2WD Wheelin??

I never really considered lifting a 2wd before...
What kind of offroading do you guys do? Can you keep up with the 4x4 boys? How well does it perform with a rear locker?

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I usually stick to the mud and trails, and mine does really well.
I tested my newly installed lift and went rock crawling while following a Jeep Rubicon about a month ago...didn't do too bad. I couldn't get up some of the bigger rocks the rubicon could, but the Ram did a lot more than most people thought it could. Had plenty of ground clearance so no scraping.
With a locker a 2wd drive will perform much better. I am waiting to get a Auburn LS when the money becomes available.
I like the low maint cost of my 2wd, and the MPG isn't as bad.
It's not as cappable as some 4wds, but still plenty of fun. But, I have seen many locked 2wds get through more than open 4wds.
It's a happy medium between daily driver and weekend fun buggy.

they work quite well for a weekend wheeler and daily driver


lock em and run a good tire with decent lift so ya have lots of clearence... you would be surprised what they will do :



please lets not make this another 2x2 4x4 fuk fest those get boring real fast....


on a side note... id take a locked 2WD over a 4x4 with open diffs

Hmmm
Im looking for a daily driver/tow rig/weekend warrior... Sounds like it might fit the bill...
Is there any other advantages?
Gas Milage?
Insurance Cheaper?
Better Approach Angle?
Thanks
S.

i give 4 yes's to your questions above.
I had a blast in my old 2wd Ram.

Hmmm
Im looking for a daily driver/tow rig/weekend warrior... Sounds like it might fit the bill...
Is there any other advantages?
Gas Milage?
Insurance Cheaper?
Better Approach Angle?
Thanks
S.

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lower maint costs, lower insurance costs (not by much).

The approach angle depends on what suspension setup you are running.

Stock, 4wds have better approach/departure angle because they sit higher.

Gas mileage, from what I have observed on here, appears to be about 2-4 mpg better on average.

My 5.2 gets 12.8 - 13.5 in city and around 15-16 highway....but it all depends on what you've done to your engine, what tires/gears you are running, how high you are sitting, etc. etc.

If you got a great deal on a 2wd then get it, if not then go with a 4wd if you know you will want a 4wd. I got a hell of a deal on my truck and I was younger and didn't think i needed 4wd. But now i am in the process of changing it over.Oh and 4wd insurance is cheaper for at least state farm. I have checked into it more than once and it was cheaper with a 4wd opposed to 2wd.

Insurance is going to depend on where you live and the majority of the trucks on the road...4wd is more expensive where my parents live because that is mostly the truck of choice...2wds are more expensive where I live because all the kids have slammed 2wds...my 4wd is an oddball more or less.

A 2wd, they have their advantages...and are quite capable if driven sensibly. A 2wd can be set up to have a ton of flex and suspension travel (high speed) so you can get a little better momentum too. Lock the rear and you will be surprised what they can do. I always thought a prerunner setup would be a lot of fun.

Advantages I can name...less drivetrain to break, lighter, better mileage, and more front clearance (when lifted) than a 4wd in most cases. Suspensions can also be more radical, yet still streetable. A 2wd is also a better choice if that is what you already own...

steved

i think 2wd wheelings better and way more fun. with front and rear lockers its hard to steer unless u get exspensive lockers like my arbs a lil lift and your 2wd with good tires should do just about anything a 4x4 can

yup, 4wd is over-rated... lol, yea, right. :rotfl:

open 4wd, closed, whatever.

i gotta open 4wd jeep comanche 4.0, all stock, that will out do most any 2wd truck in the mud...and its not even road legal.

its my oppinion id rather run my truck in 2wd i only run it in 4wd wen needed and no i didnt say 4wd was over rated but i will say u are

On 2006-04-01 12:32, .:re:runner:boy:. wrote:
its my oppinion id rather run my truck in 2wd i only run it in 4wd wen needed and no i didnt say 4wd was over rated but i will say u are

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no one runs there 4wd drive unless they need it. :twak:

well, i had a locker in mine (and it was friggin amazing), but since the truck is also my daily driver, it shredded the ring gear. now i run a tru trac ls and it works fine. a 2wd cannot quite conqer the obstacles a 4x4 can because the front tires will not pull you over anything. however i like my 2wd because when i find a long stretch offroad i can blast by 4x4's. for example at pismo last time I went, i found a long stretch and just blasted away at over 60.

2wd takes more practice to get good at wheeling, as i am finding, but once you get good enough i think it can be more fun in some ways.

plus you get more props having a 2wd. more conversations like

-"hey your truck did pretty good today"
rep- "yeah it wasn't bad, someday i'll have a 4x4 so i can get over all the obsicles. "
- "HOLY CRAP YOUR TRUCK IS 2WD?!??!"

:withstupid: I pulled (literally) recovery duty at Tuttle for a wrangler and a really old ford (without a bed) on Sunday. The buddy in the Wrangler new I was 2wd, the other guy didn't until he asked "Why didn't you put it in 4wd to pull me out?" :

With a decent driver, a good set of tires and some clearance make a 2wd pretty capable.

thats the sexiest ranger i've ever seen...

nice truck.

Oh my god, that thing is ill. Always love the 2wd trucks. Hopefully someday I will have a little "prerunner" style truck.

I think a lot of it would come down to tires. As long as you get traction there wont be a problem. With bad tires youre gonna end up with slicks in the mud around here. Ive wheeled both and I love my 4wd, I will never buy another truck without it. I would love to have a prerunner and blast down trails though.

if you have a buddy with a part time 4wd truck, as if you can wheel it. Keep it in 2wd and you will see what it's capable of. And when you get in trouble, reach for the 4wd lever.

Like the others have said, a well-built 2wd with a locker and good tires will take you just about anywhere a 4x4 will go. The only thing it really can't do as well is climb rocks and stuff. But trails, mud, etc, it'll do just fine, and there's less stuff up front to break on ya. One thing I will say though, if it's a dodge ram 2wd you're looking to lift, watch the front wheel bearings on the 1500's. They suck. Dodge used the exact same wheel bearings for the fronts as those found in a Ford Tempo. Sad but true. So if you decide to run a 37" swamper on a 10" wide wheel, plan on chewing up a set every few months.