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Old 08-21-2014, 02:36 PM   #1
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2wd or 4wd

Towing our x23b with our Honda is fine for around southeast Missouri, but we're looking towards retirement and traveling out west. Looking to buy new TV. Is there any benefit of 4wd over 2wd? We would like to save some money and weight, unless there is some benefits with going with 4wd. Our daily driver will be a Toyota Highlander so we don't have to have another 4wd.
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Old 08-21-2014, 02:41 PM   #2
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only benefit of 4wd is the time you need it and I am sure you would wish you had it. My tv has gone into 4wd a couple of times backing into an uphill site when it was raining. Would I have gotten in with 2wd, I don't know.

No way of knowing whether you will get stuck sometime but if it was me I would just go with 2wd
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Old 08-21-2014, 02:51 PM   #3
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After getting stuck with 2WD and wondering if I was going to a couple of other times, I won't get anything but 4WD. If you never camp at anything but hard surfaced resort campgrounds then 2WD will be fine. We stay at a certain campground at the end of April while the ground is still soggy from the frozen water in the ground having melted after winter. I've seen a number of 2WD vehicles stuck and had to be pulled out with the campground tractor after the office opened. I've never come close to getting stuck with 4WD. I got stuck bad about 15 years ago when I had a 2WD 3/4 ton and a 27 ft 5er.
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Old 08-21-2014, 03:14 PM   #4
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If you only stay at places with hard flat surfaces 2wd is just fine. Just about once or twice a year I have needed 4wd to back into a camp spot. I have had many issues with perfectly dry gravel and not being able to get enough traction to back up a hill into a campsite. I stayed at my Aunt’s cabin last weekend. Her whole yard is sand, no dirt of any type to be seen for miles. I pulled in on nearly flat level land, had to put it in 4wd to get up on one block, and to pull out of her yard. I cannot think of one time when it has been wet that I needed to use 4wd. I did stay at one place were the grass was wet and I could feel the wheels slipping so I dropped in to 4wd just from keeping from making a potential mess.
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Old 08-21-2014, 03:18 PM   #5
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4wd usually only drops your GVW by about 200 lbs and I think "when you need it you need it" is more important than the 200-300 lbs.
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Old 08-21-2014, 03:33 PM   #6
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4wd usually only drops your GVW by about 200 lbs and I think "when you need it you need it" is more important than the 200-300 lbs.
True, but what about the $2000? I'm struggling with this decision as well, but luckily I have 3 years to decide.

Current truck is 2WD. We have not stayed anywhere unpaved in the year we've owned our trailer. It's a very large trailer, and DW likes the full hookup sites so most of those are paved. But I can't help but think that some day down the road, we might want to camp somewhere a little more remote, or we might boondock on the beach, or my son and I might take the truck off-road into the woods to get to a good hunting spot. But I struggle with weighing the likelihood of those occurrences and buying 4x4 and never using it. I'm usually a member of the "I'd rather have it and not need it" crowd, but sometimes the budget wins over. I literally stand on the fence and lean one way one day and the other the next. I'll probably end up getting the 4x4 because it'll be the last truck I'll buy for AT LEAST 10 years, and you never know what'll happen in that time...

I'm very interested to hear what are the other opinions on this choice...
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Old 08-21-2014, 04:05 PM   #7
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Nobody knows where you will camp but you. Yea, you have additional cost up front with 4WD, but if you go to sell it, its worth more as a 4WD too. If you get stuck once, that 4WD would have been worth it.

I have 4WD and have had to use it more than a few times. Leaving for Florida last February it snowed the night before we left and the morning we left. Had to use 4WD to get out of the neighborhood. It could have cost $20K extra and been worth it to get out of the snow and get down to the central Florida Gulf coast for that trip!!!
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Old 08-21-2014, 04:38 PM   #8
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True, but what about the $2000? I'm struggling with this decision as well, but luckily I have 3 years to decide.

I'll probably end up getting the 4x4 because it'll be the last truck I'll buy for AT LEAST 10 years, and you never know what'll happen in that time...
$2,000 over 10 years $200 a year or $16.66 a month or $0.551/2 a day.

Think you just answered your own question.
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Old 08-21-2014, 05:24 PM   #9
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I was on level ground and grass, glad I had my 4wd.
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Old 08-21-2014, 06:31 PM   #10
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I have 4wd because all full size SUV's come that way but I've never needed it. I just leave it in 2wd all the time (even in winter ) and no problem. Get a limited slip diff, proper tires and save the weight, cost and maintenance of 4WD.
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Old 08-21-2014, 06:35 PM   #11
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Well, I think that is one less decision. Thanks every one.
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Old 08-21-2014, 09:21 PM   #12
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$2,000 over 10 years $200 a year or $16.66 a month or $0.551/2 a day.



Think you just answered your own question.

Yup! I've done that math more than once. That's usually what brings me back to 4x4. If I ever do need it, I'll be damn glad I have it!
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Old 08-21-2014, 11:35 PM   #13
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You will get a lot of that $2000 at trade in time so the cost isn't as much as you might think. Where I live a two wheel drive truck is hard to trade in or sell.
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Old 08-22-2014, 04:59 AM   #14
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I took delivery of my 5'er and towed it to my brand new home base site 25 miles away. When I got there is was in the middle of a thunderstorm. In order to back in I needed 4 wheel drive. I haven't absolutely had to have it since, but even backing in to a site low range makes it a lot easier and definitely easier on the transmission.
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Old 08-22-2014, 05:06 AM   #15
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2wd vs 4wd.. the price difference alone will pay for a lot of tows.. then there is the loss of mileage with 4x4.. so unless you spend a lot of time off road or in snow country I would say 2wd. Just make sure you get one with a posi or locker rear end.
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Old 08-22-2014, 05:35 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dhinkle57 View Post
Towing our x23b with our Honda is fine for around southeast Missouri, but we're looking towards retirement and traveling out west. Looking to buy new TV. Is there any benefit of 4wd over 2wd? We would like to save some money and weight, unless there is some benefits with going with 4wd. Our daily driver will be a Toyota Highlander so we don't have to have another 4wd.
In your case based on where you live and the information you've provided I personally would opt for 2wd with either a limited slip or electronic locking differential.

My situation is different as I live in an area of Michigan that experiences some very unpleasant winter weather and I routinely use my 4wd. I also run the 4wd every time I pull off pavement just to exercise the system and keep things working freely.
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Old 08-22-2014, 05:39 AM   #17
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The day we brought our TT home I needed 4wd to get it up our driveway in March !! Roads were clear and dry but still had ice and snow pack as we have a gravel driveway and I can't plow all the way down..
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Old 08-22-2014, 07:45 AM   #18
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Love my 4 x 4! Mileage towing 10 mpg. Mileage around town 15 mpg. Mileage getting out of a tough situation priceless.

I have always had 2WD but now I'm totally spoiled and never going back.
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Old 08-22-2014, 07:48 AM   #19
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My truck is used for more than towing the camper. Huntin & fishin trips during the winter is one example. I wouldn't be without a 4wd.
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Old 08-22-2014, 07:52 AM   #20
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I have sometimes needed 4WD just to get my trailer backed up my driveway. My driveway is 120' long and a 12% slope for the bottom 90'. When I had my old Chevy 2500 2WD and Jayco 27' 5er, I would get home in the fall with wet leaves on the driveway. It would just spin. It would be worse with a TT, as there is less % of the weight on the rear wheels. I had to clean all the leaves off the driveway before I could get the trailer up to it's parking spot. I have never had a problem with my 4WD 2500HD and 32' Eagle TT on those wet leaves.

As someone else said, having low range is great if you have to back up a steep slope. The reverse gear is not as rugged at the forward gears and low range puts a lot less stress on the transmission.
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