I am looking at an '88 F350 DRW with a 7.5 EFI and a crew cab. All things considered, it looks like a fairly solid truck, (not too far gone, at least. Good shape for an 88.) My issue is this: I'm moving to Montana in February, dead middle of a surely snowy winter. My question: Is a 4x4 an absolute neccessity or will the enlarged footprint of the DRW help me out? I need a solid towing rig with room for the family, but 4 months out of the year I can expect to be fighting my way through snow or mud. I don't plan on living in the city, but rather on the outskirts of town on some land that won't be publicly maintained. Anybody from Montana? Preferably the Bozeman area? Should I only be looking for a 4x4 here?

 

my dad used to live up in missoula...4x4 is not entirely necessary, but some of those mountain roads will make you think twice bout having it... if i remember correctly, when i was up there, alot of ppl had the studded snow tires on their trucks, and some even had chains.. ive been through bozeman a couple times, and man has it grown rapidly here recently.. so much that it has coined the name "boze-angelas". damn good microbrewery there too.. but ya, me personally i would look for a 4wd truck, but if you are set on a 2wd, it is not entirely necessary...if you go the 2wd route, i reccomend you look into 6 new studded tires for the traction that you will need.

 

Oh yah, for deep snow chains are a must, whether you got 4x4 or not...

 

Duallies won't do very good in the snow, they tend to stay on top and not dig in and get traction. You need skinney tall tires for the snow. I have done lots of snow driving in the Sierras as I used to ski a lot. I have gone in 2wd trucks which need weight in the back to get traction. Front wheel drives, do very good compared to rear wheel drive, and a all wheel drive Mercedes ML 320. The all wheel drive by far is the best for the snow. Personally If I was to live in an area with seasonal snow I wouldn't be without a 4wd vehicle period...

 

Being from Montana all my life, you would be smart to get a 4x4. Bozeman can get heavy snows that take a few days to get cleared off the roads. We almost always have March/April snow storms that are heavy and wet and are a real pain to get around in without four wheel drive. Also DRW tend to pack snow between them meaning you need to clean them out or it could cause real problems if it thaws during the day and freezes again at night. Just my two cents.

 

Awesome, thank you so much everybody. I'll take this all into consideration. Great feedback.

 

I lived in Michigan for a while and had a good year of snow, at the time I had a 2wd Expedition with Toyo all terrain's on it and I had an F250 4x4.......the expedition was ten times better in the snow, even if I weighed down the back of the truck. try to talk to some people in that area who drive duallys and go from there. Have you checked out the Chapter in that area yet? I would get some guidance before I spent alot of money on chains you may not be able to use! Good Luck.

 

I don't know about Montana, but here in Spokane, just a few hours from Montana, we get some heavy snowfall during the winter months. The last few winters I had a 4x4 FSB and she mashed through the snow like it was nothing. Seems like if the temp dropped below 20* I didn't have to really use my 4wd unless I was going through several feet of snow. Lots of traction but one thing I had to take into consideration were people driving cars through four feet of snow. My 4x4 came in handy pulling a few of them out. Personally, I'd for a 4x4, but as the others said, I'd ask a few folks from the exact area. Myself, I'll never go 2wd again. 4x4 has saved my life (not to mention my job) several times.

 

4x4 is a must in any area where you receive decent amounts of snow.

 

There are plenty of people who get by fine without 4x4....and you may have heard....but some people....they even drive cars!!! Crazy I know!!

 

in mass were the snow is wet and streets are icey hills and over crowded we use 4x4 or sandbags in the rear. a good winter kit (shovel salt flair tow straps straps) is a def. just take your time getting use to it last year when i just started driving legally it was winter i would just pull over if i was going to slow for other people until i got use to the wether. just takes a lot of sand bags and nobby tires in the rear. not many have dully unless they need it for work

 

2wd duallys SUCK in the snow. It would be like driving a mustang in the snow. Get a 4wd