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2wd vs 4wd truck in snow on hills - NO weight in bed.

22K views 91 replies 26 participants last post by  Thoff93 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm looking for a new truck. I read some articles that 4wd isn't necessarily better for snow. I always thought it was a no-brainer that 4wd was better, but they were talking about cars, not trucks, and were saying things like snow tires and possibly chains are what make the most difference.

The only reason I lean towards hoping a 2WD is as good if not better than a 4x4 is because it's less parts. I'm buying it used, I don't want to worry that the previous owner messed up the trans and then have to replace it (or both in a 4x4?) in a year or two. Plus I might find a good deal and it's 2WD. I won't be realty towing much or towing on big hills, so I don't think I'll need 4x4 for towing, just for snow. Maybe I'll try uprooting really small stumps with it though.

I have a 2WD Ranger now. It's pretty bad in the snow with the bed empty or even with ~500lbs.
I drive like a bjtch in the snow too, I let people pass me sometimes, because I'd rather play it safe then to learn from an accident what the threshold of MPH and maneuvering is with this truck. I mean, I've messed around and did donuts and turns etc in empty parking lots and got an idea of its threshold but it is definitely pretty bad in the snow. It doesn't get stuck from a dead stop too bad like most of the coupes I've owned but it fishtails much worse.

so anyway, long story here, but I can't stress enough how much I never want anything remotely like this to ever happen again:
Last Winter I had a spur of the moment decision to go snowboarding. I didn't check the weather. It's very hilly near the ski resort of course. I usually don't deal with hills like this. I was like 10 mins from the ski place and it started snowing that thick snow that sticks to the pavement immediately.

I kid you not, how I made it to that ski place without crashing in the next 10 minutes felt like a 1 in 500,000 chance. Everyone was fishtailing and/or doing like 3 MPH on the way down the hills which I was going up. There were cars that are supposed to be great in the snow like 4wd subarus etc fishtailing at like 5MPH and sliding down the hill. There were boulders and possibly cliffs 5' to my right. There was no where to stop on these country cliff roads. It was so steep I would have slid back if I stopped. I literally had the wheel completely turned to the left in order to be going straight at certain times, and with cars right next to me in the opposite lane. I was freaking out. I had some Fn @#%^ behind me like riding my @#$ and the whole time I'm obviously flashing my high beams, I have a giant industrial emergency light on my truck that came with it that I had on, I was laying on the horn and beeping erratically.

I miraculously made it to a flat area where I could pull over. I start flagging down people asking if they were local etc and if they knew if they were going to even plow and salt these middle of nowhere roads. All I got was a 'maybe' from some locals and people that worked at the ski place which was like 10 seconds away up one last hill. I thought I was gonna sleep in my car but didn't know how long I'd be there until they plowed the area so I could go down the hills, or if they were going to plow and salt at all. After sitting like an hour or something, I decide to go for it up the one last hill to the resort parking lot where I might or might not have slept in my truck if they plowed the streets by the time I was done skiing. It was a small hill that takes like 8 seconds to drive up with no snow, so I waited for no oncoming cars and went for it up the center of the road with the highbeams and hazards flashing, laying on the horn erratically, emergency light going, and then @#% @%# #2 just couldn't' wait 5 seconds I guess and starts driving down the hill as I'm going up the center of the road! I don't know how I didn't crash into them or the rock wall 2' to my right.

So anyway, I snowboarded and by the time they closed, they had plowed and salting the roads fantastically, and I drove home fine (slowly).

I just kinda started researching this with watching youtube comparison videos etc and will probably end up with a 4WD, but I figured I'd also ask here since most of you have trucks anyway and might be in very hilly areas. What I've seen so far in comparison videos isn't really what I described either though. I haven't encountered hills/conditions like this except for going to the ski resort and usually I'm ok with the 2WD and going slow, but I would be nice to go skiing and not worry about if it's going to snow/freeze and also just to have the assurance in case I somehow find myself in similar situation even though if not on the way to the ski resort.

Is it simply that yes, 4WD is better overall for handling but doesn't guarantee at all that I can safely drive in conditions like this even if I add snow straps/chains (and possibly adding bed weight even though it's already a 4WD)?


side note, it makes me wonder with all the automated driving technology coming out now how they account for slippery conditions like this.

EDIT: snow tires, I just get whatever fits from the junkyard. I get tires that are like %80 tred installed with previous tires removed for a total of like $35 each. Don't really want to spend I dunno $400 for a set of snow tires and change them out twice a year to other tires, but will definitely get chains/straps if they are much better than snow tires anyway. But then I dunno if I shouldn't drive on black salted pavement with the chains/straps.

thanks for any input
 
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#2 ·
so...when I was a kid, 4x4 was a gimmick. Not a lot of people had them.
I began plowing for Fairfield Landscaping in a 1985 2wd dually gmc
When I owned my own business I ran several Mitsu fuso plow trucks that were 2wd.
My dad never owned a 4x4 and did just fine his whole 50 years of driving and never lived farther south than Connecticut in his life.

Big rigs aren't 4x4.
Most buses aren't 4x4
Most Dot trucks that plow aren't 4x4
More than 70% of the time Im plowing I'm not using 4x4 but its dang nice to use when I DO need it.

so I guess its all relative.

you can get chains and/or snow tires and put sand bags in the back for weight and do fine.

I can run down roads that will bury your doors in deep snow and not be hampered enough to notice.
I know a dude that works for me and has a 2wd excursion ( i didn't even know they CAME without 4x4??) and he says snow tires make all the difference.

I think you're reasoning for not wanting 4x4 (parts replacement) is dumb... In all the years I've run 4x4s I can't think of but ONE in nearly 30 years of owning them, where the 4x4 went out and needed repair/replacement.

Several rear ends, but thats the same part on a 2wd
 
#3 · (Edited)
omg, so I watching like 2wd vs 4wd in snow videos, and eventually get into snow crash videos, I only watched a few, I've seen stuff like this before but not while thinking about what truck I'm getting for safety, nor after my incident with it snowing only a couple inches unexpectedly on my way to snowboarding. Now I'm just basically not driving on anything besides small residential roads when it's snowing out (and I'll be doin like 3MPH lol). I've also learned before that it's amazing how different the snow can vary in icyness 20 mins from a different area to think that it'll be ok to drive but it's not the same conditions even 10 minutes away.

Basically not until after the roads are salted and everything will I go do things further. I mean, I'm sure there will be exceptions but basically no.
Snow plows gotta do what they gotta do and deal with the dangers, and I'm certain they don't want any extra cars out while they'd plowing either.

If I want to ski or snowboard on fresh powder instead of the icy shjt that's normally the man-made conditions in the North East, I'll have to stay at the resort ( it gets super crowded with fresh snow anyway and I absolutely despise other people skiing/snowboarding anywhere near me). Definitely gonna remember to check to make sure there's no snow in forecast before I leave for the ski mountains.

Video shows only maybe 10 cars but it was actually like 173 cars. This is not even a hill I don't think. these idiots are actually driving that fast. Amazingly only 1-3 people died, dozens injured though. I'm the person who would be doing 4MPH with the hazards on and then get smashed dead from behind from someone who didn't realize it was snowing and slippery?
this will scare you straight. be safe:


My last car was wrecked after a snow storm. It had already been plowed and salted for hours and by the time I hit the road it was no worse than if it had rained a little bit. I was doing maybe 45 in a 50. Snow plow pulls right out in front of me to make a left (he just didn't look, musta been working overnight for like 14 hours, it was day light and not snowing or foggy or anything, my lights were on, he would have seen me from a mile away), so in order to not drive my little coupe directly into the side of the plow blade which was up, I cut the wheel right to try and go down the road he was turning out of but wasn't possible to make a 90 degree turn. Luckily all I hit was a big rail road sign with the blinking lights. I knocked it down and my coupe was on top of it a foot up in the air. I was perfectly fine luckily.
 
#9 ·
Not to mention in the OP's ramble that He is going for another 2wd truck after being scared driving in one in a storm and being all over the road and barely doing 5mph.. shouldn't even be driving in those conditions, that's why the state bans ppl unless your working..

With that said I've ran 2wd trucks since I got my license, last few years I bought a couple 4x4, trucks, night and day in a pickup with no weight. As said before it doesn't help on ice.

Get the 4x4 for YOUR safety and others, you can leave hubs locked if your get manual ones and go in and out of 4 wheel as needed in slippery conditions, you'll never look back
 
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#12 ·
4x4 matters on slippery roads because the front tires many times bite in for traction when rears arent getting any , this prevents going into a slide many a time . if i lived south ide have 2 wheel so theres less parts that can go wrong , but in michigan theres no way ide say 2 wheel is as safe as 4 wheel
 
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#13 ·
4x4 handles better..BUT it doesn't mean you're invincible and wreck proof.....I've seen 4x4's in the ditch because of idiots driving thinking 4x4 is the end all be all and as long as it is in 4 wheel they are unstoppable. If it's snowing and i'm in 4x4 I do about 5-10 mph below speed limit, take my time braking watch everything going on around me closely, I also run all terrain tires, whether that makes any difference? Dunno, but I camp a lot, visit property with gravel roads and dirt so I prefer to have them on..... but yeah 4 wheel is night and day compared to 2wd....

It doesn't really matter in ice....no traction is no traction.

I recommend the 4x4.
 
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#15 ·
Four wheels pulling is far advanced to only two rear wheels pulling. Not that you need 4-wheel drive for all driving scenarios, but when you do need the added functionality of four wheels pulling, it will get you out of situations a 2-wheel drive will leave you looking for help. 4-wheel drive is also much safer, contrary to what select few may say. Front wheel drive is far better than rear wheel drive, much more advanced in handling anything from water to snow.
 
#16 ·
4x4 helps to propel the truck forward. It does nothing for stopping or turning. Snow tires improve traction, stopping, and turning. Traction control and anti-skid help also. Chains are awesome, but suck to use.

I have tried plowing in 2wd, it works ok on flat ground. Trying to plow anything uphill requires 4x4. At this point, I would never consider a 2wd truck for a work truck.
 
#17 ·
4x4 helps to propel the truck forward. It does nothing for stopping or turning. Snow tires improve traction, stopping, and turning. Traction control and anti-skid help also. Chains are awesome, but suck to use.

I have tried plowing in 2wd, it works ok on flat ground. Trying to plow anything uphill requires 4x4. At this point, I would never consider a 2wd truck for a work truck.
:clapping:
 
#20 ·
OP, get 4x4 for winter work and to help maintain your man card.

TP- class 8 trucks with 2 rear axles (almost all of them) are 4wheel drive. Recently there has been a new fuel saving trend to make one a dummy axle but that's for guys running the southeast.
 
#22 ·
4x4 helps to propel the truck forward. It does nothing for stopping or turning. Snow tires improve traction, stopping, and turning. Traction control and anti-skid help also. Chains are awesome, but suck to use.

I have tried plowing in 2wd, it works ok on flat ground. Trying to plow anything uphill requires 4x4. At this point, I would never consider a 2wd truck for a work truck.
Why plow up hill?

That's like mowing lawns full of dog doo
Leave that stuff for the newbs and those desperate for work.

Can you plow my crazy ass driveway that looks like a luge from the Matterhorn ride, but I only want it plowed after 6"?

No but I can give you the number to my competition!
 
#28 ·
Newbs? Desperate? WTF?

Every area is different, I live in a very hilly area. More than half of the driveways are hilly. I have customers, they have driveways, they need plowing. If I spend $3K to get 4wd when I buy a truck, I don't give up the majority of the plowing market.

It is so hilly, I use snows, 4wd, and chains when necessary. We still get stuck. I pull other plow guys out of spots every year. I get pulled out from time to time by other guys.

As an example, in this area the town or state won't put a 2wd truck on plow contract. And for good reason.
 
#24 ·
Why are you equating these types of trucks to pickups? It’s idiotic to argue a 2WD pickup will navigate snow covered roads with even close to same ability as 4WD. Throw in a couple steep climbs and your 2WD is done.
 
#26 ·
TP- Ice road truckers is whiny drama queens so I've seen about 2 episodes back when Lisa was on it. Never once did I see a 2wd class 8 truck on there. What kind of moron would drive that in those conditions?
 
#27 · (Edited)
Not to mention in the OP's ramble that He is going for another 2wd truck after being scared driving in one in a storm and being all over the road and barely doing 5mph..
even 4x4 small subarus etc were sliding all over that mountain, so a 4x4 wouldn't even really have helped. But that's kinda besides the point now, because nothing (4x4 with chains, locker rear diff etc) should make the driver totally confident on ice/slopes.

even though I'm basically not driving far until the roads are plowed and well salted, the thing is that even though some articles say 2wd is as good as 4wd in the snow and that the main factors are things like snow tires and chains -- - they are talking front wheel drive coupes, not Rear Wheel Drive pickups. A RWD truck is just the worst = fishtails etc.

I will say I don't think I got stuck from a dead stop (flat ground) in my 2wd truck as much or as worse as I've gotten stuck in a FWD coupe (forward and inch, back and inch, repeat repeat and eventually gets out). But handling a 2WD truck is worse than a FWD coupe. My first car was an 89 Thunderbird with 2WD Rear Wheel (not front wheel)= got stuck so bad, I put the floor mats under the tires etc and dig, left it overnight in a parking lot once. Got stuck in sand once.

Since I'm purposely not really going to drive in snowy conditions anyway until it's after plowed and salted, a 2WD would be just as good as a 4x4, but then there's always that chance that it snows unexpectedly or some areas aren't plowed yet, so I am getting a 4WD now. It wasn't the 'more parts of a 4x4 vs 2wd = more maintenance' that was the main thing come to think of it, it was more that there's more selection if I can chose a 2WD also, but I gotta have 4x4 just in case.
 
#30 ·
Why do you post rants when you never listen to anyone here? Good luck with 2wd BC an article said so not actual guys trying to help you, a ranger weighs nothing, as most pickups in the back do.

Your posts make me laugh between this and waiting almost two months for parts, but not wanting to upgrade for good reasons, and instead of honking and flashing lights, going under 5mpg on a road BC your vehicle isn't capable of being in the storm, just stay off the road. IDC if I'm rude I read these posts and can't believe the nonsense. My two cents.
 
#35 ·
Claiming a pickup with 2WD is near as good as having 4x4 truck on snowy icy roads and hills is just stupid.

Why is this even a discussion?

Pentagast would last one snowstorm here in his 2wd banger and then never leave the house again until Spring
 
#36 ·
And yet my 2wd e350 vans with snows and weight seem to have zero problems in the hills of VT and NH.
States they do not even use SALT in.

DOT plows=2wd.
Majority of commercial guys here=2wd 450+ trucks.
State plows are 4wd, only because they are 5 yard 10 wheelers...And still RWD. 2 powered rear axles.

4wd plows are for those that like replacing ball joints and bushings and cannot drive.
 
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