TrailBlazer SS 2wd or AWD?

[zeake]

Since you arent going to add much power I would say 2wd, but me personally I would never own anything that couldnt power all 4 wheels they are just too much fun on the street. A good sticky tire will only take you so far on the street. I have seen a couple people almost lose it racing me in my old truck when we would hit a bump or some dust on the road but the 4wd kept truckin straight and true.

I like the awd for the stability in the wet weather. I always use the AWD button in my truck. Rain or just need to get into traffic without spinning.

[1slow01z71]

I like the awd for the stability in the wet weather. I always use the AWD button in my truck. Rain or just need to get into traffic without spinning.

Exactly, you notice all the people recommending the 2wd are people driving 2wds, they just dont know how much fun driving a vehicle with some power and teh ability to power all four wheels. When it rained I ran around in auto, just like you for when I needed to jump out in traffic or whatever.

[PurpleMinivan]

Exactly, you notice all the people recommending the 2wd are people driving 2wds, they just dont know how much fun driving a vehicle with some power and teh ability to power all four wheels. When it rained I ran around in auto, just like you for when I needed to jump out in traffic or whatever.

I know this is for his wife and Im positive AWD is better in the rain(It's not to hard to get mine sideways in wet cond.) That said, mod for mod a 2wd will beat AWD. AWD is hell on these transmissions also. If you get AWD first mod would be stg 4-5 trans. either way you will be happy with a tbss. I swore I would never own an SUV, now I love this thing; sold my zo6 to get one.

[1slow01z71]

I know this is for his wife and Im positive AWD is better in the rain(It's not to hard to get mine sideways in wet cond.) That said, mod for mod a 2wd will beat AWD. AWD is hell on these transmissions also. If you get AWD first mod would be stg 4-5 trans. either way you will be happy with a tbss. I swore I would never own an SUV, now I love this thing; sold my zo6 to get one.

That is true until you start talking big power. Bolt ons yeah, a 2wd will win a 0-100 sprint but once you start adding heads/cam or FI the awd vehicle will leave the 2wd in the dust, speaking from personal experience, which is one of the big reasons I got another 4wd truck.

[PurpleMinivan]

That is true until you start talking big power. Bolt ons yeah, a 2wd will win a 0-100 sprint but once you start adding heads/cam or FI the awd vehicle will leave the 2wd in the dust, speaking from personal experience, which is one of the big reasons I got another 4wd truck.

personal experience with a truck? or a tbss? FI, nitrous, turbo doesn't matter. Your statement about AWD leaving a 2wd in the dust is off in this application. Fastest AWD tbss known, low 11's. fastest 2wd 10.1X. all the fastest tbss are 2wd. Any awd tbss running 11's ask them how many tranny's they have been through. HP loss through awd+500lbs extra weight(mod for mod) not gonna happen. In a race in wet conditions, yes. It is VERY HARD for me to get this thing sideways in dry conditions.

[1slow01z71]

personal experience with a truck? or a tbss? FI, nitrous, turbo doesn't matter. Your statement about AWD leaving a 2wd in the dust is off in this application. Fastest AWD tbss known, low 11's. fastest 2wd 10.1X. all the fastest tbss are 2wd. Any awd tbss running 11's ask them how many tranny's they have been through. HP loss through awd+500lbs extra weight(mod for mod) not gonna happen. In a race in wet conditions, yes. It is VERY HARD for me to get this thing sideways in dry conditions.

Im talking on the street. Personal experience would be my last truck, 1500 silverado Z71 with a 418" stroker, big cam, 4K stall etc etc, wasnt a truck on the street that could match me from 0-100. I spun on the street in a 4hi launch, 2wd was absolutely useless. A 2wd with big power is faster at the track sure I wont deny that but on the street a 2wd with that much power is dangerous, hit a little bitty bump and you are going to lose it. I experienced that many times in 2wd doign 40 punches, get sideways and try and straighten it out or hit a bump, 4hi it would just hook and go. Alot of trucks/suvs will stay straight on the street in 2wd but you will be spinning, while a 4wd/awd is hooking and passing you up. Thats why I said if you are going to keep it relatively stock sub 400rwhp numbers then a 2wd would be fine in our climate but you start really putting down some hp and wanting to play on the street a vehicle that powers all four wheels cant be matched, just my opinion that I have formulated through my experiences.

[PurpleMinivan]

True with a truck on the street. You still have this truck? I hook just fine on the streets, for now. I've heard/seen to many horror stories about trans. and driveshafts on AWD typhoon/cyclone/tbss/diesel/gas trucks etc. for me to buy an awd, not to mention the s@$*er gas milage. That's just my opinion. If your not going to mod to much and she wants a good daily driver awd is fine, but if you are going to keep it pretty much stock, which he says he plans to, don't buy an awd because it hooks up better or is faster, cause its not true. Not trying to start a pissing match n I don't know what kind of #'s your putting down with your truck, I have had high hp trucks and know what your talking about. Tbss is nothing like a truck. I can put a car length or more on the best of them from a dig, on the streets and stay right with the neighbors awd subaru w?? whatever it is from a dig and then pull him. He also has lots of mods, not stock.(maybe he can't drive?) He pulled me off the line bad with my vette and I caught him of course. Tbss, best bang for the buck(truck or suv. gm) esp. if you find a good used one and go through it (they will get cheaper in time). Easily in the 12's w/ a few mods. He/she will be happy with either one. If you would like to test drive, with me in it of course, and insured. You can see for yourself. I wouldn't mind losing to a truck either cause I know there are some fast ones out there, after the dig it's just hp and tq for us velocity challenge 4500+ beasts

[zeake]

I know this is for his wife and Im positive AWD is better in the rain(It's not to hard to get mine sideways in wet cond.) That said, mod for mod a 2wd will beat AWD. AWD is hell on these transmissions also. If you get AWD first mod would be stg 4-5 trans. either way you will be happy with a tbss. I swore I would never own an SUV, now I love this thing; sold my zo6 to get one.

If I can find one it will be awd. I have no problem taking the Level 5 FLT out of my truck for the SS and getting a 4l80 for the truck.
awd is worth it to me. I love being able to Nail it and turn at the same time without going sideways. Also the most powerful thing my wife has ever driven is my truck and every time she drives it I put in Auto 4wd. That way if she nails it she won't sit there and spin, which would only make her press harder on the gas.

[HotRodV6]

Exactly, you notice all the people recommending the 2wd are people driving 2wds, they just dont know how much fun driving a vehicle with some power and teh ability to power all four wheels. When it rained I ran around in auto, just like you for when I needed to jump out in traffic or whatever.

Well My Typhoon is AWD and turbocharged, and just as fast stock as TBSS, and yes i can vouch for the effectiveness if the AWD setup, but at the same time its hard as hell on the trans and driveline, even stock its not a matter of if, but when your putting a trans in it.

Down south, you dont have the nasty weather to worry about, so the AWD is a waste, but up north its a different story, especially if its a DD. If i were up there and it were my DD it would be AWD, but down here 2wd all the way.