Do we need a 4WD van?

[70321]

If you have a 4WD have you found it beneficial? If you haven't got 4WD do you wish you had?

Still at the absolute research stage of this. Thank you

 

[tacr2man]

It all depends on where you intend to go , to a great extent . It is nice to not have to worry about steep turns , and slippery fields when it gets a bit damp , and also winter travel , and also being able to help out the more unfortunate in such conditions . If you are going further afield than most of Europe it is a real plus.
The downside is more unladen weight , thirstier in fuel , and more things to maintain . In my case i think the pluses outweigh the negatives . but its like layout a very personal choice

 

[funflair]

Very few 4 wheel drive vans around unless you count the Rear wheel drive like Mercedes and IVECO that have 4 wheels driven on the rear axle, then a diff lock as well really helps on muddy fields. What you are really asking about is all wheel drive and I think you would have to have a specific need/desire to be off-road a fair bit to warrant it.

Martin

 

[mikebeaches]

Depending on the size of van you are thinking about and your budget, there are very few 4x4 campers.

Hymer Grand Canyon 4X4 Camper - £77k

<Broken link removed>

There are also a few Hymer 4x4 coachbuilts too, all on a Mercedes chassis. Not cheap.

I guess if you can comfortably afford them and think you might go off road significantly (other than on a campsite) then 4 wheel drive could be quite useful I guess.

 

[Landy Andy]

I desperately want 4wd van. It’s my biggest dislike of my MoHo. It’s not even just a 4wd, 2wd argument when you are talking about Ducato front wheel drive. It’s useless on anything other than dry clean tarmac.

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[MyrtleGuru]

Aye, given that those of us with (relatively) small vans often find ourselves on grass, mud, sand, etc., 4WD would be a boon.

There are a fair few companies (mainly German) building PVCs on 4WD base vehicles, but the prices/specs are not tempting for me.

My next step is to replace the standard tyres that came with our FWD van (eco ones to reduce rolling resistance on tarmac) with ones that have more grip on looser surfaces.

We carry recovery mats and have deployed on one occasion. Most of the time, though, we have survived by choosing the best driving line through the mire and maintaining momentum.

 

[Ernesto]

I suspect most people who struggle with 2WD would probably be better off fitting different tyres but unless you're heading into different places compared to most (?), I'd be surprised if you would get value out of the extra weight, costs, higher potential maintenance bills of a 4WD system
I've struggled only once in a very wet field last summer - grip mats got me out without too much drama. I wouldn't want to swap to 4WD

 

[Googlebot]

Having driven the 4x4 Merc Ambulances off road, I can say you won’t be disappointed if you go for one.

Scroll down to the 3rd July on the attached link for lots of pics and video of them in action.

https://wmas.nhs.uk/2014/07/page/2/

They were amazing machines! No 4x4 experience necessary, point them and go, the electronics do t rest.

 

[Ernesto]

Impressive..and reassuring to know there are such machines standing by if we need them.....but only 16 4WD ambulances in a fleet of 300?
Perhaps the best demonstration of how (un)important it is for us in "civvy street"

 

[Googlebot]

Well, we have a fleet of 500 now and these include about 30 at the moment that are 4x4’s.

We place them in the outlying areas where they tend to be needed. The normal Fiat Ducato vehicles all have snow socks just in case.

If it gets really bad we use this beauty!

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[Ernesto]

?? we could hold a rave in the back of that ?

 

[DBK]

If you have a 4WD have you found it beneficial? If you haven't got 4WD do you wish you had?

Still at the absolute research stage of this. Thank you

I've driven 4WD vehicles in places where you went in pairs because if one broke down you might not get out alive.

A little melodramatic perhaps but the answer depends on what you want to do.

4WD will help in a muddy field.

I avoid muddy fields!

I carry Tracmat sand ladders as a compromise. ?

 

[mikebeaches]

I had a front wheel drop in to a nasty muddy hole up to the axle.

Fortunately, the other front wheel was on firm ground and, to my own amazement, I managed to reverse out with the aid of the electronic traction control+ on my standard 2WD Ducato pvc with comfortmatic semi-automatic gearbox.

The pic shows how deep the wheel went in!

 

[violet]

We have a small 4 wheel drive campervan. We have driven some of the Iceland roads that are restricted to 4 wheel drive. The time we needed it most was in the mountains of northern Greece when we had detoured on smaller roads and ended up facing an incredibly steep shortish hill road with a right angle turn at the top. The village we had just come through had a complicated one way system and I think we missed the turnoff that locals would have taken. Camper did it no problem but hearts were in mouths.
Also used it in Portugal over old trackways across a plateau. Certainly helps when off the well-beaten roads, and when we've ended up crossing fields and woodland in Europe by following sat nav!

 

[Nasher]

As a paraglider pilot, I have normally had a FWD vehicle to get to take offs (up farm/forestry tracks)

Seven years ago, when I decided on getting a Moho and that it would be my daily drive, my thoughts were that it wouldn't be suitable as a paragliding vehicle

My concern wasn't so much about grip, more about the likely battering the van would take - obviously the underside, but more importantly the stuff inside - furniture, cooker, fridge, plates, etc

I considered a number if options, a small FWD, quad bike, etc but in the end decided to walk up, with my 20kg back pack

Now, I'm not sure if my concerns for damage were 'over the top' - perhaps someone on here with more knowledge than me could comment - but I've not needed FWD and as pensioner, I think the walk up does me good!

Pics are at take off & you can just make out my Mitzy from the air in the 2nd one

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[JohnJan]

I've driven 4WD vehicles in places where you went in pairs because if one broke down you might not get out alive.

That's given me a horrible mental image of the NC500

 

[dulvil]

I desperately want 4wd van. It’s my biggest dislike of my MoHo. It’s not even just a 4wd, 2wd argument when you are talking about Ducato front wheel drive. It’s useless on anything other than dry clean tarmac.

Mr. Fiat designed the Ducato for tarmac, not wet grass. The fault is the motorhome brochures showing them on a field with a lovely view

 

[Wissel]

This video convinced me that different tyres might be a simpler option than 4wd:

 

[bigwood]

During my time working at the roadside some one had the idea of buying 4x4 Talbot vans for towing trailers. No one thought of fitting different tyres.
I towed one off the grass at the side of the A1 with my Transit using a long strop to keep me on the tarmac.
Transco had the VW Syncro vans for a while. They could always get them into some remote places but that’s were they stayed until they were winched out.
Rear wheel drive, decent tyres and being aware of were your going will help a lot.

 

[Landy Andy]

Mr. Fiat designed the Ducato for tarmac, not wet grass. The fault is the motorhome brochures showing them on a field with a lovely view

But they are even terrible on wet tarmac, or dirty/gravely roads. We travel light in our MoHo, but can’t imagine how bad these ones with uprated weight limits are.

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[70321]

As a paraglider pilot, I have normally had a FWD vehicle to get to take offs (up farm/forestry tracks)

Seven years ago, when I decided on getting a Moho and that it would be my daily drive, my thoughts were that it wouldn't be suitable as a paragliding vehicle

My concern wasn't so much about grip, more about the likely battering the van would take - obviously the underside, but more importantly the stuff inside - furniture, cooker, fridge, plates, etc

I considered a number if options, a small FWD, quad bike, etc but in the end decided to walk up, with my 20kg back pack

Now, I'm not sure if my concerns for damage were 'over the top' - perhaps someone on here with more knowledge than me could comment - but I've not needed FWD and as pensioner, I think the walk up does me good!

Pics are at take off & you can just make out my Mitzy from the air in the 2nd one

View attachment 388281View attachment 388282

Fabulous photo

 

[hymerman]

I've had a few front wheel drive old Hymers ,mostly on Fiat chassis.
I go to many festivals in fields and invariably had problems getting in and out.
Changed to a rear wheel drive on a Merc sprinter chassis, no more problems.

 

[70321]

I've had a few front wheel drive old Hymers ,mostly on Fiat chassis.
I go to many festivals in fields and invariably had problems getting in and out.
Changed to a rear wheel drive on a Merc sprinter chassis, no more problems.

Thank you. Mr Kiddo was concerned about rear wheel drive but the consensus here seems to be that rear wheel drive is good.

 

[Landy Andy]

Being stuck is a real horrible feeling, only to be made much worse by the site sending the hillbilly nutter to “pull you out” ????

 

[mikebeaches]

This video convinced me that different tyres might be a simpler option than 4wd:

Wow, that video was fascinating and genuinely informative.

I've frequently heard how 'winter' tyres can make a real difference, but intrigued to see how the performance of a two-wheel drive car on winter tyres performed so much better than a 4 wheel drive on summer tyres.

Guess that's why winter tyres are mandatory in the winter season in many European countries, especially those that have a lot of snow.

Over the years, having owned 2 Land Rovers and a LR Discovery, all with 4 WD, and periodically used in anger (ie off road) the video provides pause for thought.

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[Landy Andy]

Then imagine what a 4wd with the correct tyres does.

 

[tacr2man]

Landy Andy Imagine what a 6wd with auto locking cross and interaxle diffs with ETC and Tyres can do

 

[Landy Andy]

Landy Andy Imagine what a 6wd with auto locking cross and interaxle diffs with ETC and Tyres can do

About 8 to the gallon. ?????

 

[violet]

As an addition to my post above, we have never used summer tyres. We use all season tyres with mud & snow markings.

 

[Ernesto]

It does make me think that next time the van tyres are up for changing, some all seasons would make more sense.
I suspect they’re slightly less refined with a little more road noise, but that’s irrelevant in a Fiat Ducato.
vack to the various tyre threads l Guess to look for right sized and rated all season tyres methinks ?