Best 4x4 truck for those snow and ice days

SpeedPagan

SpeedPagan

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So I'm starting a new job soon, which won't be that new TBH, it'll be the same job, just at a new company. One of the big changes will be that if it snows and ice, I won't be able to just walk to work, I'll have to drive to work. I have the kind of job where you can't just call in and say "Sorry, can't come to work today, snow and ice." Stuff are still going to have to get done regardless of the weather.

So with that, I've been looking at trucks with 4x4 drive that can get me through the rough weather. So far I'm liking the 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Tradesman, but I don't know if it'll do what I need it to do, or if I need to go with a Dodge Ram 2500 for the added weight.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?
 
SpeedPagan said:
So I'm starting a new job soon, which won't be that new TBH, it'll be the same job, just at a new company. One of the big changes will be that if it snows and ice, I won't be able to just walk to work, I'll have to drive to work. I have the kind of job where you can't just call in and say "Sorry, can't come to work today, snow and ice." Stuff are still going to have to get done regardless of the weather.

So with that, I've been looking at trucks with 4x4 drive that can get me through the rough weather. So far I'm liking the 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Tradesman, but I don't know if it'll do what I need it to do, or if I need to go with a Dodge Ram 2500 for the added weight.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?
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Don't know if you are in a state that lets you run studded snow tires, but if you are, those will get you there in almost what ever you drive. Any 4wd cost more to operate, but if you can't run the studs you got to do what you gotta do. I've run both over the years, and any distance with a 4x4 will cost quite a bit more money to operate. My commute was usually around 50 to 70 miles round trip. I didn't see much difference between the two as far as being able to make it to work, the studs were better on ice.
 
StandOnIt said:
Don't know if you are in a state that lets you run studded snow tires, but if you are, those will get you there in almost what ever you drive. Any 4wd cost more to operate, but if you can't run the studs you got to do what you gotta do. I've run both over the years, and any distance with a 4x4 will cost quite a bit more money to operate. My commute was usually around 50 to 70 miles round trip. I didn't see much difference between the two as far as being able to make it to work, the studs were better on ice.
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Well I live in North Carolina. So we're not a heavy snow and ice state. However 3 inches of ice is still 3 inches of ice, so can't exactly take the Ford Mustang out in that kind of weather. I think the most we've ever gotten was like 6 inches at one time.
 
Not knowing where you are and what type of winters you have makes it tough. Do you need a truck or want a truck?
There's a lot of AWD vehicles out there that'll pretty much get you where you need to go even in snow.
Personally I've only had 3/4 TON Chevy and GMC 4 WD trucks, half of them had plows which increased maintenance but still made a few bucks. Mileage suks.
My daughter has a 4WD Escape and lives in the boonies, no problems getting out and about in snow.
There's no vehicle that drives well on ice.
 
SpeedPagan said:
Well I live in North Carolina. So we're not a heavy snow and ice state. However 3 inches of ice is still 3 inches of ice, so can't exactly take the Ford Mustang out in that kind of weather. I think the most we've ever gotten was like 6 inches at one time.
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find out if you can run studs, you would be surprised with a couple of concrete blocks in the trunk and studed snow tires. I live on a lake and I have to pull a very steep long hill without a run, no plowing unless I do it, and I had a 93 stang that did just fine in ice, my neighbor had a 4wd pickup and he couldn't make it and he had a run at it. I have had the same problem, years ago I had a yahoote big dog chevy 4wd with 33's and it was terrible in ice.
 
StandOnIt said:
find out if you can run studs, you would be surprised with a couple of concrete blocks in the trunk and studed snow tires. I live on a lake and I have to pull a very steep long hill without a run, no plowing unless I do it, and I had a 93 stang that did just fine in ice, my neighbor had a 4wd pickup and he couldn't make it and he had a run at it. I have had the same problem, years ago I had a yahoote big dog chevy 4wd with 33's and it was terrible in ice.
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North Carolina law on studded tires:

Permitted if not projected more than 1/16 inch when compressed.
 
Unless you just have to have a different vehicle, I would go that way and try it. I have been pulling my hill for 32 years and it works as good as anything. Had 24 inches once and that stopped me, but 12" was fine in a car. N.E. Oklahoma isn't a polar state but we usually get a lot of ice, 4 or five storms, rain, then freezing rain and then snow on top, and usually two or three good snows.
 
StandOnIt said:
Unless you just have to have a different vehicle, I would go that way and try it. I have been pulling my hill for 32 years and it works as good as anything. Had 24 inches once and that stopped me, but 12" was fine in a car. N.E. Oklahoma isn't a polar state but we usually get a lot of ice, 4 or five storms, rain, then freezing rain and then snow on top, and usually two or three good snows.
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So I could get by with a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with studded tires?
 
Drivetrain wise, I love the dodges and to me they are the best lookin truck on the market.BUT, they are rust buckets. I just happen to be trading in my 02 Ram tomorrow. Here's what the box looks like.
 

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be9ak7ts16 said:
Drivetrain wise, I love the dodges and to me they are the best lookin truck on the market.BUT, they are rust buckets. I just happen to be trading in my 02 Ram tomorrow. Here's what the box looks like.
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Wow, where do you live...SALT Lake city? :eek:
 
If my f150 is good enough in Wisconsin. You sure don't "need" a 3\4 ton. But yes get a 4wd. If you get 3" of ice I doubt any one is going anywhere.
 
If you really need a truck go for whichever 4wd model that floats your boat. If just transportation to get you point A to point B in inclement weather there's a number of vehicles that will do it with decent fuel mileage too. I now have a 2wd 1500, first 2wd 1/2 ton truck I've had in 30+ years. Always gotten me where I wanted to go through 8 New England winters.
 
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