I have towed with both and I would never again tow with a 4x2. If you go with a 4x2, the first time you have trouble moving your RV on wet grass on relatively level ground, you'll wish you had gone with the 4x4. Happened to me 3 times in less than a year. I took the darn 4x2 down and traded it in.
I currently have a 4wd tow vehicle. It is also used as my daily driver when the snow gets deep. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used the 4wd while towing over several years. We camp often at State and National Parks. I have never used 4wd while towing in these parks. That said, my next TV will most likely not be a 4wd. As mentioned above, the extra weight takes away from the payload capacity and may also negatively effect fuel mileage. Good luck!
If I had a dedicated TV and was primarily hauling on the highway to private CG's. 4x2 would be fine. However, mine is also my daily driver, and last winter there was a solid month I couldn't get up the lane to the County Road without 4 wheel drive. When I park my 5er, I always shift into 4wheel as I am on a gravel slope and don't want to spin a tire. Ummm, and, yeah, I have taken my TV over Imogene Pass in Colorado.
Puller: '04 HD2500 4x4 SB,EC Duramax/Allison. Airaid intake, 4in. exhaust turbo back, ORU leveler.
Pullee: '02 Keystone Cougar 276EFS Reese 16k w/ slider.
(map is for current 5er only)
If you camp during nice weather, and in paved parking lots, get a 4x2.
If you camp all year, and in places that dirt, or sandy campsites, might want to rethink this.
I was camping at Highlands Hammock SP and watched a lady back her TT into the campsite. Halfway in, the trailer slowed, and the back end of her truck sank. I went over to offer assistance, she calmly stepped out of her truck, flipped the front hub locks, and proceeded into backing into her campsite. Made it look easy. It was almost down to the pumpkin, and it walked itself out of the two freshly dug holes. Seen similar situations quite a few times. Our SPs tend to lack pavement.
There's virtually no difference in gas mileage between the 4x2 and 4x4 vehicles "I" have owned. The price difference you pay up front for the 4x4 feature is about how much more that truck is worth when you sell it. So it's a write off to me.
I never worry about getting stuck. I never worry that I can't move my TT from a campsite with soft sand, or wet grass. Also never have an issue pulling my boat up the ramp. Steep hill to back the TT up? No problem 4x4 low with the flip of a switch. A casual bystander has no idea what I just did, nor why it's so easy for my smaller SUV to manhandle the TT.
You don't need it 'til you need it, then it's too late. But don't worry, those of us with a 4x4 usually carry straps for those who don't.
I have both and love to use the 4x4 just in case i need it while out on the road. I think that my 2wd rides a little better but it is also a f250 so that might have something to do with it.
2004 PS Ford F-350 DRW
2007 S.B. Bristol Bay 3420BH
camping man wrote: For the .0004 times you'll use the 4x4,I'd be looking at fuel mileage, but that's just me.My buddy just bought a 4x4 pimped out Dmax,and he gets 16mpg to my 22-23 highway, he's crying big time.
4x4 by itself, will NOT make as much difference in mileage as you're implying here. 4x4 in and of itself generally makes only a small difference in mileage, maybe 1-2 mpg difference at most.
You are comparing your older, less powerful Dodge diesel (that was known for good mileage), to a new Duramax pickup, with much more power and the new emission controls that rob quite a few MPG. You conveniently left those details out.
For a true comparison, look into what mileage that new Duramax pickup gets in mileage with 4x2, vs a 4x4 version of same truck. Lets compare apples to apples here, please, lest someone gets mislead.
Having said that: Do a search, you'll find that this topic has been debated a zillion times, usually ending up in 20-30 page threads. I doubt there is one thing that could be said on this subject that hasnt already been said many, many times. We should have the mods make a 'sticky' thread for this at the top, like gas vs diesel. Would save a lot of disk space on the server here.
Will & Angela
2 wonderful children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
(wanna see? Here is a picture of it )
Have had both. Never needed 4x4 for towing. Never got stuck in wet grass,,and my TT is stored on grass on a slope. Never really understood why you would get stuck on grass with all that weight on the back.
I an now towing with a 2wd, and I really like the 4 extra non towing highway MPG. I really like the better ride, and I like that it is closer to the ground, and not as hard to get into.
4x4 or 4x2 is a personal choice. If you want it. Get it. If you don't want it. Don't get it. But you don't need it for towing.
The most important thing is a limited slip differential in the rear.
If you stay on the paved roads and have a limited slip, you'll be fine. 4x4 is a comfort - most rarely use it but admit it's like insurance. . . the few times you do use it it's a lifesaver.
2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab SB LS 6.0L 4x4 4.10
DW, DD (born in May, 2007), and me
The first 2 trips this year (first 3 weeks of April) found us towing our fiver through the snow on our way to the campground. The snow wasn't totally unexpected,but pretty late in the year for Washington.
We had 2 options.
1. Turn tail and go back home to listen to the kids whine for a week that we couldn't go camping.
2. Slow down,hit the right lane,put it in 4wd and keep on trucking.
We took option #2
My mom swore they would never need 4wd to tow their fiver. The first year they had their dually,they had to get pulled out of their campsite (in a state park or Thousand Trails) 3 different times. Nothing more than a little rain and they were stuck.
Last Summer at a different site,they couldn't make it up the gravel hill to the campsite. They had to back down the hill,unhitch the fiver and I had to pull it up the hill for them.
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