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?..

[burningman]

4x4 isn’t even a correct term. That name came from WWII vehicles with a 4’x4’ cargo space.
They happened to be four wheel drive but that’s not what “4x4” means.

The best argument for 4WD I’ve witnessed was driving over the pass in the snow one day.
A guy in a 2WD pickup suddenly spun out and hit the wall. It was because we were all on the throttle to climb uphill, but he broke traction and spun. Everyone else around was in 4WD and didn’t.

While it’s a side benefit, the low-range gears in a 4WD transfer case are a big advantage in lots of situations. 4WD trucks have tons of advantages. 2WD trucks are a little cheaper.
That’s basically it.

[jimh406]

jaycocreek wrote:
Most of the pictures I see of a TC in the hills,a guy could take a car to..

Not seeing anything like the photo posted by Kayteg from anyone else with a large/heavy/long TC but we "all" need a 4X4 for our truck camper or you will run off the road and tumble down the mountain out of control killing everything in you path.!

How could you possibly tell the path people took to get to their photo spots? Kayteg1’s picture doesn’t show me much, but one picture taken from whatever angle usually won’t. Kind of like your snow picture it was open for interpretation. Were you guys stuck and waiting for your 4x4 friends to pull you out? 😄

The opposite point that you/Kayteg1 are trying to make is the discussion point. That is, you guys say there is no use for 4x4. That’s what the rest of us are finding funny. Simlar to the other point one poster was making. If you don’t have 4x4, you’ll never need it because you won’t go to the same places and do the same things.

Besides, 4x4 is on almost all of the trucks in the Northwest and most of the country, and you and anyone who looks knows that. Heck, even Kayteg1 custom ordered his truck. So, 4x4 is pretty much going to be on your truck whether you need it or not.

Rare as the need for 4x4 is for a TC, it doesn’t hurt to have it if you need it. Also, as noted most of our trucks don’t always have our TCs on them, so it can be good in those times as well.

Oh well ... more wasted time to respond ...

[JRscooby]

KKELLER14K wrote:


One of my rigs...in the early days on the Oregon coast. Would you trust a 2x2 or a 4x4 in this place?

Can anybody tell me what vehicle is 2X2?

[jaycocreek]

I have been on this exact beach with the Dually and have gotten stuck 2 times with my larger heavy rig even though it is a 4x4. You have to judge for yourself what and where you will be taking a rig. The dually is just way to heavy with a 5000 pound Arctic Fox out there.

KKELLER14K..Nice looking rigs you posted..

I agree with what your saying..A big/heavy truck camper is a poor camper for 4 wheeling on the beach or in the mountains..Making the need for 4X4 less and less than a smaller TC..

While Kayteg took his large 1172 up a pretty narly un-maintained FS road with just RWD,the majority does not..Even the ones on this thread with large truck campers don't do, but say you need 4X4...Most of the pictures I see of a TC in the hills,a guy could take a car to..

Not seeing anything like the photo posted by Kayteg from anyone else with a large/heavy/long TC but we "all" need a 4X4 for our truck camper or you will run off the road and tumble down the mountain out of control killing everything in you path..(In humor)

I also agree with your take on everyone has to decide where there going to take the TC and if they will need 4X4 and if it is worth the extra cost and maintenance..

Again,nice pictures of both,that little Toyota with a TC is sweet!!

[KKELLER14K]

This is where I started..LOL!!

[KKELLER14K]

One of my rigs...in the early days on the Oregon coast. Would you trust a 2x2 or a 4x4 in this place? Well it depends. This little guy was probably the best combo I have owned to be in this kind of situation. I have been on this exact beach with the Dually and have gotten stuck 2 times with my larger heavy rig even though it is a 4x4. You have to judge for yourself what and where you will be taking a rig. The dually is just way to heavy with a 5000 pound Arctic Fox out there...The rig here drove around with not one issue. So I guess it boils down to the OP's question 2x2 or 4x4??...it just depends on what you do with it and where do you want to go...I'm only offering my personal experience as I have had 3 trucks and 4 TC's all of different levels of weight and traction. One note...all three trucks where 4x4.

[jaycocreek]

My 4x4 is not a 2wd.

Unless you have front and rear lockers,your truck is not driven by all four wheels there-for.........

This thread was mostly in jest as most know but there are just a few that can't either take a joke or woke up on the wrong side of the bed or just does not have a sense of humor..

Like a 1/2 ton truck is rated for 1,000# or a 3/4 ton rated for 1500# 1-ton equals 2,000#..Come on....That's a joke as well as a 4X4 does not have 4 tires with power to them..We all know that, I hope..

There's some good 'ol boys on this forum and there's some old cranks and I thought a little humor/discussion about truck campers and trucks might be a good thing for a change from the usual arguments..

Chevy's first 4X4 pickup wasn't until 1960 and it sure wasn't a heavy truck camper toter and Toyota didn't have 4X4 in the US until 1979..So come on..Everyone drove a worthless 2WD vehicle back then..(In humor to the cranks)..How did they ever survive in the snow?

Remember, this is about do you need a 4X4 with a truck camper...Some do others don't...

[specta]

jimh425 wrote:

specta wrote:
Not sure which facts I missed??? :h

I got you. OP said a 4x4 is 2WD, so I think we all agree ... just using a different name for the same thing. 😄

I think OP drives a 1WD, fwiw.

Some folks should be more vehicle specific.

My 4x4 is not a 2wd.

[jimh406]

specta wrote:
Not sure which facts I missed??? :h

I got you. OP said a 4x4 is 2WD, so I think we all agree ... just using a different name for the same thing. 😄

I think OP drives a 1WD, fwiw.

[specta]

Has nothing to do with if you don't have a 4X4 your just not kool and looked down on as a second rate truck camper/wanna bee.... LOL laughing, laughing really hard......

OP didn't like my comment in another thread where I stated that 2wd pickup trucks are worthless in the snow.

After a few comments someone suggested that he start another thread so he resurrected this one so he could continue beating a dead horse defending his opinion that they are good in the snow.

Not sure which facts I missed??? :h

[jimh406]

jaycocreek wrote:
I am convinced after this thread that if you don't have a 4X4 your just not kool and looked down on as a second rate truck camper/wanna bee...

Finally, got it that took a long time. 😄

[jimh406]

JRscooby wrote:
I quoted you because you indicated 4X4 is less likely to do damage. My point is the person with 4X4 is more likely to do damage, because 4X2 knows can't go, so will not try.

If that is your point, your point is nonsense and also nothing to do with what I posted.

I didn’t say 4x4 is less likely to do damage. I was pretty explicit that it didn’t do damage for my particular cases that I mentioned. They weren’t hypothetical but real scenarios.

There is nothing to keep a non 4x2 driver from tearing up a road/land etc. Similarly, there is nothing to guarantee that a 4x4 driver will do things that they shouldn’t.

[noteven]

Kayteg1 wrote:

ticki2 wrote:
12 pages and no one has convinced anyone of anything . Run what you brung and go camping.

That's only because some some members are immune to facts.
Even with attached pictures they just don't get it 😉
When I agree that 4x4 is better in deep snow, how that applies to camping?

West Canada to mid Utah in “the fall...”

Stopped one time at the Malad Summit overpass to take a whiz, running boards on the Dodge 3500 2” lift dragging in the white stuff on the overpass road. 1 lane bladed on I15, snow buried the guardrail off his wing...

Camped overnight in Fillmore UT, got woke up by a plow truck pushing a Walmart truck up the on ramp to I15, snow piled on the hood of my camper truck almost as deep as the windshield. Front of the cargo trailer plowing snow leaving parking lot...

And then in “spring” over Monarch Pass, dodging spun out Swift Trucks ...

Muddy forest road in New Mexico

It’s nice to turn a switch on the dash and engage front axle drive wheels.

My little bomb around Ranger is a Torsten rear diff 2wd, it does ok with weight and tires and some throttle management

[jaycocreek]

Kayteg1 wrote:

ticki2 wrote:
12 pages and no one has convinced anyone of anything . Run what you brung and go camping.

That's only because some some members are immune to facts.
Even with attached pictures they just don't get it 😉
When I agree that 4x4 is better in deep snow, how that applies to camping?

I am convinced after this thread that if you don't have a 4X4 your just not kool and looked down on as a second rate truck camper/wanna bee...(laughing)

I could go on but I am convinced, it would fall on deaf ears..LOL

It's all in fun and talking trucks and truck campers is never a bad thing..

[JD5150]

I guess we can do a test. Get a popup truck camper and put it on a 4wd. Let them take off and see how far they can get back in the boonies. Once they get stuck they are done. Bring the 4wd truck and camper back. Take the camper off and put it on the same exact truck but 2wd. Same length of bed, cab, engine and year. Let them take off on the same trail and see how far they get. Once they get stuck they are done. We could do this with four different drivers so its fair.
There you go Nuff Said!