ATV vs. 4WD Truck

jcannon46609 · Oct 3, 2016

I just joined a hunting club in north Georgia that has some pretty steep gravel roads and ruts that my 2WD Tacoma is having a hard time getting up and around. After a couple days it already feels like my truck is out of alignment. Looking at ATVs as most of the club members are using, but wondering if upgrading to a 4WD truck would be a good solution. Thanks for your input!

thumper523 · Oct 3, 2016

Utv

Get a UTV, ie Mule, Rhino or Ranger.
I have a Mule 610XC and it's great. I even pull cars and trucks from ditches with it on muddy roads at club.
Keep that 2wd and get a trailer to haul it.
4WD trucks are OK, but think how much a repair is after you beat it up in the mountains. And 2WD gets WAAAY better gas mileage, especially if it's your everyday vehicle.

biker13 · Oct 3, 2016

Get a Honda Rancher,all you will ever need.

Burton · Oct 4, 2016

Depends on what you want to spend. I have a Kawasaki 300 Lakota (2wd) that will take me wherever I want to go, haul a deer, no problems since 1997, it may be worth $1,200. If I were you, I would just buy an ATV that fits in the back up the Tacoma.

M77 Ruger · Oct 4, 2016

biker13 said:
Get a Honda Rancher,all you will ever need.

Agreed. I have one and it goes anywhere

j_seph · Oct 4, 2016

An old Jeep or old toyota 4x4 IMO.
You drive it there, you do not have to unload anything but your gear. You may not can get into the woods to drag a deer in places (depending on how beat up the Jeep/Yota is lol)
Benefits, you do not have to haul anything and unload load up drag ramps drop trailer gates, no extra berarings on trailer to go out, you have if you get a decent one A/C and heater, don't get wet driving

NCHillbilly · Oct 4, 2016

There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

PappyHoel · Oct 4, 2016

NCHillbilly said:
There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

This... I'm speaking from hunting in the early 80s with my dad. On more than one occasion I hunted while he cussed and got someone to pull the truck out of the mud. I remember at 15 years old saying dad, "I've learned from you and I will never buy a 2wd truck".

To the op, because my 4wd truck is expensive and I could never replace it for the price of a new truck I bought a Honda rancher 420, 4wd. Gets me all over and it saves my truck for when I do need it. Honda atv will start every time.

pine floor · Oct 4, 2016

NCHillbilly said:
There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

This

Atlanta Dawg · Oct 4, 2016

I have a Honda Rincon 680 and it is a Hog ! Take you to places you shouldn't even go !!!

On the other hand---a 4 wheel drive Jeep or small 4 wheel drive pickup is really nice when it is cold and or raining or both ! Each has its own application !

Burton · Oct 5, 2016

NCHillbilly said:
There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

I agree. I drove a 2wd Colorado for 10 years, put 270,000 miles on it, pulled a boat with it all over, loaded the bed with 1,200 pounds of gravel at one time and countless times with a yard of mulch, averaged 24 mpg on the highway, drove in every single snow we had for 10 years, used it in combo with my atv for hunting - never got stuck, spent a total of $800 in repairs over the 10 years.

It was pretty useless for me.

660griz · Oct 5, 2016

4x4 truck and an ATV/SxS.

The mtn man · Oct 5, 2016

NCHillbilly said:
There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

Agreed!!!!

DYI hunting · Oct 5, 2016

Honda Rancher is great. Put a $100 winch on the front and your set to load your own deer on the rack or lift one up on a pole to skin them.

I sold the ATV and opted for a Jeep Wrangler now. Goes anywhere and with a hitch haul I can carry anything I kill without blood in the cargo area. No more worrying about hauling a trailer or having $2000+ invested in an ATV I only use during hunting season.

mattech · Oct 5, 2016

NCHillbilly said:
There is nothing on earth more useless than a 2WD truck.

I've never had a 4wd truck, but my current truck I've had for 12 years. I've done told myself if/when I ever get truck I'll never have another 2wd. Yes you can haul mulch/boats, gravel whatever. But first time you get deep on some of the south GA WMA roads, that 4wd will be worth every penny you've invested.

mattech · Oct 5, 2016

I also have a Honda rancher 4wd with a winch. I can take that thing anywhere.

Darkhorse · Oct 5, 2016

I will add this from years of experience; "There is nothing more useless than a 4WD truck with street tires and no winch."
Today I drive a 4WD truck with no winch. I have just pulled a set of mud tires and replaced then with fairly mild All Terrains. Much smoother riding and better gas mileage.
All my rough driving today is done with my ATV, a Polaris 600 Twin with winch and mud tires.
No matter what options you add to a truck you still cannot go places the ATV will if it's set up right.
Of course you could build a truck that will just blast it's way in and destroy everything in it's path, but landowners tend to frown on that practice.
To me an ATV is indispensable for retrieving game and hauling in deer stands etc.
If I had the funds I would get one of those new UTV's a side by side with mudders and winch.

Burton · Oct 5, 2016

mattech said:
I've never had a 4wd truck, but my current truck I've had for 12 years. I've done told myself if/when I ever get truck I'll never have another 2wd. Yes you can haul mulch/boats, gravel whatever. But first time you get deep on some of the south GA WMA roads, that 4wd will be worth every penny you've invested.

Just a note, he didn't say he was hunting WMA. It's a club. ATVs are allowed. Why buy a 4X4 truck to beat up. Extra fuel, extra insurance, extra maintenance, extra cost. Financial sense says keep the tacoma and add an ATV. But if money isn't an issue.....then go buy a 4x4 truck, trailer, and a utv.

swamp hunter · Oct 5, 2016

An extra 4x4 Truck sitting In the yard waiting for Season still costs $600 a year insurance and Tags ect.
An ATV is..like free.
I have all 3, a Polaris 450 , A Polaris Ranger and an 84 CJ 7.
I like the Jeep best but it never leaves the Lease.
Coffee cup holders , wipers , heater , windshield , removable doors, big tires.
No Tags or insurance.

northgeorgiasportsman · Oct 5, 2016

How does a hunter NOT own a 4x4 truck??? That just ain't natural. That's like a bull rider not owning a cowboy hat....sure he can wear a ball cap instead, but everybody knows it ain't right.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but I've been fortunate enough to spend a good portion of my life OFF the paved road. 2wd trucks are pretty useless around here.

ATV vs. 4WD Truck

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