When to use, or not use, the diff lock?

[oosik]

I use the diffy lock when dealing with mud or snow. It, most usually, is the last word in traction before I totally loose forward momentum. I'm in 4WD and need that extra bit of traction to complete the job.

 

[careyo63]

Didn't own the Yanmar long but I was FM on the Ym2000 2wd. and sideways on a slight incline. Never cut it before so it was a first! Hit a hidden hole in the grass and I lost Tracton. I was stuck and knew it! I was moving slow in the seat it turning the Front wheels down hill Stepped on Diff. and it Locked right in and rolled down hill real easy. That was a lesson well learned. The way the 3pt on the FM is setup it locked up the lift arms so the Drive side L. rear wheel was only a couple inches off the ground but I knew all to well how bad this could get.

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[clemsonfor]

I had some wet spots in my field that would never dry up, so when brush hogging, I would step on the differential lock as I was coming up to it so that the rears were locked by the time I got into it.

Was it so wet that you couldn't just drive through it without the difflock?

 

[seville009]

Was it so wet that you couldn't just drive through it without the difflock?

Probably could have, but was just playing it safe.

 

[clemsonfor]

Probably could have, but was just playing it safe.

Only reason I ask is it take a alot to get even a 2wd tractor stuck and to be like that and bushhogging that are you would be almost borderline swamp.

 

[seville009]

Only reason I ask is it take a alot to get even a 2wd tractor stuck and to be like that and bushhogging that are you would be almost borderline swamp.

There was like a 30’ or so circle in one spot that was always wet; green thick grass grew over it. Seem to have ample water supply here, so there may be an underground source keeping it that wet.

I just figure it’s best to engage the locker for ten seconds than spend two hours getting unstuck. It’s there , so why not use it.

 

[careyo63]

I still have Org. Bridgestone always liked them. The lugs are still huge. Dry rotted and cracked so I relined them. Not the first complaint!! What they looked like When I bought the YM2000 and now. 900+ Tach Hrs. I put on them!!

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[California]

... it takes a lot to get even a 2wd tractor stuck ...

Maybe it's the front loader taking weight off the back tires but I've had several instances with the YM240 where I had to use the loader curl to inch the tractor out of 'temporarily inconvenienced', ie can't back out of a wet downslope, or climb out of a stump-hole that I had intended to compress. (Post with photo). Never had to abandon either tractor to wait for dryer weather, but almost.

 

[CliffordK]

I like to predict before it spins.

So I frequently hit the lock at the bottom of a wet steep hill.

 

[careyo63]

My profile Pic. just behind the Deere to the lower R. is super swampy for a few days if it rains much. The Bridgestone make it look like train tracks going through it if I'm not careful. I either have to push cut it or wait for it to dry. Only two places I have to use a push mower so I really can't complain.