Do I even need a 4x4???

[Ditch Baby]

i bought 4wd due to reasons others have said. Never know when your going to need it. If this was a highway only tow rig, then i might opt for 2wd. But ive done uturns in grass before and had to use 4wd. Might have gotten out in 2wd but not without beating the crap out of the truck

No snow in Fla, but the sand down here is a *****

 

[Phily 911]

i bought 4wd due to reasons others have said. Never know when your going to need it. If this was a highway only tow rig, then i might opt for 2wd. But ive done uturns in grass before and had to use 4wd. Might have gotten out in 2wd but not without beating the crap out of the truck

No snow in Fla, but the sand down here is a *****

This kind of made me think of something. If you are stuck and going from foward to reverse and back. Trying to get your truck rocking to get it moving, this will cause a auto to bind. So it's much easier on your automatic to shift into 4x4 versus rocking the truck back and forth getting to move again.

 

[revolutiondsl]

It wont really bind the tranny its harder then heck on the planetaries but Ive gotten mine stuck and rocked it pretty hard and I took the trans out to put the converter and VB and everyting else it looked real good even after 110k and 2 years of plowing snow. You have to make sure your wheels are stopped before you change direction

 

[Phily 911]

It wont really bind the tranny its harder then heck on the planetaries but Ive gotten mine stuck and rocked it pretty hard and I took the trans out to put the converter and VB and everyting else it looked real good even after 110k and 2 years of plowing snow. You have to make sure your wheels are stopped before you change direction

When you are rocking back and forth, most people don't. And that's what causes the binding. I worked at trany shop that put nice warrentys on peoples cars and trucks, but if the transmission was nuked and car or truck was caked in mud. No dice on the warrenty.

 

[Tejas TJ]

These questions are really important to my decision on the 2wd vs. the 4x4.

Does the 2wd second gen. have the same steering issues like the 4x4's with all the loose and wandering steering issues?

Is there really a difference in MPG from the 2wd vs. the 4x4?

 

[powermad]

you need to go test drive some trucks. you are the only one that can answer the question on how they handle. i have a 4x4 and dont mind the little side to side wonder but to others its a big deal. fuel milage might be a little better because the front end weighs a little les and your lower to the ground with smaller tires. so my guess is you will get maybe 1-2 miles improvement over a 4x4. and ive said it before, it is cheeper to insure a 2wd over a 4wd. at least through AIS, farmers, galaxy, state farm and liberty mutual. those are all the places i got quotes and they were a average of 40 bucks more. this was 3 years ago and i was 20 years old.

 

[scott2001]

if you go with a 2wd see what gears are in you dont want to wind up with 4.10 and a 265 tire, i know kinda changed the subject

 

[powermad]

but a good point i had 4.10s and 265 and did not enjoy the 2200rpms at 60mph

 

[scott2001]

i got 4.10 and run a 285 tire about 65mph at 2000rpms, buts thats ok going ot a 305 next

 

[powermad]

im running 325's now and am at 1900 cruising at 65

 

[Phily 911]

These questions are really important to my decision on the 2wd vs. the 4x4.

Does the 2wd second gen. have the same steering issues like the 4x4's with all the loose and wandering steering issues?

Is there really a difference in MPG from the 2wd vs. the 4x4?

It can have wonder issues*, but it's much more unlikely do to the Independent Front Suspension which is very unrated IMO. I guess I'm the only person crazy enough to have gone threw and replaced everything possible in the front end of a 2wd. The result was truely amazing, still have not drove another truck that compared to how good it handled after that. Maybe a 2wd dmax might be better, but every dmax I've handled so far was a 4x4. All rambling aside the 2wd's have potential in the handling category.

Sure the 4x4's can handle decent and tight. But I've gone threw both and daily drove both. The 2wd wins in the handling category no contest, hands down. It is underrated.

There will be a mileage difference, and the greater the speed the greater the MPG difference. If you are running at lower speeds like 30-45 MPH there isn't much difference. If you are one of those people who spend alot of time traveling around 80 MPH or more on interstates. I'd say there could be a MPG difference of over 5 MPG.

* It can have wonder issues, but IFS doesn't get the bump steer and death wobble issues solid axles are known for.

 

[mfolsomblueD]

I've been looking for trucks for a while. I do want a 4x4 extended cab 2nd gen, but I will only use the 4wd maybe 5 times a year. Do you guys think the benefits of 4wd, considering how many times I will actually use it, to the gas mileage gains of a 2wd be worth it?

What do you guys think 4x4, or 2wd?

Is there an actual noticable gas mileage gain with the 2wd vs. the 4x4?

I have had 2 2wd and a 4x4 and I like having it in the wet pastures when in the field and of course I mailnly got mine for racing lol but with enough done to a 2wd they run great also