I have a 2wd rancher that I like and a couple of 2wd Bayou's. I'm hoping that some of you that have owned both 2wd and 4wd will be able to tell me if the 4wd is worth the extra bucks. What usually stops me on steep trails is the front end starts coming up and I have to let off. I can't see how 4wd would be much help here since there is no weight on the front wheels. I can see it helping in the mud but I don't know how much. I don't go out of my way to ride mud and I do have a winch that I have used several time to get out of difficult situations. I've heard the steering is harder on the 4wd. How about some feedback on whether the 4wd is worth the extra bucks or not.

 

Well as far as the hill climbing goes, 4wheel drive will add a bit of extra weight in the front simply by the extra parts needed for the 4x4, but I doubt enought to create a HUGE differance.. The front tires will help pull you up the hill rather than the rear just pushing you up.

But neither of these will not be a huge differance compared to 2wd.

Steering is harder only when the 4x4 is engaged, you wont notice it other wise

In the mud you will really notice the differance 4x4 can make... 4x4 is not a must have if you have a nice set of rear tires and a winch, but you could still get stuck in a place with no trees or rocks to hook a winch up to.

I would say from what you explained in your post that you really dont "NEED" a 4x4 unless you hit the mud alot. And if that said mud tends to get deeper than the floor boards

 

ive only owned 4wd atvs but ive ridden 2wd in the same stuff and i have to say that the 4wd is the only way to go. For instance,on our property we have some steeper hills and lots of leaves,well its all woods. My dad(60) and I went for a ride simply b/c he has never been on one. while riding we are both in 2wd and came to a hill,my dad was first and started going up when the wheels started to spin, he hit the brake and yelled back," what do i do?" I told him to lock it in 4wd,its a lever on the left side of the atv sticking out of the fender, just kick it in. he was very impressed that the atv just pulled right up without spinning. In the mud, a heck of alot of help, but if you get one without a locking differential, you still may end up getting stuck depending on your situation. Or should i put it this way, just b/c you have 4wd doesnt mean you cant get stuck,but it will deffinatly help you more often than you think. As far as harder steering, i think it just depends on the atv, for instance my 08 700 arctic cat does not steer as well as my 02 500 arctic cat. The 500 in 4wd does not even feel like its in 4wd. With 4wd ,i bet you will hardly ever use your winch to get up or out of tight situations. when going up hills you have more weight up front due to the front differential for 4wd. trust me/us, it helps alot. good luck!

 

I wouldn't worry about spending the extra $ on 4x4 if you can afford it, because you'll get it all back when it comes time to sell. 2x4 utility ATVs don't do so hot on resale, at least in my area they don't.

 

WORTH EVERY PENNY. 4WD IS CERTAINLY THE WAY TO GO. The resale is twice as good on a 4wd, I have owned both and I will never own another 2wd.

 

Traded a 2x4 in on a 4x4.... not just for the 4x4 but it sure has been a nice add on
My 4x4 is the work horse around my property and my 2x4 didnt have a big enough engine to do what i needed it to do.... but if i had to do it all over again i would still go with a 4x4 IMHO it was money well spent for the upgrade

 

If 2wd is all you need, then why not a sport quad? I had a 2wd Rancher, and it was ~500 pounds, where my 400EX is around 475...that's a 125 pound handicap for the 2wd ute (like carrying a passenger)! You go 4wd, and you are going to be 600+ pounds.

With the right tires (like ITP Holeshot XCT's), you can get descent ground clearance on a sport.

 

Well, it seems that in the mud 4wd would definitely be better and the occasional steep leaf covered trail. One area that I thought might make a difference and I havn't seen anyone talk about is climbing over rocks and logs. The technique I use on a large log with my 2wd is to roll up to it in first and blip the throttle just before the front tires touch it. This causes the front wheels to pop up and the momentum carrys them over the log. When the rear wheels hit the log down comes the front and over I go. Sometimes this works better than others because of lots of variables such as traction, angle of the log, timing etc. I often think with a 4wd I could probably just ease up to the log and let the front wheels climb up and over and continue on. I think rock fields and ledges would work the same way.

 

depending on the size of the log you can still get stuck if high centered. more difficult to get stuck or hung up though. look at my pics and you will see what 4wd CAN get you over with some body momentum. Yes i made it over it and no, there is nothing on the other side to help me get up on it. the mud hole in the pic. will swallow a 2wd,i tried 2wd first. Yes rock climbing is much easier as well. anything you do or cant do with 2wd, will be easier with 4wd obviously.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mamurray

I have a 2wd rancher that I like and a couple of 2wd Bayou's. I'm hoping that some of you that have owned both 2wd and 4wd will be able to tell me if the 4wd is worth the extra bucks. What usually stops me on steep trails is the front end starts coming up and I have to let off. I can't see how 4wd would be much help here since there is no weight on the front wheels. I can see it helping in the mud but I don't know how much. I don't go out of my way to ride mud and I do have a winch that I have used several time to get out of difficult situations. I've heard the steering is harder on the 4wd. How about some feedback on whether the 4wd is worth the extra bucks or not.</end quote></div>

I have owned both 2wd and 4wd Ranchers, and the 2wd is more sporty than some sport quads. The trouble with a 4wd, is that the extra weight is on the front end, where it does the greatest harm. On the other hand, is you are having trouble with the "front end coming up", with a 4wd you could at that point lean forward and let the front end pull you, vs letting the back end push you.