What do you tow with 4WD or AWD ?

[SeaDooSam]

Whatever you consider to be 4WD or AWD, which do you prefer to tow with. This poll comes as a result of my recent post "Why Pickup" where there seems to be a conundrum about which drive is better

 

[oldjeep]

Neither - 2WD

 

[SeaDooSam]

Neither - 2WD

Added just to make it a fair poll.

 

[Scott Danforth]

depends on what you are towing

my daily driver over the years has usually been an AWD Audi (had a few of them). couple the full time AWD with a set of performance snow tires and I could blast thru snow or ice much better than my 4X4. in the summer rains with proper tires and I can easily handle anything mother nature thru at me. However while the full time AWD with a torsen center diff is fantastic, there is no significant towing capacity

towing for me has been 4x4, preferably with limited slip rear (technically 3 wheel drive). I have towed with 2WD, however there are many ramps that I couldnt use without ether putting down a traction aid, getting a tow out the ramp, or burning off half the tire(s). most SUV's with AWD are car based and are considered compact SUV's with a max towing capacity of 4500# and below. most truck based SUV's with a towing rating have a part-time 4 wheel drive system with towing up to 12k

so, if your rig weighs 4k or less, I would have no problem towing with the appropriate AWD. however if your pulling a triple axle trailer under a 30' 5 ton boat on a slime covered semi-improved ramp you would want a true 4 wheel drive and proper tires to minimize the stress inducing chaos.

 

[Tnstratofam]

You know I hadn't really thought about it much but I've only had to use 4x4 on a couple of unimproved/dirt ramps. The rest of the ramps I visit are paved and my truck stays in 2wd for them.

Although having 4x4 as an option if things get slick or if the trailer falls/gets stuck is nice.

Thinking back I'm not sure there is an AWD pickup available. As for 2wd versus 4wd versus Awd I think it boils down to what you own, and what best fits your needs.

Oh and knowing your vehicle's limitations and good tires are a must.

 

[bigdee]

Had a Jeep GC but never had to put it in 4wd pulling out 20' pontoon. I just bought another Jeep GC 2wd....so I hope I will still be ok.

 

[oldjeep]

2WD Ram 1500 crew and a 6000lb (on the trailer) wakeboat. Never had an issue, but any lake we would use the boat in has a decent ramp.

 

[oldjeep]

You know I hadn't really thought about it much but I've only had to use 4x4 on a couple of unimproved/dirt ramps. The rest of the ramps I visit are paved and my truck stays in 2wd for them.

Although having 4x4 as an option if things get slick or if the trailer falls/gets stuck is nice.

Thinking back I'm not sure there is an AWD pickup available. As for 2wd versus 4wd versus Awd I think it boils down to what you own, and what best fits your needs.

Oh and knowing your vehicle's limitations and good tires are a must.

You can get AWD in some years of GMC Sierra Denali, not sure what else it may come in.

 

[gm280]

Some times it is not what you drive, but how you drive it. Driver experience can get away with a 2WD over some unknowing 4WD driver. I proved that a lot of times in the muddy roads in the woods. JMHO

 

[SeaDooSam]

Some times it is not what you drive, but how you drive it. Driver experience can get away with a 2WD over some unknowing 4WD driver. I proved that a lot of times in the muddy roads in the woods. JMHO

Very good point. You are exactly right.

 

[dingbat]

I tow with 4WD only because my tow vehicle is 4WD. Having said that, I've never needed 4WD in a towing situation.

Some places 2WD has no business going.....lol

 

[wrvond]

Our car is an AWD Lincoln MKS, it is a pretty heavy car and does very well in the snow. Our house is at the top of a very steep drive that two wheel drive vehicles cannot navigate in winter. The truck is 4WD with e-locker, which I have had to use to get up the hill in snow.
When towing the boat up the drive, I can't make a 90 degree turn from the street, because the boat would hang up on its outdrive. I have to angle across the driveway until the trailer wheels are on the driveway, then start angling up with the truck. This means I am driving in grass while pulling over 7000 pounds up hill. Once the skeg is clear, I can angle over until the truck is on pavement too, then pull straight up. The whole thing would probably roll over sideways if I tried it with a Carver.
I have to pull my travel trailer up the hill the same way.

BTW - my truck is 4WD with e-locker, anti-sway, traction control, brake hold, and some other stuff I can't even remember. If you can't get one of these things down the road (or up the ramp), you need to just park and turn in your drivers license. :laugh:

 

[jkust]

There seems to be endless variations of manufacturers AWD and even what some consider 4wd. Both of my suv's are body on frame with 5.3 liter v8's and most of the the towing equipment you want to tow up to 6700lbs. They both just happened to come with On Demand AWD which is full time with no option to shut it off, one with a locking rear diff and the other with a limited slip rear diff (G80 and G86 diffs both 3.73). Sure over the years, the AWD has allowed me to use ramps that may have been more difficult to get out of and in reality when the front wheels actually engage at a ramp, it is an exciting moment because it doesn't happen very often with good tires. I used to use an all sand ramp with my old 4000lb boat which really needed the AWD. Where it really shines is in the winter where the on demand AWD works with the computer's various safety systems and won't allow you to slide sideways even on solid ice as in my state of MN where the side roads some years are solid ice for months on end. I sometimes make a game of trying to defeat the system to see if I can get the suv sideways....I can defeat one but not the other. I suppose I should add that towing a trailer full of snowmobiles in the winter at times requires the front wheels needs power as well. We just haven't had any appreciable snow in so many years I almost forgot about that. I've had the awd system completely implode on one of my suv's which was thousands of dollars to repair and luckily it happened a couple weeks before the warranty was up. Up sides and down sides but for our use, I wouldn't buy an suv or truck without some sort of 4wd or on demand AWD. I would prefer a switch to shut it off for the summer however.

 

[HT32BSX115]

I tow my 6000lb boat with my F350 Crewcab (DRW) in 2wd.

When I pull the boat out at the dirt ramp, I always pull it out in 4wd (low range) and apply as little throttle as needed ( barely above idle...no more) to get it moving.

there seems to be a conundrum about which drive is better

Let me also add that there is no "conundrum" as to what's better. There are no "real" tow vehicles (3/4T 1T ) with "AWD"

All the "AWD" vehicles are really 4-wheel drive "cars" (with the viscous coupling in the "middle)

The last "REAL" AWD system put in a "truck" was the (80's) Chev/GMC 1/2T full time system similar to what Jeep used years ago consisting of a "standard" differential installed in the transfer case. Problem was, unless you had lockers [front or back], it was a one wheel drive system if any wheel started spinning.

There was a "LOCK" function in the transfer case but it wasn't recommended on dry pavement. (making it the "same" as any other 4x4 truck system)

 

[Starcraft5834]

neither. 2wd here,, GMC Sierra long bed.. hauls my 20ft cuddy @ 3500ish pounds easy.... never had an issue launching or retrieving.. of course I only launch on hard (concrete) well maintained ramps

 

[SeaDooSam]

I tow my 6000lb boat with my F350 Crewcab (DRW) in 2wd.

When I pull the boat out at the dirt ramp, I always pull it out in 4wd (low range) and apply as little throttle as needed ( barely above idle...no more) to get it moving.

Let me also add that there is no "conundrum" as to what's better. There are no "real" tow vehicles (3/4T 1T ) with "AWD"

All the "AWD" vehicles are really 4-wheel drive "cars" (with the viscous coupling in the "middle)

The last "REAL" AWD system put in a "truck" was the (80's) Chev/GMC 1/2T full time system similar to what Jeep used years ago consisting of a "standard" differential installed in the transfer case. Problem was, unless you had lockers [front or back], it was a one wheel drive system if any wheel started spinning.

There was a "LOCK" function in the transfer case but it wasn't recommended on dry pavement. (making it the "same" as any other 4x4 truck system)

​Ok I understand. good to know!

 

[jumpjets]

My GMC Yukon Denai SUV is full time AWD. I've had it on a lift, and it's got the standard GM 10 bolt rear with 3.73s, and Independent front suspension. The transfer case looks just like any other GM truck, but it doesn't have a shift mechanism on it. I don't have 4WD low, but the truck has been reliable pulling my boat on the slimiest ramps, off roading in deep soft beach sand, driving in ice/snow, etc... The front tires screech a little on asphalt parking lots, so I know the AWD is working. It's a common gripe with these trucks.

I think that GMC, Cadillac, and the Ford Expedition might be the only true AWD trucks.

 

[hemi rt]

Also you will not find a true 4 wheel drive vehicle on the roads, military or true off road you may but not for normal street use.

 

[boatman37]

4WD 2013 Ram 1500 Hemi for my 8000lb boat and trailer. wife has a 2006 jeep commander we bought new. it is an AWD system and will go in places my truck won't. not the ideal vehicle for towing a large load but traction in general is much better than any 4WD i have owned and i will not buy a truck without a locking differential so i get true 3WD...lol. we do not have the tow package on the jeep and no hitch so i have never towed with it. it has the 3.7 V6

 

[82rude]

I have a 4x4 ford f150.For the places I go if I had a 2wd id still be sitting there 70 percent of the time.