[wolc123]

If you could scrape up another $5K, a JD 4120 with R1's and loaded rear tires would be just right for you. A new JD 990 would be a couple grand less but you would be marginal on hydraulic lift capacity and tractor weight to handle logs of significant size. I would look at Mahindra which has earned a reputation for quality rivaling JD, Kubota, NH, but may get you into a heavier tractor with the hydraulic power of a JD 4120 for around the cost of a 990. For many jobs, 4wd will let a smaller tractor do the job of a larger one, but for making heavy lifts, you need a heavy, proper balasted tractor. Obviously however, 4wd makes a huge improvement in manuverability with a front loader because you gain traction instead of lose it as you add weight to the front end. Concerning tires, many will argue that R4,s are better for use in the woods as they have somewhat greater resistance to puncture damage. This slight advantage is greatly outweighed by much reduced traction in mud and soft ground. A 4wd with R4's would not have much more traction ability in these conditions than your 2wd 4000 with R1's. I think you would be sorry if you pay a lot for a new 4wd and are not able to pull any more than you could with your 4000, so getting the right tires is a critical part of your purchase, especially because 75% or more of the CUT's out there have R4's.