FWA is not 4WD

[N80]

Has anyone here with an FWA tractor that has a differential lock been stuck to the point of having the FWA locked in and engaged the differential lock? Does the front lock up, too, or just the back?

The front does not lock up on my Kubota when the rear diff lock is engaged. The free wheel still spins. I would love a front diff lock!

I'm sure the day will come when my L4400 gets stuck. No doubt about it. But so far, between the diff lock and the front wheels pulling (one at a time even), I've gotten out of some amazing messes....an inch at a time.

Sure, anything can get stuck. I've witnessed three of the biggest bulldozers I've ever seen stuck in a swamp, up to the cabs. But did anyone notice a real problem with the original poster's situation, well, aside from the full loader? It seems to me when you drive into a tough situation in 2wd then try to get out in 2wd, you've already dug the rears down and 4wd might not save you. I always try to enter any traction problem already in 4wd. May not have saved the OP, but might have.

The hardest to 'stick' vehicle I've ever operated was a JCB shooting boom offroad forklift. It had front and rear wheel steering, but the rears could also be turned in phase (parallel) with the fronts and it would just 'crab' out of the darndest messes I've ever been in. I'm talking ruts 2-3 feet deep!

 

[redlevel]

The front does not lock up on my Kubota when the rear diff lock is engaged. The free wheel still spins. I would love a front diff lock!

I wouldn't swear to it, but I'm almost 100% sure the M6800 I had for a couple of years had a pedal for both front and rear differentials to lock. I never had occasion to use the front lock.

 

[RalphVa]

I run my 4010 in 4wd all the time, unless going a long distance on pavement.

Every time I've had its front or one rear tire spinning, I stop, hit the differential lock, and it moves out. Never had to use the FEL yet to get me out. My neighbor says he has had to do this on his 4310.

Ralph

 

[Dargo]

How about just going to tracks?! Certainly you wouldn't get stuck with tracks...right?

 

[redlevel]

How about just going to tracks?! Certainly you wouldn't get stuck with tracks...right?

Somebody had a baaaaaad day.

 

[scott_vt]

If you think you can't get stuck with "true 4WD" -- think again. 4 wheels spinning in the mud just buries you deeper faster. The hope is the one of the four corners can get some traction. If it can't, you're stuck.

Well said Jeff !

Bad judgement can also get you stuck quicker, FWA can help, but it certainly wont get you out of a spot where bad judgement was used !

 

[Iowachild]

Well said Jeff !

Bad judgement can also get you stuck quicker, FWA can help, but it certainly wont get you out of a spot where bad judgement was used !

Hey it's just like pick-up trucks. A 2WD pick-up is one you can drive out into a muddy field and get stuck. A 4WD pick-up is one you can drive way out into a muddy field and get really stuck!

 

[Glowplug]

What's the difference between 4-wheel drive (4WD), All-wheel Drive (AWD), Front-wheel Assist (FWA), and Mechanical Front Wheel Drive (MFWD)?

Hmmm. On second thought, you may not want to go there. We could start another 17 page thread!

 

[Casey1]

This cracks me up that the size of the tires have anything to do with whether it is four wheel drive or not. The wheels have to drive to assist. The wheels can't assist if they don't drive regardless of their size. Where some of this stuff comes from baffles me.

 

[Glowplug]

It actually has to do with the gearing. In true 4WD all wheels are geared alike and are somewhat "locked" together as a single unit. All wheels turn at the same RPM, cover the same amount of ground, have the same size tires, etc. In FWA/MFWD the front tires are usually smaller and they are geared so that they turn faster. Essentially the front tries to "pull" the rear along.

I do believe there truly is a difference and the size of the tires matters.
At least that's the way I understand it.