Traction 4wd use

[RalphVa]

You obviously do not have hills there or you'd figure it out. In 2wd, you only have brakes on your rear wheels, and the tractor will easily skid all the way down a hill, and you'll have absolutely no control which direction it'll skid in. If it goes sideways, you'll go rolling down the hill. Better have had your seat belt on.

I only take mine out of 4wd when going a long ways on paved road.

Ralph

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I only run my MFWD tractors, when I need it... I see no reason to leave it engaged when it's NOT needed.

By leaving it in, you are just using more fuel and putting more strain on the driveline...

SR

 

[ovrszd]

You obviously do not have hills there or you'd figure it out. In 2wd, you only have brakes on your rear wheels, and the tractor will easily skid all the way down a hill, and you'll have absolutely no control which direction it'll skid in. If it goes sideways, you'll go rolling down the hill. Better have had your seat belt on.

I only take mine out of 4wd when going a long ways on paved road.

Ralph

Not sure if you are talking to me. So, if you are, I have a LOT of steep terrain on my farm. My tractor spends more time in steep timber than anywhere else. Yep, brake control is critical. Maybe I'm just a control freak. But I like to select.

So, if you weren't talking to me, I'm just mumbling to myself....

 

[ovrszd]

I only run my MFWD tractors, when I need it... I see no reason to leave it engaged when it's NOT needed.

By leaving it in, you are just using more fuel and putting more strain on the driveline...

SR

That's how I see it SR. But now we'll hear about how the tractor's driveline is designed to stand that strain and that the increased fuel consumption is immeasurable.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

double post

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Not sure if you are talking to me. So, if you are, I have a LOT of steep terrain on my farm. My tractor spends more time in steep timber than anywhere else. Yep, brake control is critical. Maybe I'm just a control freak. But I like to select.

So, if you weren't talking to me, I'm just mumbling to myself....

Like I said, "when you need it", well, you have hills, so you need it...

SR

 

[TripleR]

Well I guess we all do what works best for our uses, like Richard (ovrszd), we have plenty of hills on our primary farm, but also some flat land, another mostly rolling hills and one flat and put to grade for irrigation. We use MFWD when needed, always have and always will, I just don't see the point in running MFWD when not needed; now some won't see the need to take it out, so I guess we'll all be happy.

 

[s219]

I generally use 4WD on demand, but if operating on a hill or doing heavy loader work on soft ground, it will be in 4WD full time. The enhanced braking on a hill or when carrying a navy load in front (which will offload the rear tires) make 4WD important, as it engages the front wheels when using the brakes. Otherwise only the rear wheels are braked in 2WD.

 

[kiotiken]

With my JD 955 (1700#), I don't think it ever came out of 4X4. My Kioti CK30 (3000# + loaded tires), I used it most of the time, winter and summer. With my DK45 (4500# + loaded tires), I don't need 4X4 very often. I still use it in the winter a fair bit but almost never use it in the summer.

 

[oosik]

I'm in 4WD only when needed. Heavy loads going up/down hills out in the dirt, plowing snow on the driveway, gumping thru the mud, crossing the moat between my two lakes, pulling logs etc.