4wd on Grand L

[bschopf2280]

I just purchased a L4740 and awaiting delivery. While surfing the boards on TBN I came across the Kioti brand of tractors. I live in Wisconsin and the closest dealer is across the pond, Lake Michigan, in Michigan. So out of interest only I was looking at the features that Kioti has to offer. Nice looking little tractor, seems to be set up nice, but they state that their 4wd is electric over hydraulic. I assume this means that when activated the 4wd runs off hydaulics. When seeing this I asked myself how the 4wd is run on my new Kubota. I would prefer that my 4wd was gear driven. Looking at the features on the Grand L they state, quote, "The front-wheel-drive bevel gear delivers a full and full-power transfer." I assume that the 4wd drive is driven by gears and no hydraulics. My question is, Are my assumptions on both tractor's 4wd systems correct? I would hate to have wrong information in my head about either tractor. Thanks in advance.

 

[Happyman]

I have the Grand L 3940. The 4WD system is engaged manually with a lever near your left heel. This engages the gear drive of the 4WD system. Kioti engages its 4WD system electrically, not manually. Sort of like how you can engage the 4WD on a pickup truck. My F-150 has a switch on the dash to engage the 4WD. Where my old Jeep used the lever on the floor.
I much prefer (at least on a tractor) the manual engaging of the 4WD system. You can actually engage the 4WD on the Kubota without stopping or pushing in the clutch. It's a great system :thumbsup:

 

[SCtractorguy]

I'm with Happyman. It's a very sure system. I have an L3240 and just lift up on the lever bingo you have 4 wd.

I used it today to push a big pile of brush and get the ground preped for a new shed.

Enjoy that 4740!!

 

[TripleR]

The only real difference as mentioned is not in the nature of the drive mechanism, only activation. My Case CX80 has a rocker switch for 2WD, 4WD and On Demand 4WD while everything else has levers.

There is such a thing as hydraulic drive, but I know of no tractors that use it.

 

[_RaT_]

On our old John Deere circa 1984 it has a electric 4WD engagment. It quit working which means it is stuck in 4WD. That means to take it out of 4WD we remove the drive shaft to the front. That is exactly what we have done. We only used it to mow so we really did not need 4WD and when in 4WD it destroyed the turf. The new Kubota L4740 HST has a mechanical lever that takes it in and out. While a new eletric 4WD shifter may be available for this old Deere, the price would I am sure be quite costly. Its fairly large.

 

[bschopf2280]

Thanks for the input guys. In the 80's, John Deere had the 4440 with hydraulic front wheel assist. I have a friend in North Dakota that had some experience with it. I guess the front axle was very prone to leaks. He said he would never go that route again. So I guess I was hoping that the Kubota was not run the same way.