Another 2wd vs 4wd question

[johnk]

I would definitely go for the 4 wheel. Braking alone might save your life if coming down a hill with a load in your bucket. And as others have stated when digging into a pile of dirt and curling the bucket the back wheels get unloaded and start to lose traction. 4WD all the way.

 

[tessiers]

Just a safey reminder, front wheels do not have brakes regardless of 4 wheel drive. The most you might hope for is a little engine resistance in the front end but with a 30hp engine even that is minimal. No rear wheels no brakes!!!!

 

[LD1]

Just a safey reminder, front wheels do not have brakes regardless of 4 wheel drive. The most you might hope for is a little engine resistance in the front end but with a 30hp engine even that is minimal. No rear wheels no brakes!!!!

The second half of your statement is INCORRECT.

It is true that the front wheels do not actually have brakes, but they are MECHANICALLY CONNECTED to the rear wheels. And thus, connected to the rear brakes.

Even if the rear wheels are completely in the air, as long as 4wd is engaged, the brakes will try to stop the front tires:thumbsup: WAY more than just engine braking.

Doesnt matter where the brake(s) are in the system, when everything is mechanically connected via gears and driveshafts, its all or nothing. Either everything is going to stop, or everything is going to be turning.

 

[BethesdaEC]

The second half of your statement is INCORRECT.

It is true that the front wheels do not actually have brakes, but they are MECHANICALLY CONNECTED to the rear wheels. And thus, connected to the rear brakes.

Even if the rear wheels are completely in the air, as long as 4wd is engaged, the brakes will try to stop the front tires:thumbsup: WAY more than just engine braking.

Doesnt matter where the brake(s) are in the system, when everything is mechanically connected via gears and driveshafts, its all or nothing. Either everything is going to stop, or everything is going to be turning.

The only exception to the front wheel braking is that the mechanical braking force coming through the drivetrain will be lost if one front wheel starts to slip. This is due to the differential sending the power the wheel with the least traction.

 

[Redneck in training]

The only exception to the front wheel braking is that the mechanical braking force coming through the drivetrain will be lost if one front wheel starts to slip. This is due to the differential sending the power the wheel with the least traction.

Assuming that the rear wheel brakes are locked one front wheel would have to spin backwards.

 

[LD1]

The only exception to the front wheel braking is that the mechanical braking force coming through the drivetrain will be lost if one front wheel starts to slip. This is due to the differential sending the power the wheel with the least traction.

Not as much as you would think. Because if the driveshaft is being "braked", and one wheel starts to lose its bite, the wheels will be forced to spin opposite directions. And that is unlikely.

We are not sending power. In a differential, there are 3 things. 2 axles and one driveshaft, agreed??

And in an open differential, at any time (except when the tractor is parked), TWO of those three HAVE to be moving. IE: under power it could be the driveshaft and only one wheel moving. BUT under braking, like in a lock-up situation, the driveshaft is NOT turning. Therefor, BOTH wheels either have to be locked UP, Turning the SAME direction, or turning OPPOSITE directions.

IF they are both locked up, they are both applying braking force. IF they are both turning the same direction, they are applying braking force.

Summary of this is, IF one wheel starts to loose traction as you suggest, it has to do more than lose traction. It actually has to spin backwards, which again, is unlikely.

 

[LD1]

Assuming that the rear wheel brakes are locked one front wheel would have to spin backwards.

YA just beat me to it

 

[Hammy]

4WD without a doubt. I wouldn't even waist my time with 2WD.

...and in my experience, when I'm in 4WD on my tractor, the braking is much better. Going down hill in 2WD can be pretty scary actually, even with an empty loader.

 

[k0ua]

Those who live and operate their tractors on flat lands may not have a good understanding of 4wd braking, but those of us that live on the slopes already know these things from personal experience often learned the hard way

James K0UA

 

[LD1]

Those who live and operate their tractors on flat lands may not have a good understanding of 4wd braking, but those of us that live on the slopes already know these things from personal experience often learned the hard way

James K0UA

Exactally:thumbsup:

That is one thing I really hate is the people who say "4wd doesnt mean the front wheels have brakes".

While that may be "politically correct", in reality, whats the difference.

For those that are familiar:

That is like saying that the 2.5T Military axles dont have rear wheel brakes. Since the brake assembly is on the other side of the pinion. In a sense, braking the driveshaft.

Which is exactally what a 4wd tractor does.

The rear brakes are connected to the rear axles, which is connected to the front driveshaft (IF in 4wd). So by applying the brakes (even though the pads are on the rear) it applys braking force to the entire system. INCLUDING the front driveshaft and thus the front wheels.

I guess what I am saying is that the "pads" themselves dont actually have to be on the front wheels for them to have braking pressure applied.

Heck, for that matter, the rear wheels dont actually have brakes. The axles do. The wheels are just connected to that axle that has brakes