Stuck without a 4WD

[4x4American]

I modified the parking breaks on several of the two wheel drive trucks that I have had so I had one leaver for each rear break.  That way when one wheel would start to spin I could slowly apply the parking break on just that side until the power would transfer to the other wheel.  It wasn't as good as 4 wheel drive but it was way better than a one wheel wonder they were otherwise.  That set up with chains and I took at least one of those trucks anywhere a 4x4 could go.

Smart guy!

[Joe Hillmann]

Basically you created a manual traction control system. And yes that would help. Same with having a limited slip diff. That will make a 2WD vehicle MUCH more capable off road, because you have to loose traction on 2 wheels, not just one.

Much more capable on road too.  I have had times where I was on a blacktop road where the drivers side rear wheel was on ice and one of the passenger side wheels bumped the curb and I was completely stuck.  It was after that that I modified the brakes

[Dave Shepard]

That would also come in handy if you put a 1500 HP engine in the middle and made a wheel stander out of it. :D

[reubenT]

I found 4x4 to be a necessity.  have to go where the logs are and that is usually off road.  Got a good one back in 94,  an 81 dodge 250 Ram with winch and 33x16.5 mud tires. $1700.   It had been rolled twice,  cab beat out and windshield replaced.  Looked rough but worked good.    Had to replace the tires within a few months when they started throwing tread,  and the new ones lasted till a couple years ago.   I've now retired the truck to off road/firewood duty.   Last year I picked up a '94 one ton dully chevy 4x4 with crew cab,  very nice looking truck, not a scratch.   Paid $2200.    The 6.5 turbo diesel engine was blown.   It's still sittin here waiting on an engine.  Haven't found time to attack it yet.     The real bargains usually need a mechanic.   Like my ford 3000 tractor.  Bought it for $2000 with broken gears in the transmission.   Fixed it for $400 in parts.  I gained about $2000 in value for my time of fixing the transmission.  Few hundred worth of work I guess.    I was looking at used dodge diesel 4x4's last year and found lots of them,  bottom end price on a working truck was around $10,000.   And those were high mileage.     

   One job I went to many years ago, the pile of logs was on a mountain side up a very narrow "road"  with super tight switchbacks.  One of them too tight to get the mill around,  had to unhitch and move it around by hand. (with some help)  And another even tighter I could pull ahead and back up the way the road went.    Quite a maneuvering job to get it up there.
  But the view was nice and the cook excellent.  My brother and I ate with the customer and stayed in a spare bedroom. 

[hunz]

On occasion, I can't even pull out of the job site in 2wd after multiple days of sawing; I have a 2000 f-250 diesel with all the hp goodies, but all that power does you no good without traction. it only means I can bury myself faster! Maybe I'm the only guy who does a poor job of keeping his sawdust shute pile clear. Usually after 3 days of sawing I'm standing a full foot higher than I did when I started the job....she is always harder to move after you've made her earn her keep for a few days!