The Ram ProMaster is one of the most capable cargo vans on the market. Are you curious about whether the Ram ProMaster comes in 4WD or AWD? Well, we have researched the capabilities of the Ram ProMaster and have the answer to this question and other capabilities of the Ram ProMaster.
The Ram ProMaster currently does not come with 4WD or AWD. It comes with FWD as a standard.
In this article, we will look into the capabilities of the Ram ProMaster in off-road and snowy conditions. We will then look into whether you can put snow tires on a van and how to do it. We will talk about how to distribute weight on a van and if any other vans do have AWD. Keep reading to learn more!
Can Ram ProMaster go off-road?
The Ram ProMaster can handle off-road situations if the conditions aren't too extreme.
While a 4WD vehicle would have an easier time with more intense off-road situations, a Ram ProMaster can still handle most situations as long as there isn't too much deep sand.
It may also have some difficulty getting over terrain that is too rocky as well. It would be good to start with easier off-road situations and then slowly increase the difficulty of roads until you can find the limit of the van.
When off-roading, another thing that is important to consider is traction. The Ram ProMaster uses FWD, so if you can put more weight in the vehicle's front, this will give the tires increased traction.
Also, some people will lower their tire pressure to 35 psi to further improve traction with the road. These adjustments will help you to push the limits of what off-road terrain your Ram ProMaster can handle.
Is the Ram ProMaster good in snow?
The Ram ProMaster uses its FWD by having all significant components of the drive train under the cab. This moves the center of mass closer to the front give the tires in the front excellent traction.
For this reason, the Ram ProMaster does great in snowy road conditions despite not having 4WD.
A vehicle with 4WD will still have better traction in more situations than the Ram ProMaster.
For this reason, if the roads start to get too thick of a layer of snow or very icy, it may be a good idea to wait for road conditions to improve before trying to traverse them.
Can you put snow tires on a van?
You can put snow tires on a van, including the Ram ProMaster. This may be a good idea if you live in an area with heavy snowfall or a long winter season.
With snow tires on your van, you will be able to travel through snow and slush, as well as grip tight to icy surfaces without fear of slipping.
In the following Youtube video by Ridgeside K9, LLC. Modern Dog Training takes a Ram ProMaster through a snowy and icy back road to test how it handles the conditions.
They replaced the stock tires with BFG KO 2 tires, all-terrain tires with a high snow rating. In this video, he discusses how the weight of the van in the front pared with FWD allows him to get enough traction to get past the road.
How Do You Put On Snow Tires?
You may be wondering if putting on snow tires requires any special tools or techniques. Well, we are here to tell you that putting on snow tires is no different than putting on any other type of tire.
First, you want to jack the car up so that the tire is off the ground a few inches. Then you want to loosen and remove the nuts on the bolts holding the tire on.
Once the nuts are off the bolts, you can pull the tire off of the vehicle. Then you want to slide the winter tire onto the bolts. Make sure to push it in so that there is no slack.
Finally, you tighten the nuts back onto bolts to attach the tire. Repeat this with the other three tires, and your new snow tires should be ready for snowy conditions.
If you would like to save some money by not visiting a mechanic and doing this yourself, you can watch this tutorial on Youtube by Helpful DIY on how to replace your stock tires with snow tires.
How do you distribute weight on a van?
When you add interior features to your van, keeping weight distribution in mind can be important. A common mistake that many van owners make is thinking of the van in terms of balancing weight across the left and ride sides.
In reality, you want to think of weight distribution in front and back and left and right. Think of the van as being split into four quarters. You want to balance the weight as evenly as you can between these four quarters.
By balancing weight evenly across the chassis, you can reduce the need for repair and extend the life of your van. When weight is heavier on one side or the other, it can put extra strain on the suspension system, wearing it out over time.
Are there any AWD cargo vans?
While the Ram ProMaster doesn't have AWD, there are other vans on the market that do. The following cargo vans have AWD options available.
Ford Transit
The Ford Transit is a cargo van with AWD capabilities. Whether driving off-road or in poor weather conditions, you will find the Ford Transit ready to handle changing road conditions.
Now the Ford Transit has been in production for a while and has sold many units. This can make finding a used one relatively easy.
The Ford Transit also has a competitive amount of loadspace of 533 cubic feet. It also comes with the ability to tow a large payload of approximately 4,780 pounds, making pulling a trailer a breeze.
Mercedes Sprinter
The Mercedes Sprinter is a cargo van that is known for its luxury and its massive cargo capacity. It boasts one of the highest loadspaces in its class at 600 cubic feet. It can also pull an impressive tow payload of 6,370 pounds.
The Mercedes Sprinter uses an advanced AWD system that allows it to not only keep excellent traction with the road but also adjust differential locks to increase your off-road capabilities.
These features make the Mercedes Sprinter a versatile vehicle for almost any terrain.
Volkswagen Crafter
The Volkswagen Crafter is a cargo van that comes with a lot of power. The Crafter can be equipped with a twin-turbo that can give the van 175hp.
With that kind of power paired with its AWD capabilities. There aren't many places the Volkswagen Crafter can't go.
It also comes with a great load space capacity of 579 cubic feet. This will make carrying large amounts of cargo easy.
While the loadspace capacity is great on this van, the tow payload limit is impressive as well, being able to tow a payload up to 5,672 pounds. This makes the Volkswagen Crafter a great all-around cargo van.
Volkswagen Transporter
The Volkswagen Transporter is an all-around good cargo van. It has a decently large loadspace capacity of 328 cubic feet.
Also, the towing capacity of one of these vans can handle payloads up to 2,927 pounds. While not as high as some of the other vans on this list, it should still handle a small to medium-sized trailer.
The Volkswagen Transporter also has an advanced drive train system known as Volkswagen's 4Motion system. It is one of the most advanced and complete drive train systems that a van has to offer.
With this system, you can know that your tires will have the best possible traction in any situation you find yourself in while driving this van.
In Closing
In this article, we discussed if the Ram ProMaster comes in 4WD or AWD. We learned that it doesn't, but it can gain exceptional traction with its FWD and the configuration of its drivetrain, shifting most of the weight to the front.
This gives the Ram ProMaster great control in snowy environments. We also discussed how to install snow tires to further increase traction.
While there may be situations where you want the full power from an AWD drivetrain, The FWD drivetrain on the Ram ProMaster combined with its weight distribution makes the Ram ProMaster a good choice for most situations.
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