Traction MFWD or 2wd?

[SVaughn]

I am trying to decide whether in the future to buy a 2wd or a MFWD tractor for my farm jobs such as mowing and rolling hay, chisel plowing, dialing, and planting corn. I am thinking that it will be a small row crop tractor around 110 pto horsepower. The question at mind is whether or not MFWD tractors take more space to turn around. I have heard from some that it doesn't take much more room to turn around, and others that say that "4wd's have their place, but not in front of a roll baler, because you have to drive them to town and back to turn them around." What do you all think?

 

[Duffster]

This is always interesting.

dialing,?

 

[glc24]

Hello S and WELCOME TO TBN

I don't know much about the larger stuff,but my neighbor has a 6430 and a 6830,and I've seen the round baler (I take it that is a roll baler?) behind both of them,and it sure doesn't seem to be any big deal in turning radius.

Greg

 

[radman1]

I farm and have variety of 2wd and mfwd tractors. I have a case-in maxxum 125 which is the size you are considering. 2wd drive will turn much tighter. Small mfwd's such a a CUT or smaller utility tractor turn tightly. Ag tractors of the size you are considering take a lot of room to turn in my opinion. Bigger front tire will hit the frame or engine cover if set them to turn tight. My large ag mfwd's will actually turn tighter. Large mfwd tractors have sculptured frames/engines and allow the wheel to tuck under the motor. However, lots of guys use mfwd for haying. Just need to skip every other row of hay. You can set mfwd to wider width and turn better but that is not good for row crops. Mfwd will handle a loader better.

You mentioned tillage work like chisel plowing. 2wd without dials will have significant slippage. Mfwd will do much, much better. You won't want dials for row crops if you spray or cultivate.

If you were just haying, 2 wd would be fine. If you want to do it all, consider mfwd. Go drive a mfwd to see it it will work.

Mfwd will cost more, but the resale will almost make back the difference in the greater cost of mfwd.

 

[SVaughn]

Hello S and WELCOME TO TBN

I don't know much about the larger stuff,but my neighbor has a 6430 and a 6830,and I've seen the round baler (I take it that is a roll baler?) behind both of them,and it sure doesn't seem to be any big deal in turning radius.
Greg

You're right, where I am from we commonly call round balers roll balers

 

[SVaughn]

This is always interesting.

dialing,?

I meant to say disking. I am not the best at typing with small keys

 

[SVaughn]

radman1 mentioned earlier that I should drive a MFWD to see if it would work. My neighbor used to use a John Deere 7210 MFWD with loader to roll hay, but bought a 6615 2wd a few years ago and now uses the 6615 for rolling, drilling seed, etc. When I asked his daughter why he did so, she told me that the MFWD would "bounce" too much and that it was harder to steer.

 

[bigbull338]

yes buy a 4x4 no question about it.most all of the new tractors sold now are 4x4s.the only time a 2wd is sold is if its used during the summer.

 

[beenthere]

SVaughn
:welcome:

Where are you from?
If no hills, then maybe debatable. But if hills, then MFWD.
Some of these newer tractors have lighter mass in the rearend. FEL needs ballast back there, and MFWD is real useful if you have FEL.

Also, 2wd resale will be much less if/when that time rolls around.

Rolling hay here is getting it into a windrow to bale, with round baler or square.

 

[SVaughn]

This is really some helpful info! Keep it coming!

 

[Duffster]

I am a bit of a fan of 2WD. UNLESS it is primarily a loader tractor.

Unless you are trying to farm several hundred acres with that tractor you probably won't/don't need to buy implements big enough to notice a difference in traction.

Yes resale will be better with 4WD but probably not enough to cover carrying costs. If you really need the pulling power you can spend the extra 10k 4WD will cost you and spend it on a bigger tractor. Then you have the power on the PTO and when on the road as well.

 

[Victory Pete]

Have you ever heard of a "2 legged Mule"? Good luck in your decision and Happy New Year!

VP

 

[JD 4520]

Where are you from?
If no hills, then maybe debatable. But if hills, then MFWD.

As stated By beenthere, hills are a big factor and MFWD necessary for this reason alone. Don't learn the hard way.

 

[scrappy isb67]

a 2wd and MFWD in the same size tractor will turn nearly the same. JD's caster action frontend design and the 100 hp area tractors are "sculpted" like was mentioned previously makes them turn very sharply. so unless you are trying to pull a single basket rake, turning radius shouldn't be a factor. IMHO, a 2wd is a dinosaur, and what you are going to spend to buy the tractor to begin with, MFD is not that much more. while I was growing up, we baled with a 3588 (articulated 4wd) and never had issues with turn radius and the JD MFWD's turn shorter than it did.

 

[D7E]

radman1 mentioned earlier that I should drive a MFWD to see if it would work. My neighbor used to use a John Deere 7210 MFWD with loader to roll hay, but bought a 6615 2wd a few years ago and now uses the 6615 for rolling, drilling seed, etc. When I asked his daughter why he did so, she told me that the MFWD would "bounce" too much and that it was harder to steer.

Load of rubbish , 4x4 larger tyres smooth the ride more and steer/travel easier in loose dirt .

 

[Bigfoot62]

I bought my last 2wd tractor nearly 20 years ago, and replaced it with a MFWD in 2003. I still have one 2wd, but that's mostly because it was my Dad's, and it's handy for a few jobs, like pulling the finish mower, broadcasting seed, and pulling a one-row planter.

I harvest about 55 acres of hay meadow for myself, and another 35 acres for a neighbor. I use MFWD tractors exclusively. I've never had a problem with turning radius. The hay rake or baler will limit your turning radius more than the MFWD will.

The ONLY way I would even consider a 2wd tractor in the future, is if (a) it would never be fitted with a loader and (b) I would still have my two MFWD's for "real" work.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

For haying I like 2wd and prefer it as it will turn tighter. For tillage work I prefer FWA. This last year I needed FWA to hay as there were wet spots that the kicker wagon wanted to sink in (it wasn't a good year).

I don't know your operation if you are a one tractor farm or are just adding a tractor to your fleet so I will just say this, if your main use is haying with just a little tillage go with the 2wd if that will work for you. If your doing a lot of tillage then I would want FWA.

What I like to do for haying is rake with the same tractor/same size tractor that I will use to bale. Its not always an option but if you do then you know your baler will do fine with the windrows as your windrows are made with the wider turn radius of the FWA tractor so their easier to follow.

 

[D7E]

For the grain we run articulted tractors and have several fwa's for lighter work along side the 2wd's. In our app a fwa is essential for spraying to get it done when conditions would'nt normally allow it . If we were exclusiveley hay i would'nt even think about a fwa as regardless of brand it is more headaches somewhere down line and not worth the expense but a lot of you guys are'nt putting 500 hours a year on tractors so maybe a non issue .
Turning circle is a non issue too as our fwa's will turn far shorter than the PTO angle will allow on many machines .
But european model tractors have generally been pretty much standard FWA since the 80's and are generally shy'd away from due to their spec and can be bought cheap in NA ...good buys in my opinion !

 

[Duffster]

It seems few take into account the upfront purchase price of 4WD. It would seem even less acount for the increased operating expense of 4WD.

 

[Bigfoot62]

It seems few take into account the upfront purchase price of 4WD. It would seem even less acount for the increased operating expense of 4WD.

It's worth it, for me anyway.
IIRC, it was about a $5000 option. That's a small price to pay for not being stuck, and for not spinning tires when pulling plows, discs, etc. Also, as already mentioned, when using a loader, the value of MFWD is immeasurable.

What "increased operating expense" are you talking about?
I can see that front tire replacement would cost a little more, or IF you had front driveline failure. But, I've never had a front driveline failure on a MFWD tractor. In fact, I don't know of anyone that has. A buddy of mine had the bearings and seals replaced in the front end of his MFWD tractor this year. It's a big Ford that's 25 years old and has over 5000 hours on it. He also had the engine rebuilt. I think that's just normal wear.
However, I do know of a BUNCH of 2wd tractors that have broken axles, busted bearings, snapped tie rod ends, etc. That's the difference between the 2wd and MFWD tractors when you run a loader on them.

JMHO