Carry a tow strap just in case.

If you go 2wd - just make sure you take ALOT of heavy friends. They can all jump in the back and ride the rear bumper up the ramp.

I have a 2wd - 3500 chevy. I learned quickly. We take the 4wd Yukon and 3500 to the ramp. The 3500 pulls it there, we hook the Yukon on it at the ramp to off load and load, then rehook the 3500 to pull it home.

NEVER AGAIN will I buy 2wd to pull the boat!

this post pretty much says it all, I've never had a situation where it was too slippery to get the boat out (around 8k lbs) but i did back in off the end of the ramp once when the water was really low and no one would have pulled the trailer out without 4WD.

I towed my 31 scarab for years to the Ozarks with a 2wd chevy 1 ton dually. BUT, I knew the PB2 ramp at LOTO was not very steep. Never had a problem. The limited slip rear end helps A LOT.
Gary

I've always towed with 2WD. My current truck even has a single track 3.42 rearend and I tow a 26' Thoroughbred. I've never had a problem with it.

Typically I will back down the ramp so that the right rear is in the dry zone and then drive right up.

Here is a good example, my ramp is in the harbor and the water is very stagnant and there's alot of seaweed. Also the water level varies greatly being in the harbor. A good south wind will drop the water 1-2 feet. That leaves a skting rink for rear tires and without 4wd. I'd be fishing off the roof of a Tahoe.

yeah you hear the stories, how people dont ever put the truck in 4 wheel drive, i say they are nuts. like with everything else, its the one time you need it. i will never pull the boat out without a 4 wheel drive. my rig weighs 10,500 fuel and gear. im not saying i use it all the time, but i know its there. you know the times when you follow the guy that cant get the rig on the trailer. he makes the whole ramp wet. now you have to pull out your gun, i say 4x4 all the way. if you love your truck as much as you do your boat. its worth every penny and a peace of mind.

Well, looks like the dealer wants to bend me over on the trade and not even give me the courtesy of a reach-around. A quick buck is more important to him than the last 4 vehicles - this would be 5, and my wife's truck will be due next year - that I've purchased from them.

Apparently they are making so much money they don't need mine....

I towed and ramped my formula f311 with a 2 wheel drive 1/2 ton chevy with a 350 TBI. Had the rear suspension beefed up, air shocks, and a class 5 hitch and set the trailer axles for 1000 lbs tongue weight. Never slipped the tires once. Of course, the whole set-up was illegal as hell and the insurance co would have told me to stuff it but it worked.

DOCK, SERIOUSLY, YOU LIVE IN MI. YOU SHOULD NEVER EVEN TALK ABOUT 2WD. IT'S JUST WRONG. 2WD IS THE DEVIL