Limitations of a 2WD Truck

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Wilkes704

Wilkes704

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Wilkes704 said:


I've only taken my 2006 rwd double cab out once to uwharrie in north Carolina, but it did just fine on the easier trails. I put in bilstein 4600s, Cooper discoverer at3, did a 2" leveling kit to give me a little more clearance in the front. I had a blast with a little scraping.

Since I'm a welder and fabricated, I plan on making my own bumpers when I mess up the ones on there. The first trip banged up a Nerf bar a little, so sliders and a roof basket are next.

I'm just going to use the hell out of what I already own.

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Also the trails were dry, went out with a friend, didn't get stuck. Left foot braking , keep higher revs to keep wheels from spinning, use left foot to control forward motion. Didn't have to use forward moment to get over rocks and obstacles. Didn't tear anything up.

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The fact that you are here asking
SC_4Runner said:
Hey, I’m sorry if I sounded like a jerk. Not attempting to lecture. Not judging how you wheel either.
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Well you did, you did and you did.

There are literally hundreds of miles of graded forestry roads that can be enjoyed "responsibly" in a 2wd truck. For someone who is wanting to try out some "backroading" and camping, there is no need to spend thousands of dollars changing vehicles unless he tries this out and decides he wants to go farther and do more. Shaming someone new to this into never trying at all because they have a 2wd is "irresponsible" in my opinion.

This is the problem I have with TL disciples. They parrot the same ole talking points of "trails being shut down all over the place" because of wheel spin. The OP is here for some advice and he's been given some good advice on what his rig is capable of and what and how he can do this responsibly in a 2wd.

I am guessing he is a responsible person or he wouldn't be here asking for advice instead of just heading out to tear stuff up. If you really want to "save the trails," you'll do everything you can to encourage and help people like the OP who may decide he enjoys this enough to do more and get a 4WD when his situation allows for it. The more people speaking up in favor of keeping "the trails" open the better.
 
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vegasjeepguy

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Well, two nights ago a friend in California called because a friend of his was in town and had gotten stuck out in BFE trying to find a place to do some shooting out in the desert. Luckily he had cell phone service and I was able to talk to him and get a rough idea of his location. This was about 730p and well past sunset and he had been out there for about 4 hours. I asked him what kind of vehicle he had and he said a Hyundai Genesis.

I called another buddy with a Jeep and we headed out to find this guy. Once in the general vicinity it took another 30 minutes to locate him and the fact it was night actually helped. He was able to see our headlights and we could see his flashlight once we got close. This guy had absolutely no business being out on the trail he was on in a sedan.

When we got to his vehicle it was obvious what had happened. While attempting to turn around, whe got into some soft sand, buried his rear wheels and got high centered on his fuel tank. The recovery was simple and straightforward using my winch to pull him out to the sand and back onto firmer ground. We then escorted out of the desert and back to the highway.

So what’s my point? Sure, the guy was an idiot for taking his Hyundai sedan out in the middle of the desert over some rough trails. He even said to me when I arrived that he takes his vehicle to places you wouldn’t believe all the time. This resulted in his overconfidence. But what I was reminded of was the effortlessness with which my buddy and I navigated the terrain in our Jeeps. The difference being traction and ground clearance.

Would a two wheel drive truck fared better? Absolutely, but it would still have to contend with the limitations of its traction (2WD) and relatively low ground clearance when compared to a typical 4WD vehicle of the same type. All things being equal, the probability of a 2WD vehicle getting into problems off-road is significantly higher than a 4WD vehicle. Couple that with the unpredictability of conditions, I would always err on the side of caution.
 
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vegasjeepguy said:
Well, two nights ago a friend in California called because a friend of his was in town and had gotten stuck out in BFE trying to find a place to do some shooting out in the desert. Luckily he had cell phone service and I was able to talk to him and get a rough idea of his location. This was about 730p and well past sunset and he had been out there for about 4 hours. I asked him what kind of vehicle he had and he said a Hyundai Genesis.

I called another buddy with a Jeep and we headed out to find this guy. Once in the general vicinity it took another 30 minutes to locate him and the fact it was night actually helped. He was able to see our headlights and we could see his flashlight once we got close. This guy had absolutely no business being out on the trail he was on in a sedan.

When we got to his vehicle it was obvious what had happened. While attempting to turn around, whe got into some soft sand, buried his rear wheels and got high centered on his fuel tank. The recovery was simple and straightforward using my winch to pull him out to the sand and back onto firmer ground. We then escorted out of the desert and back to the highway.

So what’s my point? Sure, the guy was an idiot for taking his Hyundai sedan out in the middle of the desert over some rough trails. He even said to me when I arrived that he takes his vehicle to places you wouldn’t believe all the time. This resulted in his overconfidence. But what I was reminded of was the effortlessness with which my buddy and I navigated the terrain in our Jeeps. The difference being traction and ground clearance.

Would a two wheel drive truck fared better? Absolutely, but it would still have to contend with the limitations of its traction (2WD) and relatively low ground clearance when compared to a typical 4WD vehicle of the same type. All things being equal, the probability of a 2WD vehicle getting into problems off-road is significantly higher than a 4WD vehicle. Couple that with the unpredictability of conditions, I would always err on the side of caution.
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We've all seen stupid people do stupid things but the OP was not asking how to get to BFE and get stuck. He was asking some advice about trails and what his vehicle might be capable of. The person in your example likely asked no one. He probably just took off without any planning or foresight. If the OP was that kind of person, I don't think he would be here asking. Drawing any correlation between the guy in your example and the OP is a stretch.

I'm just tired of the Tread Lightly (TL) jihadis. I think TL should be followed not just to keep trails open but because it is the right thing to do. The problem is that too many people want to make it an elite club or religion. If you are not on the inside then you must be crucified or burned at the stake. I contend that the best way to keep trails open is to increase the number of people who want them to be open not to make the club more exclusive.

I just see time again where people don't know better, are asking for help or don't have many resources are embarrassed or shot down by someone in the name of TL. TL doesn't prohibit the use of common sense as far as I can tell. Common sense tells me that there is a lot that the OP can do and enjoy with his rig without violating the principles of TL or being selfish or irresponsible.

I have gotten to the point where I will talk to people about TL but I don't even call it TL. I just don't want to be associated with the TL nazis that enjoy the elite feeling that comes from condemning others who don't know better or telling people to stay home because their rig ain't all that. TL IMO will be far more effective with ambassadors who are patient, kind and willing to help and educate than it will with crusaders who can't wait to criticize, condemn and ban people.

Part of why I joined overland bound is that it seems to be a pretty welcoming community of people to share ideas and interests. They are not hung up on some narrow definition of overlanding or keeping the idea of overlanding from the masses. I'm on other forums (not necessarily overland or vehicle related) and they all have a handful of people who can't wait to make someone else look stupid while inflating their own ego. I know it's the world we live in but I'm over it. I'd like to see better from people here.
 
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vegasjeepguy

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soonersfan said:
We've all seen stupid people do stupid things but the OP was not asking how to get to BFE and get stuck. He was asking some advice about trails and what his vehicle might be capable of. The person in your example likely asked no one. He probably just took off without any planning or foresight. If the OP was that kind of person, I don't think he would be here asking. Drawing any correlation between the guy in your example and the OP is a stretch.

I'm just tired of the Tread Lightly (TL) jihadis. I think TL should be followed not just to keep trails open but because it is the right thing to do. The problem is that too many people want to make it an elite club or religion. If you are not on the inside then you must be crucified or burned at the stake. I contend that the best way to keep trails open is to increase the number of people who want them to be open not to make the club more exclusive.

I just see time again where people don't know better, are asking for help or don't have many resources are embarrassed or shot down by someone in the name of TL. TL doesn't prohibit the use of common sense as far as I can tell. Common sense tells me that there is a lot that the OP can do and enjoy with his rig without violating the principles of TL or being selfish or irresponsible.

I have gotten to the point where I will talk to people about TL but I don't even call it TL. I just don't want to be associated with the TL nazis that enjoy the elite feeling that comes from condemning others who don't know better or telling people to stay home because their rig ain't all that. TL IMO will be far more effective with ambassadors who are patient, kind and willing to help and educate than it will with crusaders who can't wait to criticize, condemn and ban people.

Part of why I joined overland bound is that it seems to be a pretty welcoming community of people to share ideas and interests. They are not hung up on some narrow definition of overlanding or keeping the idea of overlanding from the masses. I'm on other forums (not necessarily overland or vehicle related) and they all have a handful of people who can't wait to make someone else look stupid while inflating their own ego. I know it's the world we live in but I'm over it. I'd like to see better from people here.
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And I will say it again...

All things being equal, the probability of a 2WD vehicle getting into problems off-road is significantly higher than a 4WD vehicle. Couple that with the unpredictability of conditions, I would always err on the side of caution.
 
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vegasjeepguy said:
And I will say it again...

All things being equal, the probability of a 2WD vehicle getting into problems off-road is significantly higher than a 4WD vehicle. Couple that with the unpredictability of conditions, I would always err on the side of caution.
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Your odds of not getting into problems off-road are infinitely greater by choosing not to go out at all, 4wd or not. If YOU "always err on the side of caution," then I would assume you never go offroad. 4wd vehicles get stuck all the time. Are you telling those people not to go or to use common sense?

As for the OP, he doesn't have a 4WD or access to one. He would prefer to not stay at home. There is plenty that he can safely and responsibly do with a 2WD. That might make the 4WD club a little less cool for some people but oh well. I hope he gets out there and has a great time. I'm guessing if he enjoys it enough, he'll be looking for a 4wd next time he buys a vehicle.
 
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Wilkes704

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soonersfan said:
We've all seen stupid people do stupid things but the OP was not asking how to get to BFE and get stuck. He was asking some advice about trails and what his vehicle might be capable of. The person in your example likely asked no one. He probably just took off without any planning or foresight. If the OP was that kind of person, I don't think he would be here asking. Drawing any correlation between the guy in your example and the OP is a stretch.

I'm just tired of the Tread Lightly (TL) jihadis. I think TL should be followed not just to keep trails open but because it is the right thing to do. The problem is that too many people want to make it an elite club or religion. If you are not on the inside then you must be crucified or burned at the stake. I contend that the best way to keep trails open is to increase the number of people who want them to be open not to make the club more exclusive.

I just see time again where people don't know better, are asking for help or don't have many resources are embarrassed or shot down by someone in the name of TL. TL doesn't prohibit the use of common sense as far as I can tell. Common sense tells me that there is a lot that the OP can do and enjoy with his rig without violating the principles of TL or being selfish or irresponsible.

I have gotten to the point where I will talk to people about TL but I don't even call it TL. I just don't want to be associated with the TL nazis that enjoy the elite feeling that comes from condemning others who don't know better or telling people to stay home because their rig ain't all that. TL IMO will be far more effective with ambassadors who are patient, kind and willing to help and educate than it will with crusaders who can't wait to criticize, condemn and ban people.

Part of why I joined overland bound is that it seems to be a pretty welcoming community of people to share ideas and interests. They are not hung up on some narrow definition of overlanding or keeping the idea of overlanding from the masses. I'm on other forums (not necessarily overland or vehicle related) and they all have a handful of people who can't wait to make someone else look stupid while inflating their own ego. I know it's the world we live in but I'm over it. I'd like to see better from people here.
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One thug that drew me to this community is use what you have. That's great that people have the means to dump a ton of cash into a vehicle. I can't and do with what I have.

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Caddis

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So, back to the OP. You would be surprised by what a 2wd can do. The key is to air down the tires, know what you can do, and can't do, and go with friends that are good with you being in 2wd. We hit the dunes for its maiden voyage to the sand. I aired down, and headed off with friends that could help if i got stuck. I was very impressed with what it could do. I do carry maxtrax, and a shovel to help myself get unstuck. Go out have fun, learn your limitations.
 
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I will say this, maybe some of the people posting in this thread have never been out on some of the gravel forestry roads and don't even know they exist. Maybe they've never ventured "offroad" in anything other than a 4x4 buggy. Maybe they have only done the extreme and nothing else.

I have been on forestry roads in Arkansas, NM and even Colorado where 4wd simply isn't necessary. I'm not suggesting you take your Honda Accord out there but a 2WD Tundra has enough clearance and is plenty capable. I would hate to tell a responsible person interested in getting out there not to go because their rig is not what mine is. I wouldn't tell them to try Poughkeepsie or Pritchett or the Rubicon but that hardly defines every trail out there.

To the OP. Heed the warnings. If the trail says 4x4, don't take your 2x4! If the roads might be muddy or there is a chance of rain, don't take your 2x4. If it's a maintained forestry road, you are probably good. If there is one in particular you're thinking of, let us know. Maybe someone here can confirm. If you're still not sure, call the local ranger. You have options. Get out there and enjoy the outdoors.

P.S. Sorry for getting my hackles up and derailing the thread.
 
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SNJTundra

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Thanks for the response and the example!
Wilkes704 said:
Also the trails were dry, went out with a friend, didn't get stuck. Left foot braking , keep higher revs to keep wheels from spinning, use left foot to control forward motion. Didn't have to use forward moment to get over rocks and obstacles. Didn't tear anything up.

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Caddis

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I'm not on FB, but I posted my trip on the members page under "Had to head out and stretch the ol legs", and some other trip reports.
 
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vegasjeepguy

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soonersfan said:
Your odds of not getting into problems off-road are infinitely greater by choosing not to go out at all, 4wd or not. If YOU "always err on the side of caution," then I would assume you never go offroad. 4wd vehicles get stuck all the time. Are you telling those people not to go or to use common sense?

As for the OP, he doesn't have a 4WD or access to one. He would prefer to not stay at home. There is plenty that he can safely and responsibly do with a 2WD. That might make the 4WD club a little less cool for some people but oh well. I hope he gets out there and has a great time. I'm guessing if he enjoys it enough, he'll be looking for a 4wd next time he buys a vehicle.
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Let’s try this again. I never said don’t go off-road. I cautioned about over confidence as illustrated by the example of a guy in a sedan who had done it before so he can do it again. The hazards and considerations to venture out in a 2WD are greater than a comparable 4WD vehicle. A previous post gave an example of a trail with dry conditions. Take that same trail in a thunderstorm or snow and it becomes a whole different scenario.

This debate was first brought to my attention around 2007 when Jeep offered a 2WD Wrangler, which was insane to most of us Jeep loyalists. There was many a post on a Jeep forum by those who said they either didn’t need 4WD or could do everything most every 4WD Wranglers could do. Over time, the most vocal defenders of 2WD Wranglers traded them in for a 4WD Wrangler and never regretted it. Jeep also realized their mistake and discontinued the 2WD option in the Wrangler.

It may not always be practical when overlanding, but it is always best to go out with another vehicle and this is especially true when off-roading in a 4WD vehicle because of the susceptibility of being over confident because of the vehicles capabilities. But my point was a 2WD vehicle cannot compete with a 4WD and the driver will find themselves in trouble more quickly in conditions a 4WD would navigate effortlessly. There are plenty of times we head out in 2WD and never shift to 4WD, but we know we always have that options as conditions dicatate and change. Add to that winches and other recovery gear that allow for self-recovery or assisting another.

To the OP, the bottom line and my point was know your limits. And if you are going to push those limits, it’s not wise to do it alone. Get to know the capabilities of you and your vehicle. You also need to make a choice to equip your current vehicle to make it more capable (tires, lift, recovery gear, etc.) or limit the upgrades to save money with the goal of purchasing a 4WD vehicle. I assume, and that can be dangerous, by asking the question about the limits of 2WD in first place mean you are thinking about it and the idea of a 4WD vehicle is certainly of interest
 
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