4x4, how necessary is it?

Well I was more responding to everyone saying its all about tires and driver skill when really the driver just has to drive super aggressively in order to make up for not having 4x4. Momentum will get you over a lot of stuff, not arguing with that. I just wanted to make the point that yeah pre-runners can get to probably most of the places 4x4s can but they have to do differently, in most cases more aggressively.

 

I thought the transvestite's extra parts were the problem.

See here's the thing. Who is the bigger poser- the person who buys a prerunner and gets stuck when they run out of skill or mechanical grip, or the person who buys a 4x4 because they so desperately need 4x4 and yet somehow, all 100,000+ miles they drive it, it never sees any sort of challenging off-road duty that a 4x2 couldn't handle easily?
That's what gets me heated as shit, lots of people love to wave their 4x4 badge around, and then not even use a gravel road or something. Then they turn around and call 4x2's "poser trucks." I'm not pointing fingers here, I'm just saying it happens way more often than you really realize, at least here in Pennsylvania. It's a status symbol to them, not actually a requirement for tasks. So yeah, I tend to roll my eyes because in my experience, more often than not it's usually someone blowing smoke up your ass.

Maybe I've let my observations of local douches color my outlook on this. I'm not arguing with the guys on portals, asshole deep in a bog that they don't need a 4x4.

 

You'll never see me giving shit to anyone with a 2wd, for one thing I don't understand why you'd want to bring down someone over their purchase and their truck, just because it doesn't suit your needs doesn't mean that's true for them. Also I wheeled my former Prerunner plenty, and I had a lot of fun doing it. Over the years it taught me I'd be better off in a 4x4 someday so I eventually got one. All this animosity toward one another is ridiculous, we all love Tacomas and that's why we're here.

 

I don't think anybody here is arguing the general advantages of 4wd over 2wd.

I'm just trying to help out the OP by saying that spending $3000 on something you MIGHT use a few times a year is silly especially given that he'll have somebody there to unstuck him if he does get stuck.


Also my favorite memories of wheeling were of times I got stuck. And yes boys, even in 4Lo and locked you can get stuck

 

My apologies, I did misread your first quote. Your source is exactly what I was hoping to find. Thanks, Jeff!

 

I dont really see why anyone who doesnt leave pavement and doesnt live where it snows would buy a 4x4. I would love to be able to buy a 4x2 but i live in Mass so when it snows you're much better off with a 4wd or awd.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLHtApOCwc

This video is just more evidence that even a 2wd with rear locker is pretty useless off road. In So Cal where I live (some guy in this thread said that there is "not much off roading in So Cal"... even though it's one of the most diverse off road trail areas in the country?) this type of terrain can commonly be found on a casual off road trail in the desert... you could easily end up buried to the axles in silt if you hit it too slow.

 

I'd stop short of saying "pretty useless", but will go 110% with the concept that 4wd is far MORE useful. Especially with an empty pick up, you have far less weight on the rear wheels than with the fronts. The front is where the bulk of available traction can be found. PLUS, a powered front axle pulls, where a non powered axle is just resistance.

I started driving about the time 4wd really started to catch on for the civilian market. I grew up on a farm. Most everyone had 2wd pick ups. Some with positrac....most with mud tires. When 4wds started catching hold, it was as if a miracle had taken place! Even with open diffs vs positrac/lockers on a 2wd, there is a huge difference in the capabilities of 4wd over 2wd....BTDT, got dragged out of a LOT of muddy fields back in the day.

 

4x4 is a prerequisite in my area. Mountainous hills with added heavy snow. 2wd is useless.

 

You're right, 2wd is not "useless", it's just funny that people try to say 2WD's are "pretty much just as capable" as 4x4... if you've been on any moderate trail you know it's a nice safety blanket to be able to switch it into 4x4. I usually try to go as far as I can in 2WD and only use 4x4 when I absolutely need it... and I've had to click it into 4x4 several times on trails that some 2WD noobs might think they can handle. Yeah, they might be able to floor it and bounce over that rock with speed... but they risk breaking their shit. 4x4 you can crawl over it and be on your way.

 

Just put it in 4lo and crawl control and you'll be fine

 

If only I had bought the 4X2 instead of this 4X4... said no one ever.

 

LOL EXACTLY! This is the best post on this thread

 

Is a modded (lift & tires) prerunner more capable then a stock 4x4?

 

I guaranfuckingtee you my poser 4x2 Tacoma spends more time offroad than your 4x4 ever will. The real posers are the dudes who buy 4x4s, dress them all up with coilovers, recovery gear, AT/MT tires and are pavement leafsmashers. And if you think Baja consists of mostly dry hard packed roads, then you're as ignorant as your post. This is coming from someone who's goes to Baja and has been on chase teams over the course of many years. Don't get me wrong, I love 4x4s as I also have an F250 Diesel 4x4, but 4x2s are damn capable trucks even in stock form. The "ignorant" meter is through the roof with this thread.