Yes, wouldn't be with out one, although 4 wheel drive allows you to get stuck in a lot worse places than you ever have before............

 

No way would I be with out one. Funny thing about getting stuck, when it happens to me there is no time to prepare for it. Here in Ga we don't get that much snow but ice storms are relatively common. Even that is not the reason I always drive a 4wd. In the summer thunder storms are nearly a daily occurance. Any one of my job sites can be dusty-dry and slick as snot an hour later.
When you need it its always there, can the same be said about chains or dead weight?

 

If'n the missus should finaly come to her senses and realize that she could do better than you, would you really be worrying about 4wd

 

I don't need 4wd very often, but when I do, nothing else will suffice.

 

If'n the missus should finaly come to her senses and realize that she could do better than you, would you really be worrying about 4wd

So far I'm the best out of three,after 25 years she figures why change :shrug:

No what brought this up about a month ago I drove her Tracker and told her something didn't sound right in the Front End.She took it to the shop everything seemed ok.

Well yesterday she calls me and said something was wrong with her Brakes.I drive over.Her Wheel was about to fall off because of the Wheelbearing going out.

We was next to a Shop,so we got it over there.In order to fix it with used parts and a New Bearing $260.

If we had it at home we could have fixed it ourselves.

I told my DW to quit messing with things ourself,to take it and have the so called experts check it over,that they should catch things we wouldn't Well so much for that. :shrug:

big rockpile

 

I've always had 4WD. We are considering buying a newer pickup made this century. I was going back an forth on spending the extra for 4WD. I pulled my work truck off the highway to turn around and there was a slight incline and snow. Back wheels spun, I had to get out and lock the hubs to back onto the highway again. That settled it, I get 4WD once again.

 

Ok instead of doing without the 4WD.My DW figured I needed Automatic Transmission and 4WD on the fly,because of problems with my Legs.To me I like the Lockouts better and Standard Transmission.

What do you think on this?

big rockpile

 

Some friends and I like taking our ATVs north to the Black River Falls' ATV trails. Two of us have 4WD (on mine, I can switch between 4WD and 2WD). Guess who never gets stuck and who ends up pulling the others out of mud holes and rain-filled swampy areas?
Its the same with the tractor. Countless times I've switched it to 4WD for the extra power to pull a stump, dig in with the FEL, etc.
I think the price difference is justified with pretty much everything I use around the farm. Now, if I can just get the minivan in a 4WD...

 

I loved it when i had it nothing like being able to pull a trailer in over a foot of snow + drifts acrost a field but honnestly did not use it that often my 99 f150 had what looked like front wheel drive going to the front and a standard rear axel it could be engauged at 55 and disengauged without backing up it all no hubs

the truck got 20 mpg hwy 2wd with the 4.2 v6 i miss that truck but hard to get 1 car seat in a standard cab let alone 3 so we traded it in for my 01 e350 van

some day i will get anouther truck maybe in a decade or after winning the lotto

did i metion that the truck had ruber floors bench seat and crank windows
and a 8 foot bed the way all trucks were meant to be. there is a reason you rarely see a used truck with ruber floors bench seat and 8 foot bed
because those are the ones the get driven forever i would have driven mine to it's death had kids not caused the trade

 

I like a manual trans and auto lock hubs. Seems like in the Ford work truck, I always have to wade a river of ice or knee deep mud to get to the hubs. Sometimes I almost think I should lock them before I get in trouble, but that's no fun.

 

big rockpile,

After trucking on ranches and country dirt roads for 35 years, I will tell you that limited slip differentials are darned near as good as 4x4's. If 4x4's will get you out of difficult situations 100% of the time, then limited slip will work for you 95% of the time. With my 2x2 limited slip truck, I have pulled dozens of 4x4's out of the ditch. Many people with 4x4's think they are bullet proof. I can honestly say that I have never been stuck in a limited slip truck.

Billy Clyde

 

Seems like in the Ford work truck, I always have to wade a river of ice or knee deep mud to get to the hubs.

I think that's why my dad had my brother and I...

 

big rockpile,

Limited slip costs $215 and 4x4 costs $2500. To some folks, however, money is no object.

B C

 

big rockpile,

After trucking on ranches and country dirt roads for 35 years, I will tell you that limited slip differentials are darned near as good as 4x4's. If 4x4's will get you out of difficult situations 100% of the time, then limited slip will work for you 95% of the time. With my 2x2 limited slip truck, I have pulled dozens of 4x4's out of the ditch. Many people with 4x4's think they are bullet proof. I can honestly say that I have never been stuck in a limited slip truck.

Billy Clyde

i agree till you add snow to the doors going up hill

 

i agree till you add snow to the doors going up hill

....or pushing a snow plow.

 

Those all wheel drives are a joke when you need real traction. Make sure you get 4-WD with high and low range. High to get you in trouble, low to get you out.

 

big rockpile...get the 4x4 you wont be sorry you did

i got a 1990 f-250 4x4

1991 tracker 4x4

a 30h.p. tractor 4x4 with loader.

also if you put V-bar chains on the front you can pull out very easy on solid ice roads on incline or waht ever.thay stop you dead still on solid ice.they are spendy thoguh.

but throw in a few different chains and a hand winch...if you get it stuck..you will be glad you have them..plus a shovel.a friend had a 4x4 ford with limited slip in the front and rear...he special ordered it...that thing would realy go.

 

Ok I'm out in the middle of nowhere,drive down in the woods.....big rockpile

That's about all I needed to read - go with 4WD. It's not like those city folks that do it for status and the occasional romp into the woods, neither is it something just for winter use. How many times have me and my brother pushed my old Ford Ranger 2x4 out of the woods, because the leaves were WET and once the tires got greased up a little, that's all she wrote!

I back the truck down some easy slope to pick up a deer, or a load wood - get it loaded, and about 1/2 the time, It'd be the wife driving while 2 or 3 of us boys pushed. Those Oak and Hickory leaves get slicker than snow when their wet.

If the wife thinks it's a bad investment, ask her if she wants to push the next time!

 

The biggest problem with 4x4 is I go places I should not be. I went from 4X4 too 2X4. I am getting ready to work outside in sub zero temps to get my old bronco back togeather befor going back to FL. I feel a 4X4 is very important. I carry a Hi-lift jack and a come-a-long with me at all times just incase.
I like Manual Hubs I know that they are ingaged. I have had less problems with them. I allso like Manuel transfer case. I have had auto hubs stick on me and have had push button 4X4 motor burn up on my brouther before. No fun and costly!!!
Auto and Manuel transmissions have there ups and down I feel. I dont know wich I like better????

 

I like 4wd, as a second or third vehicle. I do prefer a manual engaging lever rather than push button too(although we had a selec trac Cherokee and it worked flawlessly) never liked my friends Fords with lock out hubs, they are always full of crud. Currently i don't have a street legal 4wd, but I have a YJ for on the farm that could get a plate easily. I just don't need 4 vehicles on the road. I do need one less Buick. Maybe if it sells I'll put the Jeep on the road, they're just not my idea of a practical road truck. If it was a Cherokee or a Chev trailblazer it would already be plated. The cost has never been a big problem.

 

4wd as I am to a point where I dont want to mess with chains if I can help it. I want manual hubs and manual shift. If I know I will probably need 4wd, then I just leave the hubs locked. Any fancy nancy automatic anything is just trouble waiting to happen on an older vehicle.

 

4WD pays for itself time and again. When you back a stock trailer into a cowyard or muddy hog lot, then need to drive away fully loaded you will just drive away with 4WD. Safer on ice & snow, because the front wheels pulling help keep you in a straight line. You get more done in a day because you aren't jacking around getting a tractor to pull you off a slippery spot.

Plus, 4WD always comes back to you in resale value.

 

I have 4 4X4 vehicles (6 if you count my wheelers). Personal safety is very high on my list.

My truck has been locked in 4X4 for about 3 1/2 months now. I will take it out when I make a highway trip if the roads are somewhat dry.

I only use a few times in the summer though. Usually pulling my boat up a slick or steep launch.

"Off Roading" in Alaska tears up trucks and spits them out. The standard "mudder" in the lower 48 will not last too long. The guys that play off road put thousands of dollars into their trucks. The guys that work off road use dozers and track rigs.

 

Lockers and limited slip 2wd trucks don't even come close. I've had them, and 4x4's. They fail because they are on the back of a truck, which is generally darn light and can't dig in for traction.

I've had shift on the fly and manual hubs. I prefer shift on the fly for ease of use. Yes, I can get better gas mileage with manual hubs, but I really hate the getting in and out to lock and unlock them. Of course, I could just leave them locked all the time. I don't like automatic hubs though. Pesky things frequently stick, and don't engage until I've already spun the wheel.

Now were I to build my idea of the ultimate 4x4 farm truck, it'd be as low slung as a 2wd model, and have a suspension capable of dropping the truck to the ground so I can load it most easily. The thing I dislike most about 4x4 trucks is trying to fling things up into that bed. Stacking hay in a 4x4 is *so* much fun, not!

 

I'll never be w/o a 4x4 again or a truck. It'll also probably be another Toyota. Shouldn't jinx myself but my truck has over 250,000 on it and runs like a charm.

Glo