Looking for a Dually 4X4 or Not?

[first time 5er]

Looking for some advice. i have 2015 F250 4X4. i am looking to upgrade to a 350 Dually. Before i take the plunge i'm Looking for some opinions whether the 4 wheel drive option is really needed. thanks

[bitten]

I have used 4wd in my own yard on wet grass. F350 dually.

[Lee]

Hi,

Only you can answer that question based on how/when/where you operate the truck.

Do you go off road? Mud/sand...

Do you go to climates where snow /ice could be encountered?

Lee

[Tbos]

I known people that needed to use 4wd to get out of a campground. A storm changed path and dumped a huge amount of rain in a short time. Better to have it and not need it is my thought.


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[xrated]

When I bought my new 2011 F250 Crew Cab, I was going to get a 2WD truck and started searching for available stock around the area I live. Almost none available and the ones that were, was the "work truck XL" most of the time. As it turns out, I read that when you get into the F250/350 Crew Cabs and such, the total sales for that market is only about 13-15% 2WD trucks. That got my attention as to resale value at a later date if I choose to go with a different truck someday.

We have a gravel road to access our driveways, and when leaving, you are on a slight uphill incline.....maybe 5-7 degrees. If I'm pulling the trailer and have to stop because of oncoming traffic, I either have to back down the hill a little ways or put it in 4WD so that I don't throw gravel everywhere.

[66joej]

I agree. Better to have 4X4 because when towing an RV as noted above there will be times when it will get you out of a potential sticky situation.

[PARAPTOR]

4x4 Dually, only way to go go, Only takes one time getting stuck in a muddy campsite and/or getting there on a muddy back road to realize what a genius you were making that selection. Believe me it happens :banghead:

[canesfan]

4WD, for all the reasons stated above and others not yet stated or thought about.

[chuckster57]

Never had, never needed 4X4. Extra maintance and stuff to go wrong.

[cmsmith22]

Looking for some advice. i have 2015 F250 4X4. i am looking to upgrade to a 350 Dually. Before i take the plunge i'm Looking for some opinions whether the 4 wheel drive option is really needed. thanks



We have used ours on several occasions. One of the must haves when we upgraded our truck.

[Ken / Claudia]

If your really asking do DRW get better traction than SRW. No they do not. If you have never needed 4x4 maybe you do not need one. After all there are towing CO.s and others with 4x4s that can pull you out. My life style never would be without a 4x4. 11 trucks/SUVs I owned all had 4x4 and it was used in each one. likely at some point each year. Never had a tow co. help nor a friend pull me out of wet grass, mud, soft shoulder, sand or ice and snow. I do drive in all those.
I do have a friend and co worker who will never buy a 4x4 because of the extra cost. He also never drives when snow or ice happens. His hunting trips are done in the summer and he does not have a RV.
I enjoy the freedom of what a 4x4 does allow me. They do cost more and they also sell for more than a 4x2.

[JRTJH]

It really depends on where you live and what you intend to do. We lived in Louisiana and had 2wd trucks until I started quail hunting. After one trip down a logging road made of "gumbo mud" I traded that truck for a 4x4. Until then, I'd only been stuck once, in my back yard. I just left the truck parked until the lawn dried up and then drove it out carefully. If I'd had 4x4, I wouldn't have been stuck. Back then, buying a 4x4 at a Ford dealership in Louisiana meant a special order. They simply didn't sell there at the time. Now, they do sell better, but there are still more 2wd trucks on the lot. Up here, in northern Michigan, it's just the opposite. The local Ford dealer hasn't had a new 2wd truck on the lot in the past 3 or 4 years. If you want one (usually commercial trucks) you'll have to special order it.

It goes without saying, trying to sell a 2wd truck "up here" will not give you a good return on your investment, simply because few people are looking for that kind of truck. We have one forum member who currently is trying to sell his 2wd truck. He lives in Canada and is having a terrible time finding a buyer at a price that's even close to realistic.

Personally, for my situation, I wouldn't consider any vehicle, SUV or truck, that is 2wd. That's because of the need to maintain transportation "in the woods" of northern Michigan, where plows are not frequent. It's not the same in Florida, so consider your use, your needs and your initial investment/resale. If it makes financial sense and won't hamper your use, I'd say get 4wd. If it doesn't make financial sense and it would hamper your use, then I'd recommend a 2wd.

Ultimately, the choice is yours, for me, having the option is important in how I use my truck, so it's in the "must have" category. Maybe it wouldn't be as high on your list????? Something to ponder before buying, that's for sure...

[66joej]

Up here in rural BC (Columbia/Kootenay) I personally don't think I have seen a local with a 2WD truck or SUV. Heck most of the cars are AWD. We see some tourists with 2WD vehicles (summertime only). Even the rentals are 4X4. But as John said it is mostly a regional thing. Couldn't give a used 2WD pickup away around here. JMHO.

[first time 5er]

I was leaning toward the 4x4 for the same reasons. thanks everyone

[notanlines]

We wouldn't be without 4WD and we "live" in Memphis. If you tour the country as we do just the added confidence is worth the added cost. Two years ago when we towed to our site in Florida it had rained for four days. Only 4WD got us into our site. No matter the part of the country, 4WD will return its value on resale.

[gearhead]

Two weeks ago there I was somewhere around Jena LA and Nowhere LA looking for a cemetery. It's gotta be back here somewhere behind this church. Nope. I better turn around, at this gravel driveway, it looks dry, back it in, go to Drive to pull out, I'm not moving. Hmmm, the back tires are red. OH! I'm stuck. OH! I have 4x4. YEAH!

[marcortez]

I got stuck in sand twice with a 2X before.
It's not fun......
Went and bought a 4x4.....no more stuck.

Maintenance on that 4x4 had been zilch for two years I have owned it.

Having 4x4 opens up so many more opportunities.....
You go ahead, your non 4x4 buddies go back to asphalt.

[Pmedic4]

Actually, this post is one of the reasons why enjoy reading this forum. The comments about the need, versus the requirement for 4X4 on your truck. One of the comments which someone posted, said only 12-13% of trucks in these category are 2WD.

That was my experience when I bought my truck (it's a 2500), there weren't 2WD trucks available in the 2500 or 3500 size. I went to 3 different dealers, and they all searched for a truck with 2WD, and there just weren't any. I procrastinated on getting my truck for about 2 weeks, thinking it was just a timing issue of eventually finding one, but it didn't happen. Got the 4X4.

Next part of the experience, on a trip to Florida, got stuck in some sand when leaving the campground hooked up. So, definitely glad I had the 4X4.

[Desert185]

2WD or 4x4, make sure you get a rear limited slip differential. When living at Tahoe, There were a lot of seasonal "4x4's" that were traction-challenged because of no LSD. They did work great in Marin County, though. :)

For my needs...4x4 and limited slip.

[Hansel]

For years I thought I never need a 4X4 truck, well a few years ago some lady totaled my 2wd truck, and I replaced it with a 4X4. After getting stuck in my backyard in some wet grass, and getting unstuck because I had a 4X4, I will ALWAYS own a 4X4 truck.

[SUnderwood]

The worst I ever got stuck was with a 4X4

[JRTJH]

The worst I ever got stuck was with a 4X4

Yup, easy to do that. My dad told me when I bought my first 4x4 to use it wisely. His suggestion (which I try to follow) is "go in 4x2 and use 4x4 to back out". I can't recall him ever using his 4x4 to go in further. Once he got stuck in 2wd, he "rescued himself". I suppose it's OK to ignore that if you're with a bunch of other people, but if you're alone, once you get stuck in 4wd, without a good winch.... :facepalm:

[denverpilot]

Yup, easy to do that. My dad told me when I bought my first 4x4 to use it wisely. His suggestion (which I try to follow) is "go in 4x2 and use 4x4 to back out". I can't recall him ever using his 4x4 to go in further. Once he got stuck in 2wd, he "rescued himself". I suppose it's OK to ignore that if you're with a bunch of other people, but if you're alone, once you get stuck in 4wd, without a good winch.... :facepalm:



My grandfather's way of putting that was, "The four wheel drive system isn't to go out in stuff with, it's for getting you home when you're already out there."

[Barbell]

My dad's saying was that "a 4x4 lets you go to a much worse place to get stuck". I owned GM, Dodge, IHC and Toyota 4X4s when we lived on the farm in Missouri. Since moving to Arizona, haven't owned or needed one. I have towed with a 2X4 with limited slip rear end since 1990 and never have needed more. We are on the road 4-6 months of the year. Have been all over the country except Pacific Northwest. We travel North during warm weather and South in winter. Only once have we had to hole up for a few days til roads cleared. Having spent money maintaining a 4X4, I know they are not cheap unless you trade frequently. Am well aware of the difference in resale value but my last truck was 15 years old when we traded , so its not a concern for me. Currently we pull with a 3500 dually 2X4.

[denverpilot]

Having spent money maintaining a 4X4, I know they are not cheap unless you trade frequently.


Honestly I don't get this. Out of many 4x4s I've owned over the years only the Yukon ever cost me anything extra on 4x4 specific maintenance, and that was just an electric transfer case motor to shift it. $150.

I guess there's a little more money at fluid change time also, but it's pretty much in the noise level.

Probably burned more in gas / diesel over the years to make up a decent chunk of change due to the extra weight also, but again, noise floor stuff.

What happened to yours? Sounds bad.

[notanlines]

Looking back on many, many 4x4's since the late 80's and the only thing that comes to mind is a hub seal on an F-250 ($200) and some kind of relay on the Suburban at the Chevy dealer ($150). Added together they would all total more than a million miles.....how does one beat that?

[Desert185]

Looking back on many, many 4x4's since the late 80's and the only thing that comes to mind is a hub seal on an F-250 ($200) and some kind of relay on the Suburban at the Chevy dealer ($150). Added together they would all total more than a million miles.....how does one beat that?

A friend has an F250 around a '99 vintage. His 4WD drive failed because its electrically engaged via a switch and an actual computer module under the dash. A ~$300 repair, plus labor.

This is what drives me nuts about the trend for "automation". My Ram still has the stick on the floor, albeit with a vacuum interface to the front axle that gives me some concern, but it has been faultless so far. A computer to engage 4WD? Nuts! :banghead:

[Pmedic4]

A friend has an F250 around a '99 vintage. His 4WD drive failed because its electrically engaged via a switch and an actual computer module under the dash. A ~$300 repair, plus labor.

This is what drives me nuts about the trend for "automation". My Ram still has the stick on the floor, albeit with a vacuum interface to the front axle that gives me some concern, but it has been faultless so far. A computer to engage 4WD? Nuts! :banghead:

Reminds me back when I had a big 4WD Jeep Cherokee Chief. It used the manually locking front hubs, which you had to get out and turn to lock the hubs, and then you had to manually shift the lever into 4 wheel gear. Fairly simple, until your stuck in mud 6" deep, and you have to get out and slog around in the muck to lock it in, and the hub locks are covered in mud. :o

To say putting the shift lever into neutral, turning the knob from 2wd to 4wd, and putting it back into gear, I'm not complaining - at least until that computer breaks, and I'd have to be towed out of the mud.:eek:

[JRTJH]

On my Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-40 (long gone but seriously missed) I had a choice, suffer about a 5 MPG mileage loss with the front axle (manual locking hubs) locked in and not have to get out in the mud and dig out the axles to lock them in when stuck or unlock the front hubs, get much better fuel mileage and get "muddy as hell" every time I needed to go into 4x4. The new "auto-locking" hubs coupled with "that darned computer" is much more "civilized" in its operation not to mention that I don't get "mud on my leather seats".... As truck amenities improved to include all the "creature comforts" the ability to "hose out the inside" after a 4x4 trip are gone.


I would "long for the old days" for a "beater truck to go 4 wheeling" but I sure wouldn't want to give up the ability to stay clean while in a campground trying to tow my fifth wheel back home without having to stop to shower and change clothes. The improvements "that darned computer" gives us can't always be easily compared in a (one for one fashion) to the old days in terms of convenience vs reliability.

[Desert185]

On my Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-40 (long gone but seriously missed) I had a choice, suffer about a 5 MPG mileage loss with the front axle (manual locking hubs) locked in and not have to get out in the mud and dig out the axles to lock them in when stuck or unlock the front hubs, get much better fuel mileage and get "muddy as hell" every time I needed to go into 4x4. The new "auto-locking" hubs coupled with "that darned computer" is much more "civilized" in its operation not to mention that I don't get "mud on my leather seats".... As truck amenities improved to include all the "creature comforts" the ability to "hose out the inside" after a 4x4 trip are gone.


I would "long for the old days" for a "beater truck to go 4 wheeling" but I sure wouldn't want to give up the ability to stay clean while in a campground trying to tow my fifth wheel back home without having to stop to shower and change clothes. The improvements "that darned computer" gives us can't always be easily compared in a (one for one fashion) to the old days in terms of convenience vs reliability.

I don't have a computer or manually locking hubs and I can engage 4WD while underway. My leather, 5.11's and Merrell's stay clean. Its Ram magic!

[Barbell]

Front differential, transfer case, auto hubs that weren't anymore. Keep in mind these trucks were used/abused on a working farm. Pulled fertilizer carts and grain trailers that weighed well over 20,000 lbs and not on paved roads. Also, most of our trucks were at least 10 to 15 years old when they were retired. Usually not enough left to trade in. I am sure the newer trucks that only pull an RV hold up better. I just don't feel the need to own one.