4WD Advice?

[RoyJackson]

I put it in 4WD when I need really need it. If not it is out.

Same here...

If one is smart enough to determine when he needs to use 4WD on the road (in his truck or car), he's smart enough to determine when he needs to use it on his tractor.

 

[jejeosborne]

I stay in 4wd all the time. My terrain is very hilly so safety is a factor. I am one who also believes that these machines were designed for such operation. I have stressed my transmission to unbelievable limits and have not broke anything. I do disengage when on pavement or needing a very tight turn. I would need to have doubled the size of my machine to get my work done if I only used 4wd to get me unstuck.

 

[wolc123]

These days, the most important thing to consider regarding whether or not to engage your 4wd is fuel consumption. For an auto operated on dry pavement, 4wd will always use more fuel. The opposite is often true when working off the pavement with a tractor on soft ground. Pushing a "dead" front axle thru soft ground wastes a lot of energy thus burning extra fuel. This effect is obviously magnified a great deal with a front loader. You wont see many large 2wd tractors performing tillage operations on farms these days for this reason. The cost of fuel is way to high to make that cost-effective. Today's tractors are designed for continuous operation, offroad in 4wd. There are times I take my tractor out of 4wd off-road. Bush-hogging in the summer when it is good and dry is an example. The dry ground can not absorb energy and cost extra fuel in that case, and a slightly shorter turning radius in 2wd comes in handy. I would estimate that I am in 4wd 75% of the time off-road: for all loader work, all discing and plowing, all snowplowing, and about 25% of bush-hogging. To put some numbers to it for you, aprox 30% more fuel is consumed while discing in 2wd than when in 4wd.

 

[kennyd]

I would just leave 4wd in gear all the time because it will give you max traction and it will be lease of a chance of you getting stuck.

Yes but what is wrong with the machine that 4wd can't stay in gear all the time.

Ok so what will break on your machine if you leave it in 4wd all the time.

You are giving out some REALLY BAD advice here...

 

[blueriver]

This has been beat to death ... if it was meant to run in 4x4 fulltime it WOULD NOT have a lever or a switch to engage or disengage ... I mean lets figure this out.

 

[Johndeerex728]

Well not really because I take these 4wd apart and it depends what type of 4wd you here let me explain a tractors 4wd it is designed to always be pulling the machine and the when slipping they will keep spinning to give the machine tractions but new model tractors like a John Deere x728 when its front or even back is slipping or trying to the wheel with more traction will get more torque sent to it so you best beat is to use 4wd in deep snow and going up hill not going down because it will spin to fast and cause the rings to jump and also use it on slippery terrain.

 

[Runner]

I have relatively steep hills all over the property. So, my 2520 goes into 4WD when I start mowing (2 acres) and out when I'm done. Otherwise, it stays in 2WD unless needed (plowing snow, etc.). Don't know if this is the "proper" way or not, but it's the only way I can mow my yard without spinning the tires constantly.

If it breaks, it breaks, but it's what I have to do to be able to function around my place.... Guess we'll see how it holds up.

 

[Johndeerex728]

Well from experience at using 4wd I always leave ever machine I have in four during winter no summer unless it's a wet muddy incline and they all have been holding up very well and I have had no problems with it what so ever. So feel free to do what you want with 4wd but I personally like to just leave it on winter and of during the summer.

 

[CurlyDave]

A lot depends on the circumstance.

I use 4WD a lot lately, even on pavement. I am working on improving a parking area and there is a retaining wall with about a 4' drop at one end of the area.

I will accept the extra wear in order to have the extra braking power, especially with a full loader and a 4' drop right in front of me.

OTOH, most of the time on pavement, 2WD is right.

 

[stravis]

I only use it when I need it. I don't see the point in doing otherwise. Keeping it in 4wd tears up the drive train and the yard.

I use it in mud, when using the loader on a pile (traction to push the bucket into the pile), and when using ground engaging equipment that I need the extra traction for.