towing with a 2WD versus a 4WD

rockman

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 26, 2010
Location
Dublin VA
I am thinking of replacing my ram 1500 4WD and looking at tow vehicles. I mostly tow a small trailer with a couple of dirtbikes and the occaisonal popup trip. I use my 4wd a couple times a year here in the winters of NE TN. I am considering getting a 2wd 3/4 ton and woudl like to hear if others have gone this route. Did it work out and if not, why?

Bill
 
Works fine, till you get stuck. Saves you money when you buy it, little better mpg, and (with dodges anyway) not as expensive to replace all the parts in the front end. You have to be a little more carefull where you go. I got stuck in the yard sun in a 2wd truck and left some nice ruts. 4wd (or more patience) would not have torn up the yard.
 
soft ground, gravel inclines & the like are terrible to navigate with a 2wd, however they can be managed. Basically what ^he said.
 
I've not had a 4wd tow rig in 10 years. I've only gotten stuck twice and that was on wet grass, uphill where I had to stop due to people in front of me. I just unloaded the jeep and had no problems. All that to say I sold my dually and bought a 1/2 ton 4wd suburban to pull my bikes and quads. I wasn't really looking to 4wd it just is what I got a good deal on. Most places you ride bikes will have decent parking lots. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Traded my '03 Duramax 4X4 for a 2005 Cummins dually 2wd crewcab 6spd about 3 years ago and haven't looked back. Same as above; got stuck in the back yard after heavy rain trying to my trailer. Hooked the Toy to it and no big deal. The truck actually does supricingly well in the snow....just got to time out your stop lights and easy on the thottle. Easy on parts and I love the looks of a 2wd dually.
 
Depends on the price you're looking at and it's mostly up to you and your personal preference. If you have 4wd and don't need it, that's always fine, but that one time you really need it and don't have it....well, you get the idea.

Personally, I'm all for having a 4wd truck. Can't think of a time when I thought to myself, "Damn, I really wish this truck wasn't 4wd!".
 
I think it is different towing a couple of dirt bikes vs a 4x4 wheeling rig. I towed dirt bikes on a 5x8 utility trailer for many years with both front and rear wheel drive cars. I never got stuck.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Depends on the price you're looking at and it's mostly up to you and your personal preference. If you have 4wd and don't need it, that's always fine, but that one time you really need it and don't have it....well, you get the idea.

Personally, I'm all for having a 4wd truck. Can't think of a time when I thought to myself, "Damn, I really wish this truck wasn't 4wd!".
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x2
 
I have 5 vehicles. 4 of them are 4wd, and the other is a front wheel drive VW diesel (not available in AWD, haha). I was driving my dads F250 with a service body (around 35/65 F/R weight distribution) and needed to go up a grassy incline near their barn. It had just rained. After 10 minutes of trying and making ruts, and nearly sliding back into the barn, I gave up and drove through the front yard of their house. I then hopped in my ZJ with worn out Michelin LTX's, and drove right up the same hill, crossing over the muddy ruts, without them even slipping.

An unavoidable disadvantage of a 2wd is the lack of control on the front wheels when you are sliding down a hill. Particularly in the 90's Ford trucks that my dad likes to buy, the front tires will lock up super easy when backing down a hill, and then the rear brakes are so poor that they can barely stop the truck.
 
I tow with a ram 2500 2wd. I run cooper stt's (mud terrain) on it. Ive only had it stuck once. 4wd would not have helped as it high centered (long bed extended cab). I dont know that I would want a 4wd tow rig. The 2wd gets better mpg and has less maintenace items to worry about. Its cheaper to insure. If it ever does get stuck i will just unload the jeep and winch it.
 
My $.02...

Most folks do NOT take into account that a load range "E" tire (10ply) aired to "spec" (60-90#) on a 2WD towrig ain't exactly made for "offroad"... drop those same tires down and it's a different game gaining traction in the "wet grass". WTF, are y'all that lazy? :flipoff2:

Out of the past 3 towrigs (#2 '93 D350, #3 '99 3/4t Sub), the first (#1 '92 F250) was the only 4x4 and was the absolute WORST in the proverbial "wet grass". HAD to lock it in (90% of the time) to clear a tiny "whomp" getting into/out of my back yard regardless of wet/dry.
The current (2WD SUB w/ SF "14B, G80 & aggressive rear tires) doesn't give up much... outside of the tips offered previously, it's never caused me grief.

:beer:
 
I have never towed with a 2wd but I can tell you earlier this year I had to haul off some cars for my wife's grandpa. My gross weight at pull a part was 24k pounds. I was in a wet grassy field and had to get up a very steep hill to get out. My dodge is 4wd and has almost new 37 mud tires and that did nothing for me but put the front end a little deeper in the mud. I had to get a tractor to get up the hill. I park my trailer in my back yard and never shift to 4wd to get it out but I do like knowing I have it if needed.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I can tell you earlier this year I had to haul off some cars for my wife's grandpa. My gross weight at pull a part was 24k pounds. I was in a wet grassy field and had to get up a very steep hill to get out. My dodge is 4wd and has almost new 37 mud tires and that did nothing for me but put the front end a little deeper in the mud. I had to get a tractor to get up the hill
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Sounds like you should've drug them up the hill with the tractor *before* loading? :D
 
I have a 1st gen dodge/cummins 2wd. I got stuck twice just coming out of the carport where I park it. If someone P'ed in front of a rear tire I was stuck. About 2-3 years ago, I put a Dana PowerLok in the rear... haven't had the slightest problem since.
 
I do think that has made a huge difference for me. I dont know what limited slip dodge puts in the 2nd gen trucks but mine spins both rears almost as good as my locked jeeps do.
 
amajeepman said:
I do think that has made a huge difference for me. I dont know what limited slip dodge puts in the 2nd gen trucks but mine spins both rears almost as good as my locked jeeps do.
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The 03-up trucks get a torsen-type limited slip. Very, very nice units.
 
I have been on some shitty boat ramps that had me lock in the 4wd. However, I could have avoided it if need be.

However, that Z71 sticker sure makes me look a lot cooler.
 
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