Tractor Sizing How important is rear diff lock on CUT?

[radioman]

If you get stuck- either you are reallllllly stuck or the diff lock is nice feature to get out smoothly and quicker. On the other hand if you are moving something on grass/dirt and one side is spinning and if you dont want to spin tires for less disturbance, I would just engage the lock. no problemo.
I love mine when I want it, but I probably could do without it if I had no choice.

 

[paulfun9]

:laughing: Sounds like the problem exists between the steering wheel and the seat back. Perhaps the operator headspace and timing needs adjustment.

I got a laugh out of your reply as the first thing that came to mind after your post was my friend Mike who has buried just about every piece of equipment he has ever owned in something he could have easily avoided. It seems we could line up 3 pieces of any equipment at the edge of the same field and 2 of us would always end up going back to pull him out of something that we just drove right threw or around but he would find a way to get stuck in it. He actually got our D9 stuck once which is something I thought next to impossible! By the way its not an easy thing to get out once its buried!

 

[vtsnowedin]

I got a laugh out of your reply as the first thing that came to mind after your post was my friend Mike who has buried just about every piece of equipment he has ever owned in something he could have easily avoided. It seems we could line up 3 pieces of any equipment at the edge of the same field and 2 of us would always end up going back to pull him out of something that we just drove right threw or around but he would find a way to get stuck in it. He actually got our D9 stuck once which is something I thought next to impossible! By the way its not an easy thing to get out once its buried!

A stuck D9? OMG what ever did you get to get it out with? Worst I've seen is a D7 buried to the foot pedals. That took another D7 and a two yard excavator to ease it out of the mud.
Machines don't get stuck "operators get stuck" myself included.
Old Hee Hah joke : Doc I broke my arm in three places!! Well stay out of them places.

 

[TJP89]

A stuck D9? OMG what ever did you get to get it out with? Worst I've seen is a D7 buried to the foot pedals. That took another D7 and a two yard excavator to ease it out of the mud.
Machines don't get stuck "operators get stuck" myself included.
Old Hee Hah joke : Doc I broke my arm in three places!! Well stay out of them places.

I too want to know, How the heck do you get a D9 stuck???? And then How the heck do you get it out?????

On the diff lock. I've only had to use it a few times, but on all of them it was the difference between getting the job done and not getting the job done, even with FWD and in LO with high RPMs. I would never buy a tractor without. Fortunately every tractor I've ever looked at has it standard, including the yanmars I looked at.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I too want to know, How the heck do you get a D9 stuck???? And then How the heck do you get it out?????

On the diff lock. I've only had to use it a few times, but on all of them it was the difference between getting the job done and not getting the job done, even with FWD and in LO with high RPMs. I would never buy a tractor without. Fortunately every tractor I've ever looked at has it standard, including the yanmars I looked at.

D9s don't have much for flotation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpF2XJZh_GU
Notice the soldier standing in the most dangerous place when they tighten up the cable!!

 

[Jbuice123]

I looked at the 424 also, I bought a kubota b2620 instead,
I got it stuck the first 10 minutes I had it in a snow bank, a little off kilter and one front tire and one rear tire would spin. I hit the diff lock pedal and backed right out. I thought to myself "man I'm glad I didn't buy the Yanmar!"

 

[Gary Fowler]

Hey you didn't post the picture so it NEVAH Happened!

Even if I had thought about a photo, It would have been a bit hard to get off the tractor and back on. The tractor has 3 steps up on the mounting ladder, the first one about 18" off the ground, which puts the operator platform at armpit height on flat ground and with it (the mounting steps) being centered on the ditch which was about 2 feet deep, I would have needed a step ladder to get back inside, assuming I wanted to put my 66 year old bones into a 3-4 foot jump into a muddy ditch filled with rocks.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Even if I had thought about a photo, It would have been a bit hard to get off the tractor and back on. The tractor has 3 steps up on the mounting ladder, the first one about 18" off the ground, which puts the operator platform at armpit height on flat ground and with it (the mounting steps) being centered on the ditch which was about 2 feet deep, I would have needed a step ladder to get back inside, assuming I wanted to put my 66 year old bones into a 3-4 foot jump into a muddy ditch filled with rocks.

Be my luck to jump down and land by a big snake that was PO'd that I just ran over his tail with the front tire.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Whenever you are on uneven ground, and one wheel starts to spin, you're stuck. Diff lock gets you out. I have 4wd and have to use my diff-lock often. Split brakes are OK too, but they help you go, by "stopping" which sucks power, and sometimes you have one chance to get out without digging a hole and don't want ANYTHING holding you back. The difflock gives you forward motion without ever holding back.

I would NOT buy a tractor without diff-lock, unless you are saving boatloads of $$$. Such a simple problem causes all work to stop, and adds a new problem. Stuck tractor.

Actually split brakes suck power, but dont necessarily hold you back. Used just enuf, which is dependent on familiarity, they will give you all the forward thrust a diff lock can while simultaneously augmenting the ability to steer. This is especially important in slippery side sloped conditions.
larry

 

[LD1]

I have a diff loc. Almost never use it. Too much of a PITA to try to hit it with the heal. Which requires setting the hand throttle instead of using the pedal. (gear tractor). I use split brakes much more.

Diff loc wont keep an angled rear blade from pulling you sideways. Split brakes will. That is what I use them for the most. With 4wd and r1 tires, diff loc dont add much help at all in the muck IMO