FEL with 2wd or 4wd

[7mmrum]

I have a question about tractors and using a FEL. I have read many posts here on this website, and I have found that the most forum members recommend the use of 4wd tractor and FEL together as opposed to a 2wd unit.

Why is this so important? I have not read a very good response, other then the majority recommend this. When would you lock in 4wd when using a FEL?

Would you say that if you were going with 2wd you would need more weight to compensate, over the 4wd unit?

Thanks,

7mmrum

 

[KiotiJohn]

Imagine that you have a heavy bucket full of material and your 2 WD tractor is not a really big one. The weight of the bucket would push the wheels down into the soil, in many cases, and make it hard to keep moving. Try going up a hill with a load, 2WD, small CUT. It's going to be rough going. You need the extra pulling power of the 4W assist.
Now if you were talking of a very large utility tractor then it's not such a problem. You'd have the HP and weight so that it wouldn't be the same difficulty.
Also, many smaller CUTs with 2WD can't stand the weight of the loader with a heavy load. I've seen some small Yanmar front ends snapped by putting a loader on them and doing heavy work. They just weren't designed for them. John

 

[7mmrum]

KiotiJohn,

Thanks for the reply in info.. So I guess the difference in weight (2wd vs. 4wd) being around 1000lbs isn't enough to make up the difference for the 2wd unit?

Thanks again,

7mmrum

 

[Argee]

I can only speak from my own experiences on this. I keep the tractor in 2WD as the default range and bring on the 4WD as required. Whenever I have attacked a hill of soil, sand, gravel etc. I can get it done in 2WD, it may take a little more time, but I can get it done. If I put the tractor into 4WD range I can do the same task much more efficiently and in much less time.

I have a neighbor that has a 2WD with a FEL and he seems to get by with his..I guess if you don't have it, you don't miss it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So I guess the difference in weight (2wd vs. 4wd) being around 1000lbs isn't enough to make up the difference for the 2wd unit? )</font>
I think it's much more a HP thing, and how well built the front end is. It's mighty hard to move through some soil in 2WD with a full bucket of heavy material. Also keep in mind that plenty of weight needs to be on the back regardless of 2/4WD to keep the rear tires grounded.
You originally asked when you'd lock in 4WD with a FEL. Any time you're having a hard time moving. Many times when doing FEL work, you're in soft soil and the front tires just bog down. Many small CUTs don't have the HP/torque to pull/push the front tires out of a bog. I hope this is a little clearer. John

 

[slowzuki]

Yup, as they say the traction issue is the main thing. Both need counterweight on the back.

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

The issue comes down to leverage. Hanging a heavy weight off a tractor's front, like a heavily loaded bucket, changes how the weight is distributed between the front and rear tires. This effect is obvious when you try to lift too much and the rear wheels come off the ground.

Keep in mind traction is a function of weight. On 2wd tractors moving the weight forward to the non driven wheels reduces the amount of power the driven rear wheels can apply to the ground. At some point, based on the load and terrain, the rear tires become too light to move the machine. With a 4wd machine the front wheels will actually have better traction and can still apply power to the ground. Rear ballast helps keep the drive wheels firmly planted, but of coarse there is a limit to how much weight the machine can carry before an axle or tire fails. In general 4wd tractors have more usable FEL capacity than an equally sized 2wd counterpart.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Dk45Jeff. Thanks for adding that. I was sitting here, trying to think of exactly what it was that I was missing in my response. You hit it on the head. Thanks again, John

 

[MMM]

FWA can be dangerous for loader work as well. When a properly ballasted 2wd tractor is overloaded you lose traction and know it. An FWA will keep trudging along until that little change in terrain or too quick stop lets you know after it's too late. I've seen it quite a few times loading round bales. Don't get me wrong, FWA is great for loader tractors, but you have to really be in tune to how the FWA tractor behaves compared to 2wd.

 

[rambler]

Older long wheel-base tractors work well with 2wd and proper weighting of the rear.

These compact tractors are a differenrt critter. They have a very short wheelbase, and are very light compared to their power. Also, the front tires tend to be small & narrow compared to a bigger tractor.

The short wheel base & light weight of the tractors are the big things - there just is little weight on the rear end for any traction.

This is also what makes them dangerous & tippy compared to a utility or bigger class tractor.

--->Paul