If you are actually going to wheel a van, wheelbase, suspension strength and ground clearance are often more important than 4wd Vs 2wd. Pretty easy for most folks to avoid true off-road tracks and conditions, but if you are going to go there...4wd is part of the package. Great video.
Went for a rwd 2021 144 and not regretting it after this video, had a vw t5.1 camper before adapted to overlander and it was all good but the sprinter rwd looks even more capable. Cheers for the video
I was teaching on track for Audi in an R8. My customer had ordered a V10 model in exactly the same exterior/ interior colours as his current V8 model so his wife wouldn’t know!
I've got a 4 wd camper. I worked for 10 years taking motorhome caravans to Alaska and Mexico. There is something to keep in mind. You have a big heavy vehicle. If you need 4 wd, you probably shouldn't be where you are. You're too top heavy. Even if you have a UniMog, you can still tip it over. Heavy vehicles sink pretty fast. Heavy vehicles slide right off off-camber turns. Chains are a whole different story. I generally only use 4wd on beach sand like Pismo beach. I've used it in mud to pull people out. I ned 4 wd because I go WAY off the beaten path. Nobody is goping to come by and pull you out of that little sinkhole that you didn't see. I drive in 2 wd until I get stuck. Then, I put it in 4 wd and think about turning around.
Thank you. I was thinking that I need a 4x4, but what you said make sense. I have towed my trailer through off-road inadvertently before, and my tent trailer took a beating.
Don't forget miles per gallon, tire wear, your kerb weight not to mention maintenance. Having the correct tires for the conditions is often better solution than 4x4 for a big camper.
I've been stuck in 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, snow tires, and mud tires. The right equipment helps, but doesn't make somebody immune from getting stuck.
On winter and 4WD, I lived in snow country and had 4WD. The thing is that 4wd will help you go, but it will not help you stop. You will slide on ice and slick snow just like any 2WD would. If you want to keep your vehicle on the road, you still need to put chains on the tires.
I owned a 2014 sprinter 170 2wheel drive and they are right these few things will save you a ton vs buying the 4x4 sprinter and losing money on mpg too. Option 2 is take that money buy a land cruiser like I did for 12,000 and explore a few years with that to really get to cool places! Then buy sprinter and see the world with in limits of that.. which is not that limited like they say.
1) MB Sprinter is not true 4x4, it's AWD with a F35%/B65% torque split. It seem to have quite a delay in engaging the anti-slip braking. Getting replacement parts/service is harder for MB and may be harder for the AWD components. 2) In California, any 4wd vehicle over 6500 lbs is NOT exempt from chains/M&S in chain control areas during snowstorms. Only been "caught" by one astute chain control guy over 10 yrs at Tahoe forcing me to put chains on. In an accident, it could become a (serious) issue to be cited/fined for being in chain control without the appropriate compliance. BTW, 3/16" tread depth on M&S tires is required. 3) Our E350 based RV has been heavily modified with true manual hub / transfer case 4x4 with a limited slip rear differential. If stuck, the manual systems allow switching into 4wd mode. In automatic (push button) systems, as the video indicates, switching modes can't be done when stuck. The LS rear differential is great for snowy roads while in 2wd mode. 4) On a 2WD, people should consider getting a limited slip rear differential & is a "game-changer" that is practically like having 4wd. Any regular van (ie. econoline, etc) can get a LS rear differential at a reasonable cost. It's good that it's a simple up-conversion & nothing special needs to be done when driving (better than a locker). In my 4x4 pickup that has a locking rear differential, I've used it only twice in 22 yrs doing a lot of off-road snow situations getting out of a stuck situation.
For 2wd vans it can be improved tremendously. If it is rear-wheel drive with a differential lock and if it is front-wheel drive with a limited slip differential, the latter case is less effective. And another option that can help a lot when you have to travel further distance and not have to continually remove and replace the unblocking plates. It's Trac-Grabber - Get Unstuck.
What about a good 12 volt air compressor? In most instances offroad (mud/sand/snow), the easiest way to not get bogged and/or to recover a bogged car is to deflate tyres. This increases foot print (amount of rubber in contact with ground) & significantly increases places you can go (both 2wd & 4wd). Obviously, you need to be able to reinflate your tyres!
You're absolutely right! We didn't feel a compressor was worth adding into the 'base essentials' list like we were doing here because this video was aimed at people who don't really know much about driving off road...and to somebody who has no off road experience, they simply are not going to deflate their tires to a point it will be helpful, they are scared of having flats. We will be doing a follow up video actually putting some of these tools to use and that's when we will talk about tire pressures, but definitely a good point! Deflating tires is a beginner level skill, but IMO a compressor isn't in the beginner level recovery kit.
Maybe a great option is to go 2wd ~ with a diff locker. That way you keep the mpg of the 2wd but get a hole lot more traction - even with one light wheel.
Not sure if you mentioned money saved on Fuel! Which is the number one expense when traveling in a van. I chose a 2WD van myself and usually I'm a diehard 4WD guy...the fact is dirt roads, most trails, or even fire roads don't require it.
A lot of good advice is given here. One extra point and a possible correction in this video; A come-along / cable puller that is correctly rated for the vehicle is incredibly helpful to get out of situations when the vehicle is really stuck somewhere. And this may not be a correction, but I have to bring it up anyway, concerning the times when chains are required when going over mountain passes. Yes, at times, the DOT will allow snow tires, but other times they do not, and chains are required whether you have snow tires or not, and this includes studded snow tires. Cheers
I've been toying with the camper van idea for the past few years. I was dismayed at the cost of the 4x4 sprinter (which I already don't like because of the high maintenance/parts costs and the difficulty of finding service) and the cost of a 4x4 conversion on a ford. I've got a 4x4 truck and a Subaru and love having the added traction when needed, but I've been leaning towards the Dodge because of the cost, they're a little wider inside, the lower floor height and a few other points too. A few other issues that your video made me realize was that even with 4 wheel drive, any van is seriously limited by ground clearance and because of the top heavy nature of these vans, you really don't want to tackle anything more serious than a dirt road. This was a great video that really helped my make up my mind, thank you.
Glad this helped! We were the same way. Before the van, Steph drove a Subaru and I drove a short bed short cab Z71, so we definitely know where you are coming from. The road we had to take to get to the location to shoot this video is pretty rough. Not 4x4 rough, but a double track trail with embedded rocks and stuff...doable in any stock height truck/suv/van or a higher clearance car if careful...and it was rocking the van side to side about as much as I was comfortable with. A trail that REQUIRED 4x4 would SUCK to be on with a full build out IMO.
Can't talk for the camper market, but I work in specialised transport (hoping to build a camper, hence why I'm here), generally the choice here is FWD, single wheel RWD, Dually RWD & 4x4. FWD and Single wheel RWD are often completely discounted for soft road and rural winter road work here, they have their advantages over each other, but both suffer in a big way on uphill traction. My personal experience is with a RWD single wheel sprinter surveying vehicle, and I have had to have been towed up snowy hills on more than one occasion. Even with a solid set of tyres they are a hazard in adverse conditions, particularly with the 7G automatic (an otherwise good autobox, but doesn't like low grip environments). The real discussion that goes on among farmers, arbolists & builders here is 4x4 vs dually RWD. The dual rear axle adds a LOT of capability to RWD vans, additionally the heavy duty axles are far more often equiped with lockers or LSDs which dramatically increase traction capabilities. 4x4 vans are fairly rare, as you point out, they can be exceedingly expensive, and in business they also have a reduction in payload & efficiency, some people often argue too that a dually rear with a locker can be even more capable than a 4x4 without a locker so there is more to the spec than just having the extra driven axle. In business people often compromise with a dually RWD with LSD or locker, as it often offers the best middle ground between cost, capability & payload. Great setup you guys, fantastic recommendations for recovery equipment, along with the recommendation about proper steel bumper/chassis shackles.
So, maybe to clear something up in regards to the camper market... This video was made after we noticed that a lot of people were simply not going out and having adventures purely based on the fact that they did not have a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Everybody knows that you can go further with 4 wheel drive but it's not necessarily vital to just generally go have an adventure or go camping. Either that or they felt like they were pressured into a vehicle that cost an extra 20k just to go have an adventure; which, as I'm sure you'll agree, isn't the case. Now: totally unrelated to the topic of the video as you brought up duallies... For me, personally, I dislike duals off road, specifically in soft ground. One would think that the extra surface area would allow for extra flotation, but In my experience, if the front wheels are sinking down to more solid soil, the outside, rear wheel acts as a bit of a plow that really makes it harder to keep up momentum. This is based off of when I was on the fire department and we had various grass fire rigs. Most were duallies, but we had a few single rear wheel trucks and the single rear wheel trucks always seemed to perform better. Interestingly enough, the trucks with duallies would go MUCH better if they were driven in reverse, but that's unsuprisingly unuseful. haha! (Note: I was talking about 4x4 duallies in the previous example... so, effectively 6 tires turning. Everything had full lockers.
@@EXPLORISTlife Ah, I've never run a 4x4 dually, we run 4x4 pickups (Ford Rangers, Mitsubishi L200), RWD Sprinters, FWD Transits & Dual RWD Iveco Daily's. One of the Iveco's had low range gearing & LSD on the drive axle. It was possibly the LSD, but I found the front sunk down, but the back kept grip, steering was fine with the RWD if you where low speed as the front wheels where acting as something of a rudder through the mud. I prefer the duals hands down if I am honest, but that being said if they are light/unloaded you sacrifice a lot of comfort for that HD rear axle, so potentially not the best for a camper unless you have a 1000l water bowser and hard wood furniture on board :P. In snow as well I found there where a lot of places the Iveco's got too that left the Sprinters & Transits really struggling, they where also manual though (as where the Transits). I don't massively rate the Merc 7G box on soft road work, it is a fantastic box on the road, imo the best van auto on the market, however the way the torque converter provides power it is very surgy at low speed, I found it really difficult to hit that fine line between the wheels rolling & the wheels spinning in it, particularly on gravel. I'd take a manual any day of the week, but I know they are difficult to come by in the US market. That being said, i'd quite like to try a FWD Peugeot/Citreon van over here, can't change physics, but they are coming with really rather complex electric limited slip diffs designed for terrain response. Completely agree with your first statement though, a 2wd van will get you far further on trails than most cars will, these are vehicles designed for work & are generally very robust bits of kit. Where I stay (NW Scotland) we have a large amount of unmade roads, I'd much rather drive them in a 2wd van than any non-4x4 car, generally, if the road is on the map, a 2wd van will get you there absolutely fine in all but the most extreme conditions, provided it is well maintained with a good set of tyres. You only need 4x4 if you are going out of your way to try and get off the beaten track. Thanks for the response anywho, love talking shop about stuff like this.
I think a beefy cable come along ratchet puller may be a lightweight alternative to a big electric winch. Good if you expect to never need it, but you never know for sure. I did snap a thin cabled one once trying to get over a lump of snow. It just broke and fell to the ground. No whipping and flying back at me. I did have a jacket beyond the halfway point just in case.
THE best video ever! You make learning so fun! Even the beginning where you take turns talking, had to chuckle at the head nodding as other one talked! Great job, hope can remember all your advice now! Added to playlist.
I have a 4WD truck, but my camper van is 2WD. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I want a truck full of survival gear. If I want the luxuries of home I won't be out in the woods, where I can't turn around, receive cellphone signals, etc. to begin with. Cool videos guys.
at 11:22 your tow points are technically called clevis fasteners they are a type of "shackle" not trying to nit pick just if your subscribers are looking to buy some they may have more luck searching for clevis vs shackle. great info btw
I bet a small lift for a 2wd sprinter would help with offroad capabilities. With the lift you could add larger tires. With larger tires you could change the gearing. Wait, with gearing you might as well through in a limited slip. Man, where does it end? Thanks for the video.
Like the new, shorter intro. Very nice & professional looking. ::thumbs up:: And *really* appreciate the comments on how some folks misunderstand the efficacy of 4WD!
4 Hydraulic out rigger cylinders that extend straight down so you can stabilize the van when parked and if a tire sinks you can lift jack the van with a outrigger and put something under the tire. Oh and a winch on a reese hitch so it can pull you out forwards or backwards. This I think is a $5000 option in Canada. 4x4 will always be the safest choice even if you drive 90% on highways its just those snow covered ice covered roads that it feels great to put it in 4x4 and climb the slippery hill at your own pace. I'd add a leaf spring to the rear of the van and maybe even wheel spacers to get a wider stance on it to stop the back and forth swaying on rough roads.
Good video. Not a lot of info out there on this subject.. I already have a 2wd SUV and have rented 4x4 vehicles on my mountain travels since I usually only can get away in the winter. It gets very expensive. Your video has encouraged me to try getting out with my vehicle!
If you want to get stuck go off road in a 2WD. If you want to get really really stuck go off road with 4WD. A lot of towing services will not go off road to pull you out.
great video, Knowing how to drive off pavement is a big part of knowing how to not get stuck, and as you showed, having good recovery equipment helps. I live in snow country and see people suck with 4WD because they do not know how to drive and do not have self recovery equipment.
Hey guys, first time for me on your channel, good job! I've been researching the subject for my Ford van, and stumbled upon yours ;) Your conclusion is similar to mine; as you mentioned, if a terrain REQUIRES 4×4, the rest of the camper build is not really up to it, unless specifically build for this purpose ($$$). If your van is your main home, it's almost irresponsible to take it to this extreme lol One piece of information I would add (not sure about the situation for Sprinters, and hope I'm not redundant with other replies), and that's Limited Slip Diff (LSD). In an Open Diff only one wheel actually receives the power. In newer vehicles (mine is '95) electronics can somewhat compensate (traction control etc). Some call LSD "poor man's 4×4".. Tires are probably the most important on the (budget-) conversion list. The stock tires are H/T (Highway Terrain). Then you have A/T (All Terrain), and M/T (Mud Terrain). For our purpose A/T are the best solution. M/T won't perform as well on the paved roads (worse MPG too).
Agreed! Great points. The LSD in the sprinter is actually pretty impressive. I got it up on a 3 wheeled teeter-totter predicament once and one of the back wheels was abut 2 feet in the air. It spun for a second, then transferred power. Pretty cool! I do wish there was an air locker kit for sprinters though @arb4x4 ?
Sprinters have been available in 4WD in the UK for about 20 years. Fetch strong money over here second hand and parts are hideously expensive for the 4WD system when they go wrong.
Nice! Yeah, I think they may have made them for a few years, 10 years ago, but they are hard (impossible) to find used and the new ones have only been out for less than a year now.
Any system not popular are hard to find service & replacement parts. If traveling around the country or internationally, this is a really important consideration
Thanks for the video! We just sold our 2WD and have opportunity to buy another RWD or 4x4 (deposits on both). Having a very hard time deciding! We live in Utah and it's nice to have "peace of mind" for snowy conditions, but ultimately realize that we would probably be just as capable with RWD and snow tires (with chains as backup). These may be minimal factors overall, but also hearing that 4x4 may be a "louder' or harsher ride than 2wd with less gas mileage (both factors for long haul trips). 4x4 also probably more maintenance. We would want to add lift and suspension upgrade regardless of whether or not we bought 4x4 (since ground clearance is basically the same and the suspension needs some serious upgrade to keep the van from rocking and swaying you mentioned in the video!). So money saved on 4x4 would be nice for that upgrade and wheel upgrade. For resale though, everyone seems to "think" that they absolutely need 4x4 (like we did when we first talked about upgrading). I would love to hear some feedback from someone who has owned both RWD and 4x4 as to how they really compare! Happy trails!
Resale value is DEFINITELY factor. Like you said... everybody wants all four wheels powered. Feedback from 'people who have driven both' will be incredibly skewed as, honestly, so many people suck at driving. They don't know how to TRULY use 2WD or 4WD because they don't know the system limitations of either and lack the experience needed to provide proper feedback that will work across-the-board for everybody. I think it's one of those things that, if you can afford it, get it. If not, you can still have some awesome adventures in 2WD. Just bring bikes to reach those more remote locations when needed.
If you want true 4x4 just get a pickup or a jeep the 4x4 sprinters are just to costly to buy and maintain. You'll do just fine with 2wd and a lift and a locking differential will take you 99% off places.
That’s a nice shovel! I just air down my A/T tires on my 2wd sprinter which does very well in the desert. would love to have a 4x4 sprinter too but it’s out of my budget.
Yeah, it's fantastic. We were carrying around a normal d-handle shovel before we got this one. It took up so much room, was rusting, etc. Buy it right, buy it once. lol
Great video. I've been contemplating the need for 4wd for a van build. I have a v8 4runner with all-time 4wd now, but have never needed to use 4LO for any trails I've been on, so I think a heavy sprinter with 2wd and AT tires should do the trick. I have an electric dirt bike to get me deeper into the trails. Thanks for the R&D!
Please do some driving lesson videos the next time you are in deep sand, mud or just rough terrain. Most of us are probably paved street and city drivers only.
I appreciate the advice and warning when using dangerous recovery tools. Watched many videos and the outcome is certainly dangerous. Keep it coming! Thank you!
Hub wheel motors are super interesting. You would have a smaller electric motor in each wheel so you have not just 4x4 "for free" but also much superior traction and driving in curve. You also get best efficiency (no gears) and optimal recouperation from breaking. I'm really waiting for wheel hub motors to become available because it would be rather easy to convert an older van into an electric one. Put some solar panels on the roof and some more to slide out for a solar awning and you could recharge a few miles each day.
The power necessary to be able to move the 4 motors, physically there would be no surface area to be able to obtain the necessary kW. Think about a 190 HP Mercedes Sprinter produces 140 kW. 1 m2 of a solar panel, in ideal conditions 200w. I live in Spain and per square meter in summer it is difficult to go above about 165 W. Simply do the math on how many square meters would be necessary. @@EXPLORISTlife
Seriously. Your detailed descriptions, high-quality video production, and personalities are what make folks continue to keep watching. Enjoy some winter life, but keep North Carolina / Asheville / Raleigh / Durham in mind for a summer-time visit.
Pretty good video with solid points. I think the main reason for 4x4 though is to go slower and more controlled on rougher terrain to put less strain on the internals and driveline etc. The best way to understand this is to watch a video of a vehicle with diff locks engaged as opposed to disengaged and the different driving styles required and then aply the same to 4x2 vs 4x4
Yeah, that's a good reason as well. 4-low and just let it crawl is super nice. The point of the video, though, was that if somebody cannoth afford the $$,$$$ needed to get 4x4; 4x4 isn't a 100% necessity to go out and have an adventure.
You didn't talk about tires that much. I know you.mentioned that you have winter tires on at the moment but I think tires are probably the most important item to consider when doing any sort of off roading or evening driving on pavement during in the snow. I live in Canmore, Alberta, (I saw you vlogs on when you were in banff last month) and I tell you if you don't have the right tires in the mountains you are going to be "up shits" creek in a hurry. Thanks for the awesome video's and if you guys are back here in the summer I would love to show you some great mtb trails.
We definitely overlooked tires. I think we didn't include tires because we would lump them into the same catagory as "having a running engine" or "having a properly functioning transmission". lol Should have been included though. haha! Good tires with plenty of life left in them make a world of difference.
I had general altimax snow tires on my and thought they did great. Traction, price, tread life. All top notch. Used them year round and they never wore out like most winter tires used too
Absolutely correct. I am the biggest 4x4 advocate, I own three… but a 2wd with winter tires in snow, or mud tires for off-roading, will be far superior to a 4x4 on street tires.
I got rid of my snow chains and bought some Snow Socks. Non metal, very very easy to install and remove and approved in all states. I'm much more likely now to Sock up now in questionable conditions or even to get unstuck. If only Eaton would make a switchable locking Differential for the Sprinter. This would almost eliminate the need for 4-wheel drive.......
Having 4x4 capabilities in an overlanding/off-road scenario will always trump the limitations of a 2x vehicle. Having said that, there are many other factors to consider: tire size is what actually gives your vehicle clearance from the surface of the ground to the axle (s), rather than body lift; e.g. a 35-inch tire will obviously allow for easier or more non-obstructed travel than say a 33-inch tire, and a 37-inch tire will surpass the surface to axle area even more so than the aforementioned 35 and 33 inch tires. The tire type will also play a major role in your ability to traverse difficult terrain. Mud terrain tires are most common in off-road/overlanding type applications because of their aggressive tread and their strong, durable construction. However, they tend to be less ideal for travel on tarmac/asphalt roads/highways due to their tread design. This is where the AT (all-terrane) tire attempts to bridge the gap between road conditions, longevity, and fuel efficiency in on/off-road use. Tire pressure also plays a major factor in how these tires perform in rough terrane and challenging driving conditions. And ultimately having the knowledge and skill-set of properly operating your vehicle in off-road conditions/environments and being aware of its limitations is paramount! Far too many people invest large sums of money in off-road vehicles and accessories without investing the time to ascertain the knowledge and skills required to utilize them properly. Recovery equipment is perhaps one of the best examples of that. Simply attaching a winch to the bumper of your vehicle and buying tow/snatch/tree-saver straps, snatch blocks, shackles, and the like without properly knowing how to use them can not only result in serious injury, catastrophic vehicle damage but potentially death as well. But a knowledgeable operator with the right equipment will not only get out of just about any bad situation but travel and explore areas 2x vehicles simply aren't capable of.
Yeah, ours does pretty good! We've had it up on 3 wheels (Back driver side fully in the air) and it transferred all the power to the wheel on the ground. I was super impressed by that.
Yeah the traction control system is pretty good in the Sprinters. The stability control system will surprise you when it kicks in, because it will suddenly slow you down by cutting fuel and braking if need be. But it makes sense to have into these vans as like you said they are top heavy.
Great food for thought. We are on our third Sprinter. No they did not wear out just we have refined what want. We now have a 144” 4x4 just because we don’t like to worry. Not that we go off road a lot but we have in the past avoided Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in the Winter just because we used to live in Jackson Hole so we know what can happen overnight. The main thing though is ground clearance. Our 3500 170 EXT from Airstream had only about 6 six clearance between the road and propane tank. Several time we scraped it just getting out a gas station. We feel lucky to still be on this planet. Also we wanted a short van to serve as our primary vehicle since it gets great mileage and can park in normal car spot without hanging over. Our van will be cramped inside but that is good because it gets us outside where we really want to be. The van is just a mobile shelter with all the amenities. Hopefully this will be it otherwise we will have put another van on order....ugh.
Great topic. I've gotten this question many times on my videos as well. I am on the other side of the fence where I consider 4x4 a must for the kind of travel I do, but it's definitely not necessary for every one. I hope you don't mind if I share your video when I get this question in the future. I think it's important to present both sides of the argument and you've done a great job
Thanks so much! Yeah, it's super individual like you said. If I weren't in a van and in a truck like yours, we'd be 4x4 as well. Thanks so much for watching!
Love the channel. Im a Jeep guy looking to transition to van life. Im considering the Transit AWD over the Mercedes 4x4. basically for cost and parts availability in Baja. Without lockers, im not sure the 4x4 will make that big of difference and with the size of the van in general, I doubt my off road travels in either van will take me to many of my Jeep travels. That said, the trade off to van life will be worth it. If money wasn’t a limiting factor, as this is my retirement present to myself, would you consider the Transit HD AWD with suspension and lift upgrades a better value than the Sprinter 4x4 or AWD. Thanks in advance for your input
I think the vehicle we chose for our currently ongoing playlist should answer that question? -> ua-cam.com/play/PLmvhcyi4n0TVfA4XCYJBkzfUXunSON1zX.html
Short intro is the way to go. Every youtuber thinks they need a long self-pleasing intro like theyre a big TV star and i (most people) just skip the first minute. Thats why i dont watch television, just cut to the facts.
Actually, most people dont skip our intros. We have the data on our audience retention rates on the back end that show what people skip over. Thanks for watching!
Stephen forgot to add, I don't have aggressive tires but I have high grade traction grabbing tires. However my dog is very aggressive when comes to protect my horse against other agresive horses:)
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If you are actually going to wheel a van, wheelbase, suspension strength and ground clearance are often more important than 4wd Vs 2wd. Pretty easy for most folks to avoid true off-road tracks and conditions, but if you are going to go there...4wd is part of the package. Great video.
Went for a rwd 2021 144 and not regretting it after this video, had a vw t5.1 camper before adapted to overlander and it was all good but the sprinter rwd looks even more capable. Cheers for the video
I'm deleting this video from my watch history. If my wife sees it, I'm never getting the 4x4 144" I want.
ROFL! Sorry about that.
Lol
Hilarious! Did you get the 4x4?
I was teaching on track for Audi in an R8.
My customer had ordered a V10 model in exactly the same exterior/ interior colours as his current V8 model so his wife wouldn’t know!
I've got a 4 wd camper. I worked for 10 years taking motorhome caravans to Alaska and Mexico. There is something to keep in mind. You have a big heavy vehicle. If you need 4 wd, you probably shouldn't be where you are. You're too top heavy. Even if you have a UniMog, you can still tip it over. Heavy vehicles sink pretty fast. Heavy vehicles slide right off off-camber turns. Chains are a whole different story. I generally only use 4wd on beach sand like Pismo beach. I've used it in mud to pull people out. I ned 4 wd because I go WAY off the beaten path. Nobody is goping to come by and pull you out of that little sinkhole that you didn't see.
I drive in 2 wd until I get stuck. Then, I put it in 4 wd and think about turning around.
Agreed on pretty much all fronts. Are you in a 4wd truck camper? What's your setup?
Thank you. I was thinking that I need a 4x4, but what you said make sense. I have towed my trailer through off-road inadvertently before, and my tent trailer took a beating.
Glad it was helpful!
Don't forget miles per gallon, tire wear, your kerb weight not to mention maintenance. Having the correct tires for the conditions is often better solution than 4x4 for a big camper.
Great points. I grew up in the mountains and learned to drive during the winter with snow tires and 2WD. Experience and tire type is a big difference.
ever got stuck in snow or mudd with 2wd using snow tires?
I've been stuck in 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, snow tires, and mud tires. The right equipment helps, but doesn't make somebody immune from getting stuck.
@@EXPLORISTlife thanks for the encouragement...
@@سهمالهاجري Anything can get stuck. Even 4x4 with snow tyres and snow chains.
On winter and 4WD, I lived in snow country and had 4WD. The thing is that 4wd will help you go, but it will not help you stop. You will slide on ice and slick snow just like any 2WD would. If you want to keep your vehicle on the road, you still need to put chains on the tires.
Agreed! That's why it's 4WD and not 4WS because "4 wheel drive doesn't mean 4 wheel stop"! lol (words of wisdom from my dad)
I owned a 2014 sprinter 170 2wheel drive and they are right these few things will save you a ton vs buying the 4x4 sprinter and losing money on mpg too. Option 2 is take that money buy a land cruiser like I did for 12,000 and explore a few years with that to really get to cool places! Then buy sprinter and see the world with in limits of that.. which is not that limited like they say.
We would LOVE a land cruiser sometime in the future. Full time with 2 dogs wouldn't be feasible in a landcruiser for us right now, but eventually...
1) MB Sprinter is not true 4x4, it's AWD with a F35%/B65% torque split. It seem to have quite a delay in engaging the anti-slip braking. Getting replacement parts/service is harder for MB and may be harder for the AWD components.
2) In California, any 4wd vehicle over 6500 lbs is NOT exempt from chains/M&S in chain control areas during snowstorms. Only been "caught" by one astute chain control guy over 10 yrs at Tahoe forcing me to put chains on. In an accident, it could become a (serious) issue to be cited/fined for being in chain control without the appropriate compliance. BTW, 3/16" tread depth on M&S tires is required.
3) Our E350 based RV has been heavily modified with true manual hub / transfer case 4x4 with a limited slip rear differential. If stuck, the manual systems allow switching into 4wd mode. In automatic (push button) systems, as the video indicates, switching modes can't be done when stuck. The LS rear differential is great for snowy roads while in 2wd mode.
4) On a 2WD, people should consider getting a limited slip rear differential & is a "game-changer" that is practically like having 4wd. Any regular van (ie. econoline, etc) can get a LS rear differential at a reasonable cost. It's good that it's a simple up-conversion & nothing special needs to be done when driving (better than a locker). In my 4x4 pickup that has a locking rear differential, I've used it only twice in 22 yrs doing a lot of off-road snow situations getting out of a stuck situation.
Thank you. Great post.
Oh my! This stuff takes up so much space in a van! I can see why you have the outside chests to hold all this stuff!
SO Necessary for off pavement travel though.
For 2wd vans it can be improved tremendously. If it is rear-wheel drive with a differential lock and if it is front-wheel drive with a limited slip differential, the latter case is less effective. And another option that can help a lot when you have to travel further distance and not have to continually remove and replace the unblocking plates. It's Trac-Grabber - Get Unstuck.
What about a good 12 volt air compressor?
In most instances offroad (mud/sand/snow), the easiest way to not get bogged and/or to recover a bogged car is to deflate tyres. This increases foot print (amount of rubber in contact with ground) & significantly increases places you can go (both 2wd & 4wd).
Obviously, you need to be able to reinflate your tyres!
You're absolutely right! We didn't feel a compressor was worth adding into the 'base essentials' list like we were doing here because this video was aimed at people who don't really know much about driving off road...and to somebody who has no off road experience, they simply are not going to deflate their tires to a point it will be helpful, they are scared of having flats. We will be doing a follow up video actually putting some of these tools to use and that's when we will talk about tire pressures, but definitely a good point! Deflating tires is a beginner level skill, but IMO a compressor isn't in the beginner level recovery kit.
Maybe a great option is to go 2wd ~ with a diff locker. That way you keep the mpg of the 2wd but get a hole lot more traction - even with one light wheel.
a limited slip is the way to go. cheap easy upgrade. nothing to think about
@@rchn1315 could you tell a bit more about it? Thanks in advance...
I use General Grabber AT3 tyres on my LWB 96 RWD sprinter campervan. Highly recommended for winter and off-road.
You guys should do a brutally honest likes/dislikes of your build and what you'd do differently next time. Those are the videos I find most helpful.
Not sure if you mentioned money saved on Fuel! Which is the number one expense when traveling in a van.
I chose a 2WD van myself and usually I'm a diehard 4WD guy...the fact is dirt roads, most trails, or even fire roads don't require it.
Whiskey is a bigger expense than fuel, but I get your point. 😂😆😂
A lot of good advice is given here. One extra point and a possible correction in this video; A come-along / cable puller that is correctly rated for the vehicle is incredibly helpful to get out of situations when the vehicle is really stuck somewhere. And this may not be a correction, but I have to bring it up anyway, concerning the times when chains are required when going over mountain passes. Yes, at times, the DOT will allow snow tires, but other times they do not, and chains are required whether you have snow tires or not, and this includes studded snow tires. Cheers
Do you have a recommendation for a come-along rated for a Sprinter camper van's weight?
For work I have a 2wd e-250. Instead of sand I have a bag of softener rock salt(plumber) I carry in the winter. Absolutely crucial on sloped ice.
I've been toying with the camper van idea for the past few years. I was dismayed at the cost of the 4x4 sprinter (which I already don't like because of the high maintenance/parts costs and the difficulty of finding service) and the cost of a 4x4 conversion on a ford. I've got a 4x4 truck and a Subaru and love having the added traction when needed, but I've been leaning towards the Dodge because of the cost, they're a little wider inside, the lower floor height and a few other points too. A few other issues that your video made me realize was that even with 4 wheel drive, any van is seriously limited by ground clearance and because of the top heavy nature of these vans, you really don't want to tackle anything more serious than a dirt road. This was a great video that really helped my make up my mind, thank you.
Glad this helped! We were the same way. Before the van, Steph drove a Subaru and I drove a short bed short cab Z71, so we definitely know where you are coming from. The road we had to take to get to the location to shoot this video is pretty rough. Not 4x4 rough, but a double track trail with embedded rocks and stuff...doable in any stock height truck/suv/van or a higher clearance car if careful...and it was rocking the van side to side about as much as I was comfortable with. A trail that REQUIRED 4x4 would SUCK to be on with a full build out IMO.
Can't talk for the camper market, but I work in specialised transport (hoping to build a camper, hence why I'm here), generally the choice here is FWD, single wheel RWD, Dually RWD & 4x4. FWD and Single wheel RWD are often completely discounted for soft road and rural winter road work here, they have their advantages over each other, but both suffer in a big way on uphill traction. My personal experience is with a RWD single wheel sprinter surveying vehicle, and I have had to have been towed up snowy hills on more than one occasion. Even with a solid set of tyres they are a hazard in adverse conditions, particularly with the 7G automatic (an otherwise good autobox, but doesn't like low grip environments).
The real discussion that goes on among farmers, arbolists & builders here is 4x4 vs dually RWD. The dual rear axle adds a LOT of capability to RWD vans, additionally the heavy duty axles are far more often equiped with lockers or LSDs which dramatically increase traction capabilities. 4x4 vans are fairly rare, as you point out, they can be exceedingly expensive, and in business they also have a reduction in payload & efficiency, some people often argue too that a dually rear with a locker can be even more capable than a 4x4 without a locker so there is more to the spec than just having the extra driven axle.
In business people often compromise with a dually RWD with LSD or locker, as it often offers the best middle ground between cost, capability & payload.
Great setup you guys, fantastic recommendations for recovery equipment, along with the recommendation about proper steel bumper/chassis shackles.
So, maybe to clear something up in regards to the camper market... This video was made after we noticed that a lot of people were simply not going out and having adventures purely based on the fact that they did not have a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Everybody knows that you can go further with 4 wheel drive but it's not necessarily vital to just generally go have an adventure or go camping. Either that or they felt like they were pressured into a vehicle that cost an extra 20k just to go have an adventure; which, as I'm sure you'll agree, isn't the case.
Now: totally unrelated to the topic of the video as you brought up duallies... For me, personally, I dislike duals off road, specifically in soft ground. One would think that the extra surface area would allow for extra flotation, but In my experience, if the front wheels are sinking down to more solid soil, the outside, rear wheel acts as a bit of a plow that really makes it harder to keep up momentum. This is based off of when I was on the fire department and we had various grass fire rigs. Most were duallies, but we had a few single rear wheel trucks and the single rear wheel trucks always seemed to perform better.
Interestingly enough, the trucks with duallies would go MUCH better if they were driven in reverse, but that's unsuprisingly unuseful. haha!
(Note: I was talking about 4x4 duallies in the previous example... so, effectively 6 tires turning. Everything had full lockers.
@@EXPLORISTlife Ah, I've never run a 4x4 dually, we run 4x4 pickups (Ford Rangers, Mitsubishi L200), RWD Sprinters, FWD Transits & Dual RWD Iveco Daily's. One of the Iveco's had low range gearing & LSD on the drive axle.
It was possibly the LSD, but I found the front sunk down, but the back kept grip, steering was fine with the RWD if you where low speed as the front wheels where acting as something of a rudder through the mud. I prefer the duals hands down if I am honest, but that being said if they are light/unloaded you sacrifice a lot of comfort for that HD rear axle, so potentially not the best for a camper unless you have a 1000l water bowser and hard wood furniture on board :P. In snow as well I found there where a lot of places the Iveco's got too that left the Sprinters & Transits really struggling, they where also manual though (as where the Transits). I don't massively rate the Merc 7G box on soft road work, it is a fantastic box on the road, imo the best van auto on the market, however the way the torque converter provides power it is very surgy at low speed, I found it really difficult to hit that fine line between the wheels rolling & the wheels spinning in it, particularly on gravel. I'd take a manual any day of the week, but I know they are difficult to come by in the US market.
That being said, i'd quite like to try a FWD Peugeot/Citreon van over here, can't change physics, but they are coming with really rather complex electric limited slip diffs designed for terrain response.
Completely agree with your first statement though, a 2wd van will get you far further on trails than most cars will, these are vehicles designed for work & are generally very robust bits of kit. Where I stay (NW Scotland) we have a large amount of unmade roads, I'd much rather drive them in a 2wd van than any non-4x4 car, generally, if the road is on the map, a 2wd van will get you there absolutely fine in all but the most extreme conditions, provided it is well maintained with a good set of tyres. You only need 4x4 if you are going out of your way to try and get off the beaten track.
Thanks for the response anywho, love talking shop about stuff like this.
I think a beefy cable come along ratchet puller may be a lightweight alternative to a big electric winch. Good if you expect to never need it, but you never know for sure. I did snap a thin cabled one once trying to get over a lump of snow. It just broke and fell to the ground. No whipping and flying back at me. I did have a jacket beyond the halfway point just in case.
Be sure to watch the last part of the video. We talked about that. :)
THE best video ever! You make learning so fun! Even the beginning where you take turns talking, had to chuckle at the head nodding as other one talked! Great job, hope can remember all your advice now! Added to playlist.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! :D Glad it helped.
I have a 4WD truck, but my camper van is 2WD. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I want a truck full of survival gear. If I want the luxuries of home I won't be out in the woods, where I can't turn around, receive cellphone signals, etc. to begin with. Cool videos guys.
at 11:22 your tow points are technically called clevis fasteners they are a type of "shackle" not trying to nit pick just if your subscribers are looking to buy some they may have more luck searching for clevis vs shackle. great info btw
Thanks! I want to take my 2wd van off road and in the snow. This was fun and entertaining!
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
I bet a small lift for a 2wd sprinter would help with offroad capabilities. With the lift you could add larger tires. With larger tires you could change the gearing. Wait, with gearing you might as well through in a limited slip. Man, where does it end? Thanks for the video.
Like the new, shorter intro. Very nice & professional looking. ::thumbs up:: And *really* appreciate the comments on how some folks misunderstand the efficacy of 4WD!
Awesome! Glad you like it! :D
4 Hydraulic out rigger cylinders that extend straight down so you can stabilize the van when parked and if a tire sinks you can lift jack the van with a outrigger and put something under the tire. Oh and a winch on a reese hitch so it can pull you out forwards or backwards. This I think is a $5000 option in Canada. 4x4 will always be the safest choice even if you drive 90% on highways its just those snow covered ice covered roads that it feels great to put it in 4x4 and climb the slippery hill at your own pace. I'd add a leaf spring to the rear of the van and maybe even wheel spacers to get a wider stance on it to stop the back and forth swaying on rough roads.
4x4 low and slow pace helps with the high CG weight swing. And, reduce the cleanup afterwards!
Good video. Not a lot of info out there on this subject.. I already have a 2wd SUV and have rented 4x4 vehicles on my mountain travels since I usually only can get away in the winter. It gets very expensive. Your video has encouraged me to try getting out with my vehicle!
Great info for us 2wd sprinter people! Thank you!!!
No problem!
If you want to get stuck go off road in a 2WD. If you want to get really really stuck go off road with 4WD. A lot of towing services will not go off road to pull you out.
Haha! My dad used to say "10 feet further and twice as stuck" talking about 4x4. lol
This is the video I’ve been looking for! Thank you for the advice. Safe travels. 😊
great video, Knowing how to drive off pavement is a big part of knowing how to not get stuck, and as you showed, having good recovery equipment helps. I live in snow country and see people suck with 4WD because they do not know how to drive and do not have self recovery equipment.
Excellent points. Thank you for showing the rescue kit. Hopefully this will save some people who didn't know.
Thanks so much! :D No problem. We hope it will help too.
Also worth pointing out that the 4x4 system takes a huge bite out of your payload capabilities. The 4x4 bits themselves weigh hundreds of kilos.
135kg
@@cristim5620wow that's alot of weight didn't think it was that heavy.
A real view of rwd vs 4wd which is wise and helpful. Thanks
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Thanks. Very helpful.
An e-locker, all terrain tires, winch, and traction pads will get you out of just about any accidental situation.
Agreed! I sure wish they made an e-locker for the sprinter.
or air locker. why not have ob air? now you can air down when you need to and then air back up.
Yep.
Difference between 4x2 and 4x4 drive is that with a 4x4 you get stuck further out.
Truth!
Another great video 😎. Can't wait for some great warm weather shoots "MTB" 🚴🚵
Love your dog wandering around behind the scenes 👍
Us too! :D :D Definitely not ready for skiing to be over, but not bundling up every day will be welcome.
Hey guys, first time for me on your channel, good job! I've been researching the subject for my Ford van, and stumbled upon yours ;)
Your conclusion is similar to mine; as you mentioned, if a terrain REQUIRES 4×4, the rest of the camper build is not really up to it, unless specifically build for this purpose ($$$). If your van is your main home, it's almost irresponsible to take it to this extreme lol
One piece of information I would add (not sure about the situation for Sprinters, and hope I'm not redundant with other replies), and that's Limited Slip Diff (LSD). In an Open Diff only one wheel actually receives the power. In newer vehicles (mine is '95) electronics can somewhat compensate (traction control etc). Some call LSD "poor man's 4×4"..
Tires are probably the most important on the (budget-) conversion list. The stock tires are H/T (Highway Terrain). Then you have A/T (All Terrain), and M/T (Mud Terrain). For our purpose A/T are the best solution. M/T won't perform as well on the paved roads (worse MPG too).
Agreed! Great points. The LSD in the sprinter is actually pretty impressive. I got it up on a 3 wheeled teeter-totter predicament once and one of the back wheels was abut 2 feet in the air. It spun for a second, then transferred power. Pretty cool!
I do wish there was an air locker kit for sprinters though @arb4x4 ?
@@EXPLORISTlife Also some great info that I was trying to find about the differentials in the sprinters. Is an LSD stock in the sprinter?
Sprinters have been available in 4WD in the UK for about 20 years. Fetch strong money over here second hand and parts are hideously expensive for the 4WD system when they go wrong.
Nice! Yeah, I think they may have made them for a few years, 10 years ago, but they are hard (impossible) to find used and the new ones have only been out for less than a year now.
Any system not popular are hard to find service & replacement parts. If traveling around the country or internationally, this is a really important consideration
Parts for any sprinter are expensive not matter 2wd or 4wd
Thanks for the video! We just sold our 2WD and have opportunity to buy another RWD or 4x4 (deposits on both). Having a very hard time deciding! We live in Utah and it's nice to have "peace of mind" for snowy conditions, but ultimately realize that we would probably be just as capable with RWD and snow tires (with chains as backup). These may be minimal factors overall, but also hearing that 4x4 may be a "louder' or harsher ride than 2wd with less gas mileage (both factors for long haul trips). 4x4 also probably more maintenance. We would want to add lift and suspension upgrade regardless of whether or not we bought 4x4 (since ground clearance is basically the same and the suspension needs some serious upgrade to keep the van from rocking and swaying you mentioned in the video!). So money saved on 4x4 would be nice for that upgrade and wheel upgrade. For resale though, everyone seems to "think" that they absolutely need 4x4 (like we did when we first talked about upgrading).
I would love to hear some feedback from someone who has owned both RWD and 4x4 as to how they really compare!
Happy trails!
Resale value is DEFINITELY factor. Like you said... everybody wants all four wheels powered.
Feedback from 'people who have driven both' will be incredibly skewed as, honestly, so many people suck at driving. They don't know how to TRULY use 2WD or 4WD because they don't know the system limitations of either and lack the experience needed to provide proper feedback that will work across-the-board for everybody. I think it's one of those things that, if you can afford it, get it. If not, you can still have some awesome adventures in 2WD. Just bring bikes to reach those more remote locations when needed.
If you have the funds, buy the 4x4.
But when you venture off-road you still need the correct tyres / tires.
If you want true 4x4 just get a pickup or a jeep the 4x4 sprinters are just to costly to buy and maintain.
You'll do just fine with 2wd and a lift and a locking differential will take you 99% off places.
People are always shocked to see what a 2wd van can do...
That’s a nice shovel! I just air down my A/T tires on my 2wd sprinter which does very well in the desert. would love to have a 4x4 sprinter too but it’s out of my budget.
Yeah, it's fantastic. We were carrying around a normal d-handle shovel before we got this one. It took up so much room, was rusting, etc. Buy it right, buy it once. lol
Great video. I've been contemplating the need for 4wd for a van build. I have a v8 4runner with all-time 4wd now, but have never needed to use 4LO for any trails I've been on, so I think a heavy sprinter with 2wd and AT tires should do the trick. I have an electric dirt bike to get me deeper into the trails. Thanks for the R&D!
Please do some driving lesson videos the next time you are in deep sand, mud or just rough terrain. Most of us are probably paved street and city drivers only.
We will see what we can do! :D
Your bloopers are fun to watch, you should include more in your videos. Love your videos thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the advice and warning when using dangerous recovery tools. Watched many videos and the outcome is certainly dangerous. Keep it coming! Thank you!
Thanks for the video and recovery gear list. I don't think I've seen a video like this yet 🖒👍
Awesome! Glad it helped!
Thanks so much for this help!! And great dog - I’ve had Dobes all my life - they’re the best!
Hey Julia From Wisconsin, No problem! Glad it helped! :)
Hub wheel motors are super interesting. You would have a smaller electric motor in each wheel so you have not just 4x4 "for free" but also much superior traction and driving in curve. You also get best efficiency (no gears) and optimal recouperation from breaking.
I'm really waiting for wheel hub motors to become available because it would be rather easy to convert an older van into an electric one. Put some solar panels on the roof and some more to slide out for a solar awning and you could recharge a few miles each day.
Hmmm... Indeed!
The power necessary to be able to move the 4 motors, physically there would be no surface area to be able to obtain the necessary kW.
Think about a 190 HP Mercedes Sprinter produces 140 kW.
1 m2 of a solar panel, in ideal conditions 200w. I live in Spain and per square meter in summer it is difficult to go above about 165 W.
Simply do the math on how many square meters would be necessary. @@EXPLORISTlife
Thanks Nate and Steph...super informative as always! Love the intro...
Awesome! :D Thanks so much! :D :D
Indeed; always impressed with your videos and stellar information.
Thanks so much! :D
Seriously. Your detailed descriptions, high-quality video production, and personalities are what make folks continue to keep watching. Enjoy some winter life, but keep North Carolina / Asheville / Raleigh / Durham in mind for a summer-time visit.
Complimenti, bravi davvero
Pretty good video with solid points. I think the main reason for 4x4 though is to go slower and more controlled on rougher terrain to put less strain on the internals and driveline etc.
The best way to understand this is to watch a video of a vehicle with diff locks engaged as opposed to disengaged and the different driving styles required and then aply the same to 4x2 vs 4x4
Yeah, that's a good reason as well. 4-low and just let it crawl is super nice. The point of the video, though, was that if somebody cannoth afford the $$,$$$ needed to get 4x4; 4x4 isn't a 100% necessity to go out and have an adventure.
This was awesome, thank you.
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Good info. Everything is "super" with you two!
Great video ! Very timely and useful for me answering a huuge question, plus you guys rock ! Luv it !
You didn't talk about tires that much. I know you.mentioned that you have winter tires on at the moment but I think tires are probably the most important item to consider when doing any sort of off roading or evening driving on pavement during in the snow.
I live in Canmore, Alberta, (I saw you vlogs on when you were in banff last month) and I tell you if you don't have the right tires in the mountains you are going to be "up shits" creek in a hurry.
Thanks for the awesome video's and if you guys are back here in the summer I would love to show you some great mtb trails.
We definitely overlooked tires. I think we didn't include tires because we would lump them into the same catagory as "having a running engine" or "having a properly functioning transmission". lol Should have been included though. haha! Good tires with plenty of life left in them make a world of difference.
I had general altimax snow tires on my and thought they did great. Traction, price, tread life. All top notch. Used them year round and they never wore out like most winter tires used too
Absolutely correct.
I am the biggest 4x4 advocate, I own three… but a 2wd with winter tires in snow, or mud tires for off-roading, will be far superior to a 4x4 on street tires.
Awesome, thanks for the video! Great answers!
Dang, I can hardly get my Sprinter to move when I try to pull/push it! #girlpower!
I got rid of my snow chains and bought some Snow Socks. Non metal, very very easy to install and remove and approved in all states. I'm much more likely now to Sock up now in questionable conditions or even to get unstuck. If only Eaton would make a switchable locking Differential for the Sprinter. This would almost eliminate the need for 4-wheel drive.......
I would LOVE an e-locker/air locker for the sprinter.
Having 4x4 capabilities in an overlanding/off-road scenario will always trump the limitations of a 2x vehicle. Having said that, there are many other factors to consider: tire size is what actually gives your vehicle clearance from the surface of the ground to the axle (s), rather than body lift; e.g. a 35-inch tire will obviously allow for easier or more non-obstructed travel than say a 33-inch tire, and a 37-inch tire will surpass the surface to axle area even more so than the aforementioned 35 and 33 inch tires.
The tire type will also play a major role in your ability to traverse difficult terrain. Mud terrain tires are most common in off-road/overlanding type applications because of their aggressive tread and their strong, durable construction. However, they tend to be less ideal for travel on tarmac/asphalt roads/highways due to their tread design. This is where the AT (all-terrane) tire attempts to bridge the gap between road conditions, longevity, and fuel efficiency in on/off-road use.
Tire pressure also plays a major factor in how these tires perform in rough terrane and challenging driving conditions. And ultimately having the knowledge and skill-set of properly operating your vehicle in off-road conditions/environments and being aware of its limitations is paramount!
Far too many people invest large sums of money in off-road vehicles and accessories without investing the time to ascertain the knowledge and skills required to utilize them properly. Recovery equipment is perhaps one of the best examples of that. Simply attaching a winch to the bumper of your vehicle and buying tow/snatch/tree-saver straps, snatch blocks, shackles, and the like without properly knowing how to use them can not only result in serious injury, catastrophic vehicle damage but potentially death as well.
But a knowledgeable operator with the right equipment will not only get out of just about any bad situation but travel and explore areas 2x vehicles simply aren't capable of.
You can get lift kits for the 2wds for more ground clearance. I had a 04 2500 Sprinter, and with snow chains it is almost unstoppable.
Yeah, ours does pretty good! We've had it up on 3 wheels (Back driver side fully in the air) and it transferred all the power to the wheel on the ground. I was super impressed by that.
Yeah the traction control system is pretty good in the Sprinters. The stability control system will surprise you when it kicks in, because it will suddenly slow you down by cutting fuel and braking if need be. But it makes sense to have into these vans as like you said they are top heavy.
SUPER helpful guys, seriously, thank you. Like your new style too, btw. Cheers. 💥💥👊
So glad you liked it! :D
Great video! Gave me peace of mind in my choice to go for 2wd!
Great food for thought. We are on our third Sprinter. No they did not wear out just we have refined what want. We now have a 144” 4x4 just because we don’t like to worry. Not that we go off road a lot but we have in the past avoided Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in the Winter just because we used to live in Jackson Hole so we know what can happen overnight. The main thing though is ground clearance. Our 3500 170 EXT from Airstream had only about 6 six clearance between the road and propane tank. Several time we scraped it just getting out a gas station. We feel lucky to still be on this planet. Also we wanted a short van to serve as our primary vehicle since it gets great mileage and can park in normal car spot without hanging over. Our van will be cramped inside but that is good because it gets us outside where we really want to be. The van is just a mobile shelter with all the amenities. Hopefully this will be it otherwise we will have put another van on order....ugh.
That sounds super sketchy about the propane tank. 😮😮😱
Adventure in a Backpack scared the “you know what” out of us. Enjoy the warmth of the desert.
So you don't actually need it (like most people) and kinda wasted money.
LOL at the thumbnail for this video! : )
Ha! Good one right! "STEPH!! Come here. I have an idea!" lol
Thanks for this video! I’ve been looking into buying a 2wd camper van and have been hesitating due to the 2wd
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Good video, accurate basic recovery information and equipment
Great Video.. Nice Van & Gear... And Dude.. Your Girl Is Awesome... Don't Let Her Get Away.!!
Loved the bloopers. Informative.
Haha1 Glad you stuck around to the end! :D Thanks so much!
This video got my subscription. Awesome info. 2007 144"
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Great video. Enjoyed watching your experience
Excellent post production, keep up guys!
:D :D Thank you very much! :D
pure sense ! how refreshing stay rad you two beauteys!!!!
Thanks so much! :D
Great video! Perfect thumbnail! 👍👍
Thanks so much! We are pretty proud of the thumbnail... lol :D
Great video guys!
Thanks so much!
Excellent video! Much appreciated...
Thanks so much! Thanks for watching!
Great topic. I've gotten this question many times on my videos as well. I am on the other side of the fence where I consider 4x4 a must for the kind of travel I do, but it's definitely not necessary for every one. I hope you don't mind if I share your video when I get this question in the future. I think it's important to present both sides of the argument and you've done a great job
Thanks so much! Yeah, it's super individual like you said. If I weren't in a van and in a truck like yours, we'd be 4x4 as well. Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for the good info😎
Subbed when she started pulling the van. LMAO!
Haha! I'm just waiting for our grammy/oscar to come in.
"Knowing when to bail..." indeed!
100% the most important.
Love the channel. Im a Jeep guy looking to transition to van life. Im considering the Transit AWD over the Mercedes 4x4. basically for cost and parts availability in Baja. Without lockers, im not sure the 4x4 will make that big of difference and with the size of the van in general, I doubt my off road travels in either van will take me to many of my Jeep travels. That said, the trade off to van life will be worth it. If money wasn’t a limiting factor, as this is my retirement present to myself, would you consider the Transit HD AWD with suspension and lift upgrades a better value than the Sprinter 4x4 or AWD. Thanks in advance for your input
I think the vehicle we chose for our currently ongoing playlist should answer that question? -> ua-cam.com/play/PLmvhcyi4n0TVfA4XCYJBkzfUXunSON1zX.html
@@EXPLORISTlifethat’s too funny😂. Congrats.
Excellent!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for uploading
Great video!!! I would like to add with a locking diferential!!!
Great video!!!
Great information!!!
Very informative!! I am going to the Living Zeal couple, because they got stuck in loose dirt/sand on their last vlog.👋🏾🖐🏾
Thanks so much! Ugh, we've definitely been there before...which is why we now carry what we carry. lol
Short intro is the way to go. Every youtuber thinks they need a long self-pleasing intro like theyre a big TV star and i (most people) just skip the first minute. Thats why i dont watch television, just cut to the facts.
Actually, most people dont skip our intros. We have the data on our audience retention rates on the back end that show what people skip over. Thanks for watching!
Love the new intro!
Yay! Thanks so much!
Stephen forgot to add, I don't have aggressive tires but I have high grade traction grabbing tires.
However my dog is very aggressive when comes to protect my horse against other agresive horses:)
First thing is always as you said Read the terrain Ps you can put a locker kit
For sure! Lockers help SO much if they are available for your vehicle.
They are availeble . Good luck
Well done
Thank you ,good info keep it up
Thank you , very helpful!