4wd tractor vs 2wd

[aczlan]

Well, it sounds like your mind is made up and nothing anyone else can say will change it, so good luck with your 2wd tractor.

Aaron Z

 

[xtn]

ShannonCole,

You seem to be overly concerned with a tractor's weight distribution as it comes from the factory. The fact is that 4wd is helpful in many situations, and if you don't need it you can ballast your tractor to suit your needs for any given task while still having the ability to switch into 4wd if you ever find yourself needing a bit of extra pull.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

No one will state 2WD is better than 4WD when working in the dirt. I had to look hard to find the 2WD 2002 Blazer and 2003 Escalade because we just have NO need for it and both had over 100K miles on them at time of purchase so I did not want the potential associated repairs.

I would not consider a 4WD backhoe for same upkeep concern in a 30 year old worn out piece of heavy equipment. It does not have to be moved because I do not make a living with it nor do I want to be out in the mud.

With major physical limits the FEL and BH are awesome for lifting and spotting things by moving a few controls that I could never do by hand or a boom pole as well.

With that being said if it was not for pulling myself out with the hoe from time to time I would be getting the BH stuck.

For my retirement toys $$$ is a major concern. Spending $10K for a full size backhoe and a 16' flat dump truck I could come to grips with because about any day I can get most of that back plus I have no need for equipment that will still be good working equipment in 50 years.:laughing:

 

[belah]

I live in Louisiana where the ground can be anyhting but stable. I have a Kubota M4030SU 2wd with a Great Bend 360FEL. I have moved large(1200-1500lb) rolls of hay and stacked them 3-high without any problem. I have never had the need or wanted the increase maint. for a 4wd tractor. Of course I have the 14.9x28 rear tires filled with ballast and as said above, if I ever need moreweight on the rear, I can hook up an implement such as my Wood's 6ft rotary cutter which weighs 1125lbs. But I have rarely have the need for additional weight. Just like a 4wd truck, there are a lot more moving parts like bearings etc that can go out. I'm not against 4wd tractors as I have a lot of friends that swear by them, but i've never had the need for the little extra traction a 4wd provides.

 

[chopped]

Just today I was moving heavy buckets of fill dirt through a slightly wet condition dirt.I thought something was wrong, as the tractor went straight and the front wheels were turning up dirt.
I realized I hadn't gone into 4 wheel I reached down and pulled it in and the front wheels pulled instead of sliding and ripping the dirt.
I wasn't aware of any maint I should have done to the front wheel drive system its 23 year old and only had two seals replaced. Not much to maintain in my mind..
All and all it depends of your working conditions...

 

[LBrown59]

4wd over 2wd hands down

 

[BTDT2]

IMHO -- If not using an FEL than 2wd is OK.

 

[ShannonCole888]

A lot of 4wd equiped tractors won't work as well as ones that are only 2wd, if switched from 4wd to 2wd, because of the ballast issue. What I mean, is it won't be like that same tractor, that is a 2wd model, when you switch it from 4wd to 2wd. It won't be the same is a 2wd only tractor of the same model. Not all tractors are improperly ballasted from the factor, but usually a tractor that is on a proven design, that is, one that has been 2wd for a certain amount of years, then began being equiped with 4wd tends to not work as effective as it did in 2wd, even though the 4wd may add additional traction.

 

[ShannonCole888]

I haven't found a 4wd tractor that I like yet.. I don't forsee myself bying a 4wd tractor too much as of now.. I would spend the same amount I would pay for a 4wd tractor on a larger 2wd. It is just the type of work I plan on using it on. I would say my mind is made up pretty much so.

 

[ShannonCole888]

Here is some links to the type of properties I am looking at:

listings.listhub.net/pages/NCWVREIN/10075248/?channel=secondspace

listings.listhub.net/pages/NCWVREIN/10075247/?channel=secondspace

listings.listhub.net/pages/MRIS/HS7598153/?channel=secondspace

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34 Island View Drive Peterstown, WV 24963 - Real Estate | CENTURY 21

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