and what a new guy should get when going to buy a truck camper..

Please stay on topic..This is about truck campers...

[jaycocreek]

Grit dog wrote:
Thread isn’t dead because Jayco can’t help but profess his best in the business driving skills to 1000s of people who could care less what he drove to the store in the snow.

Laffin

It's good traction tires..Ought to try some for a change instead of relying on 4X4...Oh the skills are to all those soccer mom's out there that don't need 4X4's as well as the delivery drivers and the skilled school bus drivers that take our children safely to school every day without 4X4..

There the ones with the skills...

[Grit_dog]

Thread isn’t dead because Jayco can’t help but profess his best in the business driving skills to 1000s of people who could care less what he drove to the store in the snow.

Laffin

[jimh406]

jaycocreek wrote:
I see why some need 4X4 and I also see why some do not need 4X4 for normal driving such as our soccer moms do, daily in horrible conditions sometimes but they do just fine as do the school buses/delivery trucks

I thought this thread was dead..Laffin..

Still, waiting for your YouTube video proof. Just think how much the other drivers could learn from you. Ha Ha

As far as delivery goes, our trucks uses chains when it is bad and don't have an issue delaying delivery based on weather. Of course, school buses are delayed as well.

Just proves ... nothing.

[jaycocreek]

HioSSilver wrote:
4x4 or you may as well buy a car.

You certainly did not read the topic!.The topic was about hauling a TC/not empty or just in your pickup either..I doubt there are any cars capable of doing that..Laughing..

Just for the record,it snowed 9" here last week and they never plowed the roads..I took my empty DRW out to the store and some errands..Never spun a tire and I did some untouched neighborhood grades..

I have four tires in the rear (DRW) hitting the snow(not two) and all have lots of tread and they have been aggressively siped..No need at all for 4X4 or have I ever needed it with my Dually empty or loaded..

I see why some need 4X4 and I also see why some do not need 4X4 for normal driving such as our soccer moms do, daily in horrible conditions sometimes but they do just fine as do the school buses/delivery trucks and the mail man..

I thought this thread was dead..Laffin..

[HioSSilver]

4x4 or you may as well buy a car.

[pnichols]

jaycocreek wrote:
Okay,this is for hauling a truck camper only and what a new guy should get when going to buy a truck camper..

Here is a pretty honest opinion of the pro's and con's of both and yes,he has a truck camper..Northern lite 10-2

2WD vs 4WD with TC only

Do you "Really Need" a 4X4 with a truck camper?..

Note that a pickup with a camper on it will have real good traction from the driven rear tires due to the weight on those rear tires.

A pickup that most of the time is not carrying a heavy load in the bed actually needs to be a 4X4 more so than a truck with a camper on it ... because in slippery conditions a PU with little or no weight in the bed has terrible traction coming from the rear tires. Add front wheel drive to the front of a PU in slippery conditions ... and the heavy engine weight over those front tires provides way improved traction and braking over a lightly loaded bed over the rear tires.

I know ... as I've made the mistake of trying to drive my 4X4 PU in snow conditions while having it in only 2WD. Boy was that an eye-opening and dangerous situation!

[stumper92]

Wow! I just read through this entire thread and boy... I don't claim to be the sharpest tool in the shed, however I have spent most of my short life around farming, trucks, Jeeps, and offroading. I do agree for many people a 4x4 truck to haul your TC is not a necessity. In my case it has saved my bacon on many occasions. First of all, living in the southeast things tend to get muddy in winter and spring. I can say with certainty there was no way I could drive through the field where I store my camper with my truck in 2wd. I know because I have tried. Second, I recognize everyone "camps" differently with their TC. For me, it is primarily camping in open fields for various offroad events. I could go on for hours recalling the number of times I have had to use 4wd to get in or out of a camp field. I have also personally pulled 2wd trucks out of the same field using my Jeep. Could a more experienced driver get the 2wd truck out of the field without assistance? Maybe. I for one would pay to see the technique they would use to get it out. Its been my experience that without 4wd the front tires just become bricks that dig into the mud. To each his own I suppose.

[KKELLER14K]

That is my setup..Cummins HO 6 speed manual 4x4 with 4 low, neutral, 2 high, 4 high. Personally love it. The trans even has a PTO access cover...but that is another thread.

[Buzzcut1]

It sure was nice having 4x4 to get in and out of the stabling in St Peters Mo. last Monday night and Tuesday morning. Rain which turned to ice when the temperature dropped to 9* covered by a light dusting of snow. We had to go 300-400' down a slope then back up in the morning from the road. The ramps leading to the freeway were slick as hell. We passed close to 50 wrecked cars and thousands of parked semis as we headed west. 4 days 2500 miles from the Horse Park at Lexington KY to the San Francisco bay area