2wd or 4x4?

West6550 wrote:
The 2012 2wd dually has 12000 miles.. my family farm owns the truck and no longer needs it. No truck 2wd or 4x4 will be found for the price.

I pull a 23 boat trailer.. a lot.. and have a locking rear dif.. there are a very small amount of ramps I can't launch from since my truck is 2wd.. actually 2 total.

I assumed most people would say 4x4 and that is what I want as well. The deal on the Dodge is just to good and want to know if it is okay.

My previous TV was an '04 Chevy 2500HD that I got in '05. It was 2WD but I bought it with only 970 miles on the odometer, it was $8,000 under book value and fell within my budget. It was a rock solid reliable truck for 10 years.

About 1 year into ownership I found the massive flaw in a 2WD truck with open differential :E Wet boat ramps, wet grass, snowy/icy roads......All were kryptonite for traction. I later found a great deal on an Eaton Limited Slip differential and installed that with good results. I also switched to Firestone Transforce AT's that greatly improved grip.

Despite those changes I still ran into situations where having the front wheels turning would have made all the difference. Some were still wet grass, winters could get sketchy, but boat ramps were mostly defeated. The last instance was a soggy camping spot and the rear wheels sank. Of course the whole time the front wheels sat on a packed gravel lane, but they couldn't help at all!! :S

Yes, you can handle your trailer in most situations with a 2WD truck. It sounds like you have a phenomenal deal lined up and that's hard to resist. The big gotcha is that you said you're planning to boondock. That means a lot of unimproved areas where roads and traction could be very questionable. Are you willing to be a good distance from an improved road when a rain storm hits, turning your path out to mush, and you try to tow out your 5er?

With your intended use I'd say 2WD is a roll of the dice. Most likely it will be when, not if, you get stuck and need towed.

KJ