Full size pickup vs. small pickups

[slickster03]

Thinking about getting a small truck like a tacoma and selling my full size. but was wondering how good the smaller trucks will go through the snow and if they can get into all the places the full sized pickup can.

[bob baldwin jr]

If you are NOT worried about Fuel Mileage Stay Large . Personal preference just like the bigger trucks more useable space . Got a 4 door F-250 4WD 2009 Would NOT trade it for the world

[bayupcrazy]

I have a 98 toy tocoma, 2 door ext cab, 4 banger, I love the damn thing great gas, and is unreal in the snow. Only thing I wish was a 4 door! The 2 door ext cab suck cuz its u and some one else and thats it! no one wants to ride in the back of that, It the only crappy part, but if your not worried about gas mileage then deffinitly stick with a full size truck. After one tacoma ill never buy anything else!

[DC DOGGIN]

I can take my truck damn near anywhere snow mud it don't matter. Mine is a toyota ext cab v6. Toyota is pretty much standard issue around here. You wont find many full size trucks around these parts some but few and far between.

[pegleg]

outta curiosity what fuel mileage are the new Tacoma's getting? I've seen a lot of guys use the smaller trucks in the rocks and brush around here and the snow up north. things I've noticed. good, they can go up or down most hills, handle slippery conditions well and fit through the narrower spots better. they also have a much softer ride over rough terrain. less expensive.
the bad is your not going to pull much of anything effectively especially in rough mtn. terrain. if you need more power it's not available.not enough room in the cab and the bed. they are sometimes more difficult to find accessories for. the big trucks have their drawbacks too though try guiding a four door full length bed through some mtn trails and you'll quickly realize this fact. in this country it can take a tougher man to ride a heavy 3/4 or 1 ton truck through the rocks then to walk. I've had them bounce completely out of the trail bed. in the snow and ice too much hp can get you into trouble too. so look at what you want your equipment to do and come up with the best solution you can.

[slickster03]

the truck i have is a 04 f-150 ext cab with a 6.5 box i can haul all my gear and dogs but it doesn't seem to go threw the deep snow that good but fine in the summer bear hunting. The guy i hunt with has a ford 1ton diesel with 35 mt tires and hardly have ssen it stuck but can't afford the fuel as it only gets about 8miles per gal hunting at 3.60a gal. but i'm going to sell my f-150 and am leaning at a tacoma but not sure if it would make it every where a full sized would go i can live without hauling my sled around hardly ever use it anyhow. also it's normally just me in the truck so fuel cost might start becoming a issue if fuel keeps rising. also v-6 or four banger

[Cor]

Slickster, I was kinda thinking the same thing. I have a 08 super crew with 5 1/2' bed. That thing isn't going in any deep snow, and I'm getting tired of shoveling it out. I have owned a few toyota's, and they will go alot more places than these F150's. Its a nice pickup though and like the room, but I would'nt mind getting alittle better gas either.

[Buddyw]

I've seen it both ways to claim one over the other..

somedays Big Trucks make the little ones look silly, other days the little trucks drive around the big truck that is just sinking and buried in 2-3 foot of snow. I've pulled out big trucks with little truck, Little trucks with big trucks, and I've gotten screwed plenty of times with both when Others were making me look like I was silly and shouldn't be driving.

I'll probably say you have to learn to "feel" and "drive" a big truck more than a Little truck.. You can't just Put the Petal down and expect to hop on top.. With a big Truck You've got to find that balance or sweet spot.. somedays it's just an idle speed with hardly no gas pedal at all without getting stuck.. other days it's hammer down. or in between. With the little trucks I don't remember getting buried so quickly..

I probably get the most nervous feeling when I "feel" like I'm about to get stuck or sinking in when I'm heading down hill.. Or trying to get out on my same tire tracks... That's about the time I really start to pucker up and cry...

There are too many variables from what I've seen to say one over the other, but Our Snow changes daily, and wet snow is much different than Dry snow, and that's different than Crusted snow.

Snow conditions, How heavy the snow is, Tires Width, Height, Tread.. Somedays the wide ones work awsome, Some days I'd like a tall skinny tire.. Somedays I want some wieght, Others I wouldn't mind being as Light as possible.

It all depends.. But anyone that claims their truck is the best in all the conditions.. I don't know..I'd probably have to wonder how much they have been driving in the different snow conditions, Becasue I keep my mouth shut until I can see who's kicking ass on the mountain that day..

Buddy

[bob baldwin jr]

Do you guys out west CHAIN UP all the time . More than 1 ft of snow and the chains go on

[sheimer]

Bob, I'm not all the way out West, but I don't use chains as much for snow as I do for Ice. We are still driving on the snow that fell before Thanksgiving. With a warm week now and then followed by a skiff of fresh snow and 0 degrees, It gets slick. The snow isn't bad as I can usually get it shut down, but on the ice and steep hills, pulling on the reigns and yelling "Whoo you SOB" won't stop you, only chains will. I've seen up to a couple feet of snow and you can get around well in it and I've seen a couple inches and there you are, stuck. I think it varies a lot with ground temp. If the ground is just cool enough to keep the snow but warm enough to make Ice when you drive on it, it is just flat dangerous. If it is cold before it snows and stays that way, you can get around well.

As far as little trucks go, I think they really shine when the drifts get hard and they can just drive over them and the big truck is hung up like a big dog. But if the drifts are not quite hard enough to hold up the little trucks, the weight of the big truck can sometimes provide enough momentum to get you through the drift when the little guy just doesn't have the inertia.

All in all, the guy behind the wheel makes or breaks any truck. Mileage or just getting around. Knowing how to drive is what makes the difference at the end of the day.

Scott

[Machias]

Do you guys out west CHAIN UP all the time . More than 1 ft of snow and the chains go on

The smart ones do.

[muck]

bag the tires and ull do fine always good to have a winch tho

[ncmailman]

4 cylinder. The 6 don't get much better mileage than the full size.

[Buddyw]

Do you guys out west CHAIN UP all the time . More than 1 ft of snow and the chains go on

The smart ones do.

Ouch, I guess I can't argue with that.. I do have the big heavy chains for all Four.. I've Never put them on yet, but I don't head out without them either.. I've used the Winch quite often, Actually had to rebuild it this year and put a new motor on it..

I keep the chains for Back up or extreme conditions. I figure if I'm putting chains on It's to go out, or go In for dogs that got out of reach.. Not so much to hunt.. I really don't want to know How bad and deep and how much trouble I could get myself into with chains..

Actually come to think of it.. this year was the first year since I've had them that I actually had to use the chains to pull out a lady in the ditch, Pure Ice, and a pretty good Grade, everytime I put the truck in Park, my truck just started slowly sliding down hill, so I had to drive out of it, and reposition the truck to try again.. (Talk about nerve racking) .. I knew if I couldn't just park on the hill I wouldn't get any traction to pull her out.. so I had to lay out the chains on the Ground and then Drove on them and then it dug in enough and I Yanked Her out... much easier than actually putting them on the tires.

[montananative]

I just went from a 99 ford ranger to a 95 3/4 ton dodge. So far im liking the bigger pickup, not only for the long box but capability in snow. I have 235 85 16 tires on this pickup and the narrower tire seems to do better in snow. I cant tell you how many times i high centered that ranger and was burried.

chains are great, but i remember my dad got me a set of chains for christmas one year and he just said connor, these chains are a good tool but be careful, they can only get you that much farther and that much more stuck. just a thought.