Is a 4 wheel drive needed?

I have just purchased a Cyclone 3950. I have a 2003 F350 dually 7.3. It is 2 wheel drive. My question is should I start looking for a four wheel drive? I'm new to the rv scene so any practical imputs would be helpfull before I learn by experience.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

Hi Bruce.Reed, and welcome to the forum. I have a 4x4 but only because I live in a northern state that gets a bunch of snow. If I lives south I probably would not have one.
I do know of a couple of people that used their 4X4 while using their rigs. That was in the case of rain and slick surfaces.
I think you will be just fine with a 2x4.

Peace
Dave
 

trvlrerik

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

I have never had any problems with mud or snow, I have needed four wheel drive backing into a steep spot uphill on wet grass. I probably could have gotten into place if I waited for the dew to dry. IMO four wheel drive is a luxury that is not really needed in most cases. Save the cash for more trips and fuel costs untill it is time for a new tow vehicle.
 

BruteForce

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

That's a big rig. Ever plan on dry camping or taking it off pavement? If so, 4x4 will surely come in handy. 4x4 saved me from being stuck ~30 miles in the far west Utah desert in thick mud (staged at night when everything was frozen and discovered overnight that my rig had settled 2" in mud after the sun came out).
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

Living in Minnesota it's almost impossible to find anything but a real basic work truck that doesn't have 4 wheel drive. The resale value on a 2 wheel drive is really in the tank if you can even find a buyer...I don't think you really need except for a few times a year and even then you could get by without it. If I lived in the South I wouldn't buy it...Don
 

TedS

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

It's like other things, when you need it it is good to have. I've used 4x4 on slick boat ramps and wet and slippery camp sites.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

I remember staying at a park up north, the site was almost perfectly level, but you had to back up a steep hill on loose gravel to get in it. Thank you 4x4 lo!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

Well, I've been out to the rig in storage a couple of times this month and the only way I could get close off the plowed path was in 4x4. And 4x4 to get back out. To paraphrase what has been said before: Better to have it and not need it than to need it ... and have to call for a tow.
 

porthole

Retired
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

I needed 4wd twice last year. Once because the site was all sand. I needed to get into the site and then to get out.
2nd time was to get into a spot that I wanted to be in. It was about 100' off the road down a slight hill towards the river. Had I not had 4wd I would not have put the trailer there.

I will frequently put the truck into 4wd low to back into my driveway, makes it so much easier.
If I lived in Florida I would probably have 2 wheel.

And if i already had the 2 wheel I would just keep it for the 1st year of traveling. Odds are after pulling the trailer for a bit you'll be "thinking" about all those claims of the new Ford, Dodge and GMC trucks
 

jpajax

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

The beauty of 4x4 is the four wheel low it really saves your transmission and strain on motor. You can get a switch that will lock out the four wheel drive and just use the low range.
 

jdfishing

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

I wouldn't run out and buy a new rig just to have 4x4, but when it comes time to upgrade your TV, I would strongly consider 4x4. I have used mine several times in campgrounds where 2x4 was fine to get it, but after a rain, 4x4 was needed to get out. Besides, you'll always get your money back on trade-in with the 4x4 option.
 

sdrubrecht

Active Member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

If you take that Cyclone off pavement you will really appreciate and possibly need 4x4. Cant say how often the weatherman was wrong and we have woken up to rain, snow or ice with pavement miles away. When we leave the pavement we put it into low right away. No problem then with power or crawling through tricky sections, plus, I cant go too fast if I wanted too. We use 4x4 all the time. Congrats on your new Cyclone. BTW, we got stuck once with our previous tt in deep sand and had to get winched out, the strain broke a spring on the tt. When in doubt, walk it first or un-hitch and drive. We unload our Teryx and check before going in somewhere we havent been before. Saved our butt a few times.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

If we only camped in the southern states then a 2WD would be great. I bought a 4WD because we go to the northern states now and then. As far as fuel mileage in 4WD and 2WD high at highway and city driving...I didn't see any difference. But the 4WD sure is nice on a snowy, icy road. It's your call, but if you are going to camp off road..I would opt for the 4WD. JMHO
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

You don't need bad weather or go off road to need a 4 wheel drive. When we went to Yellowstone State Park from Curtis S. Dakota, we went up the Big Horn pass while they had it torn up and rerouting it. The road was so rough, we had to crawl it at 3-8 mph. My transmission was in and out of 1st and 2nd gear, and the torque converter would not lock up due to the slow road speed. My transmission over heated and we had no place to pull over at all. I wound up just stopping in the middle of the road and putting it in 4 wheel low, put it in drive and off we went again. With in a mile the transmission cooled down and the alarm shut off. Drove about 8 miles in low. The long and short of it, if it were not for the 4 wheel low, I most likely would have burnt up my transmission and broke down blocking a one lane road until towed out. It is nice not to need the 4 wheel drive, but sure handy to have it.
 

wyleyrabbit

Well-known member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

We've had to use 4x4 mode a couple of times. Once we stayed at a campground where we were put on a completely grass site, then there were ridiculous rains for a couple of days and when we pulled out, had to drive across a grass field that was probably 5 to 10 cm deep (that's 1-2 inches) in water.
 

dieselengineer

Charter Member
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

With my 4X4 setup, I can use low range in two wheel drive mode. That allow me to have a few real low gears to select from while towing and setting up in CG. The way to go for sure.
 

porthole

Retired
Re: is a 4 wheel needed?

With my 4X4 setup, I can use low range in two wheel drive mode. That allow me to have a few real low gears to select from while towing and setting up in CG. The way to go for sure.

Soon as it warms that will be a feature I figure out how to turn off - the auto locking hubs
 
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