4wd vs. 2wd

[F350Lawman]

I have recently used my 4wd tractor to open up some muddy horse trails in the woods. With 2wd no driver on earth could get through, let alone back out. Trees to the left, trees to the right mud in front, no choice but to go through.

Not to say 4wd can't get stuck but in 2wd this would have been a guarantee.

Not to mention when I am pushing a pile of debris into a bonfire or into the woods and I run out of traction and need to use 4wd to continue. If I had 2wd I could take smaller piles but that just makes the job take longer

I agree there is no substitue for good driving but there are just some things that can't be done with a 2wd that CAN be done with a 4wd. Heck my truck won't even backup some small hills on wet grass in 2wd, add a tag trailer to the equation and you BETTER have 4wd /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.

As far as 4wd axles breaking easier MAYBE, but we can probably count the numbers of broken 4wd axles here on one hand and we have how many 1000's of members? Seems like a non-issue to me. Probably a better chance of wrecking your tranny or clutch as you rock the 2wd or spin while being stuck /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Also how many guys need to super weight down their 2wd to get the traction that a stock 4wd has... that can't be good either.

Only downside to 4wd is initial cost and a wider turning radius in some applications due to the axle setup. JMHO

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Guess I will finally chime in. There are still uses for 2wd tractors. Haying does not always require FWA and given the area you might be able to get by with 2wd's. I have a friend with a TN75 2wd and he does fine. I pull a 10' disc in 2wd with my 65 when the ground is dry (but when its wet the FWA gets kicked in). The advantage of FWA is that it puts the power to the ground. The rear wheels will spin too easily and you don't get the power to the ground.

Also, if all your going to do is run pto equipment you can get away with 2wd most of the times. However, I would never own a 2wd again as it will not work for me. If you are going to use a loader get FWA. If you are planning on ever doing any type of tillage get FWA. If you ever plan on doing something stupid that might get you in a jam get FWA. But if you are just going to play around with pto equipment like a tiller and chopper then you can get a 2wd, save a ton but skip the loader as it is useless on a 2wd (know from personal experience). You can get by with a 2wd loader but it waste a lot of energy and fuel trying to get something done in twice the time it would take you to do with a FWA tractor loader setup.

 

[farmerpsv]

Hmmm. Alrighty then, from reading all these posts I guess everyone believes 4wd is a waste of money and I should get 2wd. okay, I'm dislexic...sorry /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. uncle, I'll go with the 4wd...heck 1million tractor owners can't be wrong. just an aside, my JD 2020 has a FEL and I've never experienced any difficulties that I'm aware of. also, my tractor weighs in a 4800+ (tires are loaded) which is about the same as the TN65, I think maybe the TN weighs more. would y'all call my JD a CUT? I guess Im not thinking of the TN as a compact.
paul

 

[dieselsmoke1]

I gotta jump in on this one...

I've owned and operated many tractors over the years, all 2wd till a recent purchase of a 4wd utility tractor. Man, what a difference! It's not only what 4wd will do, but the level of confidence you have while operating it.

A short story. I recently purchased a 4wd pickup with 20k miles. My buddy bought a comparable new 2wd the same week. He had a good time chastising my ignorance because I paid more than he did. But ya know, after he walked about a mile out a muddy path and called me to pull his stuck pickup out, he changed his tune!

Moral of story: if your application only requires a 2wd, then buy it, if not definitely get the 4wd. You will not regret it.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

No, I do not call the TN's a Cut. TN's are Utility tractors. They are not Compacts in any sense of the term so don't worry about the few who mistake the terms. Seeing as you have most likely never used a FWA tractor with loader you would have no idea what the difference is between a FWA TN 65 with 32la Loader and your JD 2020 with loader. You will be wondering why it took you so long to change over.

Also, why don't you try a couple tractors out before you buy. See if you can demo a 2wd TN w/loader and a FWA TN w/loader. There is no better way to see the advantages of FWA then to compare like machines. Plus it will allow you to decide if it is something you really are going to need for your own use.

As for weight, a TN 65 FWA with 32LA loader will run around 3 ton. give or take about 500 pounds. One of these days I will pull mine in on the scales and find out for sure but till then...

 

[TonyC]

Excuse me if this is "piling on" but...

I have owned 2WD tractors for 20 years now...all shapes and sizes. Before my current tractor (Kubota) I had a John Deere with a 55 HP engine. My Kubota has a 39 HP engine and it would kick that JD's butt all over the field. Even with 16 less horsepower it is more tractor than that JD ever was. I am another who will NEVER own a 2WD again. And I also agree strongly that with a 2WD, I wouldn't bother with a FEL. When you back up with a bucket full on 2WD you'd better be on flat dry land or you're sunk. With the 4WD I can back up a steep hill with a full load of gravel on board. Now THAT'S a tractor!

Good luck which ever way you go! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[bgott]

Longer than that, actually. There were kits to retrofit Dodge Powerwagon military axles to Ford tractors back in the fifties. They might not have been factory but someone saw the need for it.

 

[bgott]

The easiest way to see what you've been missing using a loader on a 2WD is to find a dealer with a dirt pile you can play with. Run a 4WD tractor with a loader into the pile in 2WD and once the tires start to spin, haul it into 4WD. That sold me.

 

[Slamfire]

In my humble and evidently minority opinion, 4wd isn't worth the money it costs or the added mechanical complexity. In the first place it is really only 3 wheel drive when one wheel slips there is no differential lock to engage. As a consequense you only go a little farther with the 4wd before you get stuck. Generally just beyond the reach of the winch cable you have to pull yourself out.

 

[ipwanab]

I can not even back my tractor up a slight incline without 4wd while using the RFM. The back tires will spin. I always reach for the 4wd lever even before the differential lock, it is just easier. And like lawman said- in the woods you really need it.My size tractor would be nearly unusable without it.