I learned a 4 wd will get you where nothing can reach you

IF......I had a 4 wheel drive vehicle

and

IF......I had a nice boat, motor and trailer

.....I would use 4 wheel drive each time I used the ramp with my boat.

If only.

I use it to get up slick boat ramps... While everyone is spinning their tires looking stupid u will look cool and collected. But some good A/T tires on it to those give u alot better traction

Not being rude but that's because u have a really small boat that is light in weight.

Not being rude, but I have a 20' glass boat and used a 2wd truck for 16 years with similar results as CWCW. For all the guys who put it in 2nd gear to pull it out, your problem is throtle control not traction, the tires have the same grip no matter what gear its in. Now I have a 4x4, and while I used the heck out of it on a budies ranch this weekend, I have and more than likely will never use it on a boat ramp.

go to canyon lake and use the ramp at jacobs creek.

you'll quickly appreciate 4 wheel drive at a ramp

You have told me that before, and I have told you before, I fished it before and used a 2wd 94 half ton chevy, never had a problem.

you must have the lightest boat ever or the best 2 wheel drive ever created.

thru 3 trucks and 3 different boats, I've never been able to pull a boat up that ramp in two wheel drive without spinning the tires

knew a guy who had a 21' nautique that would pull it in and out of canyon lake on the tom creek ramp in a 2x4 suburban. if it was busy he would slip a bit but never spin. also knew another guy with a 23' tige that would put it in and out of red's cove at Medina Lake with no problem at all. those are both heavy arse boats on busy, wet, steep ramps pulled out by 2x4 trucks. when medina lake was about 25' low i put and pulled out a 18' boat with my 2x4 300 - 6cyl f150 on the pebble beach ramp which is by far more steep than any of the others with no problem at all. i've since had two 4x4 trucks and have yet to use 4x4 when pulling out a boat.

kinda reminds me of the guys at the beach that hammer down on the throttle when they're in soft sand and sink down 8 inches when all they had to do was give it about 1/5 of the juice to crawl out.



edit: when i had to launch in the rocks at Red's Cove and my exhaust pipe was under water, i did have to use 4x4 to pull out my boat.

i launch at both ramps and agree, both toms creek and reds cove are 2 wheel drive ramps.

same goes for the ramp at the state park at falcon.

jacobs creek is very, very steep, that combined with being wet, you either have to air your tires down to 25 psi or have 4 wheel drive.

I've launched the boat on some icy ramps and was glad I had 4wd

i've never had to use 4wd

I've owned pickups since 1975, my last 2 have been 4wd , I prefer to have em. I have only used 4wd once on an icy boat ramp. Used it a lot in mud and dry sand. Nice to have if you need it.

Can't say I ever have needed it but I wouldn't be without it!

I've had 4WD trucks that only got put into 4WD to turn the lube in the differential. I never actually used it. My new truck is a 2WD because of that. I do have the electronic locking differential though.

i have been using it about twice a week here lately