Chains or 4WD?

[big rockpile]

Ok both our Pickups have 4WD which we need alot of times to get in and out of here.But we did ok with 2WD and Chains.

With the added cost and more upkeep do you think 4WD is worth it?

big rockpile

[Oregon Julie]

It is for me. I absolutely hate putting on chains. If I could put the rig up on a lift, in a heated garage, put them on and take them off this way I would still not like doing it. Done it plenty of times prior to getting 4x4 vehicles and would never go back to two wheel drive.

[Darren]

I use four wheel drive every day. Even when it's dry the road up to the house goes better in four high. There are times on rock, when there's no substitute for four wheel drive. I can get across the creek without putting it into four wheel drive. High water always deposits silt on the far bank. To get up the cut in the creek bank it's far easier with the front tires pulling.

Around here chains are only used on the trucks going to drill locations because of the mud. Snow is not an issue. Last time I used chains was in the 60's.

Even school buses in the mountains in WV now use the onspot or similar activate when needed systems.

[Hooligan]

I'm not sure about So MO but in northern New England 4x4 is well worth it.

Next best thing is a limited slip (locking) differential on a 2x4.

Open differential in a 2x4..... forget about it.

[Common Tator]

Our ranch is in the rugged mountains, and we wouldn't have a vehicle that doesn't have 4X4 or AWD now. It isn't enough sometimes. Last winter I had to walk away from my SUV for a whole week because a guest had left a very deep rut on our road when he got stuck. I tried to avoid it but my tire slipped into the rut and would spin while all the other tires wouldn't budge. The car doesn't have a feature that my next vehicle will have. Sometimes it's called positraction, on newer cars it is called traction control. It distributes power to all wheels, so I won't get stuck like that again.

And about your question on chains, I had chains on all four tires when I got stuck. For our road, we are asking folks not to come down if they don't have 4X4 and chains (not cables) on all four when the snow is deep. Otherwise, they will have to walk away from their vehicles until the snow melts, blocking our road.

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by Oregon Julie

It is for me. I absolutely hate putting on chains....

This probably wouldn't bother Big Rockpile...he has his wife to take the chains on and off.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by Common Tator

Our ranch is in the rugged mountains, and we wouldn't have a vehicle that doesn't have 4X4 or AWD now. It isn't enough sometimes.

Moreover, sometimes 4WD isn't enough to be allowed to get through. I have a 4WD Explorer that has always gotten me through, and I really wouldn't want to have to live without 4WD, but sometimes the Highway Patrol puts up a roadblock and won't let anyone through without chains, even with 4WD. That can be a real problem if there are no hotel rooms left where you just came from, which can happen.

I have 4WD, but I always carry chains during the winter months. I've never needed to use them, but they're ready if I need them.

But to live with 2WD? No, not in rural northern Nevada. The chain drill would be a daily routine; putting them on for rural roads, then taking them back off for the freeway. I see people doing it, but no thanks.

[hunter63]

I won't be with out 4 WD any more, haven't been for a long time.

I have a set of chains for the old Ford 4X4, never used them, still in the bag.
As long as you dont's do the old "here hold my beer and watch this", gennerally you don't need chains around here. I haven't gotten in too much trouble,...yet

Any one wants them your welcome to them, shipping may be a problem............
Can't tell you what size as they are frozen in a ice pack at the moment.

[artificer]

Hmmm... sitting in the nice warm cab, reach over to the dash and push the button, and continue on my way vs. get out, grab the chains, clear the snow from the tires,put the chains on, drive forward, tighten the chains, continue driving the short distance before taking them off...

Even with the manual locking hubs on the F250, I'd go with 4wd before chains, but I guess it depends on how often you need them. For only 1-2 times a season, and if you didn't need 4x4 the rest of the year, it might make sense.

I got around surprisingly well with the Dakota 1x4 pickup. (no limited slip differential/positrac) Now that we have the property, and the tractor road/driveway is steep, I can't see even trying to get up there unless its been recently plowed. The Astro van with limited slip diff has problems going up the hill. The F250 4x4 makes it, unless its the 28degF+ temps that cause the snow to turn instantly to ice if you drive over it.

I've been thinking of getting chains for the F250, in addition to its 4x4. At least I would have some chance of going up the glare ice of the hill.
(is it a bad sign when you stop going up the hill, and start sliding backwards? Brakes don't hold you, and only make it impossible to steer. Let up on the brakes, steer back to the middle of the road, apply brakes, skid towards the ditch, repeat...)

Michael

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by artificer

Hmmm... sitting in the nice warm cab, reach over to the dash and push the button

You have to push a button? The Explorer has "4WD on Demand", which shifts into 4WD when the computer senses that you need it. As I understand it, 4WD on Demand is tied in with the ABS wheel sensors to know if you're slipping.

[Hank]

Cabin Fever, you just beat me to it! A job like putting on tire chains would never bother Big Rockpile. Just read his sig. line. LOL

Hank
hrrp://www.doublemfarmandchuckwagon.webs.com

[fishhead]

Originally Posted by Common Tator

I tried to avoid it but my tire slipped into the rut and would spin while all the other tires wouldn't budge. .

Next time try pushing slightly on the brake as you push on the gas. Sometimes that's enough to send power to the other wheels.

[Common Tator]

Originally Posted by fishhead

Next time try pushing slightly on the brake as you push on the gas. Sometimes that's enough to send power to the other wheels.

Thanks, tried that. In fact it is strange in that the tire would spin on it's own unless I applied the brakes.

[wy_white_wolf]

There's no reason you can't have both. I've had to chain up the 4x4's on all 4 corners. Comes with being a wrecker driver in a Wyoming.

[foxtrapper]

Lets see, throw a lever and engage 4wd, or get out and spend about half an hour installing and then removing the chains. Gee, which would I chose.

And at that 2wd with chains still isn't as good as 4wd.

Not a hard choice for me at all.

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

This probably wouldn't bother Big Rockpile...he has his wife to take the chains on and off.

She is really good at it!

big rockpile

[big rockpile]

I was told not to put Chains on 4X4.

Well there is times when a person is sideways half way up a hill and no way of putting on Chains.Or kind of High Center where extra wheel pulling sure would help.

My wife is scared if I have 4X4 I try things I shouldn't. Who Me!!

big rockpile

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by Nevada

You have to push a button? The Explorer has "4WD on Demand", which shifts into 4WD when the computer senses that you need it. As I understand it, 4WD on Demand is tied in with the ABS wheel sensors to know if you're slipping.

Thats great for the guy who buys a new vehicle with warranty. It would be a nightmare for the guy buying it late in its life for a cheap vehicle. One of these modern miracles acts up when out of warranty and best thing to do is get out the screwdriver, remove the licence plate and any paperwork, then start walking and stick out your thumb.

[SFM in KY]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

I was told not to put Chains on 4X4.
big rockpile

I don't know why that would be. Had 4 x 4 pickups on the ranch in Montana for years and a lot of the time had chains on as well.

Rule of thumb there (for off road, feeding cattle, etc.) was that you ran in 4 wheel drive chained up on the rear. When you got stuck, you chained up in the front so you could get un-stuck ... and then you turned around and went back, because if you got stuck chained up all around, you were going to sit there until someone found a bulldozer!

My ex tried it once ... absolutely *knew* he could get from the house to the road (a mile) with no problem if he chained up all around.

I had to roll the window down and slide out of the window to walk back home because there was no way you could open the door. The roadgrader pulled the pickup out when they came in to clear the road two days later!

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by HermitJohn

Thats great for the guy who buys a new vehicle with warranty. It would be a nightmare for the guy buying it late in its life for a cheap vehicle. One of these modern miracles acts up when out of warranty and best thing to do is get out the screwdriver, remove the licence plate and any paperwork, then start walking and stick out your thumb.

It's happened. One day I got in my Explorer and started it up. The 4WD & 4WD Low lights were both blinking. I switched to "4WD" but it wouldn't shift into 4WD. I thought, "Oh swell, there goes $3000."

Before going to a dealer to find out what was wrong I visited an Explorer forum and searched for the problem. As luck would have it, this was a common problem that had to do with the computer getting confused. The cure was to remove the positive battery terminal for 15 minutes, then replace it. The problem was fixed and it never happened again.

The one thing I don't like about it is that you can't force it into 2WD. The settings are Auto, 4WD, and 4WD Low. In Auto it shifts into 4WD as needed, but it makes an unsettling jolt that i don't like. I usually switch into 4WD manually when I'm in snow to avoid that.