I have never owned a 2Wd truck. This is my 4th 4X4. It was almost 100% a requirement to have a 4x4 when I lived in the country. Now I live in town, .5 miles from work.

I did test drive a 01 2.3L 5-speed 2wd the other day. Worn rear tires and no added weight it was just about helpless. IF it had studded or just good tires and a few hundred pounds of weight I'm sure it would do alot better.

Please share your 2wd winter driving tips/thoughts in case I do go 2wd. Thanks.

 

Be smart and know your limitations are the best advice I can give you, weight in the back helps a lot but I've driven in the snow a lot this winter without any weight in the back and haven't had a problem except for on ice.

 

i personally throw two sand bags in the back. from a stand still ill spin because i have performance all season which arent to great in the snow. other than that ive just gotten very good at knowing when to throttle on and off and how to correct without over correcting..


weight does help though, when i go out and plow, if im stuck salting, with 10 50lb salt bags in the back of our 2wd truck, its planted and it hardly slips aslide from a few driveways that are pretty steep

 

I good set of winter tires makes all the difference... A little weight in the back and smart driving and you should be fine.
I've had both 2wd and 4x4, and the 2wd isn't that bad. If it's an open diff, you may have trouble to get going at times, but it will be pretty stable once moving. A limited slip diff will help you to get moving in snow/ice, but will fishtail like crazy if you're not paying attention. Personally I prefer the limited slip, you just have to be a bit more careful.
I have a 4x4 now and honestly I hardly ever use 4wd in the snow unless it's really bad.

 

This is my first winter driving and with my 2wd ive had no real problems. Like 04blackedge said know its limits. It took me 2 snow falls and some time in a parking lot alone fooling around to find out the best way to drive in the snow/slush. I havent had the opportunity to drive a 4x4 and prolly wont anytime soon. Neither have I added weight to the bed. I have the Continental Contitrac tires and they slip sometimes if I rev it to much on take off, but besides that ive had no problems.
Take it slow and give yourself room (both basic ideas for snow) and you shouldnt have any problems. Everytime ive hit ice ive had more than enough room to stop and catch some solid ground.
Good luck

 

I run in the winter with 4- 60 lb sand bags in the back. Not only are they good for added weight but if I ever got stuck on ice I could cut one open and use it for traction. Also as stated above get used to how it drives in the winter. Alot of times when I make my turns I feel the truck slip but I dont worry I know how to correct it. One thing that has helped me out this winter is I just got brand new tires.

Just whatever the case take your time in the snow. You can do a turn at like 8 mph and your rear end slips out from under you. The biggest problem you will run into is the ice

Needless to say I love my 2wd!!!! Wish I had a 4wd but oh well never drove one so I dont know what im missing!!!!!!!!!

p.s. if you add any weight put it right over the rear axle.

Good luck

 

thats the same kind of tires that came with my truck.

 

I have never taken my 2wd off road in the snow, but I have never had any problems in the snow, minimal loss of traction(unless intentional), and all I have is a big tool box in the front of the bed of the truck.

 

You have the best setup for practicing 2wd winter driving. Take your 4WD truck out and keep it in 2WD, use it as often as you can to learn and when you get stuck switch to 4WD.

 

Make sure you secure sand bags (DONT USE CONCRETE BLOCKS LIKE SOME MORONS DO...because if you get in a crash you might loose something more than your truck)

I use 6 - 40kg bags in any 2wd drive trucks i have owned. Also try to make sure they stay above the rear tires. Also when pulling away from lights and stops on slippery roads use 2nd gear (even automatics can do this) and let the truck pull its self. Get some good winter tires (4 not 2) and just take your time when it gets really bad out.

Not sure about the studds. they are the best but you must make sure you are allowed to use them. Even where I am they are not allowed except in the northern part of the province.

Practice in a parking lot after a storm at like 3AM. these trucks asses can come out on ya quickly

 

Few hundred pounds of sand, and some BFG A/t's and you will be fine. My truck went through more than I thought it would, but I know for a fact, the manual trans helped so much...

 

I have BFG All-Terrains, 220lbs of salt bags over the rear axle, and I know what the truck can and can't do. Have had it through 4 winters now with no issues.

Getting going from a stop in deep snow feels and looks like a loaded dump truck hopping in the sand......but as long as you ease out of it and don't keep it pinned with the wheels spinning....it'll go.

Biggest mistake that most people make (truck or car), is that they spin the crap out of their tires from a stop to get going. Spinning = NO TRACTION.

 

Yep, be easy on the pedal, momentum is key.

 

i'm running firestone destination a/t's and have had no problems at all in the snow...
no weight in the back either. they are also very quiet on the highway.

 

For what I'm doing I think 2wd would be OK. I know I would miss it, but I can learn to do without. Hell....if it's that bad outside I'll just stay home from work!

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I have an XL 2.3L 2wd and I had no problems. and I only have 1 60lb sand bag in the back. and new all-season tires (less then 5K on them). my trucks a manual so I'm sure that helps too, I will not drive it in more then 4" of snow. if I have to go out in any more then that I'll take my dads AWD Subaru

 

4" is nothing..........so my wife tells me

 

this 2wd eats snow for lunch! lol

 

ill say that weight does help but the two things that helped me was pedal and steering control. if you know the limits and dont spin everywhere and can handle the turns ull be just fine! i ran with no weight in the back and i made it through all the winters just fine!

 

i have bfg a/t's and i run two 80lbs sandbags over the axle.

my truck is great in the snow, i just have to be careful because of the locker, it tends to get crazy sometimes and it will kick the rear end out.

i was going down one of the main roads around here right after the last big snowfall we had here and there was a car next to me, needless to say, the rear end of my truck kicked out and i almost hit the person.

 

Tires + weight is where it's at. Pretty much exactly what everyone else just said, but I've only got 4 posts so I figure another one can't hurt.

 

I never had much trouble in snow with any of the 2WD Rangers that I have owned, but had a lot of trouble going up hill on ice in my 86 ranger! I think that the ranger suspension and weight in the back can make a 2WD owner fine in the snow, as long as they are driving like there is snow on the ground.

 

Today I had to park on the side of the street for school, and unfortunately there was a big snowbank on the side of the road(My city sucks at plowing) and I couldnt get out of it in 2wd. I dont think I could live without 4wd lol. But maybe I just didnt have enough weight in the back.

 

most of the time with proper weight balacing/tires a 2wd will get by fine. but those times a 4wd saves the day makes you never want to be without it. i know when its bad out i will lock my hubs but stay in 2wd just to get a feel for conditions. then i'll use 4wd. too many times you can be in 4wd and not realize just how bad it really is out. then when it comes time to stop youre in trouble. always keep that in mind. driving traction is only half the battle, you gotta be able to stop that truck too. and too much weight for traction can hurt youre being able to get stopped as quickly as you need to.