4WD and loader work

[JME81]

I read in the manual for my LX2610 that it's fine to work in 4WD doing loader work, which I have been doing. I watched a video with Tractor Time with Tim and one of the comments was that he should not being doing loader work in 4WD as it's gear on gear drive and its grinding gears when one of the front wheels spins and the other doesn't.

I just want to make sure that I'm not doing anything wrong.


Edit:
I should have been more clear, TTWT was doing similar work as I was, a commenter, not Tim, said that.

 

[scootr]

The manual states to not use 4wd anytime 2wd will do. If you need 4wd to get into the pile then that is fine. The wheels should not be slipping when filling the bucket. It they are you are not loading the bucket correctly or your pile is too solid and needs some breaking up before trying to scoop a bucket up.
Be sure to use proper loading techniques. Enter the pile flat, lift and curl while moving into the pile to fill the bucket.

 

[JME81]

The dealer had told me that they use 4WD for all loader work. I moved a mount of soil over the weekend on un even ground which is why one of the wheels had spun, plus it was pretty wet. I'm confused as to why the manual shows what it does below for 4WD.

 

[scootr]

The up position is 4wd indicated by the closed link. There is another foot lever on my model that locks the rear differential so there is no spin in the rear when stepping on that lever.

 

[LittleBill21]

your going to learn people have no idea what they are talking about, gear grinding is clear as can be, do you hear it? prolly not, its generally a open differential, there is a reason they have lockers. if your not hearing noise, your not doing damage. i use 4x4 constantly and was slipping non stop today dealing with a flood.

do you know how much my wheels slip while plowing?

 

[ericm979]

I read in the manual for my LX2610 that it's fine to work in 4WD doing loader work, which I have been doing. I watched a video with Tractor Time with Tim and one of the comments was that he should not being doing loader work in 4WD as it's gear on gear drive and its grinding gears when one of the front wheels spins and the other doesn't.

That last sentence that you are quoting or paraphrasing does not make sense.

4wd tractors pretty much all have front differentials. Which are "gear on gear" drive but allow one wheel to turn more than the other for when the tractor is turning. If one tire has less traction that wheel will spin. But there's no gears grinding. Unless you go nuts with the revs and then catch traction suddenly, it won't hurt anything.

However the front axle on a CUT is often a lot less sturdy than the rear. So don't treat it like a rock crawler jeep trying to climb a boulder. Most of the traction should be coming from the rear end which is much stronger.

 

[JME81]

I didn't hear any grinding noises, I just looked down and saw one wheel spinning and the other not.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I read in the manual for my LX2610 that it's fine to work in 4WD doing loader work, which I have been doing. I watched a video with Tractor Time with Tim and one of the comments was that he should not being doing loader work in 4WD as it's gear on gear drive and its grinding gears when one of the front wheels spins and the other doesn't.

I just want to make sure that I'm not doing anything wrong.

IF I watched a vid and the person actually said what you claim was said there, that's the last time I would watch a vid by that person to hear some other dumb thing said....period!

If they can't get THAT right, what else can't they get right, and I won't be watching to try and figure it all out!

SR

 

[JWR]

The OP said: " I'm confused as to why the manual shows what it does below for 4WD."
There is nothing there that should confuse you. It simply shows you how to engage the 4WD. SO ?

You also said Tractor Time with Tim said "he should not being doing loader work in 4WD." None of us know what the context of that remark may have been but overall it is bullcrap. Use 4WD when you feel you need it or it offers you an advantage. This thing is supposed to serve you, not the other way around.

And I agree with Sawyer Rob -- stop watching foolish videos. In fairness to TractorTime with Tim, there was almost certainly some kind of situation which we cannot know (and you apparently did not absorb) that caused Tim to make such a pronouncement. So ignore it.

 

[JME81]

I should have been more clear, TTWT was doing similar work as I was, a commenter, not Tim, said that.

To be clear, it's safe to be in 4WD and be scooping dirt?

 

[JWR]

I should have been more clear, TTWT was doing similar work as I was, a commenter, not Tim, said that.

To be clear, it's safe to be in 4WD and be scooping dirt?

It is safe to be in 4WD anytime you need it or want it. There is no such thing as a danger about being in 4WD. Forget that. Once you understand the machine and 4WD, etc. there are a lot of points to be made:

1) not good to be using it on dry pavement because that just wears tires worse and stresses the drive train due to slight differences in gearing from front to back, tire sizes, etc. Plus you generally have no need for it on pavement. Picture the average 4WD pickup truck. It has not only a differential in front and one in back but also a 3rd one in the middle which accommodates differences between front and rear rpm. You do not have that 3rd middle differential in a tractor. Differentials allow... go look it up if you do not already know.

2) Almost no tractors have front brakes. So especially on steep ground you often need/want all wheel braking. You get that in 4WD and not in 2WD.

3) A 2WD tractor is a stuck tractor ... and other opinions you do not need to hear. Good luck to ya.

 

[Farmer495]

I should have been more clear, TTWT was doing similar work as I was, a commenter, not Tim, said that.

To be clear, it's safe to be in 4WD and be scooping dirt?

Yes. If 4wd wasn't meant to be used it would be totally pointless to have it.

Only time I would NOT use 4wd for loader work would be on a hard, dry surface such as asphalt where the front wheels WON'T slip easily and you'll "feel" the binding in the driveline.

I usually read comments on videos for the comedic gold, things like "I always shift my Civic no clutch just like an 18 wheeler" "He should of shifted into low range for better traction" "never use overdrive when towing no matter what you drive"

 

[Thomas]

Lot of good advice been giving remember common sense when using FEL in 4wd.

 

[KennyG]

I would find it hard to accomplish much with the loader without 4WD. A tip though - you may find that you have very little rear wheel traction with the bucket loaded and 4WD is really helpful. However, that probably indicates you need rear counterweight. Loader work goes a lot better with ballast.

 

[MTGreen]

Technically a true 4WD transfer case is not a differential but an AWD transfer case is. Has to do with fixed versus variable ratios between output shafts

 

[jb1390]

Mine lives in 4wd unless I'm travelling on the road in high range or turning tight and trying to not scrub up grass. In other words, it is in 4wd unless 2wd is needed.

4wd is safer also, when in 2wd you have no front brakes. With weight added on the front that can get dangerous.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Technically a true 4WD transfer case is not a differential but an AWD transfer case is. Has to do with fixed versus variable ratios between output shafts

Well, if you want to get technical, none of these tractors are four wheel drive!

In "tractor speak" only tractors with the same size wheels/tires all around are 4wd, the others are MFWD tractors. (Mechanical Front Wheel Drive)

Yeaaa, the yuppies want to change that, but that's the way it always was, before they came along. lol

SR

 

[MTGreen]

Well, if you want to get technical, none of these tractors are four wheel drive!

In "tractor speak" only tractors with the same size wheels/tires all around are 4wd, the others are MFWD tractors. (Mechanical Front Wheel Drive)

Yeaaa, the yuppies want to change that, but that's the way it always was, before they came along. lol

SR

I was referring to the 3rd differential in trucks comment in post 11

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I was referring to the 3rd differential in trucks comment in post 11

I understand, and your post that I quoted was spot on. I only quoted you because you used the word "technically".

I'll add that not all 4wd pu's have AWD transfer cases, none of mine do. They are either "in" or "out".

SR

 

[number two]

Geez-if I dig into a dirt pile in 2WD,the back tires spin and dig up the dirt.