2wd Always?

[RobJ]

Actually in most supposedly 4wd CUTs they are actually 3WD and that is only when you stand on the diff lock! The front typically does not have limited slip.

Just think of the simplification if tractors were made SENSIBLY with just one wheel drive. Normally tractors sit on all their wheels so whichever wheel was the ONE driven wheel would be in contact with the ground. IF 2wd is so superior to 4wd then just think how much better 1wd must be. You don't need that old maint prone differential or a diff lock. You could save on tire fill and just fill the one driven wheel if the fill were a traction thing and not ballast.

Tire wear would be virtually elliminated on the other (non driven) tire. Of course you could equalize the wear and lengthen the service life of the driven tire by alternating the tires between driven and non driven service.

Surely this superiority through reduction ab adsurdum has not escaped the engineers and designers of tractors and are probably only prohibited from introducing 1wd models by an international conspiracy headed by tire and other manufacturers who are looking after their own best long range interests NOT THOSE OF TRACTOR OWNERS!

Pat

hehe, lets not get to silly.

N80, few more inches and it looks like you would have drug the belly, then that can be a problem, pics when you get them? :d

 

[Runner]

"Surely this superiority through reduction ab adsurdum has not escaped the engineers and designers of tractors..."

Indeed, it hasn't:

 

[Blagadan]

Now that I'm an expert after operating my lifetime-first tractor for all of 27 hours ... couple of pretty dumb questions are surfacing at ramdom intervals.

One has to do about when to use 2wd versus 4wd. My first approach was to basically always use 4wd because of its better traction. But now I see the obvious: 4wd introduces added drag/friction/whatever and therefore it is more economical to use 2wd.

Is that an accurate statement? Do you think it's best for me to operate in 2wd as much as possible and only engage 4wd under very limited circumstances when 2wd is bogged down or such?

I think I know the answer to this, but want to know if there are situations when I would use 4wd anyway - even if the tractor isn't slipping around.

Thanks.

I have turf tires on my B7100 so I tend to need 4wd the more times I find myself on the loose stuff. For general yard work, 2wd is fine. levelling or towing something on really loose soil, I need the 4wd. I have tried to do heavy hauling on the loose stuff with only the 2wd engaged but I nearly always have to change over. It surprises me just how good the grip is with 4wd. Only last week I was doing some work for my brother. Spreading out 20 tons of top soil. We made up a make shift leveller using a 8ft X 4ft wooden pallet. We must have loaded 30 concrete blocks onto the pallet. The tractor pulled this levelling sled all around only to get stuck once or twice as result of operator error (trying to take turns too tight). It did an awesome job levelling out his yard.

 

[N80]

hehe, lets not get to silly.

N80, few more inches and it looks like you would have drug the belly, then that can be a problem, pics when you get them? :d

The belly draw bar bracket was full of mud and if you look closely you can see the high water line on the lower FEL braces.

When I do get stuck, I'll post pics. I'm sure its just a matter of time now.

 

[MikePA]

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