They weren't successful. One major deficiency was the more you loaded in
the back the less traction you had on your drive wheels (front). It
didn't help steering either.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Rampage

nospam@nospam.com wrote:
> Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>> My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.
>
> Understand
>
> But some of the bigger vans are still RWD
>
> This begs a question tho....why in the hell aren't
> there FRONT wheel drive only small pickups? Like the
> Ranger?
>
> That seems and ideal solution to someone like me who
> just wants a "city truck"...... small one for utility
> purposes

--
FRH

 

As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.

If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch diving
all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive techology. Yes,
it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but most of us that are
50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact environment you are in,
and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least a decade, closer to two,
before it was a mainstream part of our cars.






<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> vehicle such as van.
>
> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> wheel drive in a van.
>
> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>
> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>
> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> throw back in vehicle?

 

As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.

If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch diving
all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive techology. Yes,
it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but most of us that are
50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact environment you are in,
and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least a decade, closer to two,
before it was a mainstream part of our cars.






<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> vehicle such as van.
>
> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> wheel drive in a van.
>
> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>
> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>
> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> throw back in vehicle?

 

As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.

If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch diving
all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive techology. Yes,
it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but most of us that are
50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact environment you are in,
and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least a decade, closer to two,
before it was a mainstream part of our cars.






<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> vehicle such as van.
>
> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> wheel drive in a van.
>
> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>
> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>
> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> throw back in vehicle?

 

As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.

If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch diving
all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive techology. Yes,
it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but most of us that are
50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact environment you are in,
and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least a decade, closer to two,
before it was a mainstream part of our cars.






<me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
> vehicle such as van.
>
> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
> wheel drive in a van.
>
> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>
> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>
> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
> throw back in vehicle?

 

Given any other option I would not go back to a 2WD RWD in any area that got
snow and ice on the roadways.....

While I was never irretrievably stuck I was certainly inconvenienced while I
extracted myself.

That is just the reason I bought my first XJ.

If you need to be able to occasionally carry cargo you should consider a FWD
mini-van or a small utility trailer.

As for licensing the trailer.... it is cheaper than buying a vehicle for
occasional chores and most of the folks around here with the small ones do
not bother to license them at all...... I've never seen a cop pull over
someone with a 4x6 trailer full of mulch or 2x4s and I see them every
weekend at the lumber yard....


"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:N8Qth.8476$QE6.2503@trnddc02...
> As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
> motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.
>
> If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
> describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch
> diving all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive
> techology. Yes, it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but
> most of us that are 50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact
> environment you are in, and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least
> a decade, closer to two, before it was a mainstream part of our cars.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
>> vehicle such as van.
>>
>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
>> wheel drive in a van.
>>
>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>>
>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>>
>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
>> throw back in vehicle?
>

 

Given any other option I would not go back to a 2WD RWD in any area that got
snow and ice on the roadways.....

While I was never irretrievably stuck I was certainly inconvenienced while I
extracted myself.

That is just the reason I bought my first XJ.

If you need to be able to occasionally carry cargo you should consider a FWD
mini-van or a small utility trailer.

As for licensing the trailer.... it is cheaper than buying a vehicle for
occasional chores and most of the folks around here with the small ones do
not bother to license them at all...... I've never seen a cop pull over
someone with a 4x6 trailer full of mulch or 2x4s and I see them every
weekend at the lumber yard....


"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:N8Qth.8476$QE6.2503@trnddc02...
> As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
> motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.
>
> If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
> describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch
> diving all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive
> techology. Yes, it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but
> most of us that are 50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact
> environment you are in, and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least
> a decade, closer to two, before it was a mainstream part of our cars.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
>> vehicle such as van.
>>
>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
>> wheel drive in a van.
>>
>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>>
>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>>
>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
>> throw back in vehicle?
>

 

Given any other option I would not go back to a 2WD RWD in any area that got
snow and ice on the roadways.....

While I was never irretrievably stuck I was certainly inconvenienced while I
extracted myself.

That is just the reason I bought my first XJ.

If you need to be able to occasionally carry cargo you should consider a FWD
mini-van or a small utility trailer.

As for licensing the trailer.... it is cheaper than buying a vehicle for
occasional chores and most of the folks around here with the small ones do
not bother to license them at all...... I've never seen a cop pull over
someone with a 4x6 trailer full of mulch or 2x4s and I see them every
weekend at the lumber yard....


"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:N8Qth.8476$QE6.2503@trnddc02...
> As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
> motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.
>
> If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
> describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch
> diving all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive
> techology. Yes, it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but
> most of us that are 50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact
> environment you are in, and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least
> a decade, closer to two, before it was a mainstream part of our cars.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
>> vehicle such as van.
>>
>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
>> wheel drive in a van.
>>
>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>>
>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>>
>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
>> throw back in vehicle?
>

 

Given any other option I would not go back to a 2WD RWD in any area that got
snow and ice on the roadways.....

While I was never irretrievably stuck I was certainly inconvenienced while I
extracted myself.

That is just the reason I bought my first XJ.

If you need to be able to occasionally carry cargo you should consider a FWD
mini-van or a small utility trailer.

As for licensing the trailer.... it is cheaper than buying a vehicle for
occasional chores and most of the folks around here with the small ones do
not bother to license them at all...... I've never seen a cop pull over
someone with a 4x6 trailer full of mulch or 2x4s and I see them every
weekend at the lumber yard....


"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:N8Qth.8476$QE6.2503@trnddc02...
> As much as I agree that you should be prepared for the worst, I think your
> motivation -- a change from FWD to RWD -- is an example of wrong thinking.
>
> If you carried the proper equipment, you could do any of the things you
> describe. My point is, the van is not going to cause you to go ditch
> diving all on its own. FWD is a relatively new thing in automotive
> techology. Yes, it has been around since the middle '60s in the USA, but
> most of us that are 50 or older probably learned to drive in the exact
> environment you are in, and we did it wtih RWD. FWD was here for at least
> a decade, closer to two, before it was a mainstream part of our cars.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:agidr2ptivia5c7jggdlnkpauo3b65je7b@4ax.com...
>>I currently do not have a 4WD but have front wheel
>> drive car instead. I want to sell the car and get a 2WD
>> vehicle such as van.
>>
>> However.... I am a bit concerned abt going back to rear
>> wheel drive in a van.
>>
>> I was thinking..... if a person carried a kit of say a
>> set of easy on/off tire chains, a 12 ft manual come
>> along, and a 30 ft two inch nylon jerk strap.... would
>> those three items pretty much get me out of any bad
>> situations as far as getting stuck in the van?
>>
>> I figure I could wrap or attach the jerk strap to the
>> vehicle and attach come along hook to jerk strap
>> thereby increasing its length. Or wrap jerk strap
>> around tree and attach come along to ends and then
>> ratchet my way out of the stuck position.
>>
>> On the tire chains....anyone have a source for some
>> VERY easy on/off chains that one could install just
>> long enough to get vehicle unstuck.... then remove and
>> throw back in vehicle?
>

 

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 14:18:33 -0600, nospam wrote:

> FrankW <fworm@norpak.ca> wrote:
>
>>Why not keep the car and get a little
>>trailer to haul stuff around?
>
> yeah thought of that
>
> but its a Mazda Protege and not really rated for ANY
> towing
>
> And.....Id have to store trailer somewhere.... get
> license..etc
>
> Also....I'm wanting the extra ground clearance a small
> truck has
>
> Last snow up here was abt 12". My poor Protege was
> dead in the water..... only abt 4" ground clearance on
> that thing!!! High centered on damn snow!!
>
> I guess I'm wanting the best of ALL worlds and maybe
> that's not possible:
>
> Ground clearance
> Greta fuel economy
> Utility
> Cargo hauling

You are asking the impossible - there is no one solution. Even with
31-32" tires, 12 inches of the wet, heavy snow you typically get in MO
will be beyond the ready capability of any light truck. First, you are
almost guaranteed to have a layer of ice under the white stuff - chains
are about all that will work. Put chains on and you probably don't have
enough power in the little engine to actually use all the traction you
have as the snow builds up under the vehicle. The other part of reality
is that your snow tends to come down at a reasonable angle (in Eastern
Colorado, it has a habit of coming down sideways) so you will face long
stretches of the deep stuff instead of our monster drifts so getting out
5-10 feet at a time is tedious - by the time you're out, the snow is
melting <g>. The overall best vehicle for your once in 5 years case is a
comfortable east chair and a warm fire.

--
Will Honea <whonea@yahoo.com>