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Random Quote: Blessed are the cracked, for it is they that let in the light
my vote is 4wd, but if you really don't want it at least get a 2wd truck with limited slip diff or even better one with full locker. Some of the less frequently used or remote launches or even low tide ramps have required me to use 4wd and sometimes even in 4Lo as the condition of these ramps can be marginal at best.
2 Wheel drive , you may have to NOT run your tires at full pressure , you may need to carry a bag of cat litter to put under the tires, Make sure you have enough tongue weight , don't wait to ask 3 or 4 guys to jump in the back of your truck to get some extra weight on them tires .
Launch and recover at high tide if you can. Carry a chain for just in case . DON"T spin your wheels , slow and easy wins on a wet ramp.
4 wheel drive , all of the above stays the same . 4X4 is not always a life saver [ I loved mine ] but I have watched a bunch-o-people get stuck in 4 wheel drive while off road because they don't know WHEN to engage it or disengage it . When your stuck in 4X4 , your done. I have seen guys at the ramps with 4X4's screw up so bad that if the had a 6X they would still be screwed.
On the BAJA 1000 , maybe 10% of the vehicles are 4X4 . I'll take a 2X4 with air lockers in the rear end any day .
FYI. the 1st vehicle to run and win the 10,000 mile race around Australia was a STOCK VW bug .
Yes if the truck you want is available in 4X4 I would get it. But I would not run away from a 2 wheel drive ya just have to be prepared .
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
Wow, I'll have what that guy on the floor is having!
Experience is key, all right.
It's what tells you that the majority of weight in a vehicle is on the FRONT tires.
It's what tells you not to take your 2wd off-roading.
"It's what tells you that the majority of weight in a vehicle is on the FRONT tires."
Even after you put 800 pounds or so on a hitch that extends out several feet from the rear wheels? Not really, with a boat trailer, even in 4wd the rear wheels are doing the work. Which is why front wheel drive isn't as good for towing, especially when traction is needed, like at the boat ramp.
"It's what tells you not to take your 2wd off-roading."
I didn't recommend taking a 2wd offroading, i'm just saying that a 2wd in the hands of an someone that is experienced in driving offroad can be just as effective as a 4wd in the hands of a weekend warrior.
I put my truck in 4wd in heavy rain for the added safety lol
joking, right Geechi? As you know, unless you have a differential in the transfer case, 4wd will lock the front rear driveshafts meaning even with open axle diffs front and rear, at least one tire will slip in curve. The term 4wd to many indicates no center diff which is a feature of "awd" cars/trucklets that are fabulous performers in wet/snow, hell even dry with tons of power. See the AWD Volvos or Audis road racing in Touring car and the american equivalent.
I have had both and STILL bought a new 2 wd (limited slip) tow vehicle. In my defense I rarely launch the boat as it is kept rack stored. Plus one of you guys will be there should I need a tow up the ramp....
I keep my boat in the water as well and just rented a 2wd F150 to pull it out for the season. I am a huge AWD fan, and I did worry a little before attempting to pull the boat. I even had a friend meet me at the ramp with a 4x4, tow strap and shackles to offer assistance if needed. I knew the tide was going to be all wrong, receading low tide and it was even lightly raining. Hooked the boat up, put it in Drive 1, left foot on the brake, right foot on the gas. Let off the break slightly and slowly crawled up the ramp, No rolling back, no Wheelspin no issues. For the 2 times a year, if you can pick your days and tides to pull it, it shouldn't be a problem. Make sure the tounge weight is decent, that plus the angle of the ramp and RWD gets you Alot of traction(slime is the enemy though) My boat is 25' by the way. All that being said, resale is an important thing to consider as mentioned and it would be tough to sell a 2wd up there.
__________________ -Kurt
"Happy Hour"
2005 Sea Fox 257WA w/ 275 Verado (2.5mpg at 36mph and topping out at 50mph)
1994 Yamaha Waveblaster
1996 Yamaha Waveblaster
[quote=pugnacious3333;2612823
Even after you put 800 pounds or so on a hitch that extends out several feet from the rear wheels? Not really, with a boat trailer, even in 4wd the rear wheels are doing the work. Which is why front wheel drive isn't as good for towing, especially when traction is needed, like at the boat ramp.
.[/quote]
On a ramp covered with slime at low tide, your rear wheels will be lucky to get your truck out without the boat. In that situation the front end is on bare pavement and does most of the heavy lifting.
__________________ Ed Panzella
"BAITS MOTEL"
2450 MAYCRAFT PILOTHOUSE
Higganum, Ct
On a ramp covered with slime at low tide, your rear wheels will be lucky to get your truck out without the boat. In that situation the front end is on bare pavement and does most of the heavy lifting.
I agree somewhat, but there are other things to consider. Tongue weight is also a factor, more weight equals better traction. At my ramp, i've seen guys spinning in the slime trying to get out, while the next truck is able to get perfect traction in the same conditions.
4wd... I have a 2wd explorer with a V8 and I have a dodge 3500 dually with 4wd. Guess which one has never been to the ramp! In regards to the dually comments involving friction etc... The contact patch is larger on a dually allowing more traction or in the event of slime, more loss of traction. I
have boiled 6 tires up a ramp with a 22ft Pursuit and dual axle trailer. If nothing else, it looks cool. (sorry, the redneck is coming out in me)
4wd is always nice, just incase the audi is in the shop during the next snow storm.
joking, right Geechi? As you know, unless you have a differential in the transfer case, 4wd will lock the front rear driveshafts meaning even with open axle diffs front and rear, at least one tire will slip in curve. The term 4wd to many indicates no center diff which is a feature of "awd" cars/trucklets that are fabulous performers in wet/snow, hell even dry with tons of power. See the AWD Volvos or Audis road racing in Touring car and the american equivalent.
I have had both and STILL bought a new 2 wd (limited slip) tow vehicle. In my defense I rarely launch the boat as it is kept rack stored. Plus one of you guys will be there should I need a tow up the ramp....
specifically, there are a few tricky turns on the way to the office that in heavy rain people constantly slide off the road on... I just put it in 4wd through those turns. THe manual actually says you should drive in 4wd atleast 10 miles per month or something like that. I do know that there will be some accelerated tire wear, but I'm fine with that.
That and iff the rain is heavy enough to make me go 30 in the highway (few times per year) I slap it in 4wd for the extra safety
Realized I missed an important point in my original post about my personal 2WD truck - it's a diesel. You can get away with a lot if you can make a slow, controlled start without spinning the tires. Could be I'm just incompetent at driving gas trucks, but if gas is the only choice I'd want 4WD.
Then again, I'm a bit of bigot. Gasoline is for small boats and lawnmowers. I put up with the 4WD gassers at work but there are places I won't go without the 4WD 3/4 ton diesel and a tide book.
Don't forget you can also use the BOATS MOTOR to help push your truck up the ramp a few feet to get your rear wheels on non slimy concrete.
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
If you must resort to that, it is truly time to upgrade your tow vehicle
This is only used in LOW TIDE , super slimy situations . Tha last time I got to do that was at the NewPort Dunes in New Port Beach Ca.
Boat and trailer weighed 18K + and the truck was a One Ton Chevy , 454 cid , 4X4 [ In 4 wheel drive LOW ] Crew cab Dually .
The two Big Block Ford motors pushed us up with ease the 2 to 3 feet we needed to get off of the GREEN SLIME.
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
This is only used in LOW TIDE , super slimy situations . Tha last time I got to do that was at the NewPort Dunes in New Port Beach Ca.
Boat and trailer weighed 18K + and the truck was a One Ton Chevy , 454 cid , 4X4 [ In 4 wheel drive LOW ] Crew cab Dually .
The two Big Block Ford motors pushed us up with ease the 2 to 3 feet we needed to get off of the GREEN SLIME.
We never get green slime on any of our ramps around here... i wonder why
Hey! No big deal.....Just buy a Toyota LandCruiser with a button on the dash which locks both front and rear differentials, then all four wheels are pulling you up the steepest or slipperiest launch ramp, when you reach level ground push the button again to return to normal four wheel drive.
Hey Garo 22, don't give it another thought, just make sure you have a really good tow strap or two. Go to your local boat ramp Sat or Sun mornings when its jammin.
I guaranty there will be a hord of people that will be more than happy to tow you out as the line at the ramp backs up.
If I had a problem with tire spinning--and I don't, 2w drive with non slip diff--I'd look for non-slip pads to put under the tires before spending 3K on 4WD. Never seen them in use, but saw some of them at Lake Powell when we were launching during the lowest July water ever. They seemed to belong to an entrepreneur waiting for someone to need help.
I'm not surprised. Duallies seem to lose traction by spreading the weight over four wheels instead of two. They certainly slip and slid in the rain here a lot more than single rear wheel drive.
What?? How does more surface area of four wheels spin easier than two? I think the size and the weight of his boat and maybe lack of weight in the back of his truck were more likely. I maybe could see your point on a soft surface but not on the hard. Think about a dragster, big wide smooth tires.
