Small pick-up 2WD or 4WD

Hi all,

I have been looking for a used pick-up, a small one like the Chev S-10 or comparable in another make w/ 6cyl for better gas milage for my every day driver.

There are a lot of 6 cyl 2WD out there but very few 6 cyl 4WD. I made the assumption that I needed a 4WD to launch and retrieve the boat, but maybe I really don't??

The boat weighs about 1500 lbs I think??? (16' Spectrum, see pics).

What do you think? Will a 2WD do okay or should I stick with trying to find a 4WD?

This vehicle is not for long trips or regular use, only an occasional fishing trip close by (under 50 miles). We have an 8 cyl 4WD vehicle for long distance towing.

2wd should be fine, I never have used the 4heel drive to pull my boats out of the water. Are the ramps you go to steep and muddy?

Jim said:

Are the ramps you go to steep and muddy?

Click to expand...

That would be the key thing right there. If the ramps aren't steep, and are concreted and not known to be very slick you might not have a problem. But alot of ramps vary, so it just depends on the conditions of the ramp.

Yup.. Steep Ramps, Icey Ramps in the winter, alot of hills to drive over on the way to the lake?

To give you an idea, I used to pull my Smokercraft with a 1999 GrandPrix GT V6 and it was really straining my motor and trans because of the hills I had to go over to get to the lake. On flat ground I was OK and when the ramps were not really wet and slippery, but if there was algea or anything slick on the ramp, I had some trouble, of course the car was front wheel drive. When I went to trade for a 4Runner back in 2003, The trans was slipping and I took a 2k hit on trade in because of that. I traded my 4Runner because my Ranger walked it all over the interstate over 50mph and the tires were inflated properly and the hitch was at the right height. Now that I have the 2007 Explorer, it pulls like the Ranger or Smokercraft isnt even there..

Most of the ramps will be concrete and only wet (rather than muddy) Maybe a 2wd would work okay, but I just don't know about a small pick-up, rear wheel drive, 6 cyl., trying to pull a boat up the ramp??? That's why I asked the pros on this great site!

I was in a 99 Dodge ram V8 2wd and it got stuck on a steep wet ramp at KY lake, we was try'en to pull out a skeeter bass boat(i THINK IT WAS A 15 FOOTER?)

I think you'd be ok on the 2wd, matter of fact I would choose that one, but you'll only miss the 4wd when needing it

OK here's the deal.........If you can find a 4wd pretty cheap,I figure you might as well just in case :shock:
Although I did pull my 15'5 Champion with a 98 extended cab Ranger and it never caused me any trouble except pulling all the hills going to the lake and it was only a 4 banger but I was always a little nervous any time I had to load the boat and pull off the ramp!Especially when I was by myself!! :?

If you launch from nothing but concrete and you can unload your boat without getting the back tires in the water, a 2wd would be fine.

I ran 2wd trucks for years and years before I wised up and went 4x.... :lol:

Honestly, the only time that I use the 4x now is during duck season and on undeveloped launch areas.

Get yourself a set of good wet traction tires and you should be fine.

Just don't let this happen to you... #-o

If the only thing you will be doing with the vehicle is towing a boat then I would say 2WD is plenty. My Trailblazer pulls my 2,500 lb rig w/o a problem. Seeing you live where it snows, are you gonna drive this same vehicle in the winter/snow? After this last winter I will not buy another vehicle up here that doesn't have 4WD/AWD. Got to have at least one in the family around here. Man I miss Texas.

flounderhead59 said:

If the only thing you will be doing with the vehicle is towing a boat then I would say 2WD is plenty. My Trailblazer pulls my 2,500 lb rig w/o a problem. Seeing you live where it snows, are you gonna drive this same vehicle in the winter/snow? After this last winter I will not buy another vehicle up here that doesn't have 4WD/AWD. Got to have at least one in the family around here. Man I miss Texas.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the Chicago winters are another good reason for a 4WD. Is your Trail Blazer a 6cyl or V8? Kentuckybassman said he used a 4cyl which worked fine except for the hills.

I wonder if a 4 banger, 2WD would work for me? Better gas mileage for a second vehicle and only will be used to tow the boat very rarely when I go alone or with maybe just one other guy close by (20-50 miles max) - I've got two other tow vehicles available. I'm primarily looking for a second economical vehicle - towing the boat is a side benefit I was hoping to gain.

I once had a 2wd Ranger 4 banger.

It did it, but it didn't like it at all... and it's relatively flat around here. You could forget any emergency acceleration and it drank gas like crazy being under such an extreme strain.

Steep ramps were really, really hard on it. You had to get the rpm's up, slip the clutch and/or spin the tires to get up them.

Most 4 bangers just don't have enough torque to pull much of a load.

The Trailblazer is a 6 cyl but of course it is a big bad, 4.2L 275 HP motor.

I just love having a 4WD,even if I don't have to use it.It only takes once to get stuck and you get all mad, have to call someone,spin mud all over the place.I don't think I'll ever go back to a 2WD,although I don't use to many concrete ramps.

I tried pulling my jet ski up a steep ramp with my roommates 2 WD Mazda B3000, pretty much the same as a ranger, and it moved about a foot and lost all traction. I had to have my buddy drive, and I sat on the jet ski and pushed the truck with the jet ski until it was out of the water. (I no longer have the jet ski for those who don't like them. :lol: )

If you have any steep landings that you have to put in at, i would go 4WD for sure.