That dreaded "Pop" sound

[SPYDERLK]

IOW you are saying when locked in 4wd, and with all 4 tires on a high friction surface a tractor should suffer no damage when the drive line binds up because the wheels can not turn at different speeds. 4wd, on these tractors, is designed for use on low friction surfaces, just like my 4wd truck that contains a warning in the owers manual and on the sun visor not to operate in 4wd on dry pavement.

I think we are talking about working with a tractor. Seldom does that include driving on pavement. Where it included working on pavement I would be careful. I wouldnt want to use 4wd unless the tractor was unladen or one end of the tractor was light. -- Incidently, traction force on good ground with AGs exceeds the weight on the tire. This is more traction than rubber has on pavement. It is easier for the tread to creep and relieve force buildup on soil tho.
larry

 

[Soundguy]

I think we are talking about working with a tractor. Seldom does that include driving on pavement.
larry

Not according to the archives. There are plenty of messages archived on this site where people mention not so incedental 'pavement driving' while in 4wd. i did a search and turned up a whole page of them...

soundguy

 

[MikePA]

I think we are talking about working with a tractor. Seldom does that include driving on pavement.

No, I'm talking about using a tractor in 4wd on high traction surfaces, pavement being one example.

I thought it better to give johns_dmax's mechanic the benefit of the doubt and offer a plausible explanation for the advice he gave versus denegrating the product and accusing johns_dmax of accepting a lesser product.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Not according to the archives. There are plenty of messages archived on this site where people mention not so incedental 'pavement driving' while in 4wd. i did a search and turned up a whole page of them...

soundguy

I guess the question there would be: why? Was it an accident or done in ignorance, or did they need the traction?
larry

 

[SPYDERLK]

No, I'm talking about using a tractor in 4wd on high traction surfaces, pavement being one example.

I thought it better to give johns_dmax's mechanic the benefit of the doubt and offer a plausible explanation for the advice he gave versus denegrating the product and accusing johns_dmax of accepting a lesser product.

Better to accept a blanket caution against using the fwd features for what they are for. Nobody would buy a tractor that was specd to void warranty when you try to put all its power to the ground. For tractors proffered with loaders, adequate design would ensure that they could sustain full HP output thru either axle. The fact that forces can build beyond this on a heavily laden tractor [both axles] in 4wd is a requirement for some overbuild and for educational explanation of the situation - not blanket statement.
larry

 

[RickB]

"adequate design would ensure that they could sustain full HP output thru either axle."
Few of us had to speculate what failed in this instance. It's just a matter of whether the shrapnel escapes the housing before the tractor gets parked. Clearly, there is a continued design or assembly problem in these front differentials.

 

[IH3444]

I believe that the term they use for the TC18-TC55 is front assist, not full time four wheel drive. I am sure that these componets are a bit lighter duty than a full time 4WD would be. Granted, it shouldn't have broken.Volkswagen went through a time with their TDI's, and some earlier gas motor model that the front transverse axle diffs were shearing off the ring gears. The solution if you had the front diff apart was to remove the riveted on diff, and replace with hardened bolts.

 

[Soundguy]

I guess the question there would be: why? Was it an accident or done in ignorance, or did they need the traction?
larry

To be fair.. i didn't read all of them.. in fact.. just a few.

Many were dealing with using laoders, and moving materials where they had to drive across roads, or driveways, or parking lots to unload something.. perhaps sand or other material.. and the frequent trips over the asphalt would ahve ment constant shifting in and out of 4x4.. thus they left in 4x4 and just drove over the asphalt. I'm sure if I read more of them I might come up with more reasons.. but of the couple I picked to sample.. that was the jist of it.

I got rid of my 4x4 tractor as it was pretty useless to me... used 4x4 2x and got stuck one of those times anyway 2wd been' keepin me happy since then.

soundguy

 

[SPYDERLK]

To be fair.. i didn't read all of them.. in fact.. just a few.

Many were dealing with using laoders, and moving materials where they had to drive across roads, or driveways, or parking lots to unload something.. perhaps sand or other material.. and the frequent trips over the asphalt would ahve ment constant shifting in and out of 4x4.. thus they left in 4x4 and just drove over the asphalt. I'm sure if I read more of them I might come up with more reasons.. but of the couple I picked to sample.. that was the jist of it.

I got rid of my 4x4 tractor as it was pretty useless to me... used 4x4 2x and got stuck one of those times anyway 2wd been' keepin me happy since then.

soundguy

Ah yes. Short distance incidental use. Unless they were doing significant turning they probably didnt reach stresses seen in working firm dirt with AGs. Crossing a parking lot would have me doing a few tests to gauge stress buildup tho.

Flat land sure uncomplicates tractor work doesnt it?​

larry

 

[Soundguy]

Deffinately don't hurt it none..

soundguy