When did 4x4 trucks come the must have thing?

[Drobny]

I was wondering when did 4x4 trucks become the must have? Now days all ya see on the dealer lot is 4x4s 20yrs ago i heared it was a special order just like an automatic tranny.
Pat.
P.S. how do i get an avator?

[ckhd]

I don't know, but I do think it's very funny that 90% of them never leave the pavement. I have four wheel drives because there are times I couldn't get out of my 1/2 mile-of-bad-road driveway without one.

To get an avatar, you must first reach 100 posts. Only 98 more to go.

[knsmodels]

....not sure on the 4X4 thing.....for an avatar on the home page where it lists your personel file....click on personal cp and it will explain how...

[Americanrider]

It became popular when they figured out how to lift the new IFS trucks above the rest of the crowd in their giant SUV's.... Oh look at me... I'm taller!

[Mudder]

I don't think u neeed a certain amount of posts for an avatar now. Go to user cp for an avatar.

[JIMs70GMC]

I'm assuming your talking new trucks on the lot. I don't know I have a neighbor that has a F250 4wd, w/ V10 and his son has a F150 4wd. Neither one of them would ever go off road or use 4wd. Did I mention his wife drives an expedition 4wd also. The manufacturers make them and the cost differnece between a 2wd and 4wd does not scare people away or make them think harded about the decision. I believe the interest rates also play a part, people can buy more vehicle for the same payment.

[ryan68]

It's because people are a bunch of posers and Supercrappies are cheap as hell to buy cause they are throw away toys and they are also cheap to lift cause you need 4 lift springs, can throw away the front driveshaft because it costs to much for a custom one and to turn the knuckles, and through a set of 52" Michelins on some bling bling 20's on it. Most of those "4wds" are really 2wds cause they don't even have a front driveshaft.

[krue]

Tell us how you really feel.

[TP from Cntl PA]

IMO, It didn't really catch on here until the '80's............Before that it is hard to find a 4x4 truck, although their are a few Scouts, and Bronco's around with it.

Most guys carried chains, heck we still don't own a 4x4 and we farmed up until we lost our rented ground last year to the housing market.............We kept one truck chained up all winter and that was our "Get to the Cows" truck. We could go farther in a chained up '69 C-10 than most everyone else with their 4x4 pickups as they didn't have aggressive rubber and lockers so its like they were running 4x2 anyhow............One in the front and one in the rear

[TP from Cntl PA]

Forgot to mention my dad had to special order a Dodge Dakota 4x2(Wanted 2 WD) as they couldn't find anything with the V-6 and 5 spd on the lots.

[ryan68]

Originally Posted by krue

Tell us how you really feel.

Well, I go out to the Imperial Sand Dunes in California all the time, and living in Arizona, you get to see alot of the same style of trucks, just a bunch of poser pavement pounders with stock axles and 44-52" tires, usually a rollover waiting to happen.

[toroflow]

Well, I go out to the Imperial Sand Dunes in California all the time, and living in Arizona, you get to see alot of the same style of trucks, just a bunch of poser pavement pounders with stock axles and 44-52" tires, usually a rollover waiting to happen.

HA HA!!! You are so right!! Let's put on 20" rims and look STUPID!!! Like we're from South Central L.A.!!!!

But on a more serious note, I think the 4x4ing craze got started in the mid to late '70s. When I was in high school (graduated in 1978) along about 1976, 4x4s were starting to replace the stupid mini-truck and van craze. From '76 on up, 4x4s just started increasing in popularity. Although Suburbans did not really catch on till the late 80s. Now, every friggin soccer mom here in So Cal has a suburban or tahoe....most of the with 20-22" STOOPID "bling bling" rims!!! I just look at them and laugh my azz off!!!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[krue]

When it comes to 4x4 people may be going by my Dad's advice..."It's better to have something (4wd in this case) and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I don't get the huge chrome rim/low profile tire thing and probably never will, it's just stupid. Give me stock 8 lug wheels anyday!

[4x4Poet]

IFS lightened up the front end of 4x4s which made the whole SUV thing possible without having to equip trucks with heavy solid front axles. Solid axle 4x4s have a greater weight penalty over IFS-equipped trucks/SUVs. The car-like ride of IFS trucks attracted to trucks what would have been car buyers.

Another part of it is the fact that people came to like the higher ride height 4x4s have that enables one to see further down the road in traffic for more driver awareness.

And SUVs with IFS replaced the station wagon. Men these days, and even some women, wouldn't be caught dead in a run-of-the-mill station wagon.

Older 4x4s, and light trucks in general, had poor fuel mileage that made them, compared to today, unpopular during the '70s gas crunch. But, in the '90s, new-to-the-scene fuel efficient EFI engines and cheap gas fueled the SUV boom. SUVs also benefited from the good power produced by the EFI engines, especially if equipped with hyd roller cams, which initially attracted male buyers and since, many women.

Automobile users recreate outdoors more than in decades before the '80s. Such recreation often needs a vehicle that can transport the toys outdoor rec entails and handle the rough roads to recreation locations.

The rest is image mentioned earlier.

[llama]

We went from the muscle cars of the late 60's -early 70's to 4x4's. I think it was mainly the insurance. we did not care about mpg at $1.00 pg. Had a 4x4 since and they have all been off road. Have really done some damage to them also. will posting some pics of the 72 4x4 soon!

[llama]

more pics of our 72 are in the general discussion thread under ( it's back )

[uncle_handsome]

I saw the most retarded thing in a Dodge dealership the other day. It was a nice looking new Dodge, painted hugger orange with the 60's muscle car flat black body stripes down the side, a color matched 12" wing saying "Daytona", wide low profile (20" plus rims) all-season tires, the truck was lowered a little and it still had the chrome 4x4 badge on the tailgate. That looked like it would be awesome if it was a 2wd truck, but I'd be embarresed to own a 4x4 "factory lowered muscle truck."

BTW I hate big rims on all vehicles. In the 60's many musclecars came with 14" rims on 26" tall tires and they still looked good. Also in NASCAR the only use 15" rims and their tires are definetly not low profile. If low profile was so good, how come no race cars slicks are made in low profile?

[4x4Poet]

Good point, UH. Tires dissipate heat primarily thought the sidewalls because the tread slows heat transfer from the carcass. Low sidewalls=little heat dissipation. And vice versa. Low heat dissipation can't be good for racing tires that endure high heat conditions.

...a 4x4 "factory lowered muscle truck."

[1971 Cheyenne]

don't diss the 4x4 muscle trucks too much, theres a guy in a 99-04 silverado 4x4 thats running 10's I believe.

[uncle_handsome]

Originally Posted by 1971 Cheyenne

don't diss the 4x4 muscle trucks too much, theres a guy in a 99-04 silverado 4x4 thats running 10's I believe.

It's not the fact that it's a 4x4 muscle truck. I think that idea is pretty cool. I'd like to see one left stock height or a little lift with a badass motor, loud dual exhaust and some wider tires, preferably an offroad tread style.

The reason I think this one in particular was dumb is because it looked like Dodge was trying to re-create a Dodge Daytona wing car (circa late 60's and early 70's) with a 4x4, not a 2wd. A lot of people here also buy 4x4's and never use them offroad. But most people who want a 4x4 up here want a fully functional bed. 90% of people buy them because they want to feel invicible in the snow. (and haul or tow their toys) The wing car even back then was a little impractical as a daily driver, though they were cool. ('cause it was built for NASCAR!)

Also if I cared enough about on-road or track performance to want a low (for handling an aerodynamics) hot rod truck, I would also be annoyed that it came with 4wd, because it has an extra 300 lbs on the front end. Not only will that reduce your overall ability to accelerate, but the weight's in the wrong spot. (It should be in the rear) This extra 300lbs on the front will surely kill your 60-ft times!

This "Wing Truck" also looked slightly impractical for anyone who ever needs to use the bed. It reminded me of Ford's Lightnings or the 454 SS. It also had tires that were almost a foot wide with what looked like fairly high-speed rated tires; these tires would suck on a dry gravel road... and at least half of the people who own 4x4's around here go places like that to fish, camp or go to people's cottages. (even if they never shift into 4wd)

[shilo]

A lowered 4x4 is sorta dumb, Im not defending it. But... 4 wheel drive launches at the strip are cool. My dodge will just smoke the tires in 2wd, put it in 4wd and it goes 15's
Look at the cyclone and typhoons, they haul @ss

[special-K]

When they started making 4-door SUVs(S10 Blazers in`91)and shortbed extendacabs.At the same time giving them more "car-like" features.

[bouncytruck]

A lot of the SUVs out there are ALL-Wheel drive, not 4x4's. All-wheel drive offers some additional safety. I'm sure most of the increase in 4wd trucks is the fact that the price difference seams fairly negligable, especially if you are doing long-term financing.

The northwest is SUV crazy. Even my wife drives an Explorer with all-wheel drive. We bought it because it had 3 rows of seating, rode higher than a car and, for those few times a year when we get snow, I wouldn't have to worry about her getting stuck as she did in her old car. Her car will never be used as a "4x4."

1/2 tons wearing 44's is a whole different issue. Usually, it is someone who doesn't really understand the stress the tire size is adding to their drivetrain and they just wanted to look cool. Honestly, before joining this board, I didn't know that you really shouldn't put tires over 35's on half ton running gear.

My '72 blazer will probably never seen much more than a dirt road either. It is honesly just too nice and worth too much to take out on a trail.

[shilo]

"It is honesly just too nice and worth too much to take out on a trail."
Come on, your killin' me. Its a truck use it, just be carefull. The worst that might happen is some scratches. Its only paint, last time i checked there was still alot of that stuff left.