Should I even think about 2 wheel drive

[Williy]

We have flat ground here but I had to use
4WD to get unstuck because of wet grass
back wheels just spin engaged the $WD
walked right out if it didn't I would have to
walk up to the shop get my truck for a tow
then take truck back and another long walk
Due on the grass early in the morning makes
grass very slippery so for me 4WD was worth
the extra money everyone has their own ideas
of weather you do/don't need 4WD. Just get
stuck a few times.............

willy

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I prefer 4wd but rest assured there are plenty of 2wd tractors out there doing the work very safely.

We have 1 out of 6 that is 4x4. But the 2 wd ones are fine.

 

[rbstern]

I did all of my log skidding with a compact 2wd Yanmar until I got a 4wd LS. I still do some skidding with the Yanmar, because it gets into tighter spaces. For me, skidding doesn't present a lot of 2wd vs. 4wd problems. Our ground is fairly hilly. I do have to stomp on the diff lock in tougher conditions.

The only place I get into issues with 2wd is box blading, in difficult tractor, when the box fills. 4wd, same box, no issues.

Preference? 4wd, for sure. But a heavy 2wd tractor with good tires has a lot of pulling power.

 

[mo1]

We have flat ground here but I had to use
4WD to get unstuck because of wet grass
back wheels just spin engaged the $WD
walked right out if it didn't I would have to
walk up to the shop get my truck for a tow
then take truck back and another long walk
Due on the grass early in the morning makes
grass very slippery so for me 4WD was worth
the extra money everyone has their own ideas
of weather you do/don't need 4WD. Just get
stuck a few times.............

willy

If your tractor gets stuck on flat wet grass without MFWD engaged you either have the wrong kind of tires, tires that are way past needing replaced, or are massively under-ballasted on the rear axle.

 

[paulfun9]

We have flat ground here but I had to use
4WD to get unstuck because of wet grass
back wheels just spin engaged the $WD
walked right out if it didn't I would have to
walk up to the shop get my truck for a tow
then take truck back and another long walk
Due on the grass early in the morning makes
grass very slippery so for me 4WD was worth
the extra money everyone has their own ideas
of weather you do/don't need 4WD. Just get
stuck a few times.............

willy

You would have an other option.

That would be to figure out proper ballast for the job and attachments before starting the task.

It has been that simple here for many years and seems to avoid having to go get the tow chains.

Admittedly I am not the one that does most of the work with the 2 wheel drive tractors. I am however the one he would call from the field to bring chains and an other tractor to pull him out. He has called for help many times. Bring a chainsaw, forgot this or that, need some extra fuel, can you drag a dump trailer over here But not once for tow chains and a tractor to pull him out.


Janet

 

[DaBear3428]

I use my tractors for hay and mowing. I shouldn't be doing either one when the fields are wet. If I need a four wheel drive tractor I'm doing the wrong thing and tearing up my property. For what you want to, do the question is are you going to do it in the mud? I'm the same way with my trucks I have two wheel drive pickups. If the fields are so wet that I need 4 wheel drive I shouldn't be driving around in the fields. 4 wheel drive is mostly a macho or security thing. Most people never have their vehicle in four wheel drive. If you're plowing snow maybe. Back when I was an avid bird hunter I always had 4 wheel drive vehicles but I used them in the Bush often off road.
As for the size of the tractor you need, I have a MF 50 and I wouldn't tackle dragging the logs you're suggesting with it. However for the same price you can probably buy a MF65, more horsepower, more weight, equals more stability. Only made in two wheel drive.

ok for you that is the reality, but here is a different perspective. for vehicles i have some property that is to heck and gone from any paved road. on one trip i spent 4 hrs in the sun with a pick and shovel to get over one spot in the road. on another trip i had to drive at a speed to get over some obstacles that 4X4 would have had no problem with this resulted in a punchered fuel tank 40 miles from the nearest gas station or any help. my trucks are all 4X4 now, not jacked up monster trucks and most of the time they do not need 4X4 but for that 1% where it is needed it could be the difference between me walking 40 miles or not.
As far as tractors when i was younger i always only had 2X4 tractors and made do but when i bought my last tractor it is 4X4 and i use the front wheel assist almost constantly. A 2X4 tractor is much better than no tractor but 4X4 is the cats behind in that it makes something that would be difficult in the same size 2X4 tractor simple.

Bottom line is that you can make do with anything, even a shovel will get most things done but the right tool for the job makes it easy and a 4X4 tractor is a better tool than a 2X4 tractor for almost any task.

 

[bernardcuziillo]

I have to agree with Jeff, Dan, and others that 4WD is the only smart thing to do with what you describe as your needs. Hermio explained the reasoning behind what others were saying. It's a matter of safety since you're going to be working on hills. I'm not sure the arguments about traction and getting stuck on flat ground have any real bearing on your situation. But if you've ever slid down a hill in 2WD no matter how much you mashed the brake pedal....well, you'll never want 2WD on a hillside again! 4WD gives you braking traction that you just don't get in a 2WD tractor, because of the mechanics involved. If that's an important part of your work, I would consider it more of a necessity than an option. Not trying to be argumentative, that's just my opinion. Hope it's helpful.

I have slid down a hill in 2WD. Maximum pucker factor. Real danger to life and limb. Do not try it at home. Tractors have no foundation brakes like cars and trucks, only drivetrain brakes. Tractors only have braking on the driven wheels.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have slid down a hill in 2WD. Maximum pucker factor. Real danger to life and limb. Do not try it at home. Tractors have no foundation brakes like cars and trucks, only drivetrain brakes. Tractors only have braking on the driven wheels.

Some tractors DO have 4 wheel braking... AND when the MFWD is engaged, all 4 wheels are driven, giving 4 wheel braking.

SR

 

[Hermio]

When I run my Mahindra 5035HST in 2WD, it can get slipping and stuck on hills, particularly in reverse, even with a heavy bush hog on the back, because I have a very heavy 4-way loader bucket on the front. Witha full load in the bucket, it gets worse. I also can pull much heavier logs in 4WD than 2WD, especially if I have a loaded bucket with 500-1500 lb in it. In 4WD, I pulled an 18" by 60 foot hickory log up hill. I figure that weighs over 3 tons.

 

[bernardcuziillo]

Sawyer Rob, they do have 4-wheel braking, but only when 4-wheel drive is engaged. They don't have foundation brakes which are the brakes at the wheels, like disc or drum brakes, as on cars, trucks, and trailers. No FWD = no 4-wheel braking.