salmo7000
Senior Member
If I was in the market for a new truck, I’d be looking hard at a new Ranger. One big reason I bought my 19 was that it could be safely towed with a SUV or mid sized pickup. Similar to many others, I just don’t want to drive a full size pickup. I’m not a large of tall person, and I can barely see over the dash of some of these bigger trucks without jacking the seat way up. My Colorado has been an ideal match for my 19, even under less than ideal conditions. I’ve towed in extreme crosswinds and had to do some really hard stops. No problem, ever, and I’ve never felt unsafe.
That said, I wouldn’t be without 4WD. I live 8 miles up a dirt road. The last mile is pretty steep. Without putting it in 4WD, it starts spinning in loose gravel while towing the trailer home; even with very good tires on the truck it just won’t go up the steepest part. If one is planning to tow their trailer up a steep dirt road with loose gravel, even if it’s just a short distance, there could be trouble without 4WD. In addition, I camped in a flat grassy field years ago, with a bunch of others. When the event started, the weather was sunny and dry, and no one had any trouble getting their rigs in. The night before everyone was planning to leave, it rained hard all night. The next day, those with 2WD could not tow out, their rear wheels spun on the wet grass until they augered into the mud. A local rancher came with his tractor and got everyone out, but they would have been stuck otherwise.
These 2 situations are worth considering when deciding to buy a 2WD. Towing in the snow on plowed roads is one thing, towing up a steep dirt road with loose gravel or in wet slimy mud is quite another. Of course, both of these situations are easily avoidable, but doing so may limit where you can go. Either way, I’d carry chains for sure, which is insurance if you do get stuck.
That said, I wouldn’t be without 4WD. I live 8 miles up a dirt road. The last mile is pretty steep. Without putting it in 4WD, it starts spinning in loose gravel while towing the trailer home; even with very good tires on the truck it just won’t go up the steepest part. If one is planning to tow their trailer up a steep dirt road with loose gravel, even if it’s just a short distance, there could be trouble without 4WD. In addition, I camped in a flat grassy field years ago, with a bunch of others. When the event started, the weather was sunny and dry, and no one had any trouble getting their rigs in. The night before everyone was planning to leave, it rained hard all night. The next day, those with 2WD could not tow out, their rear wheels spun on the wet grass until they augered into the mud. A local rancher came with his tractor and got everyone out, but they would have been stuck otherwise.
These 2 situations are worth considering when deciding to buy a 2WD. Towing in the snow on plowed roads is one thing, towing up a steep dirt road with loose gravel or in wet slimy mud is quite another. Of course, both of these situations are easily avoidable, but doing so may limit where you can go. Either way, I’d carry chains for sure, which is insurance if you do get stuck.
