3/4 ton 2wd with weight vs 4wd in the snow which handles better

[gmc1971harwich]

Hey for all you guys that own 3/4 ton 2wd pickups how does it handle the snow? the GMC im working on is going to be goin on the road soon, and we get our fair share of snow here in eastern mass. my dads owned this truck for almost 15 years but weve never driven it in the snow, obviously il have to put weight in the bed, but just wonderin if its just as good as 4wd with weight also what do u use for weight in the bed?

[Longhorn Man]

no matter how good a rear wheel drive pick up does, a 4X4 will always do better

[QKENUF4U]

GOOD snow tires will help a ton.... used to drive a 69 buick skylark in penn. we put my dads hogger winter tires on it and it did awesome (over the mountain to work everyday)
but i agree if its deep then the 4x4 is the best.... 4x4 gives ya a peice of mind also..

[rsavage]

Remember that any "weight" you put in the bed, such as cement blocks, sand bags, etc. will keep on going if you hit something. The truck will stop - the weight won't. Find a way to securely fasten whatever you use. The weight works best if over the axle.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by rsavage

The weight works best if over the axle.

True; it may seem that weight at the back of the bed is more effective (think leverage), but it works against you in two ways. It takes weight off the front axle, so steering & braking suffer -- and it acts like a pendulum when the rear tires lose traction.

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

no matter how good a rear wheel drive pick up does, a 4X4 will always do better

No question about it.

If you can get around okay in 2WD, fine -- but imagine how much better you'll do with your same setup plus a front drive axle.

[Neal Molder]

Food for Thought! I grew up in the middle of Saskatchewan Canada and drove a 68 1 ton rearwheel drive and a 69 3/4 ton rearwheel drive in the snow on the farm. On and off road since i was 13 . These trucks are in many ways better than modern 2 wheel drive trucks. because of the coils all the way around. They won't out do a 4 by 4 but unless your going hunting or going out offroad with a 1.5 feet of snow or more, you don't need a 4by4.
The other thing to think about was their wasn't that many 4by4 sold in canada from 68 to 72. Why? Price, reliability, Market i'm not sure why. I just know these trucks of the 4 by 4 variety are rare in canada. Canadians got along fine with the 2 wheel drive for years before the reliable modern 4 by 4s came along.
As far as driving them in the snow a little weight in the back never hurt. decent tires not bald. And of course knowing your vehicles and your limitations never hurts. Best thing to do is take it out on first snowfall of the year out in the middle of nowhere, where you can't hit anything. Then do some donuts. Spin on some ice. Fish tail a little and general get a good feel for the truck on snow and ice. Oh ya and have a little bit of fun in the process.

[hounddogs!]

I get around fine in a C20 with aggressive mud & snow tires. I drive it at 7/10s compared to when it's dry. I do notice that I drive the Jeep at more like 9/10s in the snow.

[Dieselwrencher]

Another thing to remember with a 2wd is to try to limit wheel spin. A spipnning tire doesn't really help you because you'll be stuck. My Dad used to drive his 70 Longhorn everyday 28 miles each way to work. I still can't believe some of the snow it would plow through. We always put 700-800lbs in the rear over the axle, it always had a good set of snow tires, and I'm guessing patience had a lot to do with it.

[Wideopenracing15]

My c20 does just fine over here in Iowa. We get quite a bit of snow over here. I only have like 350 pounds in the Ben and it doesn't do bad. It would do much better if I had a posi. Pretty much it's all about patients and common sense. You can't stop at the bottom of a hill and think your going to make i, but I have Bo doubt that everyone knows that. Sometimes you might have take a different way home but really not a big deal. No matter what most of idiots seem to think around here, it's bow IF your going to spin the tires, its how much and when. No matter, it still gets around better than any front wheel drive here, even thought most idiots here don't figure it out, what you break the front tires loose on a FWD car, you can't turn, atleast when I spin the tires I can still make the corners without hitting something. 4wd will always get sound better but not monditory. I don't honk you'll need it.

Sorry I might have got off topic there, I might have been ranting about all the dumb people here in cars that get stuck or get in wrecks for no reason.

[dan76]

I've never owned a 4wd but have lived in several locales famous for annual snowfall totals. I've always had a 2x6 frame between the wheel wells allowing me to secure several hundred lbs of sand or salt. Also the differential was usually a posi style. When I did get stuck, usually due to a car in front of me I'd grab a shovel and clear snow away from the wheels and perhaps toss some sand/salt down and drive away. I'd suggest if you going with 2wd, always travel prepared both with appropriate clothing and equipment.

[ERASER5]

Since it was brought up, 4X4 sales went way up after the blizzard of 1978. We found out that even the best drivers needed 4X4s and that only helped a little. Just my observations.

[jdfarmer]

If you have a 4wd drive like it is a 2wd and you'll never be stuck.