Two wheel drive or 4x4?

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Skip426

OK ; Here in Canada , you virtually can't find a 2wd truck, and if you do ; it's for sale CHEAP!
JULY,15, 2004 towing into Calgary AB for a wedding , 4" of hail on the freeway for 20+ miles , lost count of the vehicles in the ditch , pulled though in 4WD, 24' 5er following happily behind .
Four , 5ers and two 4X4 tow vehicles , no regrets .

Yep, ^^^^ THIS ^^^^^
You just never know what mother nature is going to throw at you!

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Most 4x4 trucks are open differentials.

At least the last two 4x4 trucks I had were just that. I did get stuck on wet grass / mud after I spun the wheels.

Actually there will always be someone to pull you out of being stuck. Else a AAA membership might be cheaper. They will always come and pull you out.

Huh? Not sure on Ford but even my old 1994 Suburban has an Eaton Locker rear. I can't remember the last non-locking rear I've seen on a GM truck. All the RAMs I've serviced since 2004- appear the same although the locking rear doesn't seem as efficient as the Eaton locker setup.

[kfriceman]

Originally Posted by Mzbrandi

Really? I 4wheeled all over the west coast w/open diffs with no problems.

All you get with open diffs is 2 wheel drive, one wheel powered in rear and one in the front. If you can choose LSD,s as an option and/or locking front/ rear or center diffs and now you got something. But something tells me at the very least in modern truck 4x4's they come with at least some kind/type of locking differentials.

-Kevin

[Mtn. Lion]

Originally Posted by kfriceman

All you get with open diffs is 2 wheel drive, one wheel powered in rear and one in the front. If you can choose LSD,s as an option and/or locking front/ rear or center diffs and now you got something. But something tells me at the very least in modern truck 4x4's they come with at least some kind/type of locking differentials.

-Kevin

If you have a link to show the full size pickups with a locker, I'd like to see it. The modern full size trucks have been coming with some type of limited-slip. Not so much a locker, but the advertising wants you to believe that. They blur the lines between a locker and limited-slip.

Vehicles like the 4Runner can come with a rear locker that you can turn on/off from the cab as well as the Jeeps. I think the Colorado Zwhatever comes with a selectable rear locker too. The Mercedes G Wagon comes with selectable locking rear, front and center diffs with a push of the button (true 4 wheel drive).

[kfriceman]

Originally Posted by diginomad

If you have a link to show the full size pickups with a locker, I'd like to see it. The modern full size trucks have been coming with some type of limited-slip. Not so much a locker, but the advertising wants you to believe that. They blur the lines between a locker and limited-slip.

Vehicles like the 4Runner can come with a rear locker that you can turn on/off from the cab as well as the Jeeps. I think the Colorado Zwhatever comes with a selectable rear locker too. The Mercedes G Wagon comes with selectable locking rear, front and center diffs with a push of the button (true 4 wheel drive).

Good catch, I really meant some kind mechanical/electrical LSD configuration. The lockers come by way of Subarus/Jeeps/Mercedes/Range Rovers and the like.

-Kevin

[09 harley]

You don’t need it. My father never needed it and my grandfather never needed it. Grandpa said when it was extremely bad out he went with 8 hoof power. Two horses. There must be a lot of slippery grass in some areas.
The only reason to buy 4 wheel drove is in case the new owner lives by that bad grass that everyone talks about. They should turn that area into a tourist site. I’m sure lots of people would be curious enough to go out of their way to see what all the fuss is about. Most of us live where the roads are paved. We visit paved or partial gravel camp sites. We don’t normally travel in snow.
Save your money.
Watch out for any of that grass in your area.

[Reevesfamily]

If you like to or need to drive off road into wet grass or mud and you like a 4wd then get one! I don't so I have a two wheel drive Lariat Crew with 3:73 LS gear and the 6.7l which has been professionally and fully deleted. I get 24 mpg on the highway and 14 towing our 8000 lb camper. I've pulled the camper and backed the camper into tons of gravel and grass spots and never had any issue. If you wanna be stupid no ones preventing you, if you drive off into mud no ones pventing you. The two wheel drive rides better than the four wheel drive and the payload is higher. When it's snowing we leave the camper parked. I like the fact that my truck isn't like everyone else's, nearly all are four wheel drive, mine is rare and I like that.

[Vectraguy]

I almost never see a 4WD diesel pusher...

[fvstringpicker]

You'll never hear, "If I had 2 WD, I'd made it out."

[kleato32]

Here in Northern Utah, I have no choice... I'm usually pulling the 2 wheel drive vehicles out of the ditch. When you have Winter 5-6 months out of the year, 4x4 is essential.

[sirtate]

Originally Posted by Reevesfamily

If you like to or need to drive off road into wet grass or mud and you like a 4wd then get one! I don't so I have a two wheel drive Lariat Crew with 3:73 LS gear and the 6.7l which has been professionally and fully deleted. I get 24 mpg on the highway and 14 towing our 8000 lb camper. I've pulled the camper and backed the camper into tons of gravel and grass spots and never had any issue. If you wanna be stupid no ones preventing you, if you drive off into mud no ones pventing you. The two wheel drive rides better than the four wheel drive and the payload is higher. When it's snowing we leave the camper parked. I like the fact that my truck isn't like everyone else's, nearly all are four wheel drive, mine is rare and I like that.

Is there a difference in ride height?

My BIL is, ahem, *frugal*, (my wife calls him cheap) and has had 2wd pick-ups since truck#1.

We live in the snow belt, and routinely get many inches of snow at a time.

He puts snow tires on it, and keeps moving.

Honestly, there may be 5 days out of the year when 4x4 would make a difference.

But it seems that he can move up a trim level for the cost savings.

[onechaddude]

Originally Posted by sirtate

Is there a difference in ride height?

My BIL is, ahem, *frugal*, (my wife calls him cheap) and has had 2wd pick-ups since truck#1.

We live in the snow belt, and routinely get many inches of snow at a time.

He puts snow tires on it, and keeps moving.

Honestly, there may be 5 days out of the year when 4x4 would make a difference.

But it seems that he can move up a trim level for the cost savings.

At least he can run his bun warmers (heated seats) while he's waiting on a tow truck or 4x4 to pull him out from being stuck LOL!!!


Chad

[b17drvr]

4 x 4 has much better resale.

[W5CI]

To the OP's question. No it isn't worth the cost and weight and mpg sacrifice to get the 4X4. the 4X4 will get you stuck really bad where as you wont go places in the 2wd that will get you stuck. and also you give up almost a 1000 lbs CCW for the 4wd vs the 2wd. so no the 4wd isn't worth it IMHO