4x4 or 4x2 for towing?

[gritz]

I'm considering the 2006 GMC 3500 DW for pulling a 5er (about 14,000 lbs) and trying to weigh the advantage of a 4x4 in towing the heavier rigs. I haven't towed a 5er yet, only a TT, and I'm currently using a DM 2500HD with 4-wheel drive for that. Only occasionally have I used the 4-wheel (in snow, gravel roads, and parking). My question is ... if you have dual rear wheels and more weight, is it worth the cost or really necessary to get 4-wheel drive. Saving a couple of grand would be nice, but not an absolute necessity.

[Bill Moncrief]

Hello;
The one disadvantage to 4wheel is that it decreases towing capacity do to the increase in weight of the front axel and transfer case. The disadvantage to a dual wheel is you have the one tire on each side breaking it's own path in snow or mud or whatever. I have dropped the front in gear on occasion in some campgrounds with steep site approaches to keep from spinning same thing on wet grass to avoid terring up the ground with a spinning tire. For towing unless you are using slippery boat ramps you probably don't need it except for what I mentioned so I guess it's all what you want smile.gif TOWERJAKE

[tanker]

Gritz, I have a friend with a dually 4x2 and he pulls a tri-axle 5th RV trailer. I have seen him stuck in wet grass and a little mud in a few campgrounds myself, and once we had to pull him backwards with a 4x4 suburban. He told me about being stuck several other times because he did not have 4x4. Snow is another bad thing with dual rear tires. I myself would only buy a 4x4, just for the insurance on those sticky times. I also like backing up in some of those upgrades in campgrounds at idle in 4x4-low. Yes as mentioned above it adds extra weight to the truck. You can't add 4 wheel drive after its built, but if you have 4x4 you don't need to use it, but its there when you need it. I would also think that resale value would be higher when you decide to sell or trade up. Just my 2 cents worth. ;)

[rjschoolcraft]

I will never buy another two wheel drive truck in my life (at least, I don't plan to :D )!

[OC_DMAX]

I have always owned 4x4's. We go camping into the SoCal desert.

Usually you can get some of the $2K cost of the 4x4 option back when you sell the vehicle.

[Craig M]

While most of the above posts are accurate, you can still consider 2 wheel drive. If you plan mostly freeway driving and "normal" RV and camp sites the 2 wheel drive will work fine. Our dually and Suburban are both 2 wheel drive and we have yet needed to be towed. Have been on lots of dirt roads and steep hills. Less weight and less maintenance are the up sides. So unless you are going to be doing big hills or off roading you can consider the 2 wheel drive.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

4 wheel drive only has to save you once and you'll never have to ask this question again. My $.02 worth.

4 wheel drive adds about 400lbs, or reduces GVW by 400lbs which ever way you wanna look at it. Also, there are some slippery campgrounds around and some have some purty steep hills. It's not that much more and doesn't really cost in fuel mileage....much. My dually gets 16.2mpg around town, 19 on the highway...solo, and about 14.5 towing my 5ver. The 4wheel drive would be way better if it included an E-Locker front end, but still worth it in my opinion.
JP

[jspringator]

I never thought 4 wd was needed before I had one. I use mine all the time. Everytime I back trailer into my driveway I use it. It makes it much easier to manage.

[trbankii]

From various experiences, I wouldn't consider a dually without four wheel drive. With four tires in the rear, you're lowering contact pressure. That is a good thing when fully loaded and you want to distribute that weight. Unloaded and it means less traction. I've seen and driven duallies that (as mentioned above) cannot get traction on wet grass, a bit of mud, etc. A little humiliating to have a big, powerful truck like that get stuck so easily.

Another option would be an ARB air locker in the rear end. That way you'd at least have power to both sides in the rear. The advantage of the ARB is that it is fully locked when you need it and fully unlocked when you don't. The problem with a non-selectable locker is that when it locks up you can be hammering components pretty hard when you are under load.

[Herman_Bolger]

ARP locker, were is that available from? Do you have a site address? Back to 2 or 4x4, i had a 2x4 dually, looked really cool, until i was slideing all over the place, now i have a 4x4 don't use it very often, bit when i do i like it!! I use it at boat ramps, they get slipery and it's no fun haveing someone pull you up the ramp, when your truck is lettered from one end to the other in the marine bussiness. Just because you have it dosen't mean you have to use it, but when you need it, you have it!
my .02 worth

[trbankii]

Here is a link to the ARB Air Locker application manual:
US Applications (http://www.arbusa.com/alac/215110.pdf)

And here is their USA site (they're Australian):
ARB-USA (http://www.arbusa.com/)

[Herman_Bolger]

Thanks for the link. Do you have an air locker? I ordered one of their catalogs and dealer info.

[trbankii]

Yep, just not on a GM. They are nice if you do any amount of highway miles because you can turn them off and it behaves like an open diff. Especially nice for a front axle as it does not affect turning. Rear is not quite as big a deal, but still doesn't "misbehave" like other lockers can on the highway.

[Paul Clancy]

Another vote for 4x4. Had a 2wd for the last truck and several campsites were inacessible, slight grades backing with front wheels on pavement and rear wheels spinning on gravel. A real hassle at the time since the cg was full. The hd w allison and tc in 4lo backs the load like a tank. Unstoppable...get it.

[okeehandyman]

My 2 cents worth says go for the 4X4! My '05 D/A long box is mostly used to haul my Lance truck camper. It sure has made me feel secure going in and out of many steep, rocky driveways and roads that I never would try in a 2X4.

[bamabadboy]

I've pulled a 17K triple axle fiver with my prior dually 2wd. Never had a problem and didn't need 4wd.

[trbankii]

I guess the questions come down to what you are trying to tow through. No problems if you keep it on pavement or other solid ground and not a lot of slope. Problems start with wet, muddy, snowy conditions and things being out of level.

[Mark-]

I agree with the 2WD. My SRW-2WD 2500HD pulls a 37' 5th grossed out to 21460lbs. All my axle weights are within spec. I tow 99%+ on paved roads and avoid snow like the plague. I have had 0 problems and never needed 4WD on the road. On the other hand, until I got rid of the original equip tires, grassy areas would cause me to spin easily. I too have had mostly 4WDs, but find this 2WD fine for RVing, and would prefer a 4WD for camping.

Mark

[JeffsTowTruck]

I think it's personal. I never have the need for a 4X4, well 1 or 2 times a year, but that's not enough times for me to get one. My 2WD has done me fine. I love the extra stability the extra 2 wheels give you. No more sway bars here.
Now if you hunt or live up a mountain, you need one, get it. My FWD minivan gets me around just fine in what little snow we get.

[Rocinante]

I share Mark's opinion and experiences. I also have had 0 problems with my SRW 2WD 2500HD D/A GMC (64500 miles). If you want to pull an RV in snow or on back roads, then a 4WD might make sense. I made my choice based on my past RVing experiences and opted for the better fuel economy of a 2WD/SRW truck.

[rjwest]

If I where considering a Ford or Dodge,
I might settle for a 2 by,
But, for me, a GM 4x4 is a no brainer,
Can't see any real down side, as far as overload,
the additional front diff weight seems to little to worry about.

Besides, the tire wear on present 4x4 is the best I have ever experienced...( at least a few pluses )..

[letsgo]

why I have a 4x4 for towing

ever been in a rain storm towing in a city with lots and lots of traffic lights, and every time you take off on a green light (after stopping) you get rear wheel hop or axil tramp in 2 wheel drive, you can always go 4x4, you have so much torque,

good luck

drive safe

[jcummins]

Bought trailer, pulled from dealer to my back yard...my yard is level. The very FIRST time I hooked up after that, could not pull out in 2WD....wet grass. 22000 GCW. I don't consider that off road, or roughing it. Get the 4WD.

[r gomez]

my last dmax was a 2wheel drive and got it stuck in my own front yard twice (punkin on the ground) last years hurricane season here in Fl.I now have a 4wheel drive .Also the 4 wheel alowes us to go remote camping which I could not think about with the 2 wheel.But due to the weight of the of the dmax it doesn't like mud and we have a lot of that in our wet season

[DA BIG ONE]

Originally posted by r gomez:
my last dmax was a 2wheel drive and got it stuck in my own front yard twice (punkin on the ground) last years hurricane season here in Fl.I now have a 4wheel drive .Also the 4 wheel alowes us to go remote camping which I could not think about with the 2 wheel.But due to the weight of the of the dmax it doesn't like mud and we have a lot of that in our wet season Get a locker for the front differential ARB makes the air locker which I use, then Eaton makes the electric locker this will keep you going in mud, then maybe 285/75/16 GoodYear MT/r's or any other maximum traction tire, but you want one that is designed to be aired down for those sugar sand situations.