Oil & Fuel Cost of operating in 4WD- just rubber and fuel?

[scott_vt]

Let the games begin on this old subject

 

[ovrszd]

Scotty, I see you are using my Dad's old philosophy, "Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt".
wonder how come I never learned that???

 

[HomeBrew2]

... Do you engage 4WD in your pickup every time you leave pavement?? ...

Although kindof a trick question, a good one. When I turn the key on my tractor, it's going to work. It's in 4WD. When I turn the key on my ranch truck, it's going to work. It's in 4WD. Now, when I use my street truck, it may be just transporting me and not working. When I work it off road, yes, it's in 4WD.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm not biting that worm either.. (grin)

Soundguy

 

[ovrszd]

I'm not biting that worm either.. (grin)

Soundguy

Now ya see Soundguy, you and Scotty are learning!!! I've saw you eyeball deep in this discussion before!!!!

 

[BillyP]

I use mine when needed and don't when I don't. 90% of the time I don't. I can almost always tell ahead of time when I need 4WD and it takes maybe 1/2 a second to engage.

 

[Soundguy]

I've said all I wanted to say back on that other thread.. not much left to say about that subject. It's in the archives with the rest of the flame wars and jihads etc about trannies.. 4wd.. and all those other hot topics.. (grin)

Soundguy

Now ya see Soundguy, you and Scotty are learning!!! I've saw you eyeball deep in this discussion before!!!!

 

[SPYDERLK]

Always in 4WD (except on rare occasion when on pavement).
When I buy a machine w/ gears in the front axle, I use it when off paved surface whether I need it or not. Let the games begin on this old subject

Usually seemingly harmless unless you have a 2000model Mahindra 4110. Then, as reported in another thread, you break axles unpredictably.
larry

 

[cp1969]

I will only engage it if I get rear wheel slippage. Until that happens, having it engaged would have done nothing except limit turning radius and cause more wear and tear on tires, terrain, and driveline. 4x4s that are intended to be full time include an inter-axle differential to account for speed differences during turning. I see no reason to have it engaged all the time as a matter of course when off pavement. But I don't operate in hills and don't need any additional braking, either.

Everybody's use will be different.

 

[wolc123]

In most cases, operating a tractor in 4wd saves fuel, sometimes a very considerable ammount. Basically, any time you use your tractor off of dry hard ground, sod, or pavement to pull or push a load you will save fuel in 4wd. This is because energy is not wasted pushing a "dead" axle through the soft ground and most of the engine's power is available to move the load. Take a look at the tractors working the big fields these days, they are almost all 4wd. With today's fuel prices, not many farmers can afford to waste fuel operating a big 2wd for tillage operations, and they have largely gone the way of the horse. I think most of this confusion is caused by the average CUT owner's greater familiarity with automobiles which usually operate on roads and do in fact use considerably more fuel in 4wd. If you do not believe that fuel can be saved in 4wd, try this test: Hitch your 4wd tractor to a disk and take it onto some tilled soil. Disengage the 4wd and note the throttle required to maintain a speed across the field (use gps to monitor speed). Now engage the 4wd and again note the throttle required to maintain the same speed. You will note that much less throttle, hense less fuel, is required in fwd. That extra throttle and fuel was needed in 2wd to move the "dead" axle. The bottom line here is that if you want to save fuel, you should leave it in 4wd almost all the time unless you are on the road.