Just trying to have some fun

[Louhound88]

I have a 4x4 and don't plan to ever truly go offroading in it. I'll drive on dirt roads and forest roads, beaches, etc. But as for actual offroading or mud riding, I don't plan to destroy this truck.

I had a 2016 Silverado Z71 that I put fox shocks on and bigger tires. I probably kept this thing about 40% off road, with the damage to show for it. Nothing like having your daily driver bottom out while jumping through a mud hole about 45 miles away from home. It's not a fun time and really wasn't the best vehicle for it.

I found it's best to buy a side by side or 4 wheeler, trailer, and a good truck to pull those around. That way if i break down I can still get to work on Monday morning.

 

[bigdodge]

Let me clarify to myself what you are asking.

You want to hear about the pavement princess.

You want pics of those who use them in the dirt.

Does it have to be a 5th Gen 1500?

no but this is the 5th gen forum.

mainly my grandson was just curious how many get a 4X4 and never use it for what he and his dad believe a 4X4 is supposed to be used for.


with all the anguish about how long it is taking to get these trucks, I figured this would be a change for a while.

 

[Eighty]

no but this is the 5th gen forum.

mainly my grandson was just curious how many get a 4X4 and never use it for what he and his dad believe a 4X4 is supposed to be used for.


with all the anguish about how long it is taking to get these trucks, I figured this would be a change for a while.

Well, being that you're in SoCal, y'all might not understand this. But if you live in a place that experiences an annual phenomenon called "winter", having a 4x4 is almost a requirement. I couldn't imagine navigating the ice/snow in a RWD truck with a light rear end.

 

[millerbjm]

Just out of curiosity I did a KBB comparison of the value of my truck with 2WD vs 4WD and it is a difference of approx $2,000 on resale value using my MN zip code). The 4WD option is approx $2,500 on a new truck so for folks who live in northern climates, rural areas etc. you have to ask yourself is it worth the extra $500 to have it if you need it in snow, water etc. I make a similar argument for dedicated winter tires - the expense would be bigger for a single crash than for the initial investment. The math is certainly more complicated as you'd need to figure in MPG, repair costs etc. I will say 4WD systems are much more reliable than in the past, I operate a fleet of 70 trucks that are all 4WD and over 20 years can only recall 1 repair related to the 4x4 system.

Back to the original question - I also don't do technical off-road but use 4WD several times a month in winter and when hunting on forest roads and two-track etc.

 

[bigdodge]

Well, being that you're in SoCal, y'all might not understand this. But if you live in a place that experiences an annual phenomenon called "winter", having a 4x4 is almost a requirement. I couldn't imagine navigating the ice/snow in a RWD truck with a light rear end.

oh I agree with this statement

my son lives in Sacramento goes fishing every chance he gets and these places are way off road, that is how the conversation started. my grandson saw all these 4X4 trucks all nice and shiny and he made the comment that he bets they never see any off road no matter what kind.

 

[mikeru82]

oh I agree with this statement

my son lives in Sacramento goes fishing every chance he gets and these places are way off road, that is how the conversation started. my grandson saw all these 4X4 trucks all nice and shiny and he made the comment that he bets they never see any off road no matter what kind.

I'm enjoying reading the responses in this thread. We could start a similar thread about people buying trucks. How many of us actually use our trucks as trucks, and how many of us just choose to use them to commute back and forth to work?

 

[ferraiolo1]

Side note, you don’t need 4wd to go off road ether.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJrIH09hlmQ/?utm_medium=copy_link


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rzims]

I bought a 4x4 and have always had a 4x4. I tend to go to the mountains to ski and need it for the snow, I fish in remote mountain areas and tow a TT over some dirt roads.
Now that I live part time in the foothills, I need it to get to the house as we're about a mile down a dirt road and have a steep dirt driveway.
I'll probably never rock crawl or go muddin, but I do like to explore the mountains near by so definitely need 4WD

 

[Johnny_H]

I have 4x4 mostly for commuting in our 4-6 month long winters. I also tow and take it hunting out in fields/trails. No real mud or rock crawling.

I apologize I have no good pictures but I do have a video somewhere when my wife was watching me draw a big dink on the snow on our lake last winter instead of ice fishing. Prob best use of 4WD I can think of. I’ll work on finding it.


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[grimreefer]

Florida "sugar sand".

 

[bucolic]

forum members from the tracker only

just wanting to have some fun to see who buys a 4X4 and never takes it off road or put it in 4X4


my grandson said to ask because of this, pavement princess (a 4X4 that has all the equipment but never sees the dirt)

Oh boy! A Southern California Sun Princess!

Have your Grandson come up to Upstate NY. Right now there is 3" of packed ice on my 15-degree grade driveway from a nice ice storm and -5 below zero weather we had last week. He'd start down that and wreck before he even got on the road

Of course, I am just picking! I don't take my truck off-road ever but the 4 wheel drive is a must-have for me in the winter up here in NY. Even if I bought a car it would be all-wheel drive. Makes the winter driving much more relaxing!

No truck in this pic as it was in the garage but that's about 3-4' of snow from Dec 2020. There isn't a 4 wheel drive truck that would get through that!

 

[CalvinC]

Full size trucks and especially HD trucks are inherently a poor tool for the job of hard core off roading imo. Too big and the angles are terrible.

But I make a distinction for trail riding, where traction and minor body protection (clearance and/or plates) is beneficial.

As opposed to the hardcore stuff where we need maximum articulation, both locked axle , 40” tires, gods own body armor, super low range cases and solid axles etc.


Hunting, fishing, snow, camping, boating, back country exploration (hmmm… most “guy” stuff I guess) all requires that “trail riding” capability.

But I suspect most folks won’t go in a full size truck where there isn’t already at least a 2-track to take them there.

I’d prefer a jeep or sxs for bashing. But I ain’t loading my family in one and taking them through the mountains in a snow storm.

That said, I did survive 7 Colorado winters in a 2wd Silverado. Lots of snow and trails. Courtesy of good tires and white knuckles.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Did you ever consider 4x4 isnt only for offroad?

4wd is useful for more things than just going "muddin", if you live anywhere that gets snow its pretty much a necessity.

I find amusement when people always get angry at people lowering their 4x4 trucks.

If you feel 4x4 is a necessity in the snow, you should stay away from places it snows. Grew up in Midwest and never owned a 4wd vehicle until a few years ago. I bought an AWD Magnum R/T that I sold to buy my Built to Serve.

 

[cdn.tbird]

Like a lot of others that live in northern climates, I bought my 4x4 Limited for the winter conditions I have to drive through not to go off-roading. I consider my Limited more of a "working princess", unlike a lot of people that are buying pickup trucks and will never use them for what they were actually intended for.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Just a few mixed pictures of my truck. It leaves pavement, and has also won 1st place in truck class at my local Mopar car show

 

[cdn.tbird]

If you feel 4x4 is a necessity in the snow, you should stay away from places it snows. Grew up in Midwest and never owned a 4wd vehicle until a few years ago. I bought an AWD Magnum R/T that I sold to buy my Built to Serve.

Come up to Ontario if you want real snow. Barrie is less than an hour north of Toronto Getting 2' dumped in a single snowfall isn't that uncommon. Yeah you can get around with a 2wd, but the extra traction is nice when Mother Nature is in a pissy mood.

Average Yearly Snowfall
Days	State	Place	Inches
46​	Ontario	Barrie	87.80​
37.3​	Minnesota	Minneapolis	54.00​
45.2​	North Dakota	Bismarck	51.20​
44.7​	Michigan	Lansing	51.10​
38.7​	Wisconsin	Madison	50.90​
30.1​	South Dakota	Huron	43.90​
26.2​	Iowa	Des Moines	34.90​
30.4​	Ohio	Columbus	27.50​
23.5​	Indiana	Indianapolis	25.90​
18.3​	Nebraska	Lincoln	25.90​
19.9​	Illinois	Peoria	24.60​
11.5​	Missouri	Springfield	17.00​
10​	Kansas	Wichita	14.70​

 

[HSKR R/T]

Come up to Ontario if you want real snow. Barrie is less than an hour north of Toronto Getting 2' dumped in a single snowfall isn't that uncommon. Yeah you can get around with a 2wd, but the extra traction is nice when Mother Nature is in a pissy mood.

I didn't say it wasn't beneficial, but saying it's a necessity isn't true.

 

[Idahoktm]

Come up to Ontario if you want real snow. Barrie is less than an hour north of Toronto Getting 2' dumped in a single snowfall isn't that uncommon. Yeah you can get around with a 2wd, but the extra traction is nice when Mother Nature is in a pissy mood.

Average Yearly Snowfall
Days	State	Place	Inches
46​	Ontario	Barrie	87.80​
37.3​	Minnesota	Minneapolis	54.00​
45.2​	North Dakota	Bismarck	51.20​
44.7​	Michigan	Lansing	51.10​
38.7​	Wisconsin	Madison	50.90​
30.1​	South Dakota	Huron	43.90​
26.2​	Iowa	Des Moines	34.90​
30.4​	Ohio	Columbus	27.50​
23.5​	Indiana	Indianapolis	25.90​
18.3​	Nebraska	Lincoln	25.90​
19.9​	Illinois	Peoria	24.60​
11.5​	Missouri	Springfield	17.00​
10​	Kansas	Wichita	14.70​

We get an average of 70" of snow per year. When I lived in town, I got by with 2WD. It was a pita at times, but I made it through 2 winters with that truck. Now that I live a little way off the beaten path, with a steep road into my 'hood and a fairly steep driveway, 4WD is a must. If our road is plowed and sanded, it's pretty easy with 2WD. If not, it can be sketchy even with 4WD.

I don't take my truck off-road a lot, but I do a fair amount of scouting in the early spring on Jeep roads that are muddy with snow/ice on them. I wouldn't even try to drive up those roads without 4WD, especially when I'm by myself.

 

[mikeru82]

For me, it's not that 4x4 is a necessity in the snow. I grew up driving rwd cars and trucks, and learned how to do that quite well. It's also how I learned car control in low traction conditions. But 4wd just works better in winter. It allows for better control, and is just safer when used correctly.

 

[Idahoktm]

For me, it's not that 4x4 is a necessity in the snow. I grew up driving rwd cars and trucks, and learned how to do that quite well. It's also how I learned car control in low traction conditions. But 4wd just works better in winter. It allows for better control, and is just safer when used correctly.

Me too. My first two vehicles were 2WD...a 70 Mach 1 Mustang and a 76 Datsun pickup. I ran walnut shell infused tires with studs. Those tires were awesome, but now I detest studded tires. When I moved back home, I had a 2WD Nissan pickup with Michelin LTX tires. Those tires were pretty scary on snow, but like you said, I grew up driving on snow, so I made the best of it.