Does a 4X4 cost more to insure? Auto companies initially made two-wheel drive vehicles; the engine’s power transmits to either front or rear wheels. The first 4X4 were for the military during the world wars, but after the world wars, they became popular due to the exemplary services they offered to soldiers. Car companies started to produce four-wheel drive vehicles for consumers. Recently everybody prefers a four-wheel drive car to either rear or front wheel. Standard vehicles with 4-wheel drive are trucks and SUVs, but even sedans and vans have the four-wheel drive option.

The rising popularity of four-wheel drive vehicles raises the question about the cost of insuring them. Is insuring them higher than the standard two-wheel drive cars? This guide will offer an appropriate answer to this question.

Does a 4X4 Cost More to Insure?

The cost of insuring a four-wheel vehicle is high compared to a standard car. The 4X4 have larger engines, they are bigger and heavier, and in case of collision, they can withstand and cause a lot of damage to the victim—all these sums up to a higher cost of insuring such vehicles. Despite the high insurance costs, there are tips you can use to get lower premiums. Let us look at them.

Experience

The rates of premiums that you will pay are affected by your age and the experience you have on the roads. If you do not have any history of a recorded claim, you will pay lower premiums. Having advanced driver qualifications will also reduce the rates of premiums.

Mileage

If you rarely use your 4X4, consider taking a restricted mileage policy. You will pay less for restricted mileage if your 4X4 is used occasionally for recreation.

Security

Ensure your truck is safe by keeping it in a locked garage, and the alarms and the tracking system should be functional. The safety of your 4X4 will help you cut the premium cost.

Specialized Schemes

There are various 4×4 vehicles on the market. When you decide to buy one, make sure you go through the manufacturer’s guide. Doing this will help you to know the type of insurance that the manufacturer prefers for your 4X4.

Multi-Car Policies

You can use a single policy to cover more than one car. In this case, each car’s cover level will differ. Taking multiple car insurance will be the best option if you have other vehicles besides the 4X4.

Membership

Most 4X4 owners are car enthusiasts and have formed clubs known by insurance companies. Insurance companies offer discounts to members of various 4X4 owners clubs because they believe members of such clubs are committed to maintaining their vehicles. It is important to be affiliated with any enthusiasts club so that you receive a discount when you buy an insurance policy.

Conclusion

The cost of insuring a 4X4 is relatively high because of their capabilities, these are heavy machines, and in case of a collision, they are likely to destroy the other vehicle. If you choose a third-party insurance policy, the insurance will spend more on repairing the involved vehicle. 

The Japanese Kei Trucks are available in the market as either 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive. The 4-wheel version is better in terms of performance than the 2-wheel version. It can tackle any terrain. The 4-wheel version is slightly expensive. It is possible converting a 2-wheel to 4-wheel drive. You will only need to buy the 4WD shifter, front driveshaft, front axle, and springs. You will have to change the transmission of your mini truck. There are no differences between the manual or automatic transmission of 2WD and 4WD. Changing the transmission alone does not guarantee that the mini truck will be 4WD. You must change parts such as the steering box and the master cylinder.

Converting 2-Wheel to 4-Wheel Transmission

The 2WD and 4WD transmissions have very many similarities. The difference between the units is that the shaft of the two-wheel is long compared to the four-wheel, and there is a transfer case where the four wheels are connected. 

The Transfer Case

Some 2-wheel drive vehicles have a dummy transfer case. What do I mean by this? The dummy transfer case allows you to transform the transmission of such vehicles to four-wheel drive. In 4-wheel drive mini trucks, you will have the transfer case connected at the rear end of the gearbox. The transfer case plays the role of distributing the torque from the engine to the front and rear axles. It also plays the role of bringing uniformity between the RPM of the front and the rear wheels. The transfer case has sets of low-range gears for highway application.

You will need a transfer case to convert the rear wheel to a four-wheel. The transfer case brings the difference between the four-wheel drive mini truck and the two-wheel drive. It will asymmetrically distribute the torque and transfer most of it to the back axel. It is at this part that the core modification will happen. If it is correctly done, well and good, but if it is poorly done, your mini truck will give you more headaches.

Adding the 4WD Transfer Box to a 2WD

The backbone and main functionality in the 4WD is the Transfer box. If you fix this correctly, you will enjoy your new four-wheel transmission system. When adding the four-wheel transfer box, ensure it fixes well to the two-wheel transmission box. Since this process is tiresome and will give you too much headache, consider getting the entire transmission from a donor. The transfer case connects the front and the rear driveshafts to the rear and the front axles. When fixing it, make sure it is balanced. 

You Have to Upgrade the 2WD Suspension.

The four-wheel drive transmission is slightly heavier compared to the two-wheel drive transmission. You must install a new suspension that can carry your mini truck’s heavy four-wheel drive transmission.

Conclusion

Converting a mini truck from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive is not complex, but it is essential to do this with a skilled mechanic.