What does this lever do?

[Mousefield]

I don't notice that on mine,,maybe its got to do with how old?

Mine is a 2008 (CK35) and is well written. The manuals do not explain everything so that's why we try and help one another. :thumbsup:

 

[IslandTractor]

Mine is a 2008 (CK35) and is well written. The manuals do not explain everything so that's why we try and help one another. :thumbsup:

My original maintenance manual for the CK20 was poor but the maintenance manual for the DKse series is excellent. I'd personally rate both owners manuals as fair.

 

[gauthier]

Yeah mouse we do,,and I did,,,,so whats your point?:thumbsup:

 

[Coyote machine]

I go by this line of thought. If you think you might need 4wd, as with a truck, for instance, about to encounter lots of snow, mud, etc. then engage it before you actually end up needing it. If you are doing something that can be done without it then disengage 4wd.
No sense running it if not needed, just like locking differential- use it when needed- and when moving in a straight line forward or backward.

 

[IslandTractor]

I go by this line of thought. If you think you might need 4wd, as with a truck, for instance, about to encounter lots of snow, mud, etc. then engage it before you actually end up needing it. If you are doing something that can be done without it then disengage 4wd.
No sense running it if not needed, just like locking differential- use it when needed- and when moving in a straight line forward or backward.

I used to do that but found that I was digging lots of rear tire holes in the turf due to slippage when doing anything much with the loader or even with a mower on slopes. I now tend to put it into 4wd except when transporting on a road. The tractor doesn't seem to care and it saves a lot of turf scars.

 

[o2batsea]

Remember that your tractor has open diffs. That means that even in 4WD, if one side loses traction it will spin rather than transmit power to the non spinning wheel. You'll see next time you try to cross a ditch that the wheel in the air will spin away while you go nowhere. Locking the rear diff makes the rear essentially a solid axle so that both wheels have drive. The front does not have a locking feature so no help there.

Keeping all wheels engaged on the surface is the best way to keep traction in 4WD.

 

[edameyer]

o2batsea, unlike the first post on this thread from gauthier which was very confusing, you explained it well. Due to the differentials, each axle only has as much pull as the wheel with the least traction unless, on the rear axle, you also use the diff lock (the little pedal you engage with your left heal).

As far as engaging or disengaging 4WD goes, on my CK20 I find that I can go in easily as long as no wheels are spinning. Same coming out as long as the surface is not hard. Moving much on hard surface while in 4wd will wind up tension between the front and rear drive train making it hard to get out of 4wd (and hard on the tractor). If this happens, tension can be released by backing up. If there is tension between the two, using the clutch will not help since the tension happens after the transmission while the clutch is in front of the transmission.

I agree with the post that advised using 4wd if you think you even might slip a wheel. Mine stays in 4wd all the time unless I need to move it on the paved road, and it has held up fine.

 

[gauthier]

I wasn't trying to confuse you,,,,anymore:laughing:

 

[CenTex Chris]

New owner here (less than 65 hours) of a Kioti CK35 HST. I've had to engage 4WD twice so far. First time was in the neighbor's field, shredding brush near the edge of his pond where he couldn't take his zero-turn rider. Backed up just a bit too far and got the rear wheels bogged in the mud. 4WD got me out of that jam before I could become the laughing stock of the neighborhood.

Second time, I was backing up onto the flatbed for the trip to my dealer for 50 hr. servicing. I know you're supposed to drive forward onto a trailer, but I was too lazy to take the loader off and didn't want it hanging in the air up over the hitch just so I could have the weight centered on the trailer. So I backed up onto it, so most of the tractor weight would be just forward of the trailer axles. Halfway up the ramps and the rear tires start slipping. 4WD got me the rest of the way on.

 

[IslandTractor]

New owner here (less than 65 hours) of a Kioti CK35 HST. I've had to engage 4WD twice so far. .

Don't be so shy with 4wd. The only time it hurts is when turning on pavement. It will keep you out of trouble eveb better than extracating you once you get stuck.