FEL and 4WD - How necessary?

[buickanddeere]

Nothing to worry about damaging the front drive on a modern hydrostatic tractor. An older gear transmission with a loader and a rough operator could wear out or break the front drive components.

 

[DeereMann]

mthornton,

how about take it from a fellow SCUT noob - not only are these guys good at spending your money :laughing:, they are also right. I was in the same spot as you this spring and would not THINK of getting a 2WD SCUT w/o a FEL now that I've got 105 hours on my 4WD FEL SCUT! Putting the new snowblower on now.

Esp. with the great financing that's out there now with record low interest rates.

Since we've all moved to this, keep in mind that NOT doing this will instantly lower the value of a 2WD / nonFEL tractor if you get one.

Good luck - spend that dough! :thumbsup:

 

[sd455dan]

Buick & Deere
I think that statement may be in error - here is a test

If a person takes a new FEL equipped 4x4 CUT hydrostatic tractor-

loads the bucket to its rated lift capacity and

puts it in 4x4 on dry pavement

turns the steering wheel to lock and

starts going in circles

Do you believe that this will not be considered abuse?- if an axle shaft snaps or other drivetrain part fails.


Am I missing something here I was under the impression that Most 4x4 CUTs whether hydrostatic or gear- still use mechanically driven transfer box with no differential action between front and rear axle.

I know there are some tractors that only have a front wheel assist but my understanding is that most 4x4 tractors are directly coupled to the front axle by a transfer box...?

If I'm way off on my understanding of this -my apologies

 

[pinetree10]

Having done it both ways I consider having a tractor with out a loader equal to missing your right hand and not having FWD on top of that equal to missing both hands. You can still go ahead but you have a hard time grabbing onto the work and putting it where you want it.

Pinetree10: If your tires are spinning a lot while loading you don't have enough ballast in the tires or on the 3PH. Did you get your rears liquid filled?

I believe you're right about that. I've since put additional weight in the ballast box and it's a significant improvement.

 

[Beltman60]

about 3 1/2 years ago I was looking the same way
only I knew I needed a fel
I had my dad go to every auction around with 10k in his pocket looking for my next tractor
after about 6 months he says your not going to like whats out there
most older tractors were going for more than when they were new and the newer models are only about 2-3k less than a new

so I started looking at new
looked at every color around the area

ended up at my dads and mine old JD dealer and made a deal of 5k down and $200/ month for 60 months o%

now the boss (aka wife) didn't want me to buy a new tractor but once it was at the house and used for a couple of months she says how did we ever do with out it
a month later tells me make 2 payments this month because its worth it (didn't take her up on that with 0%)

JD 3032e 4wd fel 2rear remotes

if you need to move anything a fel is the way to move it
being a light weight tractor 4wd is a must
in and around a barn HST is a must (also makes it easy enough for wife and then 13 year old daughter to use)

MY :2cents:

 

[vtsnowedin]

Buick & Deere
I think that statement may be in error - here is a test

If a person takes a new FEL equipped 4x4 CUT hydrostatic tractor-

loads the bucket to its rated lift capacity and

puts it in 4x4 on dry pavement

turns the steering wheel to lock and

starts going in circles


You are saying that this is Normal use and will not be considered abuse- if an axle shaft snaps or other drivetrain part fails.


Am I missing something here I was under the impression that Most 4x4 CUTs whether hydrostatic or gear- still use mechanically driven transfer box with no differential action between front and rear axle.

I know there are some tractors that only have a front wheel assist but my understanding is that most 4x4 tractors are directly coupled to the front axle by a transfer box...?

Interesting question. I don't know as that is anything you would ever do in real use. My gear tractor has differentials front and rear but as you say there is no diff. action between front and rear axles so the fronts are always trying to get ten percent ahead of the rears to give positive steering. In a full lock circle both diffs. would put power to the outside tire and as long as they were in the same wheel track shouldn't be any different then moving straight ahead other when you first turn the wheel to make the circle.
In normal use you crowd into a pile and load your bucket then back out, sometimes up a greasy pit slope, then stop, turn ninety degrees while pulling forward to the spreader or other goal and dump your load. Wash rinse repeat. If you have dry hard level surface to work on fine use 2WD but the rest of us working in the slime get along better in FWD and let the fronts slide in the ooze.
As to the HST having an advantage that would depend on how it is set up. If the connection between front and rear axles are hoses then yes but if the outputs from the tranny are shafts there may or may not be a differential action between them. Hard for me to see how they would keep front and rear axles in time without a ridged shaft between them but I haven't looked into it.

 

[pacerron]

mthornton,

how about take it from a fellow SCUT noob - not only are these guys good at spending your money :laughing:, they are also right. I was in the same spot as you this spring and would not THINK of getting a 2WD SCUT w/o a FEL now that I've got 105 hours on my 4WD FEL SCUT! Putting the new snowblower on now.

Esp. with the great financing that's out there now with record low interest rates.

Since we've all moved to this, keep in mind that NOT doing this will instantly lower the value of a 2WD / nonFEL tractor if you get one.

Good luck - spend that dough! :thumbsup:

But you forgot his budget is less than 10k. and he wants a tractor big enough to run a decent sized brush hog and have enough power and weight to move some dirt, drag some logs, and pull some stumps for trail development.
There is no free lunch. If you work a true cash deal, even with John Deere, you will find that there is no zero percent. The cost is just buried in the payments. Same as cars.
Even if you have to finance with someone other than the seller, you will often be money ahead, by paying the dealer cash.
Work one dealer against the other with cash deal quotes written on paper. Thousands of dollars can disappear from your "so called" zero interest deal on the total cost.
On something less than 10k and used it could be a win for the buyer or a loss depending on the condition of the equipment and its past use.

 

[Papasmirf]

I never again buy a tractor without FEL and 4x4 and standard tranny. I've seen too many problems with HST. I've own tractors from a 15hp rice paddy tractor (Iseki) to a JD 5200, all but one have all been diesel.y 2007 New Holland TC30 is a fine piece of equipment.

 

[vtsnowedin]

But you forgot his budget is less than 10k. and he wants a tractor big enough to run a decent sized brush hog and have enough power and weight to move some dirt, drag some logs, and pull some stumps for trail development.
There is no free lunch. If you work a true cash deal, even with John Deere, you will find that there is no zero percent. The cost is just buried in the payments. Same as cars.
Even if you have to finance with someone other than the seller, you will often be money ahead, by paying the dealer cash.
Work one dealer against the other with cash deal quotes written on paper. Thousands of dollars can disappear from your "so called" zero interest deal on the total cost.
On something less than 10k and used it could be a win for the buyer or a loss depending on the condition of the equipment and its past use.

Yes it is in there just like Prego sauce but there is also inflation to account for. As long as your income is steady or likely to keep up with inflation buying now at their price at zero percent means you will be paying off the tractor with increasingly less valuable dollars and unlike a car a utility tractor will still have years of life left in it when the 60 months are all done. Putting 10K down on a tractor that really fits your needs for the next twenty years and financing the rest at 0 percent is the best deal I've seen in forty years.

 

[mthornton]

Your story sounds just like mine Beltman60. I keep riding by the Mahindra/MF dealership near work and have to resist stopping. I really like both the Mahindra and MF line but I know they are gonna give me a price that will make me cringe. However, with the 0% for 84 months currently offered, I am tempted to see what kind of monthly payment I can lock in. I hate to finance and spend more than I wanted, but I would not have to worry about getting a lemon, and would have a tractor with much higher resale value and demand if I had to sell.
Gonna keep my eye out for used, but new is looking better and better.