Anyone use all wheel drive

[tx trio]

How does all wheel drive work on sandy beach and back roads? Can't decide if we really need 4wd or if all wheel drive is good enough for fishmen to use on beach and back roads.

[doc]

[hondo122]

Originally Posted by doc

Doc there is a difference. I've had my Jeep on the beach no problems, not so sure about AWD, I think it would depend on the make, model and type of system.

[Lorna]

I have Jeep Quadra-trac 4 wheel drive (always 4 wheel drive... no choice) No problem on the snow, sand, mud (and it makes a dandy tractor!). We have run it on the beach here on Padre Island (north end) but the sand tends to be hard pack not the "sugar" sand I grew up with in south FL. We've even taken my daughter's 2 WD drive Jeep on the beach without any problems.

[Chuck 1935]

I had a SUZUKI with 4 wheel drive. It had a transfer case with nuetral and Hi & low range. In the sand I used Low range and it worked great and didn't bog down. I now have a Honda All Wheel Drive with no transfer case, thus no Hi or Low range. It wants to bog down in the sand to the point it will run out of power and get stuck before it spins a wheel.

[PNWGirl]

I have a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is also Quadra-trac. I LOVE it!! Nothing stops it! When everyone needed chains, in the snow, my old girl just picked um up and put them down. Didn't even need to put her in four wheel low. Wouldn't trade my Jeep for anything!

Sheila

[stubeje]

I tow a Dakota AWD but can also lock it in 4HI or 4Lo. Works great all the time...

[RedneckExpress]

Personally, I'd stay away from AWD vehicles, like Subuarus. Great for some wet grass, little loose gravel and some hard pack sand, boat anchor if you get into anything worse.

I see Portlanders spinning their tires and spinning out with those little AWDs whenever we get a freeze and I've pulled more than one loose on the beach before. If you're going to enter the realm of 4WD, get the right rig. Either a Jeep, or a pickup with manual lockers.

[OLYLEN]

Well sorry for all the 4 wheelers but most only have 2 wheel drive mine included. You have one in the front and one in the rear unless you have a locker or a possie unit in the differential either front or rear. Then you will get 3 and sometimes 4 wheel drive. As for the Subuaru's, better go snow skiing and see what goes and what don't. Now too the OP AWD should be fine for the occasional 4 wheel drive need,but lots of loose sand and no low range you can run out of power.

LEN

LEN

[RedneckExpress]

Originally Posted by OLYLEN

Well sorry for all the 4 wheelers but most only have 2 wheel drive mine included. You have one in the front and one in the rear unless you have a locker or a possie unit in the differential either front or rear. Then you will get 3 and sometimes 4 wheel drive. As for the Subuaru's, better go snow skiing and see what goes and what don't. Now too the OP AWD should be fine for the occasional 4 wheel drive need,but lots of loose sand and no low range you can run out of power.

LEN

LEN

Len, you're just repeating what I said .

Been up there many times and through many snow passes. The lil' soobies are all chained up.

I have PERSONALLY pulled more than one little AWD out of the soft sand because with only one mode (4 hi) they lost momentum and dug themselves in.

I've drug them past patches of ice where they were sitting spinning all their tires. Too much wheel speed, just enough of a grade, couldn't get a grip. I drove right onto the same ice patch with no chains, 4-lo, hooked my 10,000lb tow strap up to their front end and drug them off the ice so they could get over to the shoulder and chain up.

[beaverjim]

well this could be a good thread! i'll try to make this short. dw has a durango with awd hemi. it also will lock 4 wheel hi or lo. one fantastic vehicle, does everything right, also towable. our toad is a dakota 4x4 with traction lock. we live where we get plenty of snow. most of the time i would much rather be in dw's durango than the dakota 4x4 with traction lock. never been stuck in either but have come closer in the dakota. never a thought in the durango. for what its worth i wish our dakota had the same awd system that the durango has! jim

[motojavaphil]

Originally Posted by tx trio

How does all wheel drive work on sandy beach and back roads? Can't decide if we really need 4wd or if all wheel drive is good enough for fishmen to use on beach and back roads.

Depends on just how much fishing or back roading you plan to do. If it is light use, not going in too deep, then an AWD is just fine. If you are going into more serious places 4WD is best. I had a Hummer which had AWD, 4WD with low and high range and could lock the front and rear axles to boot! I currently have a Dakota 4X4 which works just fine though certainly not a Hummer. OTOH many folks use 2WD and have never found a need for more.
Moto

[a k]

Can't tow a AWD Ford product. You can a 4 x4 Ford though

[az bound]

Originally Posted by a k

Can't tow a AWD Ford product. You can a 4 x4 Ford though

Some AWD Fords can be towed 4 down with the addition of an electronic kit available from Ford.