When to use 4WD

[RalphVa]

I find that my 4010 tracks up the lawn LESS in 4wd than in 2wd. The front wheels will skid when in 2wd drive, unless on perfectly level ground. Perfectly level ground doesn't exist around here.

ONLY on pavement for a long period should you go out of 4wd.

Ralph

 

[PhilNH5]

I have a subCut BX2200. Without 4WD it would be darn near useless at any FEL work. So I am in 4WD 99% of the time.

Phil

 

[daTeacha]

I have an old Kubota B7100 gear. It cannot be shifted out of 4wd due to a shaft end being bent or something that will take a big check to fix. I'm on dirt or snow nearly all the time and don't use it to mow, so it works just fine as is -- 100% 4wd. As has been said, that is the only safe way to use your loader if your ground is anything except flat.

 

[3RRL]

Hi Eddy,
My tractor is kept in wooded foothills, meadows, rock out croppings...no lawns and only one dead end street at the very start of the property. I keep mine in 4wd ALL the time. At first I tried using it only when needed such as getting stuck between logs or rocks or deep mud. Soon found out that I had to shift into 4wd a lot! So now it's in 4wd all the time with only the one exception... when I'm on that paved culdesac.

 

[cp1969]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have an old Kubota B7100 gear. It cannot be shifted out of 4wd due to a shaft end being bent or something that will take a big check to fix. I'm on dirt or snow nearly all the time and don't use it to mow, so it works just fine as is -- 100% 4wd. As has been said, that is the only safe way to use your loader if your ground is anything except flat. )</font>

Are you sure it's bent? Try this:

Drive the tractor forward in a left-hand circle for about 45-90 degrees worth of turn. Then, reverse the turn to right-hand and put firm pressure on the 4WD engagement lever while continuing to drive. Somewhere in the course of the right hand turn, the driveline is trying to change from being 'wound-up' in the left hand direction to being "wound-up" in the right hand direction and will, for a moment, not be wound up in either direction and will pop out of engagement easily. I have yet to find a 4wd of any kind that this doesn't work on. Of course, if yours is broken it may not.

 

[browns40]

Hi ejtaylor 822,

I guess I would agree with "use it when you need it"...

Let's face it, even with immaculate maintenance, everything eventually wears out... if you use it continuously, even when you do not need it, you are wearing the gears, axles--all parts of the mechanism out, even if you aren't abusing it...

If that life expectancy is say, 4000 hours, you'll hit that point that much more quickly if every hour logged is working toward that total...

I personally save the metal & lubricant wear for the times I need it...

Then again, I'm the guy out in the snow locking in the hubs when I need them on the truck instead of shifting on the fly! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Happy tractoring!

 

[ksmmoto]

You made the statement "I accomplished this afternoon what would normally take several weekends." Well you are saving a lot of tractor time in 4wd, much less hours on the engine, etc. Might as well use it since you have it!

I run mine in 4wd most of the time. 4wd is the only way I use my loader, can't get out of a hole in 2wd. Finish mowing and road travel is about the only time I have it in 2wd.

ksmmoto

 

[daTeacha]

I'll try that, but both the PO and the dealer said it needs some expensive repair work involving breaking the tractor. I just hope I don't get it in 2wd and find I can't put it back in 4wd!

 

[tposts]

I have had my JD 4400 broken in 1/2...its a tough job to get everything lined back up when the tractor is setting on wooden blocks on a dirt floor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Green4Me]

<font color="red"> Let's face it, even with immaculate maintenance, everything eventually wears out... if you use it continuously, even when you do not need it, you are wearing the gears, axles--all parts of the mechanism out, even if you aren't abusing it...
</font>
I got two 4WD tractors and I'm pretty sure all that stuff is spinning weather 4WD is in or not..............
I keep the Zetor 60hp in unless going over the road or hard surfaces.
The 4310 with the push button, in Summer, I keep out and switch in as needed . In Winter, I keep in.

 

[Mackinaw]

I don't feel safe doing any type work in 2wd. Sometimes things happen so fast. I've taken the fast ride down the hill once too many. When my BX was new I used 4wd just to mow the ditches, now it's 4wd all the time. If I live long enough to wear this tractor out by using the features...I win / tractor loses. New game.

 

[PineRidge]

Just as a side note, was using the TC40D the other day and noticed that when the tractor went into a sharp turn using the SuperSteer that it really jerked and tore up the gravel in the drive. I immediately looked over and saw that the 4WD was locked in the manual position. On mine it's spring loaded from the automatic toward the manual position so I must have inadvertently hit it when dismounting the tractor. I always keep it in the auto position and let the 4WD come in when SensiTrak thinks it's needed.

Putting the lever back in the automatic position made quite a difference in the turning ability of the New Holland. From that point on it moved smoothly and without tearing up the gravel drive. Just a small bit of proof that good things can't be happening in turns when locked in 4WD.

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="red"> 4x4 all the time. </font>

 

[LBrown59]

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