Towing 2WD vs 4WD

[Mike Foye]

Thinking of buying travel trailer to tow with 2017 Tahoe that I am right now looking for. I have a boat that weighs about 3000# which in and of itself would tow fine with the std 6600# tow pkg.. It is the launching and and taking it out of the water that is of potential issue with me. In looking for this car there are almost no 4WD's around with the max tow package (9000#) which is what I would like because that would give me more options on what kind of travel trailer I could get. There are several Max pkg cars out there but they are all 2WD. If the Tahoe is heavy enough I might not have issues with 2WD. In live in S. Texas so no snow and I do not do any off-road stuff other than gravel road to and on the boat ramps. My question is what might I experience on a boat ramp with a 2WD. The boat tounge weight is about 500#

 

[swathdiver]

4LO would be nice to have on a steep and slimy ramp.

2WD with Max Tow = 8,600 pounds
4WD with Max Tow = 8,400 pounds

 

[David Smith]

If I had the CHOICE, 4LOW is the way to go. But take in to consideration all of the extra moving parts that will wear and tear down the road. If the boat ramp is the only excuse to buy a 4x4, I think I would probably skip it. They don't design the ramps to require a 4x4. Although, on the tidal water around my house, low tide=muddy ramp at the bottom=very slippery.

 

[dbbd1]

If I had the CHOICE, 4LOW is the way to go. But take in to consideration all of the extra moving parts that will wear and tear down the road. If the boat ramp is the only excuse to buy a 4x4, I think I would probably skip it. They don't design the ramps to require a 4x4. Although, on the tidal water around my house, low tide=muddy ramp at the bottom=very slippery.

And, if traction still might be an issue, get a front hitch. This puts the drive wheels higher on the ramp (but with less weight on them).

 

[Flexx]

Find a 4x4. Always better to have it and not need it, than to not be able to get your boat out of the water.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[dbbd1]

Find a 4x4. Always better to have it and not need it, than to not be able to get your boat out of the water.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

= more maintenance.

 

[89Suburban]

2WD with all terrains and some common sense should do the job. I always keep a snow shovel on my boat for when the river floods and leaves mud on the boat ramp. I spend the 15 minutes to shovel it clear.

 

[swathdiver]

2WD with all terrains and some common sense should do the job. I always keep a snow shovel on my boat for when the river floods and leaves mud on the boat ramp. I spend the 15 minutes to shovel it clear.

Years ago, a buddy had a 2WD F-150 with the inline 6 and manual transmission. He had AT flotation tires and could go everywhere the V8 4x4 F-150s in the farm's fleet could go, often further as they were more prone to bog down in the muck. For the most part, the tires are the most important component whether or not one has good traction or not. The front differential is icing on the cake.

 

[adventurenali92]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but why would you go so far down a ramp that you would get stuck?! I never put my back tires in the water. I’ve never once got stuck on a ramp because I know once the tires are wet they will just spin on the ramp and get stuck....

 

[swathdiver]

A busy Florida ramp will be wet from all the boats that were just splashed ahead of you. Then you have different grades and of course tides to reckon with.