Whats the beef with step sides

[85_Ranger4x4]

I actually use 4wd everyday.......... not during the summer generally but I'd say 150 days out of the year 4wd is neccessary, and I'd say the number of times my boss uses it is greater (low range.... mostly for towing)

My grandpa got to live to see 4wds go mainstream, and he swore it was the greatest invention God and Henry Ford every came up with.... would never own another 2wd for any reason (at that point he was well into his 70's)

My boss is 85......... I asked him one day about 4wd, he said you know we didn't know what we were missing back then, but looking back it was hell having to abuse a 2wd truck or just having to get the tractor.
(this man actually broke ground on his farm with a mule team...... I trust his expert judgement when it comes to life sucking pr-WW2)

2wd's are ok....... i own a few, cars are ok to, but I won't be buying another 2wd truck again (i have seen the light) and one day I may get a car for the lil woman......... maybe

Frank

He is still proud of that truck, base machine with a 318 and heavier springs as the only real options. Doesn't even have a radio. But for most stuff, he used a tractor anyway (hauling hay or crops around). The truck was for hauling supplies or livestock in the stock rack... except for where the windshield leaked and rusted out the DS floor and a couple dents it still looks new with about 80k miles on it. They raised hogs and cattle, milked cattle, and had a huge garden so they didn't have to run to town twice a day like most people that live in the country now. It worked out ok, he raised three kids.

Now that's like saying that just because my grandpa's 43 New Yorker doesn't make it out onto the road but once or twice every two years that it doesn't need wheels.

A truck will drive without 4x4. I don't see a plane flying too terribly far without wings.

Alaskans and or pilots please feel free to chime in on that one.

Yeah, and just like the couple of times that 4x4 is really needed he would need tires on the car. Otherwise sitting on jackstands would work just fine (and would probably be better for the tires too)

Throw anything hard enough and it will fly. On that note I could throw a baseball (without wings) farther than an unchained and weighted truck would have gone up my driveway today. Sure you could have fixed the 2x4 up to do it, but it would get old in a hurry getting ready for our monthly snow and then taking all the crap back off for normal driving. Trust me, I have to put the chains back on the tractor tonight so I can blade the driveway again... it stinks. In Alaska they probably get this crap often enough they can leave the stuff on, but we have had three major snowstorms with enough time between to have dry pavement for awhile. Third gear at half throttle is all I can stand on my tractor with chains, which is below 10mph. They are more aggressive than pickup chains, but I imagine there is a point where they don't ride so good on dry pavement too.

Step sides can look good, it all depends on the general looks of the truck.
However i would not choose one over a fleetside if i had the choice. Also that being said, people all have different tastes and needs, it all really comes down to what you like individually.

The newer ones equipped with 4x4 auto are actually a cheap imitation of awd and send power to all wheels accordingly regardless of weather conditions.
I drive both 2wd trucks and 4x4's My 2wd muds better than my 4x4 generally speaking.

They are still 4x4, I don't think Rangers have automatic 4x4 yet. They have traction control, which is a far cry from AWD. The Explorers with automatic 4x4 are very often in 2wd, engaging 4x4 only when the rear wheel slips half a turn and kicking back out at the first oppertunity. It is a sweet system, and combined with a limited slip makes for a mean little tank in snow.

 

[Andres629]

You don't use chains.

I put chains on all 4 tires of my 4x4 this winter... Man, did that thing chew! I went everywhere that boggers on 44's went!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The thing with that, is some people don't want to get out and put on chains just to getup a driveway. I'm not saying that you can't go places you can go with 4x4, I'm saying most people want to do it easier. With skill, practice, and the proper equipment, you can make a 2wd get up an icy driveway, or just about anyone can make it up in a stok 4x4. If I have to get up an icy driveway, or get through a snowy parkinglot, I don't want to get out and put on chains, I want to flip a switch(actualy I'd prefer to pull a lever) and just go. I'm all for things that promote driver skill, for example I think everyone should have to learn to drive stick. I love to see how well I can get along in my truck in 2wd, until the going gets real tough and I put it in 4hi. I like having the option, but that's because I'm a control freak. I like to choose my own gears, how many wheels are being driven, and whether or not my hubs are locked. I wouldn't get a 2wd truck because the reason I want a truck is to have the ability to go anywhere possible.

Simply put, you can make up for a lack of traction with driver skill, but imagine what someone with that much skill could do with twice the traction.

First (since you missed it despite the smiley), I was poking fun. Laugh and don't take it so serious.

They do make automatic tire chains that all you have to do is press a button an they deploy. They claim they can be fitted to any vehicle as well.

Proper tires can be VERY effective on a 2wd with driver skill. I drove my Ranger and I drove a BII I fixed up and sold around in an area where they measured snow by the foot for college for a few years. I found that while mud tires and little bed weight made my 2wd Ranger go great in deep snow, and chains made it work for snow and ice (the roads were never salted and only plowed once a day, I kid you not). I also discovered that very aggressive AT tires did almost as good as muds in snow and performed better on hardpack snow and ice than muds with the proper weight.

I remember going to Kentucky once with TRS for a trailride years ago. There was a guy that came with his Ranger - 4.0L on 38" Swampers, etc, etc. We came to the conclusion that he must have grown up playing with 2wds because the only time he got stuck was when he high centered on a waterbar.... I'm talking he had all four tires dangling in the air.... lol. Said he had so much flex that he had to float the rear cab mounting bolts when he built the truck...

 

[mattpresley]

The thing with that, is some people don't want to get out and put on chains just to getup a driveway. I'm not saying that you can't go places you can go with 4x4, I'm saying most people want to do it easier. With skill, practice, and the proper equipment, you can make a 2wd get up an icy driveway, or just about anyone can make it up in a stok 4x4. If I have to get up an icy driveway, or get through a snowy parkinglot, I don't want to get out and put on chains, I want to flip a switch(actualy I'd prefer to pull a lever) and just go. I'm all for things that promote driver skill, for example I think everyone should have to learn to drive stick. I love to see how well I can get along in my truck in 2wd, until the going gets real tough and I put it in 4hi. I like having the option, but that's because I'm a control freak. I like to choose my own gears, how many wheels are being driven, and whether or not my hubs are locked. I wouldn't get a 2wd truck because the reason I want a truck is to have the ability to go anywhere possible.

Simply put, you can make up for a lack of traction with driver skill, but imagine what someone with that much skill could do with twice the traction.

I agree. If I ever move anywhere snowy I willl buy a 4x4 in a heartbeat. dont wanna get stuck or take time put put on chains when it's below freezing. once upon a time phoenix got 4 inches of snow from one unusual storm. City totally shut down due to having NO PLOWS or road salt. If that happened here I wouldnt have to work and theres a giant shopping center(Superstition Gateway) within 1/4 mile from my house that I could walk to to buy grocerys ETC. Damn im kinda kinda pissed. the first half of this post I was trying to justify buying a 4x4 then I went back to not needing it even if we get a snowstorm

 

[mattpresley]

scratch the grocery thing. super walmart would likely be closed too

 

[akalogan]

Man this thread was all over the place. After reading it last night I ran to the store to grab some beer and as I was walking out there was a stepside ranger parked next to mine and it was within a couple of years of my '06 same gray color and everything. It looked good I think it was running maxxis bighorns about the same size as my duratrac's. Every truck has a place so why that dude kept running his suck I don't know. And whoever mentions hot wings you guys are killing me I am trying to eat healthy, and just reading about wings made my mouth water. Personally I would love to have a classic ford step. And turn it into a street rod. Again though this thread really got some crazy ass emotions going for some.

 

[backroad101]

As I looked for a truck over the past year, it seemed to be impossible to find anything that was not a stepside. I was looking in the 98-04 range. Were they produced in higher numbers? I don't mind them but, for what I was buying the truck for, I wanted as much bed as possible. i lucked out in finding what I got. If I wanted a 2wd street truck, I may have done a stepside.

 

[eric17mx]

Do they make 2wd stepsides?

 

[fili450r]

Do they make 2wd stepsides?

im pretty sure they do....ford ranger splash could be a 2wd. its a stepside...


personally i love the look, im gonna have mine lifted, it will be different than what i normally see, so ill be unique (there are a few out there though)

I use it for some utilities, but, nothing too special, it gets my needs accomplished....as for 4x4, really it depends person to person....I am the person that rather have it and not need it....just how i grew up....but im sure ill own some truck with out 4x4.

 

[GoodOld85BlueBalls]

The only stepside truck I ever liked was Billy Carter's 77' Chevy.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/109532,11407/1977-Chevrolet-Scottsdale-Pickup-Truck_photo.aspx

 

[fili450r]

exhaust out the back, and the stacks.....do they both work? or just one???? lol

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Do they make 2wd stepsides?

Yep, almost tried to buy one out of a junkyard. Regular cab black 2wd stepside, IIRC it was 96ish. Trans blew up and it had gotten picked over a bit, but was still mostly there, was exactly what I wanted for building a street rod.

 

[eric17mx]

I think the only 2wd id own would be the black one on youtube with a 5.9 cummins, also says 20mpg with ac

 

[GoodOld85BlueBalls]

exhaust out the back, and the stacks.....do they both work? or just one???? lol

You know. All these years of seeing that truck, I never even noticed that!

Billy pulled a fast one on us! Dam peanut farmer.

 

[mattpresley]

Do they make 2wd stepsides?

UMMM my truck