2 wheel drive? 4 wheel drive?

[charlie_the_tuna]

ok, i'm on the verge of pulling the trigger but the 2 wheel drive trucks are about 3 to 5 grand cheaper. do you guys tow with 2's and 4's, and is there a big advantage to 4's? i know the 4 or 5 snowstorms we get per year will have me thinking otherwise but i would be able to get more truck for my money if i go with the 2. would you get the 4 and just get something a bit older or higher mileage?
comments?
questions?
advice?

[Curapa]

I know my next truck will be a 250 class but I pull a trailer almost everyday.

4wd trucks aren't needed here for towing but we do not get any snow.

[nipper]

I have a 4wd suburban and I have only had to use the 4wd once to get up an incredibly steep homemade launch ramp. Otherwise, just put it in low gear when pulling the boat out and it comes out just fine with no wheel spinning. It is nice to have the peace of mind with 4wd, but it comes at a price, both in terms of initial cost and weight (which translates to lower mpg).

[RWilson2526]

I have a 2 wheel drive Silverado.....with that tongue weight on the back never had a problem pulling the boat up a ramp....wheels never spin....It does kind of suck in the snow especially if I have nothing in the back but like you said with the handful of times we get snow its not a deal breaker.

[willy]

Would not be without 4x4, have had in the past 2 wheel drive trucks and they are fine if you are doing nothing but hauling on good roads and dry ramps, get on the Atlantic Highlands or Keyport ramp at low tide or close to it and it is like greased pig sh!t. Or if it snows or gets icy, or even in badly flooded rain roads it is a great insurance deal.
In the newer trucks it is about a 7=10 % fuel economy increase in a full size. Not worth it to me.
Now if you have a agressive limited slip in a two wheel drive you can get away with some things. But put an agressive limitied slip in a 4x4 and you have the foshizzle of the truck world and it will get you thru and out of a lot of problems
JMHO

[phatdaddy]

ctt, been pulling trailers & boats since 76 and never had 4wd until 4 years ago. now i will not go without it. 4w lo makes any ramp a lot easier. i vote chevy or gmc 5.3 not bad mileage and resale is great.

[Destroyer]

I would not have anything but 4wd. I cannot tell you how many times I've pulled other trucks up the Leonardo launch ramp because they could not get up on thier own...especially at low tide. WILLY was right on the money about highlands and those area ramps. Right now I have a Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0 engine. I get an honest 20 mpg. Not great, but better than a lot of 2wd trucks. And you simply cannot beat 4WD in rain and snow... nuff said....

[Genie Aye]

4x4 all the way--our ramps out are real greasy on anything around sea level tides--plus the resale is higher. Both my tow rigs are 4x4 and the motorhome--I do not worry about--16,500 lbs with a posi trac.:sand:

[Road King Cole]

Ever drive a 2WD truck in the snow? My first truck 25 years ago was 2WD. I had a choice on my second truck of either a nice 2WD with all nice and comfy options, or a bare bones 4WD. I went with the 4WD and never looked back.

[randlemanboater]

I have always had 2wd and never wished for anything else.

My wifes Pilot is 4wd, but its only been in 4wd once when I went down a red mud road that I went down to see if the 4wd worked.

If it were me, I'd get the nicer 2wd. But we have nice, non steep ramps here in NC and very little snow.

[reelapeelin]

For us down here in the "Sunny South" 4wd isn't necessary...but youse guize up in the "Slushy Noath" had better stick w/4wd...:hi:

[dbetterred]

4wd without a doubt! I use it almost every time I launch the boat. You never know when you will have a sandy ramp. Twice I've pulled others out of the ramp after they couldn't pull boat out.

I drive quite a bit in winter so 4wd is a must. I put 2500 miles on my Pathfinder in 4wd the first year in a two week period.

[captpete13]

you could probably get away with 2wd. It requires more planning whenhauling boats out of a ramp(always at high tide). But 4wd is a lot easier. My old vocational school teacher has gotten by with a 2wd Ford van for all his boat hauling for the last 20 years so it can be done. But still my vote would be a 4wd Hemi!!!! I got one and I love it

[jrou111]

Our ramps here are pretty long and some are very steep. Last winter it was 51 degrees and raining. I had just picked up the boat from getting a new intake gasket installed and wanted to try it out. As I was backing down the slippery ramp, the weight of the V20 pulled the truck down the ramp with the brakes locked up until the stern of the boat hit the water. Definitely a white knuckle experience!

BTW, my truck weights in at 5600lbs with me in it. With the 3.08 gearing it struggles to pull the boat out of the water. Fortunately I can just leave the front hubs unlocked and pull the boat out in 2wd low. It's got a locker in the rear which helps. I did use 4wd low on that wet ramp though just that one time.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b124/jrou111/photo-43.jpg

I need to rig up a receiver hitch on my 6x6, then I'd have no problems at the ramp or feeling the weight of the trailer behind me...

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b124/jrou111/new%20tires%20on%20the%20deuce/DSC00163.jpg

[nipper]

REally nice looking V there Jrou. What year is it? I really like the large wellcraft logo.

[jrou111]

REally nice looking V there Jrou. What year is it? I really like the large wellcraft logo.

Thanks! She's an '83. We've enjoyed her so far even though she's managed to cost us some kind of repair nearly every time out. :beer: