4x4 a Must??

[kennyw]

How many think that a 4X4 is a must... considering keeping low miles truck and putting diff tires and new posi unit in. Think this is enough for getting around park to park??

[xxXXDeathXXxx]

When you need it it sure is nice. Pays for itself in avoided tow truck extraction fees real quick. Up here in the land of mud I would consider it indispensible.

[JandJ07]

To me they are worth the extra money just for the peace of mind. I lock my truck in at least once a week, cutting wood, driving through the yard when its wet to avoid spinning the tires and making a bigger mess, when you have no turn around spot and have to make one. Getting around is much easier and you have a lot more options opened up when you can yank a lever or push a button and go where you want. Get the 4x4 you'll be glad you did!

[Sheriff245]

If you go off-road and/or live in a place where there is snow, it is a must. Otherwise, 2WD is fine.

[rezrider]

How many think that a 4X4 is a must... considering keeping low miles truck and putting diff tires and new posi unit in. Think this is enough for getting around park to park??

Park-to-PArk??? not knowing exactly what you are referring to however...We go out to the desert and take various trips over various terrain.

Trip 1 - sand wash over small dunes (mostly flat but lots of sand) to larger dunes, 2wd is fine as long as you keep up your speed until you get to the bigger dunes where 4wd is needed. You can't GO FAST all the time therefore you will get stuck.

Trip 2 - another sand wash up and ove rsome small inclines then there are a few hills with loose rock, shail, bravel and larger stationary rocks you have to go over. SO, with 2wd it all depends on how good your suspension is when you hit those bigger stationary rocks and if your tires/rims survive.

All in all for flat "all out" driving 2wd with posi and suspension should be ok but throw in variable terrain you have to make some adjustments.

[ubu]

I say keep your 2wd drive and put the LSD and some decent M/S rated tires on it. Should be fine for just getting to riding areas. Of course 4x4 is nice, but it's not a nessecity. Most likey get better mileage and have less maint with 2wd

I only use 4wd when I go off roading. Well, the Jeep has a full time t-case, so I guess that's not really true. But I generally don't need 4x4.

I went riding Sunday and used my 2wd Ranger. The road to the track was really snotty and beat up. Some ruts were to the axle. I had to make sure my speed was up to avoid getting stuck, so the bike were tugging the straps hard, but I made it with no real problems. Just got muddy. Open diff with street tires. The weight of the bikes in the back helped a bunch, I'm sure.

This is the same vehicle I drive on snowy roads. It handles nice and tracks straight. Better tires like a Michelin LTX would be nice, since the minivan tires on it now are close to done.The Jeep drives like crap in the snow because it's lifted with bigger tires. Unless it's ungoddly deep I don't need 4x4. If it's deep enough or I'm going in the mountain where I'd have to chain up, then I would take the 4x4. But you probably don't get a lot of snow in TX.

[kenr74]

I have never had a time in a 4wd that I was wishing I had a 2wd.

[davidl9999]

I'd get the 4x4. I lock mine in about once a week. It's been a must for me for stream crossings, rainy days when the desert turns to muck, and for reasons posted by others above.

[whyfly]

Depends on where you live, and what your doing with the truck. While I'm in Nor CA, I'll go buy a 2wd in a heartbeat, they're cheaper to maintain, easier on gas and for 10 months out of the year the ground is firm and I could take my VW just about anywhere I'll ever want to go. That being said, if we ever end up back in PA I'll certainly want a 4x4, it's gotten me home a few times in some weather I shouldn't have been driving in.

[terrasmak]

I drug my bike around in a lowered 2wd ranger for a few years, then a 2wd explorer. No real need depending on where you live or you may need one to get your Bro look going.

Edited March 3, 2010 by terrasmak

[Venom 1000TT]

It really depends on what you do.

I use mine every single day of the week in the winter as my driveway is hell. I also use it when I drive back to park to go riding sometimes if the area is super muddy. I'm not talking parking lots though, I'm talking offroading trails to get to a little spot where you can park and unload.

If I didn't have it, I'd be in deep shit haha.

[eds_tls]

I have never had a time in a 4wd that I was wishing I had a 2wd.

Until you have to pay for new u-joints, front axle seals, transfer case rebuilds, transfer case maintainance, front axle maintainance.

Also the couple thousand preimum you pay for a 4WD truck vs 2WD

Also the worse gas mileage you get because of the extra weight

Also the less towing capacity you get because of the extra weight

I'll stick with my 2WD & limited slip ?

[txmxer]

As said before in this thread it depends what your doing. My current truck is the first experience ive had with a 4x4 truck, and I love it. Going up to the mountains to go snowboarding I dont have to worry about putting chains on, if were offroading then 4x4 always comes in handy. Whether in mud, or just loose dirt etc. Also in 4 wheel drive the truck is more stable at higher speeds in dirt. Also without 4 wheel drive I wouldnt have been able to pull my friends k5 blazer out of the mud, while driving up an incline.

Just weigh it out, how often will you be using 4x4??? Will you encounter mud, snow, dirt etc???

[Cowman]

I put about maybe 5 miles in 4x4 on my truck weekly. Which doesnt sound like alot, but when you're in the field taking soil samples and going to get firewood, etc 4x4 is a must. I have no use for a 2x4 truck, even with good tires and posi.

[dirtyriders110]

I've had two 4x4 Jeep Grand Cherokees. I love it because if I'm on a ski trip or pulling out a stump or pulling boats out of the water on a slippery ramp 4x4 is so nice. To me the cost is worth it, especially with the higher resale value they have around here.

Right now I drive a 2wd Ford Escape since I am on a college campus and don't want my new GC to get dented and scratched. I have gotten stuck a few times having to stop on hills etc. Luckily I always have good friends in the car to push ?.

[Venom 1000TT]

Until you have to pay for new u-joints, front axle seals, transfer case rebuilds, transfer case maintainance, front axle maintainance.

Also the couple thousand preimum you pay for a 4WD truck vs 2WD

Also the worse gas mileage you get because of the extra weight

Also the less towing capacity you get because of the extra weight

I'll stick with my 2WD & limited slip

I do have to say, of the about 10 years my family has had owning 4WD trucks/SUVs, and the 3 I've had, everything you listed we've yet to have failures on.

Unless you totally FUBAR your entire truck or buy a lemon, I don't see any of that coming up. I own a 99' Dakota going on 100K miles so its probably about the 1/2 to 3/4 mark on its life and everything looks great on it. I use the 4WD every winter pretty much every day and sparingly in the summer/spring/fall.

Take care of your things and they will take care of you.

You can stick with your 2WD. ?

[fivepointnine]

truthfully it all depends on where you live and what you use it for, I lived in Desert Cali for years and never had a time offroad where I NEEDED 4wd. I even been out in the dunes at Pismo, air down and keep your momentum and you are fine! but other parts of the country a 4wd is a must (snow areas)

[EastBoundAndDown]

Texas? Nope. New York? Yup.

[dezracerE]

I will only buy a 4x4 now.

Owned 2 4x2's- never again.

[the_journeyman]

Depends on your use. If it'll only see paved roads without snow, 2WD is perfectly fine. Add in snow, dirt roads that can get nasty, having to drive through a yard or field, 4WD can get pretty necessary pretty quick ~

JM