Diesel 4 Wheel Drive or not

My husband and I will be purchasing a truck and 5th wheel in the near future and are really confused on whether we will need a 4X4 or not.
Any ideas - we plan on pulling about a 33 foot trailer and visiting national parks, going to the mountains in Colorado, etc.

Thanks for your input....
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
You might consider a 4X4 if you pull your rig in the boon-docks. I think a 4X4 for highway towing is a waste of money, weight, fuel economy, and repairs. If the highway require 4 wheel drive, I doubt that many of us are going to be crusing with 11 tons slipping and sliding down the highway. I have a 06 Silverado, Duramax Allison 6 spd, extended cab, short bed, 2wd pulling a 3600RL GCVW 22,000. I average 10.5 to 11 mpg winter fuel. I have a friend with a 06 GMC, Duramax, Allison 6 spd, crew cab, short bed, 4wd, lift kit and larger tires pulling a toy hauler 21000 GCVW. He gets 7.5 mpg.
 

phranc

Well-known member
To quote forest "You might consider a 4X4 if you pull your rig in the boon-docks. I think a 4X4 for highway towing is a waste of money, weight, fuel economy, and repairs. If the highway require 4 wheel drive, I doubt that many of us are going to be crusing with 11 tons slipping and sliding down the highway." and he is correct in that context,,,but........If you use your truck at other times of the year, or for other uses,then it is ,or can be, worthwhile.
I have used the 4x4 several times (with the camper) on wet grass or slightly soft ground..Wouldn't be without it.
Also in my neck of the woods ,a truck without 4x4 loses a great deal on trade in. It's a personal choice on how you wish to equip your new truck.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
I live in Colo and there is NO way I would go with out 4wd. I have even been in situations where I have lost traction on wet grass or the front end was in a dip in dirt. But then again we are mostly boon dockers. Never did have a "service" problem with my drive train. I get 11.5 to 12.5 pulling my BH or hauling the TC.
 

sislv

Tom & Sharol
4X4 or not

We have a 2006 GMC 2500HD D/A crew cab 4X4 and a Bighorn 3055RL. Twice last summer back in Michigan we needed 4 wheel drive to get out of our camp sites. It had rained the previous week in clay country and I could not pull out in 2 wheel drive. Slipped it into 4 wheel and didn't spin a wheel getting out.

I believe the additional weight, fuel mileage concerns are not important factors as much as being able to have the additional traction when needed. As far as mileage goes, we averaged overall 14.8 mpg on our trip to Florida from Michigan, and that included going thru the Cumberland Gap area of KY/TN.

Additionally depending on your home area, a 4X4 2500HD can be worth more when you're selling or trading it.

Tom & Sharol
 

ct0218

Well-known member
If you change to a larger tire on a GM Duramax/Allison truck your mileage will definitely suffer. I have a 4x4 D/A and get 10-11.5 MPG towing, depending on speed and headwind, and up to 18 solo. I use 4 WD a lot-gravel roads, icy conditions, boat ramps, even wet grass at a campground with a good slope once. Nice to have when you need it. Flat-land towing, always in warmer areas, never on gravel, etc., you may never need 4x4. Really boils down to how you will and might use it. Also, in this area, a 2WD truck will cost you on a resale or trade-in bigtime. On edit, the transfer case and front differential are pretty well made today. If you have 4WD you need to use it at least once a month to keep everything well lubed and to keep your seals from drying out. I have never had a 4x4 problem in 4 trucks and 400K miles of wear.
 

Tom of Ypsi

Well-known member
I used 4x4 twice last year one for me after it had rained all night and parked on grass. The second time was to pull out a 2 wheel drive that could not leave his campsite because of a slight incline and dew on the grass. I will always have four wheel drive as long as I camp in any other type of site except paved sites.
 

Dirt1st

Member
I too would not be without 4 wheel drive. I have a 2003 Silvarado HD, Duramax, and use my 4 wheel drive several time a year. Sometimes it makes maneuvering a trailer easier, especially if you have to put one side of your trailer up on blocks. I just put it in 4 wheel low and the rig will idle anywhere. I think the earlier post about poor mileage had as much to do with a lift kit and big tires. My DMax is box stock. Around town I get 16 to 17+mpg. Pulling a 10,000 plus lb. toyhauler me mileage varies from about 9 to 12+ depending on how fast I am pulling, and how many 10,000 foot plus passes I have to tow over.
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably get the 4WD. I've also run into problems with wet grass and loose dirt. These were NOT boondocking situations.
 

5catfam

Active Member
I started with a 2wd gas pickup towing a lite weight 5th wheel. I up graded to the GMC diesel last year and could not beleive the differance in ride and ease of towing, Now with our new 3055 rl we are looking foward to this new season, as for 2wd, 4x4 is the only way to go. None
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
In 2001 I bought a new Ford F350 crew cab dually, 4x2. I loved my truck and it did a great job, but there were times I wished I had bought a 4x4. Being a dually, you always keep the rear tires on solid ground.Always said when I bought again it would be a 4x4, and it was. Glad I made the purchase. Love my 4x4.Buy the 4x4.
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
From someone that owned a 4x2 dually, buy the 4x4. Just did and I love it. There are times when you will need it.
 

DougLynne

retired Alberta Chapter Leaders
I'm on my 2nd 4X2 and my last. I have been stuck twice in the last couple of years in wet conditions and once this winter. With my first truck I never got stuck. I was adament I didn't need 4X4 but have changed my mind../Doug
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
One more reason to buy 2wd...............4x4 guys out number 2wd guys 10 to 1 (as of these posts). If you get stuck in the mud with your 2wd, then there will be 10 4x4s to pull you out. You will be happy to be unstuck and the 4x4s will be happy to have bragging rights. This way is a win win situation for everyone.......................................................
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
I bought my first 4x4 back in the 70's to get from the room to the lounge, I would not ever even consider pulling the Horn or any other large 5er without the 4x option, period................UR

Forrest, you are right, but if I am dragging the BH uphill past you and with no way to drop a hook to help .
I will always have On-Star to call in your position, we dry camp a lot and sometimes help is not handy and even that grassy little hill can be tough, everything being equal, gas mpg and all 4x is safer / better.....thats what I thunk...UR
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
OTRA,

How's that for a lot of quick feedback!

I have a 2WD 1-ton dually diesel. And I like it alot. It sits fully, 6" lower all the way around, vs a 4X4. There are other benefits as well (weight, cost etc.).

There are times that I wished I had 4WD. I didn't own my truck long before I buried the front-end up to the hubs in freshly dumped gravel in a new driveway. Talk about embarrasing - having my RAM pulled out by a Ford:eek:

For the first two years, the truck had been my daily driver. In Chicago winters, in new and packed snow, being a dually, there's a lot of slipping and sliding. 4WD would have been so much more sure-footed.

Then recently, I took the truck out for a bit of exercise (it sits in the driveway waiting for spring as I now drive my wife's old car), I got it stuck out at my seasonal site one day as we were checking out the trailer, making sure it was still there etc. I was turning around on a narrow paved circle and the long-bed crew-cab could not make the tight turn so the right-side outside dual was into the snow a bit. Well, that's as far as I got. Took me about 20 minutes of digging snow by hand to finally get myself out.

That all said, I am pleased with my 2WD choice 99% of the time. It's that pesky 1% of the time that is irksome for me. Depending on my locale, the next time I get a truck, it just may be 4WD.

Best of luck to you!

Jim
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Ok nhunter, you caught me :eek:

Seriously, I have always liked the look of the Ford dually vs. the others. But it was my research of the Cummins that swayed me towards Dodge. I would not rule out owning a Ford (especially the new 450) one day. No slight to the Chevy guys :) It's all good!

Jim
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Jim, no slight taken, when I bought the GMC i never even considered owning a 5er, much less anything as nice as the BH, or as BIG! I think your truck should be the one you are most comfortable with. Looks, appointments, power, ride, stopping ability and just you over all comfort level. I have friends who have lemon lawed all three of the majors and I think if your rig was made on Monday AM or Friday PM, your in trouble!That being said if I planned to buy a BH another BH puller it would be bigger, have more tires and a sunroof! And of course a 4x4!
 

nhunter

Well-known member
Ok, I have a confession to make. At a very troubled time in my life, was pulled out of a snow bank by a GM. I feel better that my dark secret is out. ;)
 
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