Noob question 4 wheel drive

[Dakoe]

Haven't gone through all the comments, but everyone else is commenting on the 4wheel drive so I'll comment on the RPM.

Optimum RPM is determined by the motor of the tractor, and each one is slightly different. The manual will tell you. If you are in doubt you can just run at the PTO RPM, which is often printed somewhere on the dash. The tractor is designed to run at that RPM without issue.

I think the RPM for that tractor is 2100rpm. So you are running extremely low on the power scale if you are running it at 1500 rpm.

Note that you only have a 24HP tractor (at 2100 RPM) so you aren't going to have a ton of power available to you when using the loader.

 

[jonsstihl]

unlike awd cars, most SCUT/CUT tractors have no center differential. power is split 50-50 front to back so when you are in 4wd and you are sliding down a hill. applying the brakes will slow both axles.

Technically because of the differential in the front axle you could be in 4wd with the rear wheels in the air with the parking brake applied and be able to rotate the tractor around on its front wheels. there are no individual brakes on the front wheels but the axle will provide braking according to the friction available to the tires.

If anyone decides they want to try this atleast block the pivot point on the front axle or else your tractor may end up on its side.

 

[cullenskink]

RPM: I have a 25HP Kioti, I tend to run at fairly high rpm near the top most of the time. Often when on a lower RPM and doing work, like picking up gravel with the FEL or climbing a hill the engine RPM will drop while I'm doing it. That's my cue to up the RPM a bit.

2/4WD: I have mixed soil, and mud in places. Most of the time I stay with 2wd if I'm not getting a lot of slip, I notice that my turning angle is significantly reduced when in 4wd and I feel that the components are straining a bit. So really just like my truck, 4wd if I think I'm going to have problems, 2wd if not.

 

[jonsstihl]

if your tractor is HST, 1500 rpm is probably not enough. I only run at that RPM as I'm pulling out of the garage when the engine is still cold

 

[therdriele]

Depends on what you are doing. If you are crossing lawn with ag tires, for example, don't use 4wd or you will tear the turf up. Loader work is safest in 4WD but if you're on the flat and making tight turns, 2WD tears up the ground much less. If you dont have an implement on behind as ballast and pick up something heavy, ALWAYS use 4wd or you can lose control coming down a hill, if the rear end lifts (you will not have braking, either engine or wheel brakes, so if the rear end lifts in 2wd you will take off coasting down the hill on your front wheels). So don't carry heavy things in the bucket if you don't have ballast on behind. And for plowing snow, 2WD is pretty much useless. As others have pointed out, it's a bad idea to use 4wd on hard surfaces for point-to-point travel.
The 'sweet spot' of RPM depends on your tractor and what you are doing with it, how much fuel you want to use, how hot it is outside, etc.

 

[dmjohnsnx2]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

Check your manual for the recommended RPM's for what you're doing for a start, since every machine is different, how you break it in matters as well. Even 2 of the same model will be different depending on how they're broke in and maintained. As you use your machine, listen to how it's running, just as you do your car or truck, you will get to know how it needs to be run.

As to the 2x4 v. 4x4 question, that is as old as there is 4x4. I use 4x4 most of the time when I'm using the bucket or have a heavy implement on the 3 point hitch. If I'm mowing my yard I turn it off because of tight turns that have a tendency to bind up the gears. If the wife is using the tractor I make sure it's in 2x4 because she never remembers not to turn to tight and binds up the front end.
As you use your machine you will get to know when you want 2x, and when you want 4x. Anything you get from forums here is just advice, and how we use OUR equipment, don't take it as gospel on how you have to run yours. I've seen the results of that, there were tears involved, and many $$$ involved.

Good luck and have fun. One thing to remember, never put chains on your front tires.

 

[kpsp50]

I also have a Branson you are not running your RPMs up high enough you should be running at least 2,100 RPM or more check with your Branson dealer also run off road in soft ground with four wheel drive in use two-wheel drive on hard surfaces

 

[jkahan]

4wd all the time except on paved surfaces or if going "fast"... for my two tractors (Kubota B3200HD and M5040) this means 10+ mphs.

 

[sunandsand]

Inexpert reply here . . .

2 wd, high range, for belly mower.

2 wd, med range, for bush hogging, sometimes low range if Cogon grass.

2 wd, low range, for brush removal with the bucket on the FEL.

ALWAYS 2 wd in transit or on pavement - says so right in the manual! 4 wd on pavement makes for tricky steering and unpredictable handling.

When I start to get stuck or I need some extra grunt, shift to 4 wd.

When I'm really stuck, there's a diff lock under the seat, push down on that with left foot and back up.

High-sided on some Palmetto stumps once, used the FEL to lift the front, engaged 4 wd and diff lock, low range, backed right off.

Guy I know with a lot more experience than I have said he always uses 2 wd, so that he can engage 4 wd to unstick himself. He said if he goes in with 4 wd and gets stuck, he's already exhausted his options and will have to yell for help.

Then there are the people who say if you've never gotten your tractor stuck, you aren't working it hard enough.

Tractors aren't delicate, but they aren't indestructible either.

Best regards,

Mike/Florida

 

[Jgrimm]

"The front wheels/tires move about 5% faster than rears with 4-WD engaged."

NO

 

[Alien]

I would use the bucket to push myself out if I got stuck. 4 wheel drive can make it worse in my soil. It just digs you in further.

 

[rockcanyon]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

For what it's worth, when I bought my 35hp Branson the dealer told me I should run in 2wd unless I actually needed 4wd because of stresses on the various parts. When I plow I use 4wd.
I also agree with grsthegreat about using 2wd until starting to get stuck and I apply the same principle to my truck as well: When you get stuck in 2wd you can shift into 4wd and probably get out, but when you're already in 4wd when you get stuck you're screwed.

 

[arrow]

First off, the devil is in the details.
Guys with cabbed tractors have at least a quarter ton more weight over their rear axle so look at people avatars of what they use for tractoring to gain where they're coming from.
Also, look at the size tractor that is being operated as to giving the advice as to whether or not to stay in 2wd and shift to 4wd when needed. Larger, heavier tractors do very well in 2wd.

Running on hard surface, always 2wd.
Working the loader for a smallish open station tractor with some ballast , always 4wd is how I do it.

As far as rpms, I never set my tractor at a given rpm. I am off idle all the time and my foot governs rpms by what is needed to accomplish the job.
Longer you have your tractor the better you'll get at this.

 

[gtunney]

Agree with comments to read the manual for recommended operation. We have a 29HP New Holland TC29D with an HS transaxle. The manual states to use 4WD whenever doing loader work and pushing up the RPMs when operating with a load which I believe for that machine is a minimum 2500 with the rated RPM being 2800. My dad used to run it lower all the time and you could here it bogging down at times when working heavy loads so I was finally able to convince him to follow the manual recommendation.

 

[Cougsfan]

Based on all the comments made so far, it is pretty clear you can either use or not use 4wd all the time. Personally I use both, sometimes I leave it in 4wd until I notice I am tearing up some grass in tight turns and then I take it out. It stays out of 4wd until I get to a situation where the rear wheels are slipping, then I put it back in 4wd. Might stay in one mode or the other for the next few weeks. It goes back and forth like this.

 

[Denco54]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

Hi Ebb. I have a 16hp hydrostatic Kubota. You would not believe the work I get out of it. My lot is flat with an incline to the river. This is an ancient lake bed so it is clay. I am always on 4x4 & when I work it hard I shift it to low gear. I rarely get stuck & I rarely stall out. You have it, use it. After all you are not driving to alifornia.

 

[MHarryE]

I farm. Pulling a tillage tool in 2wd, my go’s will read significantly less than the displayed ground speed. Press the 4wd button and I’ll notice several things. First, the tractor rises slightly but noticeable because the rear wheels are no longer pushing the fronts through the dirt.the engine speed will increase slightly once again because the fronts are pulling, not being pushed. The gps reading will now show a faster speed than the tractor speedometer. My largest tractor will automatically shift out of 4wd at something like 7 mph - my smaller ones I need to manually shift out on roads. Same thing with diff lock - when set, it will lock when the fronts are going straight but disengage once the wheel angle reaches a certain angle. So for my case, tractor is more efficient in 4wd on soft ground. Even if you aren’t pulling a heavy load, if the fronts are sinking in, the rears are doing more work to push them. My largest tractor has the instrumentation to be able to display the numbers precisely.

 

[WKTEDDYBEAR]

I run almost constantly 2wd. I only use 4wd when I’m on real hilly or slippery ground-which is pretty often for me. I do not like to run a 4wd unnecessarily on flat ground or pavement as it creates wear on components which are not needed. I kind of recoil when I see tractors run on hard ground and cutting & chunking tires and ground in a tight turn..... cant imagine the stress on front axle components and tires.
However, I wouldn’t wait “until you get stuck”, either. Survey the ground conditions, then use 4wd when you sense that you’ll need it. 4wd is a big plus when doing loader work since you are losing weight on the rear wheels and reducing rear wheels traction.

I agree

 

[Grandad4]

I've seen you mention this a couple times over time on this forum and you've been corrected before, yet you keep claiming that the brakes won't apply to the front axle in 4WD.

Can you explain why you think that way?

Looking forward to reading this explanation also!

 

[Hirascomo]

I have a few tractors, and all react a little differently to having the 4WD engaged. I have a little Yanmar 2210D that just eats up the lawn when making tight turns while the 4WD is engaged (also due to AG tread on the tires), so that tractor stays in 2WD mostly. My TYM stays in 4WD more than not, it has industrial treads and does not bind up as badly as the Yanmar does. However, all run in 2WD when on dry pavement. My Massey is rear wheel drive only, and it makes me appreciate having 4WD on the other tractors when I get stuck and have to use the FEL to work my way back out of a situation.