Tow vehicle question - 2WD vs 4WD

[Glenn54]

We are planning on purchasing a new Escape 21NE. Our current vehicle is a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie with 5.7 Hemi 2WD. What kind of issue could we have with the 2WD vs a very similar 4WD? I'm hoping we don't need to get a 4WD. Not planning on doing any "off roading". We did make a trip to Cloudcroft NM a few months ago and there were times a 4WD would have been nice going up steep inclines with gravel surface. Appreciate any input.

[Oldtimer]

Beautiful country around Cloudcroft. One of our favorite places in NM. I only buy 4x4s. Yes one suffers a little on gas mileage but the ride is smoother, you have the ability to get out of slippery situations, get other people out out being stuck on the side of the road when they mess up . Like you say if one wants to travel the back roads up in the mountains to see the scenery and wildlife, you’ve got the vehicle to do it with. Plus if n when you sale or trade it in one gets more more for their vehicle. In bad weather one can travel safer as long as one isn’t stupid thinking they can drive at posted speeds during the bad weather. I have pulled many a 4x4 outta the ditch that thought they drive fast in rainy or snowy weather. They didn’t use common sense which is very lacking today while driving in those conditions. That’s my 2 cents on 2 wheel vs 4 wheel drives. Either way a driver must pay attention to conditions and drive accordingly

David

I get 17 to 18 mpg non towing and 13 to 15 mpg towing our 21 I have a 2017 Silverado 4x4 5.3

[UncleTim]

I agree with OldTimer on this one.

I drive a 2018 Tundra 5.7L V8, 4x4. I would not own the truck without 4x4. Rear wheel drive is not okay in slippery conditions.

There are times I need 4 wheel drive for no more than ten feet. Then not at all. But without it, you are stuck. And a 5.0 still comes in at least 5,500 lbs.

It is a lot more useful than to just go 4 wheeling, especially out West. IMHO.

[davidmurphy02]

I am in the minority on this - but in 20 years have never had 4WD and have never been stuck or really wished we had it. We have traveled & camped on dirt/gravel roads but generally don't do any serious offroading on bad roads with our trailer.

I also have a 2019 Ram 5.7 hemi and love it. If you are happy with yours, my suggestion would be to keep it and see how it goes for you. You can always switch to a 4WD truck later if you find that you really want or need one.

[Bill and Earline]

Glenn54,

One thing you could find out about your current truck, that might help you feel better is what type of differential does it have:

1) limited slip
2) locking
3) open

Limited slip differential is called "Anti-spin" by Ram in their vehicle description. This has the effect of powering both rear wheels when on slippery surfaces as opposed to one wheel spinning and the other doing nothing.

An electronically locking differential senses wheel spin and has pretty much the same benefit by powering both rear wheels.

An open differential, pretty much just powers one wheel at a time on slippery surfaces.

Bear in mind that with an extra 500lbs of tongue weight there will be more traction on a pickup's rear wheels versus empty. Similar to 2WD trucks you see driving around all winter with a load of wood in the back.

[JeffreyG]

The 2WD truck should be fine for towing. It will perform perfectly well on roads, and if that is your plan then I don't see a strong need to trade vehicles.


4WD is nice to have, or critical, only for low traction situations. This would be off-roading (which most people don't do while pulling a 21 foot RV) or in snow/ice (which is outside of the season for most, but not all, RV camping people).


Here in MI, and at my house in particular, 4WD is a must have feature due to snowy winter roads. My driveway is a 20% grade and cannot be ascended by 2WD vehicles most of the winter. I had two USPS trucks prove that point last winter as they slid off my drive and into the trees. I tell them to park at the bottom and walk up, but they don't want to.

[Dcboyd]

Originally Posted by UncleTim

I agree with OldTimer on this one.

I drive a 2018 Tundra 5.7L V8, 4x4. I would not own the truck without 4x4. Rear wheel drive is not okay in slippery conditions.

There are times I need 4 wheel drive for no more than ten feet. Then not at all. But without it, you are stuck. And a 5.0 still comes in at least 5,500 lbs.

It is a lot more useful than to just go 4 wheeling, especially out West. IMHO.

I agree also.
I live in South Texas, and I don’t use it as much as I did in the past, as I don’t do as much active activities. But, it gives me a piece of mind like carrying a large fire extinguisher in the bed of the truck, good tow rope, etc.
I drive to see my grandkids who live in Michigan at various times of year.
I have also been known to pull a 2 wheel drive vehicle out of the ditch a time or two.

Yep, all my vehicles are 4 wheel drive, even the wife’s AWD Explorer.

[brroberts]

Lived in AK for 25 years, now northern KS. Have always had limited slip 2WD drive trucks. Never had a problem. My current truck I bought new in Anchorage, AK in ‘98. It’s a Chevy 2500. Before I moved to AK, I had a 2WD Ford F150 in TX. Growing up we had some 4WD in TX, but as long as I drive careful, I’ve never seen the need. Clearance can sometimes be useful, and tires make a huge difference. If I buy another truck, and I will likely need to eventually, I’m sure it will be a 2WD.

[MyronL]

I agree, unless you're taking the trailer off road to some obscure, unfamiliar locations you usually do not need 4WD. That's been my experience.

However, my view is it is better to have and not need than to need and not have.

[sherminator]

I park my trailer on gravel next to my house - the first part being a short but fairly steep section where I am also going around a corner. I cannot do it in 2WD - I have to engage 4WD or I will just spin and spew gravel. It's only 10 yards, but it's a critical 10 yards.

[glsails]

I think it really depends on where you live and where/when you will be towing as well as what else you use your truck for. In 20 years of towing various trailers, I have never used 4WD when towing a camper. But we don't tow our trailer in adverse winter conditions or on steep, off-pavement adventures. While I know plenty of people that are more adventurous with their campers, at this point in our towing life, we don't do any towing that would necessitate needing 4WD. With a new Escape on it's way in just a couple of months, I don't see that changing. I will be way too protective of our brand new fiberglass baby!

Some advantages to 2WD are less moving parts and weight, higher resultant payload capacity with the truck, less expense to maintain and a little bit better mileage. Also, a 2WD typically has less ground clearance than a 4X4, but that can mean easier entry and exiting as well as a lower bed height when you're loading and unloading.

Where we live in central Oregon, 4WD is a necessity as snow and mountains require the traction. However, the conditions where we use 4WD are when we are NOT towing. I often use the truck, when not towing, on rough logging roads to access firewood cutting sites and back country trailheads. Those kinds of roads make the additional ground clearance and traction of 4WD very desirable. In winter, I load at least 500 to 600 pounds of sandbags in the truck bed over the axle and switch to winter studless snow tires from November to April.

I've never driven a pickup, whether 2WD or even 4WD, that would not benefit from weight over the rear axle for snowy winter driving. I've had 4WD in the four pickups I've owned over the past 35 years but I do a substantial amount of driving both in mountainous winter conditions and off pavement and know that I'll be using my trucks that way.

If your don't have to contend with adverse winter weather/road conditions and you don't typically tow on rough roads to get to more remote camping sites, 4WD isn't a necessity and the advantages of 2WD have plenty of merit. I think it really comes down to honestly assessing how you will use your truck, with and without a trailer behind it.

[oldwave]

I’ve had my truck and trailer combo for three years, it’s a 2 wheel drive f150. There were three times I could have used the 4 wheel drive, one with the trailer in my yard turning it around with soft ground, once without the trailer stuck in the mud , and once with a difficult spot on a family property. I don’t drive the truck much in the winter as I have a car. Most of winter driving in the past with the truck was musical performances which have disappeared. That said, my next truck may be 4 wheel drive.

[brroberts]

I do drive on snow, ice, and hills in my 2WD truck, but I don’t tow in those conditions. I wait until roads are clearer and tow on those days. I can do that - some people have tighter schedules. As far as ice, hills, and 2WD go, the right tires are essential, and chains if it gets bad enough. I find with my 2500 it takes right at 800lbs as much over the rear axle as possible to have good ice / snow traction. You also have to be a patient driver. If you can’t do those things, then you might want 4WD, but if I can’t go in 2WD, 4WD has not been anymore helpful to me in a truck. All wheel drive in the car has proven helpful on ice, but since leaving Alaska, now the car is only FWD.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bill and Earline

An open differential, pretty much just powers one wheel at a time on slippery surfaces.

An open differential always sends the same torque to both wheels on that axle. When one of them has very little traction so very little torque can be applied to that wheel, the other wheel gets the same small amount of torque. Since the one with less traction spins first, most people get the impression that only that wheel is being driven.

Originally Posted by Bill and Earline

Bear in mind that with an extra 500lbs of tongue weight there will be more traction on a pickup's rear wheels versus empty. Similar to 2WD trucks you see driving around all winter with a load of wood in the back.

I met a guy who carried a flywheel from a bulldozer engine laying in the bed of his compact pickup, and know another guy who once built a wooden form and poured about half a ton of concrete in the back of his F-150. This works, and could be combined with the trailer if traction is still lacking, but of course I'm not suggesting it... and payload is scarce in most pickups towing fifth-wheels already.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Glenn54

We are planning on purchasing a new Escape 21NE. Our current vehicle is a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie with 5.7 Hemi 2WD. What kind of issue could we have with the 2WD vs a very similar 4WD? I'm hoping we don't need to get a 4WD. Not planning on doing any "off roading". We did make a trip to Cloudcroft NM a few months ago and there were times a 4WD would have been nice going up steep inclines with gravel surface. Appreciate any input.

Hi: Glen54... Not having 4X4 when you need it is like you're... SOL.
Unless you are order specific what you'll find on dealers lots are mostly 4X4's. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Centex]

Originally Posted by escape artist

....
Unless you are order specific what you'll find on dealers lots are mostly 4X4's.

Must be a regional thing - most dealer inventories are 50/50 or slightly biased to 2WD in my neck of the woods (not far from the OP and not snow / ice country).

[brroberts]

Absolutely regional. When I bought my 2WD in Alaska, I definitely had to order. I think here in Kansas I could find a 2WD pretty easily although there are lots of 4WD also. Whenever my parents bought a 4WD in SE Texas they had to order.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Centex

Must be a regional thing - most dealer inventories are 50/50 or slightly biased to 2WD in my neck of the woods (not far from the OP and not snow / ice country).

Yes, it's very regional. It's hard to find a 2WD truck here; at the area's largest Ford dealer, I asked if they had a 2WD F-250 or F-350 so I could see how the front suspension was done (it is different from the 4WD), and the sales staff couldn't find a single one in inventory. At the other extreme, a business associate gave me a ride in his Escalade in Houston, and when I asked how much he needed 4WD there he said that he had pushed the button once to see if it worked, and never used it again in the years he had the vehicle; it was only 4WD because that's the only way they came from GM at the time.

[Rossue]

Same topic running on Expedition Forum. Will say the same here- Only AWD I've ever owned was a '13 Highlander to pull my Escape 17B. FWD only for towing(Murano) didn't work well for me. Now with a 21 with another 1000#'s we moved up to a real SUV, first with a Yukon and now our Expy. Both RWD. Yukon sold to first caller on Craigslist; trade would have been same in retrospect for the sales tax differential. So I don't buy the resale being better when you don't live in snow country. Have never regretted not having 4WD and we tow all over and boondock as much as possible. Had to deflate the rear tires once on the Yukon when turning around at a BLM site, yet with the ELSD on the Expy I might not need to do that.

People talk about mpg difference, yet extra maintenance and higher insurance costs are there too. If you need it, fine. If not don't get it cause people who have 4WD tell you you need it. BTW, you still need chains unless you have snow tires. Still remember that Discovery being towed by CHP on Kingsbury Grade near Tahoe for not having them.

[salmo7000]

I gotta chime in here. I would not tow without 4WD unless you’re 110% sure you will never leave a paved road, and you’re 110% sure you will never go anywhere snow can happen. I’ve learned three things since I got my 19 in 2018. First, I can’t even make it to my house towing up the dirt road I live on without putting the truck in 4WD, even when it’s dry as a bone. It starts spinning out. Yes it’s uphill, but it’s not THAT steep. Lesson #1... gravel roads can be problematic while towing, even ones that are dry and well maintained.

Second, I attended an event that was held in a grassy area just off a paved road, where folks just dove off the road and set up their campers. Everything was fine until it rained. The seemingly solid grassy area became soft and muddy overnight, and people without 4WD were unable to get out with their trailers the next day. I had the same thing happen 8 miles down a seemingly firm dirt road... it rained overnight, and I barely made it out, even with 4WD. Lesson #2, conditions off pavement can change dramatically in response to heavy precipitation, and even if one has no trouble getting in, trouble can happen on the way out.

And finally, I was driving back to my home in Idaho from eastern Montana the first week in September last year. By the time I got to Rodger’s Pass, between Great Falls and Missoula, the rain I had driven through all day abruptly changed to snow, which had not been in the forecast. I had to tow up the pass and then down, through 5” of unplowed, slushy snow. It was bad enough with 4WD, I don’t think I would have made it without it. The previous day it had been in the high 80s. Lesson #3... things can change fast, and without warning, in the Rocky Mountains. I live here, and this snowstorm even caught me by surprise.

In short, a person certainly can tow without 4WD, and many certainly do and have chimed in here. For me, I wouldn’t want to feel like I had to limit my travels to places where the risks of the sorts of things I described above were nil. And I have to say even without any unplanned rain and snow events, the spinning-on-a-gravel-road thing is very real, and I’ve had it happen more times than just driving to my home. Since I want to be able to access campsites off paved roads, and that usually means driving down a dirt road with a slope, I just wouldn’t risk not having 4WD. I also carry tire chains, by the way, just in case things really get bad.

But again, if you’re certain you’ll never want to venture off a paved road, and you’re sure you’ll never want to be somewhere it could snow, then yes 2WD would be fine. If you’re really dead set against buying a 4WD, I would consider carrying tire chains as an alternative, just in case. They can be a life saver, especially when towing.