pre-mod wonderings

[Cody Allen]

I got a 2004 ST 2wd a little while back and i want to start doing some stuff to it like exhaust, lift, etc. I was wondering how many of you with moded 2wd's wish you would have got a 4x4 to mod instead. I don't know if i want to keep my '04 2wd or try to get a '02 or '03 4x4... any input is really appreciated.

 

[Kevin Lang]

I don't wish that I had 4x4. The 4wd system seems to always break when you need it, as it is prone to rust up and die from disuse, and it isn't that convenient to me.



To use 4wd for all these massive offroading excursions that people post here, you need to lift for bigger tires, which is difficult as the 4wd vehicle can only be lifted with measures that have large (too large IMO) drawbacks.



2wd you just get your shackles and you're good. No shrinking the travel of your suspension or using iffy body lifts which impede servicing the ride with the ease that you would have normally.



With 2wd you'll never have to make embarassing posts on here about how to engage or disengage 4wd LO



Most Importantly, if--or when--you do something awe inspiring with your trac, when you say "I've got 2wd", there will be a heightened sense of revere for your accomplishment.

 

[Chase Straw]

I have a 4wd and love it but it all depends on where you live, it happens to snow here and my drive way is like a 30 degree angle. I do also enjoy some heavy off roading so its up to you

 

[Todd Z]

There is 1 member looking to convert his truck as we speak...



Honestly i would NEVER buy a truck with out 4wd... Yes a 2wd will go most places when driven right, But I personally like it for other uses....



I dont raise or lower my trucks and never do mudding, or serious off roading...



Now, For your situation, it all depends what you want to do.....



Todd Z

 

[Kevin Lang]

You can't drive long distances in 4wd, if you value your ride, and even if you are offroading, the only thing that 4wd really does for you is give you the ability to get unstuck, or not stuck at all, depending on the situation. If there is some other use that I don't know about, please let me know so that I can be prepared to do it the harder way in 2wd when the need arises



If you do get stuck in 2wd, getting unstuck is rather easy. Taking a page from the site admin book, the power of a front and rear hitch with those little portable hitch-mount winches means that if you get stuck you can free yourself. It's not as _elegant_ as using your wheels to free yourself, but when men are "elegant"........



Unless you intend to hero-worship Will Smith and try to kill yourself by driving your car around on a pier, and your car is the only thing keeping you from being an idiot, you don't need 4wd.



(This is all fine and good, as long as your rear accessory plug works...mine mysteriously died, but I'm thinking of running another one out there anyhow.)

 

[ray moyer]

Ive never found the need for having a 4x4 vehicle.



i go offroading with my friends and they have 4x4 and i get stuck less than they do.



i just drop it into first or second and go from there, your off roading your not going fast anyway.



but when you are off roading.. if your at stock height with the side steps watch the steps because i didnt think about the clearance and jammed my right one and had to get it pulled and straighted back out.



but either way up to u.

 

[Todd Z]

Do people realize that on the ST the Front axles, driveshaft, diff and t-case input shaft are turning all the time any way....



I have driven well over 150 miles in 4wd, with no problems...



Todd Z

 

[Kevin Lang]

Do people realize that on the ST the Front axles, driveshaft, diff and t-case input shaft are turning all the time any way

I don't, so I guess the answer to your question is "no". That makes sense for these parts to rotate, but the consensus is to not drive normally in 4wd, and that is enough for me to know.



Having power to all 4 wheels could be cool to have, but I have never seen a definite need for it in mah years. From the forum, though I know this is a skewed sample, most people don't use it, as their modules are always breaking, and their transfer case rusting stuck, from disuse.



The only time I'd see 4wd as a necessity is if I was teetering on a cliff and the back wheels were in the air, but I drive better than Will. (Not to beat that dead horse, but I can't think of any other applicable example)

 

[Cody Allen]

So the consensus is that the '04 2wd isn't worth trading in for a '03 or '02 4x4... ok thanks guys, i appreciate the info. Also, Kevin said something about lifting a 2wd with shackles. I dont know that much about lifting. How much of a lift would shackles give me? I saw a 2wd ST on here somewhere and it looked good lifted. Tracy B-something... anyways just wondering.

 

[Craig Childs]

These are one of the options, the 3" lift spindles



http://www.fabtechmotorsports.com/applications/ford/2wd01-05rangeredge.html



These are another



http://www.camburg.com/fordsprodEDGE.html



And the shackles along with a torsion twist would give you about 1.5 inches or so

 

[Cody Allen]

So Ranger spindles work with the ST?