We Don't Need 4-Wheel Drive!

[1morethan8]

My cousin always said that 4 wheel drive just let's you get stuck even further back in the sticks.

I like mine in snow though. The danger is it just helps you go, it doesn't help you stop. People forget about that part.

But it does help you stop..
The "emergency brake" is called "put it in reverse and floorboard the gas". This works best if your running 4 wheel lock.
In the last 43 years of running Jeeps, it's saved my butt several times!

 

[mtgianni]

I wore out 4 sets of cross links on my chains on my 4WD pickup on the ranch in the winter of 79. That was a wooly booger!!

I was plumping in SE Idaho that winter.We had three weeks of below zero weather for the highs. I spent too much time in between broken and frozen water lines.

 

[rwsmith]

Had a 4x4 Montero..

My wife delivered mail to some pretty rough rural roads*, but I don't know if she ever had to use the 4WD. I did though. About three times it pulled my fat out of the fire.

*One of her workmates turned her truck over on one.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I used to live on that hill with the bridge at the bottom, up in the N.E. Georgia Mountains! And, you know, the Dodge boys used to make the motors for Ford! So I'm sure that the motor in that rig was fine after that little cruse, but I bet the paint started to peel, and the rocker panels started to rust pretty quick, and...

 

[XtrmTJ]

It's not just getting from point A to point B, it is the adventures along the way.





Semper Fi
Smitty

 

[e3mrk]

Great Video.I would like to see one of today's Cars even attempt that.

 

[Cdog]

4 wheel drive is just like my carry pistol.

It's far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[model70hunter]

Dodge sedans were tough. I once read the Military was so impressed they asked Dodge to start building trucks.

I grew up on a farm, we had 2 WD pickups, lots of mud and snow. Our farm road pulled off the river road and went vertical for about a 1/2 mile.

One either learns to drive a 2WD rig without posi traction or walk. I chose to learn. The Dodge boy had it right, most of the time do not slow down, speed helps.

With trucks of today 4WD in low with posi like my Ford SD crew cab with the 7.3 Diesel can walk thru stuff. I don't think 3 guys could flip it up right though.

 

[steelslaver]

Thats fine, , but I will keep my 3 4x4s, 2 with winches that plug into receivers front or rear, chains for all 4 wheels and axle shaft stakes. We get some snow around here and the bendonite clay (gumbo) makes some nasty mud. Sometimes around here it is a long ways to help especially for guys who have to see whats over THERE.

 

[David LaPell]

This is the daily driver, a 2002 Merc Grand Marquis with 192K miles on the clock. Been through two winters and many snowstorms, has not let me down yet. Sadly the tranny is starting to go and its starting to rust out underneath so once our taxes get back I hope to find a replacement that might include another 4 wheel drive of some sort. I cannot go anywhere near a new vehicle so I am sure it will be something a little older, a little tougher with a bit more steel involved. In this picture its wearing its chains which got it through 4-5 inches of snow the night before like a champ. Went right through like a hog.

 

[hardluk1]

My first 4x4 was a 4 cylinder '64 scout with 4.27gears ,4speed and locker rear and limited slip front. Never did learn why it had the drivetrain upgrades in it . Guess they came from the first owner. I use to be the ride planer from the 4x4 club . I went out to find a easy run for lite duty 4x4's and a more interesting run for the adventuress types . I would air down the tires to 2lb to 3lbs as they were 3M glued to the wheels and screwed on. Only had 32" Armstrong tru trac tires for you older wheelers but when let down but aired they floated over the ground surface . I would run in 2 wheel drive and test the ground . Get out and walk around. If I needed 4 wheel drive we would not take a new crowd there.

Some spot were so soft and sticky you might need a rope to pull you out .

We had a club from miami over . They are use to deep water and sand mostly. I led the easy ride , everyone had a good time with a few getting stuck when they tested some don't go there areas.

The other bunch was bogged up to the frames with in 4 minutes of leaving the graded road . Our guys all run looow air pressure , Miami guys ran them like on the highways , they broke threw the surface layer and went down. We all spent the rest of the day getting the Miami club winched out and aired down.

One guy called me a lair say'n I never run that area so I drove up next to his door. Said watch my tires . Spun my back tires a little to show I was in 2 wheel drive and drove a circle back by him and drove off .

Ended with a good BBQ and lots of ribbing , lots of muddy Miami guys and only to broke drive shafts . man that was a lot of years ago . That ole scout run deep water wheel to. Use to seat on the seat with the hand throttle pulled out a bit and steer with my feet at times . We use to deal with a company called florida spring that build coils and leave spring to our specs for raising rigs too. This was before off-road suspension companies were around . Had to contrive everything .

Now a couple of us florida guys live in NC mountains building homes. I keep two sets of chains in the bed of my truck during winter just in case. We go to work when most locals stay home . Hills here make snow and ice a bit more interesting and were all hills .

 

[1morethan8]

Wonder how good that old Dodge would have done in mud like that going up a 30 degree grade?
I don't have to wonder much!

Driving on flat land is not the same as mountains!