Are 4x4 Bumpsides high-maintenance and slow on pavement?

[robroy]

Good morning!

I've never owned a four wheel drive vehicle in my life, so I'm curious about them, especially after seeing for-sale ads like Tommy's thread, 1972 Ford F250 4x4.

• Do 4x4 Bumpsides require much more maintenance than 4x2 Bumpsides?
• Do 4x4 Bumpsides tend to be slower (due to the weight of the extra equipment perhaps) than 4x2 Bumpsides?

Regarding the first question, I've heard that there's so much extra equipment going on with the 4x4 vehicles, that buying an old one means a lot more rebuilding than you'd encounter with a 4x2. I've often wondered how big of a deal that really is. And once the equipment's initially rebuilt, I'm curious to know how much ongoing trouble it gives, compared to a 4x2 truck.

And how about the second question? Once years ago I spoke with a mechanic about taking in my Chevy 454 pickup, and he asked if it was a 4x4 or not. When he heard that it was a 4x2, he said, "Oh, a fast one huh!"

So when driving on the road, are 4x2 vehicles significantly sportier?

Thanks for humoring my very general, basic questions!
Robroy

[iamthewreckingcrew]

The only 4wd experience I have is my 92 F-150. It sure is nice to have in the snow. I'm not sure you get much of that where you are. It's also fun to have off road. A 4wd will be heavier just from the added equipment, but I'm not sure how much.

As to how "fast" a 4wd can be, I think it all depends on how much money you throw at it. I've seen a 4wd click off low 10 second 1/4 mile times at the dragstrip. It was a newer brand X, but it still did it.

My personal opinion though is that 4wd's aren't really for being fast or carving corners. Unless it's some kind of Baja setup. It all depends on what you want to do. When I go offroad, I like to just find some mud puddles or trails to play around in. No high speed stuff. With that purpose in mind, I'd just like to have good tires, plenty of torque, and take some friends with at least another 4wd and some tow straps just in case you have to pull a Chevy out.

[fireguywtc]

Robroy, in general, the answer to both of your questions in yes. However, I believe each is not significant enough to deter from making a 4x4 a daily driver if you so choose.

Do 4x4 Bumpsides require much more maintenance than 4x2 Bumpsides?

There are more moving parts and points of maint. but has to do with the 4wd front end being added on. So you will have to take into account the gear oil in the front axel and the tranfer case. The front hubs are different too and require occasional maint. as well as just using them to keep them working well. I believe there are a couple of more grease points but that is negligeble imo. Getting an old bump 4x4, there will be additional money to get all of it working well compared to a 4x2, but I don't think its enough to break the bank. Also when u joints need to be replaced you have another driveline to think about. I am sure I am forgetting something, but again I don't think its all together that much of a pain to get the maintained once they are in good working order.

Do 4x4 Bumpsides tend to be slower (due to the weight of the extra equipment perhaps) than 4x2 Bumpsides?

They are tall and heavier and all around more of a work truck then sporty. But as a daily driver they are not so cumbersome that you will holding up traffic or anything. They still work good for daily use, you just wont get to your top speed quite as fast and more likely you will be using more gas to get the additional weight up to speed. The gas will also be used up in the additional parsitic loss from the extra moving parts and increased drag from being taller. But they are still fun to drive and work well for daily use.

Overall you must decide why you might want a 4x4 and will you ever use it? I think they are great and worth the extra cost, but I do use mine occasionally and find it comes in handy in inclimate weather. If your truck will only see the paved streets and fair weather of the California coast it may not be worth it.

[71PA_Highboy]

Hi Robroy,

I will answer inline because I will miss things if I don't. It is not that I have ADD but rather... Look! A bunny..

Good morning!

I've never owned a four wheel drive vehicle in my life, so I'm curious about them, especially after seeing for-sale ads like Tommy's thread, 1972 Ford F250 4x4.

• Do 4x4 Bumpsides require much more maintenance than 4x2 Bumpsides?
  Yes. mainly because there are more drivetrain parts, and for the most part, 4x4's get abused a bit more (not a lot of people take a 4x2 offroad). The 4x4 has an extra drive axle, which means an extra drive shaft (2 ujoints and slip yoke), 2 extra u-joints in the front axle shafts, an extra spindle bearing, and then the R&P and it's bearings. And then there is the transfer case and it's mounts.
  If it is an F250, then you have the intermediate drive shaft (2 ujoints) to add into the mix. You do, However, lose the carrier bearing for the rear driveshaft.
• Do 4x4 Bumpsides tend to be slower (due to the weight of the extra equipment perhaps) than 4x2 Bumpsides?

Already answered, but yes, in stock trim it will be slower. Weight and parasitic losses from the extra components will be the culprit.


Regarding the first question, I've heard that there's so much extra equipment going on with the 4x4 vehicles, that buying an old one means a lot more rebuilding than you'd encounter with a 4x2. I've often wondered how big of a deal that really is. And once the equipment's initially rebuilt, I'm curious to know how much ongoing trouble it gives, compared to a 4x2 truck.

And how about the second question? Once years ago I spoke with a mechanic about taking in my Chevy 454 pickup, and he asked if it was a 4x4 or not. When he heard that it was a 4x2, he said, "Oh, a fast one huh!"

So when driving on the road, are 4x2 vehicles significantly sportier?

Not necessarily. Again, in STOCK form on dry pavement an F100 4x2 and an F100 4x4 will perform similarly, and that can be compensated by driver skill. Comparing an F100 and An F250 will produce differing results. Comparing same class (F100 to F100, F250 to F250) will be a lot closer. Keep in mind the highboy raises the center of gravity a bit over a 4x2.

Thanks for humoring my very general, basic questions!
Robroy

[basketcase0302]

Robroy,

Yet another reason I've always been a Ford guy! Most of all the chebby's in the 70's were gas hogging full time 4 X 4's. A part time 4 X 4 has a lot less parts turning, so there's a lot less to wear out faster.

[averagef250]

On pavement, no a 4x4 costs minimally more to maintain than a 2wd.

Offroad the 4x4 expense to maintain goes up considerably. The 2wd doesn't go very far offroad.

[mlheppl]

[*] Do 4x4 Bumpsides require much more maintenance than 4x2 Bumpsides?
[*] Do 4x4 Bumpsides tend to be slower (due to the weight of the extra equipment perhaps) than 4x2 Bumpsides?

One thing to consider about 4X4 trucks of our era especially, is that they were mainly "work trucks". 4 wheel drives didn't start to become a status symbol until the mid to late 70's. My point is this: These old trucks have likely seen some hard use and possibly some abuse. However once brought back up to top shape, I don't believe that maintenance is a lot more than a two wheel drive bumpside, but as mentioned you do have the transfer case, front end and another driveline (or two). But getting them up to top shape can be costly especially if the front end has to be rebuilt.

Regarding the speed, I don't know what gear ratios the F100's came in, but the F250's came in either 4.11 or 4.56 gear ratios. The 4.11's were more common. Even with the 4.11's, you can drive interstate speeds (75 mph where I live) but you'll pay for it in mpg. My highboy sounds like it's wrapping out a little too much at 75. I usually keep it at 65 on the interstate. I can't imagine running 75 with 4.56 gears. I'm considering dropping my gears down to around the 3.73 range for better mileage and to lower the rpm's a bit at highway speeds. I've still got low range for when I want to go playing in the mountains.

[eggman918]

my '68F-250 4x4 was wore out when I bought it by the pound 20 years ago,old ranch truck spent it's life in 4WD.
I have rebuilt everything but the NP-435,some things twice.the overall operational costs less fuel are about $8,000 over 20 years aprox.$400 a year.
However I have done all the work myself so with labor it would have been much more

[averagef250]

The more difficult aspect of owning a bumpside 4x4 over a bumpside 2wd is upgrading basic things like power steering and disc brakes. Luckily for me here in the NW these trucks in 4x4 versions are plentiful. There are entire towns here that almost everyone has a running bumpside in thier driveway. When it comes to finding the appropriate parts to upgrade your 4x4 to disc brakes and power steering the parts aren't especially hard to find. In other areas of the country these parts aren't easy to come by.

There's some satisfaction from owning one of these 4x4's in nice shape since they are very few in comparison to nice 2wd's. Most of the F250 4x4's were rode hard when they were new. My 70 F-250 4x4 was used by Pacific Power as a brushtruck when running powerlines through the Oregon coast range mountains from 69 through 81. It was bought at auction by an excavation company and used until 92 as thier primary tow vehicle for hauling machines to jobsites. When I bought the truck for $400 in the late 90's the truck had no redeaming qualities, the only reason I saw the truck as being worthy of putting back on the road was it's history.

[fomocoguy]

I'll chime in here, only because I sold my 1972 F100 shortbed 2wd to make room for my 1969 F250 crew 4x4, so I went directly from one into the other. Here's how they compared.

F100- even totally worn out and using a quart of oil in the 300 mile trip home, the stock 302 got 17 mpg.
F250- has never done better than 9 mpg with the stock 360.

F100- compared to the crew it felt like a nimble sports car.
F250- feels like your driving a dump truck (in a good way!).

F100- unloaded would destroy the crew in a drag race on pavement; but put 1000lbs in her and she was a DOG.
F250- doesn't even know if it's got a load in it; it's big and slow either way!

Sorry, I suppose that's not really answering your question, but here's how I see it. If the truck is not a daily driver then it's really not going to matter much. I spent a ton of $$$ on maintenance items for the F100 just because it had been worked hard and neglected for years. I don't think I've spent even $500 on maintenance for the crew, unless you count tires. If the truck is a DD then a 4x4 will cost you substantially more just in tires and fuel cost in my opinion, and technically there are more rotating parts to wear out.

As for speed, two similarly optioned trucks in a drag race (one being 2wd and one being 4wd) will probably result in the 2wd being winner just because of the weight advantage. 4x4's are generally geared much lower, resulting in early shifts and a limited top speed. My crew is really spinning some rpms (for a torque motor like a 360) at 70+ mph with 4.10's.

[mlheppl]

There's some satisfaction from owning one of these 4x4's in nice shape since they are very few in comparison to nice 2wd's. Most of the F250 4x4's were rode hard when they were new. My 70 F-250 4x4 was used by Pacific Power as a brushtruck when running powerlines through the Oregon coast range mountains from 69 through 81. It was bought at auction by an excavation company and used until 92 as thier primary tow vehicle for hauling machines to jobsites. When I bought the truck for $400 in the late 90's the truck had no redeaming qualities, the only reason I saw the truck as being worthy of putting back on the road was it's history.

I agree, plus once you get one of these old trucks in good shape, they're twice the truck that ANY manufacturer is offering new today. A new F250 Superduty will set you back $50K to $60K and wouldn't be near as good of a truck.

[In FORD we trust]

I have to disagree on the newer trucks thing. My 08 diesel superduty is one heck of a truck. more power than you could want and drives like a Lincoln. A little pricey, But a great truck! Don't get me wrong though I would never part with my 68 250 4x4 bump!!!! Love the old, need the new! IN FORD I TRUST!!!!

[ezernut9mm]

As to how "fast" a 4wd can be, I think it all depends on how much money you throw at it. I've seen a 4wd click off low 10 second 1/4 mile times at the dragstrip. It was a newer brand X, but it still did it.

would that have been "parish's" truck? a blue reg cab short chevy?

[iamthewreckingcrew]

As to how "fast" a 4wd can be, I think it all depends on how much money you throw at it. I've seen a 4wd click off low 10 second 1/4 mile times at the dragstrip. It was a newer brand X, but it still did it.

would that have been "parish's" truck? a blue reg cab short chevy?

Sure was. I watched him run when the Hot Rod drags came through Cordova. That guy can sure squeeze the power out of those newer Chevy motors. I'm Ford through and through, but I sure admire the ingenuity and performance of Parish's rides. The next year I saw him in the Fairmont and was stoked until I saw the Chevy motor in it.