Compact 4wd v. Larger 2wd utility tractor?

[agsanders]

Well, I think I will stick to either JD, Kubota, or Mahindra. Those dealers are close by. I'm not at all opposed to used, but I'm not about to drive 400 miles to look at potential candidates. Time to spend some money.

[sdkubota]

While I admire your inventiveness, there have been MANY times I have tried to move a large rock with the FEL on my deere and if I didn't have MFWD there was no way I could move it. Now, about your counterweight...you don't state how often you actually have it on your tractor or for what purpose you use it for. On my tractor the MFWD option adds 300 lbs. of weight and I cannot remove it. HOWEVER, it is ALWAYS available, I don't have to (bleep) around installing or removing it, and best of all I still have the option of installing an implement (blade, plow, disc, etc.) on the rear 3 point. And as far as fuel economy goes, I would rather haul around 300 extra lbs. all the time than 1,000 pounds some of the time, especially when I don't have to waste time installing and removing a rear counterweight.

I only attach it when digging or lifting something fairly heavy with the loader. I almost tipped my tractor on day two of ownership lifting an object that was heavy enough to prevent any traction on the rears and got into a bad situation. Yep its heavy and I wouldn't advise anyone to carry that kind of weight around when not needed. However, when attached I can boil dirt out of the front bucket as the rear get tremendous traction. Cost me $50 to make...maybe slightly heavy although it lifts it easily. I am positive 300 or 600 lbs wouldn't give me the same traction.

[yeogene]

I have about 15 acres of woods with a equal amount of hay lot. I own a 4 wheel Farmtrac Compact and a Ford 5000 The Smaller Farmtrac is much more useful in the woods, especially with the 4 wheel drive. Someone mentioned that you don't need 4 wheel, they do not use the tractor in slippery conditions with a loader. My Ford never goes in the woods unless it is dry, I use the Farmtrac for almost everything that does not require the HP

[lutt]

I have about 15 acres of woods with a equal amount of hay lot. I own a 4 wheel Farmtrac Compact and a Ford 5000 The Smaller Farmtrac is much more useful in the woods, especially with the 4 wheel drive. Someone mentioned that you don't need 4 wheel, they do not use the tractor in slippery conditions with a loader. My Ford never goes in the woods unless it is dry, I use the Farmtrac for almost everything that does not require the HP

Welcome to the forum! LUTT

[WinterDeere]

One trip downhill on slippery grass or mud with any sort of weight in the bucket and no front wheel drive or brakes will make you quickly realize why 4wd is very desirable for operating a loader on hilly terrain. Once a little weight comes off those rear tires, due to the load in the front bucket, a 2wd machine can free-wheel down the hill with no brakes or power.

[buddd]

Hi, Just bought a new 12-7-13 2013 Massey Ferguson Garden Compact " G.C. 1710 " tractor, loader, back hoe 4x4 with locking rear axle , king kutter sub compact 48 inch gear driven tiller from e.t.a. $ 16,500 for TLB & $ 1,650 for tiller . I have already put over 50 hours on the clock on my 2 acres making repairs to my land & houses using this little tank . There is nothing a 65 year old retired person can't do with this subcompact tractor . This machine will get you off your 6 an back in good health soon. No more weeks waiting for pulled muscles to heal as this machine pulls those ole hedges up ,digs up all those stumps,loads wood chips , spreads manure , lifts anything & everything without pulling a single mustle !! My wife & I love our subcompact tractor that fits in our garage after use & will go in the smallest most compact piece of dirt you have to do those little jobs . The tiller tilled my neighbors new gardens in 20 minutes making the fresh dirt look like a smooth road .Take a look at a subcompact tractor. my thoughts . Eldred

[JDgreen227]

buddd...welcome to TBN. Glad you are so happy with your tractor but I cannot help but wonder: Your two acres must have been REALLY rough if you need a CUT with a backhoe to care for them.

[kiotiken]

All I can say is that my tractor would be very close to worthless with only 2wd. I rarely take mine out of 4wd.

Interesting, I rarely use 4wd on my DK45, are your tires loaded? Of the 3 tractors I've owned, I've found I need 4wd less and less as the tractor gets bigger and heavier. Still, when you need it, you need it.

[GManBart]

Interesting, I rarely use 4wd on my DK45, are your tires loaded? Of the 3 tractors I've owned, I've found I need 4wd less and less as the tractor gets bigger and heavier. Still, when you need it, you need it.

My LS is almost always in 4WD....I'd have gotten it stuck at least a dozen times in the past couple of months without it!

[rjwerth]

Interesting, I rarely use 4wd on my DK45, are your tires loaded? Of the 3 tractors I've owned, I've found I need 4wd less and less as the tractor gets bigger and heavier. Still, when you need it, you need it.

Yep. I work in mud in the summer and snow and ice in the winter. The R4s get caked up real quick with wet clay and turn into slicks.

I've also found that the tires do a whole lot less damage going up grassy hills in 4wd than 2wd (more tires pulling the weight). Then when you go back down the hills, I'm much less likely to start sliding and skidding when in 4wd. Turning on the lawn is obviously better in 2wd though....

No, I haven't loaded the tires. Though it would help in certain tasks, I'd just sink faster in the mud and wreck even more havoc on the lawn.