Rainy New England- why I'll never get a non 4WD

[AndyMA]

Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

This afternoon I was moving a small light load in the loader of my Ford 2120 on my farm in 2WD. Hit a small patch of mud and no go. Switched to 4WD and drove right out. On my farm a 2WD tractor is close to useless unless it has been dry for a long time. Just my thoughts and experience. BTW I have loaded, almost brand new R1's.

An

 

[Highbeam]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

I agree. I try and switch to 2wd when ever I can to minimize scuffing and to go easy on the drivetrain. It might be an old 4x4 truck habit. This also allows me to be stuck and rescued by 4wd rather than being stuck in 4wd and really being stuck. I have found that even in pretty dry ground when mowing that the terrain and lack of suspension allows easy slippage in 2wd. I can generally use the diff lock to get through a spot.

And then there are the times when you need 4wd, diff lock AND the loader bucket to crab out of a sticky situation. This just happened to me on saturday. I was seriously looking for trees to set my come-a-long to but lucked out with the loader pulling me forward and out.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

All my work is done in 2WD with R1. Only when I get "stuck" do I use 4WD, and only to get unstuck, then back into 2WD. I assume 2WD is less drivetrain wear and tear and less fuel consumption.
Bob

 

[john_bud]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

I use 4wd a LOT. It's in 4wd for all loader work. It's in 4wd for all box blade work and it's in 4wd for plowing. Often when in the woods, it's in 4wd for the added stability over wet and oozy ground in NW WI.

Usually in 2wd for transport, 'hogging, spraying and the like.


As long as you are on a non-manmade surface, there is really little extra wear. Almost no wear on snow! But if you are in 4wd on a road, the tires will take a beating.

jb

 

[3RRL]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

Andy,
My tractor is in 4wd all the time. My Artic Cat ATV has dedicated 4wd...no switching to 2wd available. I have both on rural property and never see any paved roads. I feel it is much safer to negotiate the terrain and reduces the number of times I "would" have gotten stuck in 2wd. I do this because when I first got the tractor I used it in 2wd mostly and switched to 4wd when I got stuck. Sometimes sitting in a stuck position aggravated the situation slipping and making huge ruts, making it harder to get out even when 4wd was engaged. I find now that I drive "through" those spots without getting stuck in the first place.

It's there, so I use it. IMO, I don't think it's going to wear out any faster than the rest of the tractor. I have had to engage the differential lock numerous times as well, and as Highbeam pointed out, used the FEL and even the backhoe to get out of some pretty hairy spots. But to each his own...

 

[scott_vt]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

Hi Andy,
I run pretty much exclusively in FWD, no matter what Im doing! The only time I really switch to 2WD is running up the road 3/4mi to the barn I keep the tractor in. Even mowing the fields, especially when things are a little wet the FWD is nice insurance. To get unstuck, I would need one of the neighbors tractors or bulldozer and that all takes time /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Doc_Bob]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I use 4wd a LOT. It's in 4wd for all loader work. It's in 4wd for all box blade work and it's in 4wd for plowing. Often when in the woods, it's in 4wd for the added stability over wet and oozy ground in NW WI.

)</font>

I agree, bad terrain=4WD. But, most of what I do is okay ground, level, and I just like doing it in 2WD becasue it shows me what the tractor can do like in the good old days, when 4WD was uncommon. But, when things get tough, 4WD is the only way to go.

I do have an advantage with 6000 pound tractor and 70 HP with AG tires. I can work in 2WD because of the extra weight, traction and power.
Bob
Bob

 

[AndyMA]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I assume 2WD is less drivetrain wear and tear and less fuel consumption.
Bob )</font>

I think you are totally wrong that assumption. In it's TN ads New Holland very specificaly states that using 4WD is more fuel efficient and less wear and tear on the machine. All has to do with applying the forces more efficiently with less slippage. Slippage equals wasted power and stress loading.

Andy

 

[N80]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

For those of us on hilly terrain I think that 4wd gives the added benefit of 4 wheel braking. I only take mine out of 4wd for light, level mowing (scuffs the grass less in 2wd) and when driving on pavement.

 

[RedRocker]

Re: Rainy New England- why I\'ll never get a non 4WD

I run 4WD all the time unless I'm on concrete or asphalt. I just thought you'd want to know.