Do I really need a 4X4?

Looking a buying a Sanger v210 to replace my 19’ Glastron I/O. Currently I tow with a Expedition 4X4, which I never (Very Rarely) have to put in 4x4 mode to get the boat out of the water. The Sanger looks like it weights about the same as the Glastron but it is on a Tandem Axel. So if I was to really stretch it and buy a new tow vehicle does it really need to be a 4X4?? Ford currently 0% for 60mo and I can get a great deal on a loaded 4X2 Expedition EL, on the 4X4 it’s OK deal.

Limited Slip or Posi rear axle would be essential, then.

I have never had to put a vehicle into four wheel drive to get a boat out of the water. I guess it would depend on the ramp you frequent.

This may sound silly but you will never know if you need 4 wheel drive until you need it.

When you do need it, you will be really glad that you got that option, even if you only use it once.

I think you will be ok with a 2 wheel drive expedition b/c you have lots of weight over the rear tires. Now a 2 wheel drive pickup with a light back end, then you may get some slippage.

Also depends if you want to be able to pull your boat outof the water with people still in it, or do you want to be the guy who makes everyone get off the boat so that you can get it up the ramp.

Why not take the 4X2 Expedition EL you are looking at on a 24 hour test drive, see how it tows your Glastron. Then go to the dealership that has the Sanger you are looking at and see how it tows the Sanger.

Unless you are pulling your boat out and the ramp is sand or gravel with a mud base, you will be fine. My wife pulls our boat out with an older 2wd tundra and the ramp is very steep and slippery.

You also need to see if the 4x2 comes with a tranny cooler.

When you go from a 4x4 to a 4x2, you could lose some of the towing features that you may need.

What I have now has a Limited Slip rear axle. Ford doesn't seem to offer limited slip anymore becasue of their AdvanceTrac system I can't even find it as a option, even on the 4X4 which seems strange to me.

I have never used 4x4 either and have pulled bigger boats out of modestly steep ramps. Might be good insurance if you were hauling out of some real steeps or those with with loose surfaces (gravel).

I tow my Tige RZ2 with a 2002 Ford Expedition 5.4L Triton and tow package 4x2. I do feel that the boat is back there but it does get the job done. IMO, you should be okay with the current vehicle. $.02

I get 9.7 miles to the gallon while towing.

(Message edited by dabell on February 01, 2010)

I've pulled a Sanger D215 out with a FWD Venture van that had traction control. You just need enough traction.


(Message edited by rallyart on February 01, 2010)

Ford's Heavy Duty Tow package comes with a Large Capacity Radiator, Aux Trans oil cooler. The EL version has a 3.73 rear End Standard which a option on Std Expedition (3.31). Both 4X4 and 4X2 tow more than I will need 8900-9200 ( GCWR 15,000)

A 4x2 vehicle will have a higher tow rating than the same vehicle in a 4x4 version, along with being more stable. They weight less and will get better fuel mileage, but not by much. If you don't need 4 wheel drive why pay for it? The only good thing with a 4x4 is a higher resale value. Of course that also gets chewed up with more expensive tires, and higher maintenance costs.

I have never needed a 4x4 yet for launching or recovering even on slippery algae covered ramps.

I tow an '05 VLX with a 98 Expedition 5.4 4x2. A couple of my friends have spun the tires on really slippery ramps. However, nothing that ever came close to preventing us from pulling the boat. Just had to make sure we eased on the gas and have always been able to pull the boat even on very slippery ramps.

We put our Vride in & out of the lake on a sandy beach using a Chevy Avalanche 4x4. I don't always need or use 4wd, but it's there when I do need it.

Three times in 5 years someone has seen me putting my boat in & out on our beach & decided to do it themselves. And 3 times I have pulled their truck & boat out of the sand when they managed to dig themselves into a hole.

The really funny part is that I do it without even unhooking my own boat. I just run the tow strap under my own trailer.

(Message edited by bill_airjunky on February 01, 2010)

I use 4x4 sometimes usually when we have to drop the trailer over the edge of the ramp on a lower tide. I think it's more due to the lower gear ratio in 4 low than anything that pulls the trailer out of the mud and back over the edge of the ramp. 4x4 can definitely get you out of trouble in some situations.

If you launch at Elsinore you will need a 4x4. Somewhere I have picture of a $250K + RV in the water at Elsinore because it slid down the ramp...

I do Launch at Elsinore and the Rampa are Very Slippery, with my my Current 00 Expedition I never need to engage 4X4. When I have felt the tires start to slip the limited slip rear hooks up and out I come. So I guess the Real Question, Is Ford AdvanceTrac Equal to a Limited slip rear on a slipery ramp. I proably already know the answer. Not even Close. So then I need to find a 4x2 with Limited slip or buy 4x4 thanks for all the input

Get a GM product, the G80 will lock up no problem...

Depends on where you live. If i lived in the flatlands probably not. In the mountains though where ramps can be very steep and slippery, you betcha it comes in handy.

I've had to boat-boost my 2wd before but only on algea filled nasty ramps with a steeper slope (knoxville marine base). When I buy my next tow vehicle I'm going to look for a 4WD to have just in case.

I didn't realize you are launching at elsinore. This is the steep ramp that I was referring to in my first post. We launch with a 2wd tahoe (standard traction control) or a 2wd 05 tundra (limited slip dif). The tundra will slip every once in a while - probably because of the lack of wieght. The tahoe pulls the boat out fine even when the lake is low and it is sandy or has algae.

We used to use a 2wd F150 to pull an old Prostar 190 out of Elsinore all the time.....

Or rather, we used to use a Prostar 190 to push a 2wd F150 up the ramp.

That ramp was tough in 2wd.

I have a 2wd Silverado and my tires probably need to be changed soon, but the posi-track is a must. The back end is a little light so we put 400 or so pounds of steel in the bed and haven't had an issue. Our ramps are pretty good most of the time. I had one issue pulling the boat out of the ramp (before I added weight) and the lakes were low. It tried to slip twice and the positrack caught it and pulled it out the ramp without problems

Since my first 4x4 in '87 I would never go back to a 2wheel drive
Do you ever go to the snow in the winter?
Do you ever go to Baja?
Do you ever launch on steep ramps?

If you answered yes to any these questions, a 4x4 will be well worth it. The additional price you pay up front is returned on re-sale or trade in.

I once had a 2wd Dodge Dakota V8 and a 19 ft Rinker. After having to be towed up the algae covered ramp I never launched with it again. Pulled it for the rest of the summer the the V6 Rodeo 4X4. That was my first ramp mishap.

The second was towing our Ebbtide 2600 with our 2007 Suburban with the 5.3 the 8 miles from storage and back about killed it. To get the boat out of the ramp had to use 4 wheel low and the trans temp hit 240.

I have always had a 4x4 for the past 20 year. I guess I really wanted to make sure that Technology had replaced Limited slip or 4X4 for the Part time user. It sounds like I could make do with 4X2 but I would proably regret it. So 4x4 it is.

Thanks

I'm a 4x2 Dodge mega cab diesel guy. I thought about the 4x4 but went with the 4x2. Twice the cost on axel maintenance (differential) on the 4x4's