Experience towing w/ 2WD F250, 2500 or other 3/4 ton

[Nighduckman]

My wife and I recently bought a Jayco Eagle HT 24.5 CKTS fifth wheel. After being somewhat taken in by the marketing and our Ford dealer, we bought a beefed-up F150 that, in the end, was overweight on GVR and the rear axle rating. For safety and out of an abundance of caution, after much research, we traded it in for an F250, gas engine, 2WD. We got the 4x2 instead of the 4x4 because it is a much better fit, height-wise, with our fiver and because we are not going to boondock and only camp in prepared campgrounds with decent roads. I understand we will likely get stuck once in a while, but, will have a tow strap and I understand we can usually count on a nice 4x4 owner to tow us out and/or we have GoodSam towing assistance. Again, we are not going to off road or seriously boondock. We won't be driving the rig in snow etc.

Having said all that, I am curious about the real-world experience of any others who have towed with 2WD. We are comfortable with our decision and know there will be tradeoffs over 4x4 like much lower resale and, potentially, getting stuck occasionally. But, all in all, mainly interested in what other 2WD towers have experienced. Thanks in advance.

[blt2ski]

If it's got a decent locker in the rear, you will get stuck as often as a 4ad with no locker. 4ad with rear locker is best.
Driven all, pulled with all, all the way up to class 6 rigs.
If generally speaking, as pointed out, in reasonably maintained gravel and hard surface roads, a RWD rig will work just fine.
Marty

[Nighduckman]

Thanks!

[Groover]

rjstractor wrote:
This is probably one of the most debated topics on this forum. I've towed with both, and all I can say is when you get stuck the first time, you'll wish you had bought the 4x4.

And at that point ask yourself whether it would be worth $4,000 to have it vs whatever your other options are. And keep in mind that you will always burn more fuel, less weight capacity and have more maintenance with 4wd. One interesting thing is that you get tow hooks with 4wd but not with 2wd. It is as though the factory expects 4wd trucks to get stuck more often.

I would expect that with the lighter weight of the gas engine up front and the weight of the 5th wheel trailer on back you will never get stuck going the places that you describe.

[samsontdog]

I have towed with both, 4x4 and 4x2 for over 60 yrs but mostly with 4x2 since I seldom boondock and try not to go off road. I got stuck twice in all those yrs, once after a heavy rain and I was on grass going uphill towing, another time in sand as I was towing a TT. I will never buy another 4x4 as the 4x2 works for me. As far as lower resale value , I havent found that to be the case as I have always sold my vehicles at high book as I take care of mine

[rjstractor]

This is probably one of the most debated topics on this forum. I've towed with both, and all I can say is when you get stuck the first time, you'll wish you had bought the 4x4.