4x4 - Don't know what I'd do without it!

MMM · Apr 21, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

( front wheel assist/drive to do well with a loader )

What about for gardening? l'm looking at replacing my SuperC with a small CUT for the lawn and acre garden. In the heavy soil I used to farm, the main problem was keeping front end down in stiff spots and 4wd wasn't so useful except on front heavy articulateds. Do you guys think it's really neccesary for subsoiler, disc, and hiller work? I'm in sandy loam now and not too familiar with little tractors, except little Cubs, which always seemed to pull fine without 4wd. Maybe a tire size advantage? I won't have a loader for CUT, so I really hate to pay more for 4wd if I don't need it for lawn and garden work.

KiotiJohn · Apr 21, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

( I'm in sandy loam now and not too familiar with little tractors, except little Cubs, which always seemed to pull fine without 4wd. Maybe a tire size advantage? I won't have a loader for CUT, so I really hate to pay more for 4wd if I don't need it for lawn and garden work. )
The older tractors as you mention were a different animal than the newer CUTs. They had different gearing and large tires for their HP. Most of the little CUTs out today almost need 4x4 to work in softer soils. However, you could probably get away with it okay since you won't have the heavy weight of a FEL pushing down on your front tires. Most CUTs are switchable 2/4 WD these days. All of Kioti's now are.
I would want a reasonably heavy tractor for the digging stuff, and since you have sandy soil, something similar to my CK20 would probably serve you well. You will probably still require some front weight to keep the front grounded when ground engaging. I don't think 4x4 is all that much more costly these days as in the past.
John
John

schole · Apr 24, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

I can get more done with a 34 hp 4x4 loader than with my Dad's 60 hp 2wd loader -- no question.

Discing or harrowing all day on level, loamy, well drained soil -- I supose I might consider investing in more hp and physical size with just 2wd. But do anything else -- I mean anything -- and you will love that 4x4! I would always keep in the back of my mind where my front tires are sinking, and how the balance of weight is shifting off the rear tires when working a 2wd -- if I didn't, I'd be stuck sooner than later. Not so with 4x4. Too steep or slippery to walk with your boots? Take the 4x4 CUT! They are NOTHING like the old stand-by 2wd farm tractors (even with a good set of chains).

Shawn

PineRidge · Apr 25, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

I agree with you, if all my chores were on level ground then I might consider 2WD, I say again might.

But in the real world there is as much up and down and mud and slick wet grass than flat and level. The 4WD tractor is the perfect solution to get the job done in the least amount of time.

This is also where New Holland really shines with their SensiTrak clutch. The 4WD is applied automatically whenever the wheels start to slip and most of the time you never know it's even happening other than the fact that you don't get stuck and your wheels don't spin.

And because it's automatic you don't need to be driving around in 4WD when you really don't actually need to be doing so. Once the tractor is put in a position that 4WD is no longer needed the SensiTrak clutch puts the rig back into 2WD.

For this reason I can count on one hand the number of times that we have had the 4WD in the manual, locked position since we have purchased the tractor. The majority of the time it is in automatic position and works really slick. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

chatcher · Apr 25, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

( I would always keep in the back of my mind where my front tires are sinking, and how the balance of weight is shifting off the rear tires when working a 2wd...)

I used to get stuck in the muck all the time with a 2wd Ford 601. The TC is vastly better. In my situations I think the reason is not only the extra traction, but the tendency of the front wheels to climb their way up out of the hole they sank in, rather than just plowing through it like the 2wd. The same goes for driving over obstacles. Less rear wheel traction is required to lift the front wheels up and over because they are actively climbing.

Bob_Young · Apr 25, 2005

Re: 4x4 - Don\'t know what I\'d do without it!

Well I'm certainly a believer. Two years ago when I started seriously considering a CUT, I couldn't see the need for 4WD and was limiting my research to 2WD only. Thousands of hours on 2WD Ag tractors had convinced me that I could get the job done without 4WD. Think I even posted as much here once or twice.

However, TBN, one or two other sources, and time on a couple of large 4WD Ag tractors convinced me otherwise.

The L4300 I bought in December was 4WD and I don't believe there was an hour on the tach before I'd used 4WD twice to get out of tight spots. As light as the L4300 is, it is phenomenal how hard it pulls. Loader utility has to be at least 40% greater with 4WD compared to without.

Before buying a 4WD tractor, it's a good idea to compare turn radius specs among the various models you're considering. Some turn tighter than others and you don't want to give up the CUT's advantage of manueverability. The Kubotas and NHs seem to do well in this regard. Deere & Kioti probably do very well too, but I haven't checked. Did look at Farmtrac 4WD and, once I unraveled their backhanded way of expressing this, realized the model I was considering couldn't turn nearly as tight as a Kubota.

I have noticed that, while in 4WD, differential braking seems less effective at tightening up a turn than in 2WD. This may be because the brakes have to overcome the traction of the front wheels to tighten the turn and this isn't easy if 4WD is doing its thing.
Bob