Four Wheel Drive ?

Ditto to what DaveS (Sea Shift) wrote.

I have a 4x4 (F-250 SD) and use the 4X occasionally to retrieve the 25 depending on ramp/weather conditions. I've spun the rear tires on occasion. I also use it during winters here when we get the occsional snow storm. In fact last year I used it for an entire week to get to work, as my patrol car (Ford Crown Vic) was useless in the snow/ice (even w/ chains).
 
Pretty heavy bias toward a 4x4. The comments kinda reflect my thoughts - generally - although I don't PLAN on EVER again being in enough snow to need 4 WD, boat ramps, yes !

Thanks all !
 
I don't need four wheel drive unless I want to get home in the winter months. Live at 5,000 feet elevation with about a quarter mile of private gravel road to navigate. Also, need 4wd to get boat and RV in and out in the best weather. I often use 4wd to pull boat out on even easy ramps just to use low range and be kinder to the truck. In our part of the world it would be hard to sell a 2wd truck.

Even with 4wd it is often necessary to plow roads to get back in. Takes about two hours with ATV. I'm still like a kid when it comes to snow, love it for some reason.

Harper
 
Ditto several others. Put it in 4WD low and let it idle up the ramp with the Admiral watching to ensure nothing goes wrong.
The Duramax with Allison Tx will happily burn rubber with just a touch of leadfoot even with 800lbs + of hitch weight.

Can't beat fishtailing up the road to get rid of tailgaters :twisted:

Merv
 
Tom,

Someday I will tell you the story of the 3+ hours we stood at that intersection with the sheriff, watching the interaction, reaction, inaction, dumbfoolaction of the passing "moo-tourists".

The best part is that apparently we "made the day" for some young guys shipping out to defend our liberty. For that I am happy.

Priceless.

Encore....NO.

But you can have a lot of fun with an empty trailer if you forget to turn down the braking action of electric over hydraulic when you do not have the boat out back. Caused at least one tailgater to change underwear when I locked-up 6 wheels at a traffic light. (Once the smoke had cleared!) :twisted:

Merv
 
Grumpy":1qreh7s3 said:
Ditto several others. Put it in 4WD low and let it idle up the ramp with the Admiral watching to ensure nothing goes wrong.
The Duramax with Allison Tx will happily burn rubber with just a touch of leadfoot even with 800lbs + of hitch weight.

Can't beat fishtailing up the road to get rid of tailgaters :twisted:

Merv
Click to expand...

My technique exactly - in low range everything is calm and smooth and easy, but in high range you get racing motors and spinning wheels and waaaaay too much excitement. Great entertainment when you are watching somebody else do it, but kind of white-knuckly when it is YOUR truck and YOUR boat.
 
I drive a Chevy 1500 4X4 as my daily transportation in the winter... I have done that since the first 4X4 Chevy's were made...

I chose to buy a 2WD Duramax 2500HD for pulling the retirement boat... The rationale here is that I am going to be following the sun, not the snow line... And I do not intend to go baha'ing across the desert... Yes, ramps can be slick, but a 5 gallon pail of sand kept in the box will solve that... The truck was some $5K less to purchase, I get better mileage, it costs less to maintain (have you ever paid to rebuild a transfer case - I have, ouch!), it turns shorter, and it drives/rides better...

Now, perhaps after I actually get to take the boat and go somewhere I may have a different perspective, but given my experience so far with ramps and towing Levitation, I have not missed the 4WD when towing...
 
Hi,
Each to his own , but I have bought four wheel drives as it snows in Pa, they sell faster and have better resale value. For me I like back down a ramp load unload my boat and get out of there. Local ramps in New Jersey can be busy and I like to be prepared for anything, like a good boy scout. For me nesting on a boat ramp is not something I want to be part of; there are enough ramp rodents, launch losers, already . Lets face facts here if you already were crazy enough to buy a boat what's another 5k? I mean you buy back up radios, gps, epirb's, and who knows what else why not four wheel drive. If your trying to save money you took a wrong turn when you bought the boat.
D.D.
 
Just another opinion.....I have had both 2WD and 4WD trucks for towing boats in the past. I only needed the 4WD a couple of times, and of course, that was when I was in a 2WD truck. I haul my CD-26V with a 1500 Suburban 4WD. When I put the boat in yesterday, it was low-low tide. The bottom of the ramp where my rear wheels would be was slimy. I switched to 4WD as I was backing down the ramp. Don't know if I needed it or not, but I never broke loose. When I pulled out, the tide was up over the slime, but there was a bank of sand right above the waterline. Again I switched to 4WD and did not break loose. Even if I didn't need it, which I won't ever know because I had it, it makes sense to me to have the capability. One of the reasons that I have a C-Dory is because I like to have the right tool for the job and be prepared. That is the way that I look at 4WD.
 
I've gotta say - if there is FROST on the ramp this boy doesn't need 4-wheel drive ! Just need a full tank of fuel to head SOUTH with! :shock:
 
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