4x2 vs 4x4

Sounds like you've been to LA.

 

Yeah I've been through, nightmares were realized.

 

I agree with this. My 1st Toyota was a 1978 2wd (factory 4wds weren't available yet and I didn't realize I must have a 4wd).

Various stock parts were replaced with performance parts (weber carb, d. thorley headers, 2.5" exhaust with a tiny muffler exiting at the back of the driver's door) when they broke and I got her an rv cam. I replaced the 20R engine with a 22R rebuilt by a speed shop, balanced, ported, etc.

I could feel the frame twist when I cornered hard. Traction was limited by rear axle windup and wheel hop. Cornering got iffy. I got a thicker anti-sway bar for the front (~ 2x stock) and one for the rear. Axle windup was cured, I now had excellent traction.

I took it skiing a lot it, was great in the snow. I never put extra weight in the bed. I don't recall ever putting chains on it other that off the paved road. They didn't put up the chains sign very often in those days.

It still wasn't a 4wd and didn't have anywhere near the capabilities of a 4wd; lower ground clearance, no low range as well as only 2 driven wheels. It was, however a much better race car than my Tacoma 4wd. It would easily go 100mph (4800 rpm in 5th gear), I never went faster. Before you ask I never got a ticket.

 

Handling is still handling even if you don't push it to/past the limit of adhesion. The limit of adhesion is much lower on slick surfaces and closer to where an average driver might be on an icy road.

I have a 4wd Tacoma. My brother has an AWD Subaru, I've driven it in the snow/ice. They are both great in the snow. I've never felt my Tacoma needed 4wd in the rain but if I did I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

They were rally cars they rebuilt them before every rally so increased wear wasn't a concern. My point was that they felt the handling was better in 4wd under all conditions. They put in the lock thinking 4wd might be undesirable under some conditions but found it was not.

I believe this was sometime in the 1980s when Audi AWD cars were new.

 

Not true I went from 4x4 to 2WD and never looked back. If I am going to pay $33K for a truck I would much rather have the creature comforts of the premium and tech JBL for $3000 then two more wheels capable of drive. Down here 2WDs out sell 4x4 My dealer confirmed this as well. They have 14 2WD Tacomas and only 5 4WD. They sell 2WD 3-1 over 4X4

http://www.sparkstoyota.com/searchnew.aspx?bodystyle=pickup+double+cab

 

That's cool, you found a link or something about driving on ice.

That's definitely more accurate than those of with actual experience driving on ice. It's easier to drive on ice with a 4x4. It's also easier to drive too fast.

But that's not a problem with the truck, that's a problem with the idiot behind the wheel. You can't fix stupid.

 

I just think it's funny when people say you can make it in 2WD when it's literally ILLEGAL to do so without chaining up.

 

We aint talkin' bout mothafuckin rockcrawlin! We talking bout slippery shit fool!

Thats a good question, Maybe a Professional Troll can answer that! We got some friends who have just moved to Boston, and they are already missing our weather down here...

Well since you said for me to, Sig Check!


One thing I really love about this site is, we all can argue to the point of busting out the Michael Jackson popcorn, but at the end of the day we are still one big dysfunctional family.

 

I've never had a reason for 4x4, but it's good to have for the simple reason of resale. I don't plan on selling my tacoma till it's falling apart, but just in case. 4x4 is like $1,500 more, but it holds its value a lot better.

I'm probably canceling out the resale value the 4x4 hold by getting a SR, but oh well... I don't want all the extras.

 

Thank you everyone for your input, I really do appreciate it

What kind of SR do you have? how do you like it so far?

 

4x4. hav it and not need it than need it but dont hav it.

 

Please excuse sounding like a know it all but...
a modern AWD car in slippery on road conditions is safer and has better handling characteristics then a Tacoma pickup in 4 wd. A 4 runner with both AWD and 4 wd lock which is essentially a truck based system handles better on slipper roads and is safer in the AWD mode then driving higher speeds in 4 wd lock.

I have owned, not just driven one once, but owned examples of both drive systems for over twenty years with Subarus, Ravs and Toyota trucks, all at varying times and we average over 100 inches of snow a year. Safe handling is not the same in all conditons. A good rwd car on dry pavement can be a bear to handle in snow and on ice. If handling were handling, Vettes would be good in the winter. A modern AWD in slippery snow packed conditions with snow tires, has no rival for one road driving safety.

When the snow gets deep and the speeds decrease, I hear you, 4 wd lock becomes a better option...but only in deep Conditons. The 4 wd locked or no center differential is a LOW speed traction device. Driving them too fast on slippery roads is begging for trouble, especially with poor winter traction tires. If your bro has snow tires, take the Subaru out in the next storm. Your Tacoma will comparably suck. Of course, without snow or good snow traction tires, all bets are off. Everything sucks. The tires are the single most transformative factor in any vehicles handling.

 

"Thats a good question, Maybe a Professional Troll can answer that! We got some friends who have just moved to Boston, and they are already missing our weather down here..."



Yep, that's usually the case. NE and the Boston area north is awsome in the summer......the entire area just begs you to be out of doors the entire time, something you may not want to do in Texas. Then winter arrives.........no more vitamin D til April.

 

Read the article. There is an advertisement to the left for an insurance company. The false info must be there to drum up business.

 

Stop these terrible lies. There is nothing in or near CA that isn't a beach (protected from OHV of course) and flat roads.

 

I bought my first Tacoma a few months ago. It's a 4x2 prerunner, I figure living in LA I would rarely ever have the need for 4wd. Last time I felt 4wd would have came in handy was a couple years ago going up to big bear. Ended up throwing chains on the tires and had no issues after that, and that was my piece of sh*t colorado. I'm about to throw some general grabber at2's on the rig and have some chains on hand just in case. Its up to you, get what you want because you don't want to resent your decision after dropping 30k+ on a new ride.

 

Same here, I live in CA and snow in my area is a miracle.
2x4 is perfect for me, 4x4 is just extra weight I don't need but I can see why others would need it.
It just depends on your intended use.