Could I live with a 2wd tow vehicle?

[uglyscout]

I would like to upgrading to a full size pickup/tow rig soon and am leaning toward a 2wd 3/4 ton - I have thought about it for a long time and I think a 2wd would be a far better option all the way around.

I am relocating to Oregon from MN so I will be leaving the snow and ice behind. Also it will probably end up being the wife's daily driver. So it will never go off road. I will be using it to tow my 5000 pound Scout where ever I choose

Am I crazy?? Will I wish it was 4x4 as soon as a start making payments?

[tsm1mt]

Originally posted by uglyscout

I am relocating to Oregon from MN so I will be leaving the snow and ice behind. Also it will probably end up being the wife's daily driver. So it will never go off road. I will be using it to tow my 5000 pound Scout where ever I choose

Am I crazy?? Will I wish it was 4x4 as soon as a start making payments?

They don't have snow in Oregon?

I bought a 2wd tow-rig to haul my Scouts around.

I would've liked a 4x4, but since I found "the right truck" I didn't begrudge the ONE and ONLY payment.

That said, I'm converting it to 4x4.. partly because front rotors don't exist for a '74 IH 1T 2wd, and partly because I want 4x4 for pulling my junk into muddy or less-than-accessible places..

[B.C. 05]

Always nice to know it's there when you need it. IMHO the extra dollars are well worth it.

Eric.

[RE:Todd]

As a 2wd dually driver, get the 4X4 .

[brett]

Go for the 4x4. I use mine quite a bit. You don't realize how nice it is until you don't have it.

[Paul Gagnon]

Originally posted by uglyscout
Will I wish it was 4x4 as soon as a start making payments?

Nope but you will regret it the first time you try to tow your Scout wherever you choose and you can't get there. Oregon is pretty mountainous terrain, Minnestota is kinda flat.

[KS Toy]

Originally posted by SILVER89K5
Always nice to know it's there when you need it. IMHO the extra dollars are well worth it.

Eric.

Yea, what Eric said. I would not even consider it...just my $.02

[Eskimo]

I've thought about this long and hard...

Ya gotta see where you'll be towing into... For me, it's mostly paved roads/gravel roads that are passable with a 2WD... And I can buy a helluva winch for the $3,000 that a new 4wd commands.

If shopping used, I'd look for the right truck, and if it happens to be 4wd, so be it.

No snow in Oregon?? Are you sure? 2wd pickups suck balls in the snow, regardless of how much weight you put in the bed.

For me, it's either a 2wd diesel or a 4wd gasser...

[4Ruggyfamily]

I have a 1998.5 Dodge dulley and love it except it is 2wd its suck when i get in soft durt when pulling my 4wds. So i suggest what ever you use it for especially pulling a 4wd get a 4x4.

[uglyscout]

I lived in Oregon for 20+ years before I moved to MN and unless I was actually wheeling there were very, very few times when I couldn't get around in 2wd. It may be mountanious they are passable all year in even your wheenest 2wd.

But then again - if I am going to give it to the ol' lady as her daily driver maybe I will want it to be a 4x4 just for 'safety sake'.

I don't know.... I'll see what happens when I actually start shopping for trucks.

[Brutpwr]

Well the savings vs security of 4wd is tough question. I'd say that if your tow rig is longer than a long bed fullsize truck definitely go 4wd. The long x-cab and crew cab fullsizes have poor traction especially when towing a lot of weight. My buddies dads 4wd crewcab Ford diesel longbed will not even pull the front end up a standard curb if the rear wheels are in dirt unless you shift into 4wd--don't even try it with a trailer/rig especially up a hill! Heck even driving up a not so steep dirt driveway that you would not even think twice of in your Honda Civic will stick this long wheelbase truck.

Jason

[RE:Todd]

I've got a long bed, CC, dually, 97 Chevy 2WD. I've been stuck once on the dam road coming out of the staging area at Loon Lake and twice on the dirt road coming out of JV. If I would have been able to get a 4wd when I bought my rig, I wouldn't have. Now I would love to have it, because the areas I access with my tow rig can be a pain in the butt, especially with the trailer and rig behind it. If you have the choice, go 4WD, you won't be sorry.

[Brutpwr]

Another factor is the extra power you have in low range. Some of my friends have some very steep paved driveways and if you don't have low range or its raining and you don't have fourwheel drive you will need a tow strap! If you have two wheel drive the best thing you can do is put a limited slip or locker or even better an ARB!

Jason

[OCNORB]

I bought a 3/4 ton 2WD because I feel that if I need 4WD I probably should'nt have my tow rig there in the first place. I have plenty of other 4x4's if the snow gets deep. (My truck is an extended cab with a factory limited slip and works quite well in snow less than 6" deep- much to my suprise) The snowplows keep the roads in good shape around here 99% of the time so I couldn't see spending the extra $3000 for the 4WD, not to mention the gas and maitenance savings. I was able to get a much newer and nicer truck for the same money. I have owned my truck for 3 years now and I still love it. Good luck deciding.

[Travis Waldher]

If you go to TSF with your 2WD drive on a rainy day... Just keep an eye out for towing through the mud/puddles in some camp areas.


sometimes, even the tow rig needs 4wd to get in/out of where you park your trailer hauling the trail rig.

Been there... done that.

[Erik D_lux]

I considered buying a 2wd. I am sooooo glad I didnt. My cruiser broke down in the TSF and I had to get it to the main road. After that I had to get it to the highway. I had to put it in 4wd on the main dirt road just to get out. It is nice to know that I can drive over a mountain pass with snow, wether it be towing or not and be able to get through it.

Being from Oregon you should also know that there are times that there are some extreme ice conditions. You may want to drive up to Mt. Hood.

Last weekend I wanted to go to the mountains not to wheel but just to sit and enjoy for a day. I couldnt have gotten there with 2wd even though it was an extremely mild dirt road.

There are too many times for me that 4wd comes in handy. I have had to use it around 4 times in the month I have had my truck.

Think about it.

Could you regret getting a 4wd?

Could you regret getting a 2wd?

[Jeepmangled87]

for now I am happy with my 2wd but it has a fabtech and 285 BFG AT's on it, if I could do it over again with more money I would have gotten a 4x4 but then again thats what the Jeeps for.

[Brutpwr]

I have both two wheel drive and four wheel drive tow rigs. I would have never thought twice about using my two wheel drive tow rig--Well this weekend my clutch failed without reason at Hollister in my wheeler...my buddy tried to pull me up a steep bank and got stuck. He backed a bit and floored it--when the slack came out of the strap the truck stopped and the motor torqued over and the fan hit his new hand fabricated aluminum fan shroud--this bent some of the blades forward and he proceeded to cut a nice circle in his new aluminum radiator! We bent the fan blades back and filled the truck with more water and high tailed it back to camp. When we got to the tow rigs in was at 240 degrees. I unhitched my 4-Runner from the trailer and went to rescue/tow my truck back to camp. Thank fully it has four wheel drive--would have been a lot more work winching etc if I had the two wheel drive truck. And there is no way a two wheel drive truck could have towed it up some of the hills on the way back to camp.

Jason