Whats the difference between a 2x4 and 4x4 truck?

I couldnt find a good explanation with google. My friend explained it as basically a 4x4 is a 4 wheel drive system that senses slip and automatically puts the vehicle into 4 wheel drive when necessary. He says a 2x4 you are in 2 wheel drive until you push a button that puts you into 4 wheel drive. Is this accurate? Sounds like one is manual 4 wheel drive, the other is automatic 4 wheel drive. The naming convention is confusing to me if that's that's the case.

Never heard of a "2x4" truck....maybe it's a truck for hauling house framing wood?....I have heard of 4x2 trucks and that simply means it is 2wd,...A 4x4 truck is a truck that is 4wd...:smile:

2x4 = 2 of 4 wheels are driven
4x4 = 4 of 4 wheels are driven

Thats how we cow folks in the SW use those two terms

Cheers, Y'all

Mark

4x4= capable of having 4 wheels pushing the vehicle (4wd)
2x4 is just 2 wheels pushing(2wd)

Now you're buddy's description sounds like Automatic AWD. Which in that case, the vehicle is using mainly 2wd till it sense slip then sends power to the other end of the vehicle automatically. (honda crv/landrover freelander)

Now having to manual push a button or move a lever would mean the vehicle is part time 4wd, rear wheels pushing while having to manually engaged the front wheels (most common, espcially in trucks/suv)

Now AWD is 4x4 too only it's used more in the sense of cars and all 4 wheels (front/rear) are used to push the vehicle constantly, buttons to engage the front or rear drive wheels.(evo/subaru)

I guess what's confusing is where the x4 part comes in on a 2x4. The vehicle he bought was a Toyota Highlander and he was just telling me the 4x4 option was almost 10K more (it came with a lot of other stuff) so he got the 2x4 which has a button he has to push for 4 wheel drive.

4x4 originally meant 4 wheels driven with 4 speeds (manual trans). But since most people are candy asses that can't/won't drive a stick and everything is an automatic, it's not really applicable anymore. Now it just means 4 driven wheels. Old school is with locking hubs & transfer case shift lever, new school is hit a switch. 2x4 is 2 wheels (almost always rear) driven by 4 speeds.

TyraNSX said:

4x4 originally meant 4 wheels driven with 4 speeds (manual trans). But since most people are candy asses that can't/won't drive a stick and everything is an automatic, it's not really applicable anymore.

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YEAH! gawd damn candy asses... They don't want to shift, they just want to drink their namby-pamby starbucks coffee and get the kids to soccer practice on time...

bunch of p#$$y's if you ask me.

I think I'll go crush a couple beer cans on my forehead now...:biggrin:

Yeah!! Friggin' candy asses hold me up on my way to the monster truck rally in their minivans with DVD players and stupid honor student bumper stickers!!:biggrin:

TyraNSX said:

Yeah!! Friggin' candy asses hold me up on my way to the monster truck rally in their minivans with DVD players and stupid honor student bumper stickers!!:biggrin:

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:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

robr said:

I guess what's confusing is where the x4 part comes in on a 2x4. The vehicle he bought was a Toyota Highlander and he was just telling me the 4x4 option was almost 10K more (it came with a lot of other stuff) so he got the 2x4 which has a button he has to push for 4 wheel drive.

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I don't know who's right about the x4 part for certain. But I've always assumed the x4 meant total number of wheels. Because I've seen reference to motorcycles with 2x2, twin rear axle trucks and recreational vehicles as 6x6.

That still sounds rather bizarre for that push button 4wd to be on a 2x4. I'm thinking maybe it is 2wd/2x4 but that button is actually for a rear locker....... Which gives a 2wd/2x4 vehicle equal or near equal traction and off road ability as a 4wd/4x4, but still only has 2 driven wheels.

robr said:

I guess what's confusing is where the x4 part comes in on a 2x4. The vehicle he bought was a Toyota Highlander and he was just telling me the 4x4 option was almost 10K more (it came with a lot of other stuff) so he got the 2x4 which has a button he has to push for 4 wheel drive.

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As stated earlier by zahntech, it would be 4 x 2 (4 wheels, 2 'driven') - not 2 x 4

I don't think your friend's interpretation of what he bought is correct:

http://www.toyota.com/highlander/specs.html

If you look at the Highlander specs, it is either a (front) two wheel drive or full-time 4 wheel drive - there is no selectable option to go from 2 wheel to 4 wheel drive mode.
What there is is an Electronic transmisssion with "snow mode" which is probably the selectable button he's talking about - does NOT make it 4 wheel drive however (probably a form of lower gearing/traction control I would imagine)

4X4 is all for wheels going at the same time. However, you can pick where the power from the engine goes. To the rear, all with a high gear ratio, all with a low ratio, and i think one more.

2X4 is just 2 wheel drive. Either its front wheel drive, like a civic. Or rear wheel drive like an NSX. all the power from the engine can only go to that one axel in the car.

AWD, is basicly all wheels going at the same time. Most of the time the AWD is split into to percentages. BMW has 40% of thw power goes to the front, and then 60% goes to the rear, and thats all the time. Something like a saturn vue (which needs it) wil be front wheel drive, but when the car senses a loss of grip, the the rear wheels will then get the power.

Most if not all people who have a 4x4 really dont use it, good example would be all the land rovers and the new hummers.If they hit a gravel road they might use it but thats it.

Pacemaker Kid89 said:

Most if not all people who have a 4x4 really dont use it, good example would be all the land rovers and the new hummers.If they hit a gravel road they might use it but thats it.

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Really? What about during the snow months? When I lived in Pa. this seemed to be the primary reason to own a 4x4

Many SUV's down here are 4X2 since TX is generally a mild climate, and I would be willing to support the statement that many SUV owners don't utilize their 4X4 capabilities on a regular basis- but to say "most if not all owners of 4X4 don't use it" is a little obtuse. When you see a 4X4 down here it is usually caked in Mud- this includes many of the various diesel Chevy 2500 HD's, Ford F350's and other work trucks that carve their way through the north Texas clay. I see them every day- and in a lot of cases they are being used "as advertised".

I will grant you that I also see many 4x2 p/ups sporting 22" rims and street tires, along with the aforementioned H2's, H3's - yet rarely do I see an H-Alpha with a spotless detail. I have also seen a lot of Landrover Defenders with old mud caked around the frame and suspension parts indicating their transfer cases have gotten a workout.

What about all the Jeep Wrangler owners? Many- dare I even say "most" of those folks like to play in the mud- what other reason is there to endure the discomfort of driving one? :wink:

For most 4x4 is a tool- it is used selectively as required- getting that extra grip to pull your boat out of the water on the ramp, or to get going in a snow drifted parking lot. For some owners of 4x4's it is a neccessity to get in and out of job sites.

I would venture the majority do not fall into the latter catagory, but I have more faith than you that many, if not all owners of 4X4 get at least somer use out of it as the situation applies.

You made a good point. I really can't argue. But I can, and will only for the land rover thing. The old ones yes, but the new ones arent taken off road alot. I really do see what you are saying. I would only buy a 4x4 for going off roading, in maybe an Xterra. Because I dont ride domestic. :biggrin:

Sounds like the Highlander has AWD (like my Subaru), not true old-fashioned 4WD (like a Power Wagon). AWD will have a differential in the center to allow it to be AWD and not bind vs. 4WD with no center diff which will bind if driven on good surfaces, but is recommended for (and typically only used on ) slippery surfaces to allow wheel spin to compensate for lack of center diff & differences in drive shaft speeds front to rear.

AWD is not really full time 4wd, primarily 2 wheels are driven, but when slip is detected power is routed to whichever axle has more grip, within limits of the maximum allowed by trans design. The x4 refers to # of gears available, but is outdated since everything is 5spd now, except some 4spd automatics. AWD has no way to unlock the hubs & just be 2WD. And 2WD has no way to drive more than the 1 axle, typically rear.

Being from the South, Let me tell you the correct terminology:

AWD means all 4 wheels are driven all the time normally but is also used to do describe a system in a vehicle that automatically engages all 4 wheels to drive it detects wheel slippage, but otherwise would be sending power to just 2 wheels (which can be the front or rear depending on the model and drivetrain layout).

A 4x4 is a truck that can run in 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive, but is engaged by the driver (either pushbutton, floor lever, or rotary switch, and on some models requires the hubs to be locked at the front wheels by turning a knob on the hub in the center of the wheels).

A 4x2 is a 2 wheel drive only (popular in Southern states as mentioned, as the initial purchase price and repair costs are less and the ride quality and fuel economy are generally better.

A 2x4 is a piece of Wood used for framing homes or other construction projects:biggrin: :wink: :biggrin:

4X4 is a useful tool for people who live where there is snow
4x4 is a play toy for people who live where there is no snow
4x2 is for the no snow people who stay out of the woods or desert.