4wd vs. 2wd

[farmerpsv]

Hey all,
Am going to buy a new tractor this month, and still havn't decided on 4wd or 2wd. Am looking at the NH TN65. 2wd is 19,500 with 32la FEL and 2 remotes, 4wd is 25,500, an extra 6k. I have been using a JD 2020 w/FEL. I use a tiller, bush hog and chisel plow. Have had no problems with pulling the tiller or hog, the chisel pulls back sometimes, but I don't do subsoiling that often. I have been working a fairly flat property and recently moved to a place with more roll to the land. We get a bit of snow, not the north pole though. I use the FEl for moving piles of mulch, compost, and have thought of using it to dig a pond. Having never had 4wd, I might be shocked and surprised at how I ever lived without it...but I somehow doubt it. 4wd is a fairly new inovation as tractors go, is it not? Grandpa did fine without it...course, he didn't have indoor plumbing either /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. so, any input would be helpful, I'm trying to be objective, 6k is a new roof.
thanks,
paul

 

[slowrev]

One thought. When doing serious digging with a FEL, I don't think 4WD will help much as you have so much downward pressure on the bucket that the front wheels have little or no pressure on them anyway. When doing general FEL work though 4WD will be helpful in some cases.

 

[normde2001]

"4wd is a fairly new inovation as tractors go, is it not?"

True....4wd is as new as "compact utility tractors", (CUT's), and came in as pretty much a necessity due to their lighter weight and lack of traction.

 

[cowboydoc]

It will be one of the things where you ever wonder how you did without it. I wouldn't buy a new tractor without mfwd. Without a doubt it gives you the pulling power of a tractor a couple sizes above it. You'll go right through that subsoiling with ease where you had problems before. The new tractors are setup with headland management system that incorporates the mfwd into the farming itself. I don't think that NH would have it but the mfwd will be a great asset.

With a loader you will notice significant difference with mfwd. If you have a big load it's very tough to turn. With mfwd it's a breeze.

It's definitely worth the $6k in my book not to mention if you ever want to sale your resale will be much greater too.

mfwd and 4wd have been around for 30 plus years it's nothing new on tractors.

 

[cowboydoc]

mfwd and 4wd in tractors has been around for 30 years. It's nothing new.

 

[Egon]

For loader work the 4 wheel drive sure makes life easier when you have a full bucket and your backing out of the hole you are digging. Its also a help when loading loose material on the level.

Egon

 

[_RaT_]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

Calling John Miller, John Miller you have a 4Wd drive question waiting for you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

John explains the benefits of 4WD drive in a very effective and convincing way. I wish I could find his post to a perspective tractor owner. I believe he was considering a Kubota with 2WD and he was pretty stubborn about it being 2WD because he thought 4WD was overrated. His post eliminated in my mind any doubts this guy should have had.

 

[pruntyc]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

Of course you can also consider the 2 wd axle will take more weight than a 4wd. And if it is too much weight and breaks the 2wd axle can be welded and go on. You can't say that about the 4wd. This is a never ending thing, some likes one the other likes the other one. It is a personal choise. I personally like the 2wd. Each as its drawbacks and pluses. We will never have a just one answer to this. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[farmerpsv]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

okay...i'll wait for John Miller. i guess i'm feeling stubborn also. I need to be convinced. everything folks have said makes sense, but all seem to be exception cases as opposed to every day needs.
thanks for everyones input
paul

 

[normde2001]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

I seriously would not let anything other than price be the determining factor on a compact tractor. Anything you can do with 2wd, you can do better with 4wd when it comes to pulling, because of traction. My first, and only tractor is a 2wd because of price and ignorance, but my next one will definitely be 4wd.

 

[RichZ]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

Although, I'm quite sure 4wd is very advantageous, a lot depends on what you're used to. I have two tractors, although neither one is a cut. Both my tractors are vintage and have 2 wd. I use them for snow removal in the winter (as well as all sorts of farm related and non-farm related uses the rest of the year)and keep chains on them in the winter. My property is pretty hilly. I've only gotten my smaller tractor stuck once, and it was my own fault, and I quickly pulled it out with the larger tractor. I've never used a 4wd tractor, so I've never experienced the difference. So in my case, I'm very satisfied with 2wd.

That being said, if I could afford 4wd on my next tractor, I'd probably get it, but since I doubt that I could afford it, I probably won't. You can certainly make do with 2wd, if you are careful. It certainly saves you money in the purchase of a tractor.

 

[fivestring]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

<font color="green">"more roll to the land. We get a bit of snow." </font>

4wd.
As has been noted before, anything you can do with a 2wd, you can do more of with 4wd and with a smaller engine.
I had the same choice as you, bought the 4wd and have not looked back since.
Good luck.

 

[snowman]

4wd is definitely worth it. I need it sometimes even when just mowing on slightly hilly areas (I have a MMM). If you doing any FEL or tiller work, same answer, as there is a huge difference in what you can do. Many times I forget that I have it in 2wd and start slipping or just can't do what I want, then I remember to put it in 4wd.

Any work in snow is also, in my opinion, a good reason for the 4wd, as the littlest bit of ice or getting the rears stuck in the snow will probably have you standing still if you have 2wd.

 

[Bird]

I had a neighbor who has 3 John Deeres in the 100hp class, all air-conditioned cabs, and all 2WD. They get the work done; he puts duals on the rear for some jobs, but just as Cowboydoc said, this neighbor told me he'd never buy another new tractor without 4WD. Neither would I unless I simply didn't have the money for the 4WD. I'd rather go to a smaller tractor with it than the larger one without it. I think you can figure the 4WD adds 20-25% to your pulling power.

And of course, that's my (and a lot of other folks') personal opinion; yours may differ.

 

[SethO]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

I beg to differ, there is no disadvantage to having 4WD. Put another way, there is nothing that a 2WD can do that a 4WD cannot do.

Those with 4WD continue to post experiences whereby they got out of situations by engaging 4WD, no one is yet to post that they engaged 2WD from 4WD to get out of a jam. Finally on these tractors, the option to go 2WD is still there.

The additional capability of 4WD has its price, the question is not whether 4WD is better than 2WD, but whether for each person his use of the tractor will justify the extra expense.

SethO

 

[slowrev]

4WD is nice, and will improve your tractors performance for most all uses. It does cost more up front and in the long term. Maintenance/repair costs will be higher for a 4WD tractor. I also keep hearing about replacing front axle seals in Kubota's about every 500 hours or so. For the ease of steering power steering is a must for 2wd, especially if you have a loader, and is on all of the newer CUT's, I think. The only other 4WD negative things I can think of is that you MUST keep the front to rear tire size ratio balanced. And they may tend to dig up your lawn a bit when in 4WD.

With all of that said, if I were buying a new small tractor (CUT) I would buy a 4WD.

 

[cowboydoc]

No thinking about it Bird the mfwd will add at least 20-25% to your pulling power. Almost all fieldwork farming anymore is done in mfwd. The 8000 and 9000 series John Deere tractors it's such an integral part of farming that it's not even an option, it's standard equipment. It's not only for traction anymore but is for pulling and turning power. You hit the nail right on the head when you said to go down to a tractor you could afford with less hp and 4wd. You will be better off with that tractor than with one with 2wd.

 

[jlemon]

I've only had my Kubota 3830 for two weeks now, but have already found the 4wd invaluable. I've managed to get the tractor stuck several times (field mowing on slopes) and only extracted the machine after engaging 4wd. For that matter, I've gotten stuck with 4wd engaged too, and needed to use the differential lock (another great feature) to extricate myself.

I was also running the scarifier teeth of a boxblade across a washout gully to break it up and relevel the area, which is another task that called for 4wd. The added traction was needed to pop out all the volleyball sized rocks in the area, as well as keeping the tractor moving when one of the wheels dropped down into the washout.

 

[s1120]

Re: 4wd vs. 2wd, ++Calling John Miller++

<font color="green"> That being said, if I could afford 4wd on my next tractor, I'd probably get it </font>

But Rich. That would mean you would probably have to get a Diesel. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[chrisjbell]

For what it is worth, my vote is 4WD. The arguments put forth pretty much sum up my experience, so if you can afford it I'd recommend 4WD. But 2WD is better than no tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif