Which is better to have 4x2 or 4x4 as Tow Vehicle?

[nilesrob]

Originally Posted by carl2591

I am leaning more toward the 25-28 ft units and wife is more for the 30-31 ft units.. I guess the almost 1700 lb jump in weight is that that bad for the room you get.

We chose a 27 at least in part because it is the shortest AS that still has a queen sized bed that you can access from both sides.

[jornvango]

I love my 4x4. Once the Airstream is placed on a campground, we explore the area in our Jeep. That regularly involves backroads, in varying conditions.
Also, while driving in rain or snow, our full-time 4x4 gives us piece of mind.

If you're not planning to go offroading or need one in the climate where you live, go with the cheaper 2x4 version of whatever you're buying.

But 4x4 is so much fun ... driving the trails around Ouray, CO or Moab, UT ... I'd feel 'stuck' on pavement in a 2x4!

[ROBERT CROSS]

WNY no 4wd.....your kidding right.


If your an RV park or pad camper no...

I've used it too many to chance being without it.

Bob

[justretired]

I have owned 4x2's and 4x4's gas and diesel. I have been stuck a few times with the 4x2, but have never been with the 4x4. The diesel was a choice I made for longevity, so far I am very happy with that decision.
I bought the truck 3 years before the Airstream, plan ahead.

[barrettjl]

We had a Chevy Tahoe 4x4 and put it in 4wd exactly one time in the 12 years we owned it. We now have a Ford F150 4x2, although we did get the electronic locking rear differential (locks so both rear wheels get power). For us, living in Texas, not going off-road ever, and not going places where it snows, a 4x4 didn't make sense. We always camp in RV parks or state/federal campgrounds with paved roads to get to them

All that said, if you do go off-road, go where it snows, or if you don't mind the slightly lower milage, the slightly lower towing/payload capacity on some models, and the increased maintenance cost, it is probably good insurance to have

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by carl2591

WOW,, didn't mean to stir up a hornet nest. Sound like the preference for 2 wheel or 4 wheel runs the gamete like the debate of gas vs diesel.

No, the two topics are very different.

Gas vs. diesel, in reality either will work fine but there's lots of personal preference, differences in experience, and differences in people's financial situation that make for a really confusing discussion where most people's minds are already made up.

4x4 vs. 4x2, the discussion breaks down based on a combination of geography, camping style, trailer size, whether the tow vehicle is also a daily driver, and whether the tow vehicle is a pickup or an SUV.

In Minnesota nobody goes out and buys RWD pickups unless they have something else they drive during the winter, because you can get stuck in the middle of a city street or a parking lot if the weather is bad. In contrast, in some warmer climates 4x4s are seen as expensive toys for playing in the mud.

SUVs are a little more forgiving of poor traction because most are FWD and even those that aren't put a larger share of their weight on the rear axle than an empty pickup does.

With a larger (25', 30') trailer it is not uncommon to need 4WD to get out of an unimproved or partially improved campsite even in good weather. You can spin 2 wheels just because you parked on the grass, between the morning dew and the trailer wheels sinking into the ground a little bit. That's less of a problem with smaller trailers, and if you always park on fully improved sites, you may never have a problem.

So.. in NC, if you're going to stay close to the beaches and out of the back country you probably don't need 4WD. Go back far enough into the hills and spend a few nights boondocking in the back country and you'll wish you had it, especially with a 30'.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by RLS

My vote is the 4x4 one. There has been several times when it was needed to back the trailer up and also when on wet grass!

+1

Originally Posted by AldeanFan

I love my 4x4, we have snow here in Canada and I can't get stuck even if I try.

It's easy to get a big 4x4 hopelessly stuck in the snow. I've done it lots of times.

However, for travelling down the Interstate 4x4 has some disadvantages.
Geater ground clearance means a higher center of gravity and poor handling, rougher ride, a higher tailgate to load in to and higher cab to climb in too.

4x4 has lots of expensive moving parts that wear out and the added weight means lost fuel mileage.

That all used to be true but is less so today. As recently as the late 1990s, Dodge was using a solid front axle in their 4x4 trucks and it did compromise the handling considerably. All major makers now have independent front suspension and the differences in handling, ride, and cab height between 4x2 and 4x4 trucks that are otherwise the same are negligible.

There have been a number of isolated problems with expensive 4WD repairs. Again during the late 1990s, Ford had a problem with their auto-locking hubs failing that resulted in frequent expensive repairs. For pickups and SUVs of any make there was a period of time where there were no used 4wd parts available because of the "cash for klunkers" program, which most large 4x4s qualified for and which prohibited any parts from being stripped before the vehicle was scrapped.

But in general these systems are reliable especially if used sparingly. After 10-15 years you may have to replace some seals or CV boots.

Originally Posted by Mikethefixit

Buy A 4x4 if ya want to carry around the extra weight that cost fuel mileage and in the life of the truck you may not use more than 2 or 3 times. Dont listen to those who think they absolutly have to have a 4x4. They may need em cause they are where it snows alot.

Yep, that's me, although I used the 4x4 in the Georgia mud more than 2 or 3 times when I lived there.

If I were buying again it would be the brand of your choice, 2x4 long bed,single wheel,(rear end ratios are different from 4x4 and 2 wheelers and duallys and single wheel,unless you special order) crewcab,desiel.When properly serviced and driven correctly(they are differnent than gas) They will last the rest of your life and beyond. I didnt need a 1ton,I bought it with another purpose in mind,but now its our daily driver and TV.Ours now is 11 years old with 90k miles,the maintiance has been quite low as I do all my own work.

Speak for yourself, I'm not old enough for any truck to last the rest of my life. The "diesels live forever" story makes for a great fireside chat but today's gassers usually outlive the body and interior just as a diesel usually will.

[mefly2]

4x4 here as we have winter in both the spring and fall ...

[BAB]

4x4. I bought a new Infiniti QX (2011) w/2wd. I traded it a few months ago for the same vehicle -- 2012, but with power to all 4 wheels. What I learned has already been described by other posters. There are times in campgrounds where a mild slope in gravel will make it very difficult navigation without power to all 4 wheels. And, I have about the size trailer you are looking at -- 28'. Avoid repeating the lesson I already learned. I live in NC, and even here there are times where the roads are much better traveled with traction on all 4!

[Ag&Au]

The simple answer to 2WD vs 4WD:

4WD is a total waste of money until you need it, then it is priceless.
Sooner or later you will wish you had it, if you don't.

I would not be without it. Both our tow vehicle and our family car are 4WD.

Ken

[Bob4x4]

I can't even imagine not owning a 4wd,I see an interesting side road I take it.

[pappy19]

When you get that sinking feeling while you are getting stuck, or backing up a slight hill and the rig starts to go sideways, then you will break into a sweat and ask yourself, why didn't I buy a 4X4. Unless you never intend on getting off paved roads, get a 2X4, otherwise a 4X4 is worth the money.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

The simple answer to 2WD vs 4WD:

4WD is a total waste of money until you need it, then it is priceless.
Sooner or later you will wish you had it, if you don't.

I would not be without it. Both our tow vehicle and our family car are 4WD.

Ken

Very well said - our experience as well ...

[SilverHoot]

Robert, you have spikes on those shoes?
My 4 cents 4wd is better.

[F450Harley]

Originally Posted by carl2591

Hello to forums. New guy here........"
"...Not ready to get on the road fulltime just yet. Looking some 5-7 yrs down the road for that...."

"..Now the kids are older, one started college this year (NCSU) and other in HS first year." Both kids will be "adults" in 5yrs so plan for you & wifey and/or grandkids space wise.
"...So now i am trying to get up a set up or get more info on proper TV and other stuff along those lines,, ie. WD hitches, tires and looking at 25-28 ft unit for the most part due to weight issues...." If your mind is set on a used AS and can afford it now, start window shopping 'cause the prices are all time low now. It's more or less a buyer's market now till the economy gets better and 18 months -2yrs window shopping will help you secure a good data for comparison whenever you are ready. As someone pointed out earlier, plan ahead - IMHO, if I run into a great deal and can afford it, I will buy a used AS 1-2 yrs ahead of need ( Not a new AS) and occasionally rent a van/sub/truck as TV for wkend camping. Get a learning curve, customize the AS if needed and keep dreaming about your future TV. When you are ready for your TV, some dealer will even let you tow your AS as part of the demo ride prior to purchase. Used AS floor plan or technology is static but TV's keeps changing.

"sorry for the long post

.."

[Gene]

I think we have had at least a dozen 4WD drive vehicles. Maintenance has been a nonissue. We have spent $0 on maintenance. The only time it didn't work was on a brand new one 25 years ago and it was fixed on warranty. Decades ago 4WD didn't work that well all the time and there were hassles with locking hubs.

Sometimes gravel roads, even when dry, can be squirrelly to drive on and 4WD can help there.

Some SUV's have front wheel drive, but they aren't truck based. They are bigger station wagons and are unibody construction. Some may have AWD, but my understanding is that most of the power goes to the front wheels in those systems. 4WD sends power to all wheels equally and is what you get on truck based vehicles. They can be full time, demand, or manual. Full time is always in 4WD and will use the most gas to keep the front drive shaft, differential and the rest of the front end parts rotating. Demand only goes into 4WD when it detects a rear wheel slipping, although I believe most of them can be manually locked into 4WD. Our Tundra is manual—either in 4WD or not. Manually locking hubs are, I believe, long gone. I'm not sure about automatic hubs, but they were sometimes hard to unlock. Toyota, so far as I know, has always had permanently locked hubs because of lower maintenance. Some 4WD vehicles can be driven on dry roads in 4WD and some cannot. There are lots of types and options.

4WD has improved a lot over the years. Long ago I had a '72 Jeep CJ5—possibly the worst vehicle I have ever owned. Sometimes it took 2 people pulling on the lever to get it out of 4WD. Things have gotten a lot better.

Gene

[Jammer]

My 'burb has Autotrac. While I was skeptical of this system initially I have come to be quite impressed with it now that I better understand how it works and have driven with it in varying conditions. The transfer case uses a wet clutch pack to couple the front and rear axles. There are 5 settings in the cab - 4lo, N, 4hi, 2hi, and auto. 4lo, N, 4hi, and 2hi work the same as on a manual transfer case, although the shift between 2 and 4 is an easy one since it's a friction clutch and not just locking splines. When set on "auto" the computer adjusts the clutch application based on speed and conditions.

It's a far cry from the basic gearcases used from WWII on up to the 1990s.

[ElCamino Man]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

The simple answer to 2WD vs 4WD:

4WD is a total waste of money until you need it, then it is priceless.
Sooner or later you will wish you had it, if you don't.

Hit the nail on the head!

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by Bob4x4

I can't even imagine not owning a 4wd,I see an interesting side road I take it.

^^ That is the method we use on most camping trips to find out where we are going. It's taken us to some really cool places too.

[DGJackson]

One thing missing from the discussion is limited slip/positive traction. Several years ago when I bought a Jeep Cherokee I had a salesman tell me I didn't need limited slip with 4-wheel drive. The vehicle I got had limited slip with 4 wheel drive. At this time in my life I was class racing sailboats, I can't tell you the number of times people would need to go to 4 wheel drive to pull out identical sailboats that I could pull out with mine not in 4-wheel drive. What ever you buy make sure to get limited slip rear end.