Hi all. I'm looking at getting a F350 to tow a 5th wheel trailer but am struggling with whether to go with a 4x2 or a 4x4. The decision is not an easy one because of the differences in the front suspension.

The advantage of a 4x2 is that it has an independent front suspension. This would be an advantage on rough roads. However, I'm not sure how it would do in poor driving conditions - including snow.

The advantage of a 4x4 is that it would be better in poor driving condtions such as heavy rain or snow. However, it has a monobeam suspension; which I believe, would provide less stability on rough roads.


However, I'm wondering just how valid some of my assumptions are.


Thanks....

Andre.

 

4x4 if you are towing heavy is my recommendation.

Better platform, especially on the rough roads, and sometimes you need those front wheels to assist.

Mileage will suffer a little though. So would the payload and towing capacity.

 

Certainly a solid axle front suspension will not provide as smooth of a ride as an independent front suspension. Another advantage of a 2WD truck is the towing capacity is generally a little higher than the equivalent 4WD truck.

4WD does have an advantage of traction when the going gets rough. Not only in snow, but 4WD can be a huge advantage when trying to get a trailer into an unimproved site. Not only with traction, but also the added torque multiplication of putting the truck in 4L is a huge advantage at times. 4WD is also a huge help when trying to get a heavy load moving forward on a slippery wet incline (like a boat ramp).

A popular generalization is that 4WD trucks require more maintenance than 2WD trucks, but I have owned both and cannot say it is true or false. I have had 1 transfer case repaired and a few sets of front hubs replaced, but these were not real significant issues.

 

I have an 08 4x2 dually.. it rides great, and I love it.. the one time I needed to go in the wet muddy back of my property (didn't realize how muddy) I got stuck.. had to winch it out.. wish I had the 4x4 and am looking for one now..

I think the 4x4 is really only a useful feature at the slower speeds.. <40 imho good tires should be all you need in rain .. snow is difficult no matter what..
(at highway speeds)..

Sam

 

Towing heavy trailers off-road is much more difficult for the 2wd trucks, especially if where you need to go is a little sandy, muddy, or has some dirt hills.

I towed a big tandem axle dump trailer with a 2wd 1 ton Dodge dually when I was in college. That truck, even though it had the Traction-Lok rear axle (which worked well I might add), struggled in the construction sites. Once it was [over]loaded full of concrete chunks and re-bar, those duals seemed like they were always spinning as soon as we got off the main road and where we were dumping. Backing up was even worse... Lots of hopping and poor steering ability.

sdetweil is right in that 4wd is mostly useful in slow speed situations. And redford makes a good point that the Low Range gearing in the transfer case helps a lot in certain situations when you need maximum torque or if you need to go really slow at a continuous speed- think picking up square hay bales out of a field and throwing them on to a lowboy trailer.

The ride of a modern, coil sprung 4x4 Ford monobeam axle is surprisingly good. The only time I think mine is a little rough is when I go into a big bump at an angle. Test drive the 2wd IFS trucks; I bet that they're not just that much more comfortable in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

 

When you don't need it 4x4 is more money and cuts down on capacity and mileage.

When you do need 4x4 it is all worth it even if you only use it a few times a year.

Where do you live?
Do you ever plan to tow on gravel roads, boat ramps, off road?
Do you do a LOT of driving towing only on paved roads?
Have you thought about getting a locking differential in the rear end?
How much would it cost to get truck and trailer winched out of a place where 4x4 could have saved you?

 

Austin, tx . if it snows you do NOT got out.. no road equipment
never plan to, except my back property. very much clay, black soil.. rained for 3 months and got wet very deep down..
before that, and now, it is hard as a board.. this is not a 'tow' issue by itself.. I was stuck both with and without the trailer..
custom car construction, and showing.
but I need to get my cars into and out of the shop back there.. building a road too, but sometime you will be off the road..
shop is 500 ft back from the main paved driveway.
almost always.. 99.95% of the time
both wheels turned together just fine when I was stuck on my property.
I have pavement tires, no nobbies
hm.. hadn't thought of it like that..

Sam

 

I think either one will handle and drive just fine when towing. You should not be driving with a trailer fast enough to notice much difference...

To me, it comes down to your priorities.
- Fuel economy and maintenance costs? 2WD.
- Ability to minimize risk of getting stuck? 4WD.
- Need absolute max load capacity? 2WD.

I'll also repeat the HUGE benefit that comes from having the LO option in the transfer case. If you have automatic tranny, trying to push or pull trailer up steep inclines at very low speeds (like into camp site or up long driveways) will overheat the trans in a big hurry - like within 200 feet or 2 minutes of effort. Slipping her into 2LO makes it simple.

 

Having lived in TX I would say that a 4x2 would be fine for 99.9999% of the time.
Just get a locking rear diff and you'll be good to go. Remember even 4x4's get stuck if you put them where they shouldn't be.

The ride will be better, the initial cost and maintenance will be as well.

I had a 4x2 for the 5 years I lived there and never had a problem...

 

Doesn't hurt to have a set of chains to put on the tires either. I carry one set of chains that fit over the dual wheels for snow/mud/ice conditions and a set emergency chains for small inclines.

V BAR TRUCK CHAINS

Emergency Tire Chains for Heavy Duty Trucks

 

90 cents per month for towing coverage thru my insurance (USAA). This includes getting my truck winched out of someones yard at 4 a.m.

That said, I really wish my truck was 4wd. I LOVE my F250, but I will never buy another 2wd.

 

Another factor might possibly be how long you plan on keeping your vehicle, etc. The front wheel bearings on the 2wd are of the type where you can just replace the needle bearings for cheap, without having to replace the entire integrated assembly.

There are also simply fewer parts on the underside to maintain/ replace.


On the other hand, I've heard people complain about getting stuck on surfaces as basic as wet grass, though that's not a personal experience. As far a snow, every winter I just throw 500 pounds of sand in the bed and I get around just fine on the plowed, paved roads...

 

Well, I need to respectfully disagreee with some of the posts here. 4 wheel drive at highway speeds makes a HUGE difference on snow or icy roads (all other factors such as tires being equal). Having power to all four wheels makes the vehicle much more stable. Incipient skids can often be corrected by a slight application of power which has the effect of "re-syncing" all 4 tires. Finally, blasting through a snow drift is relatively easy with power to the front wheels whereas a non-driven front end will tend to "suck" the vehicle into the the deeper snow at the side of the road.

 

How does the saying go....I rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

For most drivers this usually isn't an issue. Thankfully, most stay home when the snow gets that bad.