4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed

   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #102  
4wd, yes/no? Sometimes I get the feeling that the correct answer for one person isn't the correct answer for another.
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #103  
I will not use 4WD on hard, dry surfaces where traction in 2WD proves adequate. Slick, wet, icy or downhill - could be a different story.

Also - know the area where you will be traveling. Into 4WD BEFORE you are in a mess. OR - in my case, just don't go into those areas during the wet season.

I only use my tractor on my 80 acres. After 40+ years - I pretty well know what can/can not be done.
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #104  
Leaving your tractor in 4wd only presents an issue when working on hard surfaces such as pavement.

The “winding up” of front driveline components happened to me once, but it was in a pickup that had mismatched gear ratios in the front and rear differentials.

My dad leaves his tractors in 4wd all the time, and has for 45 years. Maybe he gets a little more tire scuff than usual, but that’s about it.

Leave it in 4wd and forget about it.
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #105  
4wd or not, you should never get going down a steep hill with your only plan being "my tractor has brakes"
Ideally you shouldn't even be using the brakes to descend a hill, that's what your transmission is for

Your bucket should also be ready to use to slow yourself before you get into trouble, not something that you drop in a panic once you're already out of control.

Some words of wisdom I picked up from an old equipment operator, "treat every machine as if it has no brakes"
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #106  
4wd or not, you should never get going down a steep hill with your only plan being "my tractor has brakes"
Ideally you shouldn't even be using the brakes to descend a hill, that's what your transmission is for
Agreed! I wished I done what I always had done in the past - check to be sure I was in 4wd - check that I had control. In a hurry, I got over-confident and I was lucky it ended well.
Your bucket should also be ready to use to slow yourself before you get into trouble, not something that you drop in a panic once you're already out of control.
Again, didn't have the bucket on. I had forks with a machine sitting on a pallet on those forks.. Using that rig to slow down seems to me to be asking for trouble. Didn't see it as an option. Even if I only put down the back edge, I was concerned about it catching something.
Some words of wisdom I picked up from an old equipment operator, "treat every machine as if it has no brakes"
Good words. I hope my lesson is now fully integrated and fully learned. I do not ever want to ride that 400 foot drop over a quarter mile like that again! One thrill ride was enough.

My point of telling the story was to warn the OP there is a time when 4WD is needed. Others chimed that they too had made the error. Those that say using 4WD is bad, well, my guess is they do not operate on hills. Little of our property is flat land. The gravel roads around the property are also hills with some steep inclines. We operate in 4WD more than we do in 2WD because the only place we are on pavement is at the top of the mountain, on the flat, around the house and barn. We choose 2WD on the pavement and to keep from tearing up the lawn.

The shame is all on me for rushing. I know better and still I failed. That my friends is the real lesson I was hoping Newbs like me would hear. Yeah I have over 300 hours in the seat now.. still I consider myself a newb. If I had thousands of hours in the seat, I would hope muscle memory would force me to test before going downhill, just like I was taught by my dad with old cars way back.. "You never start down a mountain without first testing the brakes at slow speed, dammit!" Right dad. Heard you as I was running out of control down that hill. You keep yelling dad! Maybe someday I will listen to ya!
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #107  
4wd or not, you should never get going down a steep hill with your only plan being "my tractor has brakes"
Ideally you shouldn't even be using the brakes to descend a hill, that's what your transmission is for

Your bucket should also be ready to use to slow yourself before you get into trouble, not something that you drop in a panic once you're already out of control.

Some words of wisdom I picked up from an old equipment operator, "treat every machine as if it has no brakes"
Agree that you should treat it as if it has no brakes and use gearing/transmission to go down a hill.

BUT.....if the rear tires dont have traction....that engine braking isnt gonna do any good if you aint in 4wd
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #108  
Nope, same idea as when to use it in a truck.
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #109  
Wait, wait, let me get this straight. You're in 2WD maneuvering in tight quarters, using the rear brakes, pedal unlocked, one wheel at a time to help the turns -- and it engages 4WD?
No they are not supposed to engage 4 Wheel drive with the pedals used independently but with larger tractors particularly with a loader on I do try not to manoeuvre using the independents unless essential.
 
   / 4 wheel drive all the time? or just when needed #110  
I don't understand why it's a debate either. The whole point of the discussion is in the name of safely being able to control the tractor on slippery surfaces or going down a hill.

The easy answer is 4wd. So why "some" people that think they are smarter than everyone else wants to argue about something that could potentially save the life of a rookie tractor operator reeding this? It ain't about how you "think" the mechanics of the machine work. It's about what happens in real life situations. Don't try and take away from the importance of 4wd on hills because someone feels like arguing on the internet today.
You may be a "super star member" but if you instruct a "rookie" to use 4 wheel drive all the time on a machine that is not designed for it they may find that it isn't there when they really need it. Every machine is different and needs to be operated accordingly so it is about how the machine works and how it is applied to real life situations with safety as a priority.
 
 
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