Loader FEL and 4WD

[ENTS]

Here's something I discovered (and came out w/o incident) -- Had my TC40 w/ FEL for a couple of months. Taking a bucket full down a rather step dirt road I suddenly found myself excelerating. Stomped on the brakes with no effect. The only way I saved self and tractor was to drop the bucket. Diagnosis of problem was this, I was in 2WD with heavy load on front. No counter weight on rear thus lifting the rear up which caused lose of traction (engine no help in slowing down) and brakes useless. From that point on I went down any hill, with or without a load, in 4WD.

 

[RadarTech]

I've got a 4wd tractor with a loader.
On several occasions I've put it in 2wd mode.
Learned real quick not to dig in 2wd!
It just is too rough on the equipment, and me!

 

[k0ua]

Sure you can do a lot with a 2WD tractor with a loader. I scraped up tons of dirt up and made a large berm for my shooting range several years ago with a Long 2360 . But the ground was fairly flat (gently rolling) and the tractor was a full size heavy AG tractor with loaded tires and a heavy mower on the rear. You can do a lot, BUT you can do a lot more with a 4WD tractor. and if it is hilly or wet, you can do it with a 4WD tractor, and you just cant do much with a 2WD under bad conditions. If you have a light 2WD tractor with a loader I cannot imagine getting much done with it, where a 4WD light small tractor will do a lot. Just try pushing in to an old hard dirt pile or scraping up undisturbed soil with a small light 2WD tractor and you will see first hand what I am saying.
James K0UA

 

[bigbull338]

years ago 2wd drive tractors was your only choice.an yes they would get stuck quick with a bale of hay on the loader.they would sink like a rock.but in the mid 90s 4x4 tractor took holt an they have never let go.now every1 is buying 4x4 tractors,an trading in 2wd drive tractors.my kub salesmen told me that they rarely sale a new 2 wd drive tractor because every1 buys the 4x4s.4x4 tractors ride on top of the mudd as best they can.

 

[herringchoker]

You can do a lot with a 2 wheel drive tractor, and good ballast.

But you can do so much more, in a shorter period of time with a 4 wheel drive tractor.

I agree with Don. I've been there and done both.....I'll keep my 4x4 thank you.:thumbsup:

 

[dave1949]

I did a lot of loader work moving dirt/gravel/loam this summer. Without 4WD engaged, I did more rear-wheel spinning than driving. If the ground was just a little too soft, or just a little too hard, I couldn't get the bucket to dig into a dirt pile w/o 4WD - the tractor would just stop when the blade hit the dirt.

I do not have loaded rear tires, but I don't think that they would make a whole lot of difference - I was counterbalanced with a Woods 9' subframe backhoe that weighs a couple thou. I did some work later w/o the backhoe attached (just a landscape rake on the back) and dirt work was all but impossible in 2WD, regardless of soil conditions.

JayC

That's been my experience too. With BH on 2wd will get by, with it off, forget about pushing into anything very solid/heavy with the FEL. That's with loaded R4 tires too. Ags might get a little bit better grip, but basically it's about the weight of CUT tractors.
Dave.

 

[ducks13]

Well, at the price and availabilty of what looks like a nice 2WD 755 . . . and after listening to everyone I think I will hold out for a 4WD! I have some very steep terain and it is wet a lot of the tiime here in NC.

Thanks for your help

 

[Gordon Gould]

Why do people consider 4WD so important if you are going to have a FEL? I understand that with the bucket full you have a lot of weight on the front but a box blade and perhaps wheel weight etc. on the back it should be counterbalanced fairly well. The reason I am asking is that 2WD with FEL's seem to be more readily available and more economical. It also seems to me that there were a lot of tractors with FEL before 4WD became so common that people were presumably happy with. How much of an adder would you expect to pay for 4WD on something like a 755, 855, 955?

I can't answer your question but I can say that I would pay what they asked for 4WD without blinking an eye because of all the reasons previously given by others plus my own experience working in hilly rough terrain and dealing with winter. For me it's the only way to go.

 

[ducks13]

Seems to be about a $3K adder on a 755 or 855 based on what I find on Machine Finder and Tractor House. That is almost a 50% adder but everyone, including me now, seem to think it is worth it.

 

[csholler]

"If your not making any mistakes then your not doing anything"

Gordan Gould, I really like this!

As for yhe FEL I have loaded, and dug, and moved thousands and thousands of yards of dirt in my short time. Every piece of equipment we have with a FEL now has 4 wheel drive. We have done a lot of work with two wheel drive machines but the stability, power , and control of 4 wheel drive makes it a no brainer to us. The only time we dont have 4 wheel drive engaged is when we are roading from one place to the next.