Homestead mailing list

[Rob <becidawa AT hctc.com>]

At  11/16/2004 01:05 PM, you wrote:

> > >Front-wheel drive often negates the need for mileage-depleting and 
> > maintenance-cost >increasing four-wheel drive.
> >
> > Until you get stuck in the mud out back..... 4wd like everything is a 
> > trade off.
>
> Yes. Some drivers overestimate what 4WD will do. I loaned my old farm 
> truck--1978 Ford 150 4WD--to a friend. He got it stuck in a mud hole. All 
> four wheels churned furiously, just dug deeper. Took a tractor to extricate.
>
> And, btw, be most cautious on icy or hard snow roads. 4WD can create fatal 
> problems when drivers expect improved traction and go too fast, especially 
> on winding and sloped roads.

Oh yes, ice sucks! Even for tracked vehicles I'll bet. The 4wd is great for 
driving out of the ditch once you have slid into it but 4wd is not the 
answer to everything. It does help in poor conditions.
Again it's a trade off, if you are going be spending time out in the fields 
or out in the woods I'll bet the 4wd will be a big help. If you have a real 
winter to deal with the 4wd will be a big help.
Just keep in mind that if you are somewhere got the 4wd stuck you'd have 
gotten the 2 wd stuck too...



Rob

becidawa AT hctc.com
Now in western Washington, USA