Toyota Tundra 2004 2wd

FishOn162 · 11-05-2009, 01:11 PM

Looking at buying a 2wd Tundra, crew cab. Low miles and good price. I have always bought 4wd...but rarely (if ever) actually needed it. However these have always been big SUVs (Tahoe, Sequoia, etc) with extra weight over the back wheels due to the cab, seats, etc.

The 4wd model Tundras I have seen similar year and mileage are MUCH higher priced...$6-8k more.

I'll be keeping my 4wd SUV also.

Am I making a mistake not buying 4wd? I am only towing around jon boats and small center console. I can/would be using the SUV on out of town trips where the ramps might be questionable.

I do use the vehicles some at our hunt club, which is good old carolina red clay...however the roads are pretty good, and where they are not we use 4 wheelers.

Are 2wd trucks just a dog on anything except dry pavement...or have I been led astray?

crothers · 11-05-2009, 03:31 PM

Interesting post for me as I struggled witht the same dilemma. Always had a 4wd (mostly company trucks) and seemed like I never needed it except in the winter or backing the boat into a barn uphill on grass. Fast forward...having retired and not seeing snow or the storage barn, I recently bought a 2wd 09 F150. $3000 cheaper and I never used 4wd on my prior trucks at the ramp. Having said that, I am keeping the boat at a rack-and-launch in the keys so ramp duty is not an issue.
My thoughts, if you can get true "2 wheel drive" on the rear axle via factory or aftermarket locker(preferred) or limited slip(wears out slowly), then I would take the risk. If an open rear diff, then the wheel with the least traction will spin, imobilizing the vehicle when the other tire has good traction. Need to have something other than an open differential. My tradeoff looked at intitial expense, weight, ride, and more things to go wrong, and went the 2wd mode for the first time. I also have been a AAA member for 30yrs, don't mind calling them at all if I need a tow up a ramp incline. Good luck.

FishOn162 · 11-05-2009, 05:03 PM

This one is open diff. I have never tried it...but I have heard that you can use the parking brake on an open diff to "trick" it and give power to the gripping wheel. Anyone ever tried this?

I just hate to pass up this price...as noted a 2004 w/ 40k miles, excellent condition, tow package but has never towed. Original owner, no wrecks. He is asking $12.8k.

What would it cost to put a locking diff in?

ytmorris · 11-05-2009, 05:03 PM

Like you said 4WD is useless until you need it. I use my 4WD at least every other week around our farms and while hunting. That being said, I use it a lot less not that i mainly use my lifted golf cart while hunting. I also have a relatively heavy boat and like to know that i am getting up the ramp when i have to. The clay would freak me out a little because the few times I have had to drive on it I used my 4WD the entire time, given it has been wet all 3 times. I am not sure how much you hunt, but do you wanna take the risk of sliding and getting stuck on those roads? If it happens once, i bet you will be pissed you didn't get the 4WD. It is all a trade off, better gas mileage for some possible inconvenience down the road IMO.

triumphrick · 11-05-2009, 05:11 PM

That's a good price..I am considering selling mine and would be asking the same, but I have 76k on mine!

I have been towing a 6,000# rig with mine for the past four months I have owned it. I only tow about 15 miles one way and it is flat. I am happy with the truck, and although at its limit, it has never failed to get me out of a ramp. The 4.7 gives me 18 - 19 mpg if driven easy, 14 when towing this rig in my signature. My wife has eked 21 out of it on a tank or two...

All it has needed in my four years and 60k of driving has been one set of brakes, a set of tires, gas and oil.

240 LTS · 11-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Good thread.
When looking at the Tacoma undecided on the Prerunner or 4x4. I don't believe the 4 WD would be needed that much. Towing a 24' bay boat.
Looking forward to more responses.

MacCTD · 11-06-2009, 09:05 AM

4X4 is worth the extra cost, I have had a couple 2WD trucks and they can get stuck on wet grass on a slight incline or soft sand, does not happen often but when it does you will regret not being able to just pull a lever or turn a dial to get out of it.

capt_matt · 11-06-2009, 09:31 AM

I have a 2004 4wd Tundra. I do not use the 4wd often. But I live in the city, it does not snow here for the most part, and I am not out on dirt roads all that often. I never need 4wd at ramps with my small boat (knock on wood) although I do sometimes engage it if it seems slippery.

Mine has been a very reliable truck and tows well if you do not need to haul a lot of weight. It gets about 18 mpg on the highway and about 13 mpg towing my boat on the highway.

I think that tire choice can help with a 2wd truck as can using some common sense and avoiding situations where is would be easy to get stuck. Weight over the rear wheels also helps.

I drove a 2wd Ford for 10 years. I got it stuck on a couple of occasions over that time. Each time it was more of an inconvenience than anything else.

shemstreet · 11-06-2009, 05:21 PM

2wd on a new Tundra, have slipped on wet/icy ramps a few times, but overall it has not been a major problem, just back down a little and drop into a lower gear. If all you are pulling is jons or a small (under 20' or so) center console, then you likely will never need the 4WD.

wooddon · 11-06-2009, 06:35 PM

I have a 2wd 2006 Tundra with a V-8 and have hauled my 2008 Nauticstar 2200 bay boat with 175 Suzuki 4 stroke and 60 gal of fuel and loaded with gear and have never had a problem, even on low tide slippery ramps.
Go for it, Toyotas are hard to beat.