I am kinda late to this but will say that 4WD is a very overated item.

I live in North Dakota and have my whole life. I see everything from -35F temps, two day white outs, and 21" snowfalls in a day. I have driven 60 miles home at night in a 2wd 1964 F100 with cart tires in 14" of snow. I navigated by feeling the rumble strips on the edge. I have been stuck to the point where I needed help on snow and ice once in my 96 F150. I got hung up in a concrete drainage gully that was full of ice. I now own a 4wd truck. Yes you can go through more snow with it but only to a point.

I use studed snow tires and put about 500lbs in the bed in october and leave them till may. I drove this way through 18" of snow pushing three foot drifts in my 4wd truck. Oh yeah I forgot to mention I was in two high with the hubs unlocked. I had to use it to crawl through a 4' drift with chains on the back once. I also used it to pull a few people out.

4WD has its puropse but it is a bad crutch. If you canot drive in 2WD you need to be at home. My uncle says you drive in in 2wd and back out in 4wd when it is too much. He is right. I have owned several 4wd trucks and a jeep and I do use it. I spend aprox 20 miles a year in 4wd and most of that is in low range pulling stuff in the woods.

It is nice to have but completely unessicary for 75% of the people who own them.

Cold weather advantages to 4wd,
1)Better steering authority on ice.
2)Better braking on ice.
3)Aid other motorists in the ditch.
4)Ability to get unstuck(sometimes).

Spend your money how you want. If you plan on taking the buss or the metro to work save your money and buy a 2wd and learn how to drive like a polar bear.

 

My 06 F150 XLT E/C 4x4 is 6'10" with the cap on it. The cap is approximately 4" taller than the cab. That's with no lift and stock tires and wheels.

 

i have a 07 screw and it is a little taller than 6'6" stock.

 

well i got one...

07 lariat screw with 34k miles. the truck is pretty much new and i'm really happy with it..it is a 2wd, i could not find a 4wd that wasn't all ragged out down here. they just aren't around in FL but it doesn't matter b/c it looks like i'm not moving to Boston anyway.


Truck is great though, these are deffinetly the best trucks made!

 

glad you made a decision.....hope that you enjoy your truck and that it serves you well

 

Sounds like a great truck there, hope it lives up to all your expectations. Got a 07 Scab 4x2 myself and if it does as well as my 97 has (166K miles so far and still going strong), I expect I'll be very happy and I'm sure you will be too.

Paul

 

I'm in the Philly area and last year we had over 100" of snow. I know that may not be a lot to some of the guys who live in Canada or MI but when I was watching a neighbor shoveling out his 2wd explorer. I jumped in my truck put it in 4wd and drove away. I remember him saying damn my next truck is going to have 4wd. That stuck with me. I had a 2wd ranger and I did get around ok fo the most part. Now that I have 4wd I wouldn't ever change it. Another thing to think about is the snow tires are very soft rubber compound and don't last many miles. Most people who have snow tires have a second set of regular tires they switch out during the non winter months.

 

this post being brought back up reminded me of a pic from around april 27th '08. 30" in 24hours. i was plowing alot that storm! but i got a pretty good pic of my grandpas '04 and just had to share since i remebered it.

 

I HAD a 2004 long box quad cab 2wd Dodge Cummins up here in Toronto area. Did not want to deal with a solid axle front end.
We usually don't get a ton of snow here in the GTA.
I loved that truck, especially that Cummins......But in the winter...even with a 1000 lbs of patio stones in the back, it was a chalenge.
After five winters, I threw in the towel and got a 2009 F150 4wd.
It can be done, but no fun.
Bad combo, long box, 4 door and front heavy diesel.
I really like the Ford, but will always miss that Cummins.
Even after five years it still put a grin on my face....but not in winter.
The resale point is really good, not many folks in the snow belt want a 2wd.
I have to agree with Flip in that if it is really bad out, the best solution IS to stay home...if you can.

 

I went through a 16" snowfall this year in 2WD already. Though I did have chains on then.

Pulled ny car trailer out of drifts with chains on as well.

We had 8" on monday and I was fine without them.

It is a challange, and I have had 4WD and 2WD trucks up here and I have found nearly nothing that will stop a 2 wheeler with chains.

Though the sheer convinence of locking the hubs and yanking a lever is worth it to most people.

If you cant drive in the snow, stay home and let those who can drive-drive safely.

 

you say you went through 16" in 2 wd, good for you but I hope you didnt get too cold putting your chains on as I pull my lever and blow right on by nice an toasty
BTW: I am very very experienced in snow

 

I wont buy a 4x2 again! my 03 4x4 with shift on the fly is really handy snow,mud or whatever you come accross I go thru- beside you cant keep all thoes sandbags in your bed all year.

 

Rofl mustangs in snow...one time it snowed here and I woke up to find my old ranger 4x4 wouldn't start. I started up the cobra and was just thinking if I could make it out of my uphill driveway id be okay..well I put it in reverse to back out of my spot so I could get a running shot and it wouldn't even back out of the level parking spot lol...put it back in 1st and shut it off lol

 

my 4x2 wouldn't climb a slight incline up to the road from my lane...bought a 4x4 and will never go back! Go for 4x4 or you'll be sorry!