Traction Locking front differential?

[Smokeydog]

My M5030DT is built like a tank. Has front autolocking differential. With hilly East Tennessee makes a huge difference.

Hillside mowing, turning uphill and loader operations are greatly enhanced and unnoticed until you try the same with a tractor without it. L3800 and M59 don’t have it. Not sure what tractors have the locking front diff now and didn’t get much help from the dealer. Was hoping the M59 could replace the M5030. The older tractor is a real puller. I know tires make difference.

Grooving the front R4 tires of M59 helped traction.
Maybe I need to quit climbing mountains.

 

[diesel85]

I've always wondered this. They offer, by standard, a locking rear diff.

Why not an option for a front diff lock? Odd...

I could even use this moving snow in slick conditions to turn the tractor from a 3 wheel spinner to a 4 wheel spinner.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My farm tractor has a manual locking front diff... It was an option...

SR

 

[Smokeydog]

My understanding the M5030 locking differential is a ratcheting type similar to a Detroit locker. It allows either side to over speed the outside tire like in turn to reduce scuffing. Equal power and speed is always available to both wheels. Maybe the only “DT” (double traction) models had this feature? It’s always engaged in four wheel drive. Thought this would be more common on all 4x4 tractors. A regular or open differential like in the rear sends power to the wheel with the least amount of traction.

 

[JWR]

How does that locking front diff feature work? Do you have manual control over it or no ?

I had heard that some newer large tractors (e.g. over 90hp) tend to have limited slip front differentials rather than locking. True ?

 

[Smokeydog]

No manual control for the front axle.

 

[rScotty]

No manual control for the front axle.

We have manual selectable locking front, rear, and center diffs on our cars - Toyota LandCruisers come that way stock. But I've never had any of that on a 4wd tractor. It sounds fascinating.

On the cars, locking the front differential makes steering difficult, How does it work for turning with a load in the FEL? Does the tractor also have a locking center driveshaft differential?

Along with locking axles, the cars also have the option of locking the driveshaft differential between the front and rear axles. That's a total of three different locking differentials, and having the center driveshaft locking option seems pretty important if you are going to lock up both axles at once. But once you lock everything it pretty much only goes in a straight line.

rScotty

 

[Fallon]

My understanding the M5030 locking differential is a ratcheting type similar to a Detroit locker. It allows either side to over speed the outside tire like in turn to reduce scuffing. Equal power and speed is always available to both wheels. Maybe the only “DT” (double traction) models had this feature? It’s always engaged in four wheel drive. Thought this would be more common on all 4x4 tractors. A regular or open differential like in the rear sends power to the wheel with the least amount of traction.

DT is Kubota speak for front wheel assist. Basically 4wd, although technically 4wd refers to machines with equally sized tires.

 

[JWR]

DT is Kubota speak for front wheel assist. Basically 4wd, although technically 4wd refers to machines with equally sized tires.

Strictly a question: Why would 4wd refer technically to machines with equally sized tires? What did you mean there ?

 

[diesel85]

Technically, the only time you lock an axle up is going in a straight line. If not you can risk serious damage.