When to use four wheel drive?

[17 Oaks]

My tractor is always in 4wd. I do operate mostly in soft soils and muddy conditions and the tractor is never on pavement.

The only thing you will "hurt" is the tires if you leave it in 4x4 on pavement.

Fuel economy was mentioned.......that made me laugh!

High speed stability was mentioned.....that is why the front tires turn slightly faster.
I have run at top speed many times on dirt roads. Stability and handling were not an issue.

I also trailer the tractor a lot. 4wd is much safer for loading and unloading. Just like with hills and slopes.

YOU clearly GET IT!

I leave it in 4wd unless I am on a pave road which is rare. In fact tractor work NOT in 4wd is dangerous where I live. If you are a flat lander, not as critical, but I live in the Texas Hill Country and they don't call it Hill country for nothing. In fact without 4wd and a LOCKING rear axle it would be a challenge on my place and I use the locking feature often.

I have been owning and driving 4wd drive since the 60's and have driven in all 50 states with it and Latin America, Asia and Europe. I would not own a car or truck without it (with some exceptions like my Corvettes).

To answer the OP question: What is your terrain like? That is the real driver. How often do you engage if you primarily tractor in 2wd? If you find yourself engaging it more than you are using 2wd then just use it all the time no matter where you live. Your tractor was built to use, not you gain little by not using it. Often, getting stuck or in a challenging situation in 2wd, but the time you flip the switch 4wd may not be of help.

4wd, don't leave home without it!

 

[RalphVa]

Last Fall I bought a JD 3038e I really like, but how/when do you use 4x4? Sounds like a stupid question, but I forget and leave it in 4wd a lot. I was bushhogging just now in 2wd, but hilly parts and it started to rain I had to put it in 4x4. I guess my point is does it hurt to leave it in 4x4 or better not to. Thanks!

If you have hilly parts, I'd leave it in 4wd ALL THE TIME. You may forget sometimes and then go skidding down the hill with front wheels freewheeling and rear wheels just skidding. Then if you get very slightly sideways and hit a spot that stops you abruptly, you could very easily turn it over. In the meantime, you will have absolutely not control other than a little bit of steering. Been there; done that. KEEP IT IN 4WD!

Ralph

 

[hugho]

Almost no 4wd tractors are 4wd. If they are 4wd they will have 4 equal tires just like on your pickup. They are Manual front wheel assist. The manufacturers design a reduction gear to match the unequal tires. On some tractors it is robust but on others that front shaft is puny so beware. Like any 4wd to be safe there has to be wheel slippage to prevent torque lockup which can be damaging to transmissions and drive gear. Safe to use on snow and mud and sand but not on dry hard ground and pavement.

 

[ovrszd]

Almost no 4wd tractors are 4wd. If they are 4wd they will have 4 equal tires just like on your pickup. They are Manual front wheel assist. The manufacturers design a reduction gear to match the unequal tires. On some tractors it is robust but on others that front shaft is puny so beware. Like any 4wd to be safe there has to be wheel slippage to prevent torque lockup which can be damaging to transmissions and drive gear. Safe to use on snow and mud and sand but not on dry hard ground and pavement.

Awe Jeez!!!!! You had to insert logical correction to this conversation!!!!! Now panties are gonna get twisted!!!!

4wd tractors are center pivot machines and are engaged all the time. Axle lockers are selectible in these if offered.

Everything else is Front Wheel Assist or whatever terminology you can accept.

Good call. For the progression of education this needs clarified.
:thumbsup:

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Keep mine in 4wd all the time.

 

[greggyy]

I think the answer is....use 4wd when needed.

I have hills & have 2wd and 4wd tractor, much of the time either could be used, I leave 4wd off as it does not rip up the ground as much when turning etc if your 4wd is the type that locks the front, obviously doing heavy work or where max traction is needed, or soggy ground, you would leave it on.

None of them are proper locked 4wd anyway it seems, most will require manual pressing of a rear diff lock when you need all 4 wheels locked and driving, not sure on newer later tractors, but this is how the older ones are, so most of the time, they are like a car when front not locked.... 1wd.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I think the answer is....use 4wd when needed.

I have hills & have 2wd and 4wd tractor, much of the time either could be used, I leave 4wd off as it does not rip up the ground as much when turning etc if your 4wd is the type that locks the front, obviously doing heavy work or where max traction is needed, or soggy ground, you would leave it on.

None of them are proper locked 4wd anyway it seems, most will require manual pressing of a rear diff lock when you need all 4 wheels locked and driving, not sure on newer later tractors, but this is how the older ones are, so most of the time, they are like a car when front not locked.... 1wd.

Spot on...

 

[17 Oaks]

I have a steepish hill running across my place and having twice been in 2 wheel drive and driving down that hill had the traction break and the tractor slide down the hill one wheel rotating forward the other backwards, no steering control, and heading straight for some large chestnut trees. I now have the tractor permanently locked in 4WD. There is only 20/30 yards of seal/ concrete at the entrance to the garage. There has been no visible additional tyre wear and I'll gladly pay cash for that rather than pay with my life splattered against a chestnut tree.

One of the things my JD will do is pop out of 4wd. One time I was going downhill on the place with a load in my FEL prob about 350 lbs, the JD popped out of 4wd and took off, stepping on brakes did nothing but lock up wheels and speed it up and it just went faster, I crossed the road that goes along side my pond and over the edge I went, with luck and a long hot summer my pond was dry and down the embankment finally coming to rest in my dry pond. It was a rough ride and as FTG-05 made ref to the "2 inch ride" this went way beyond that at least double and white knuckles to boot. On my place I regularly find myself on 2 wheels, the ground is extremely rough, covered in old stumps, rocks and is like driving thru a minefield. Without 4wd it would be impssible to do anything.

 

[ovrszd]

Spot on...

Yep....

 

[/pine]

...use 4wd when needed...

Rather than leaving a tractor in 2WD and shifting to 4WD when needed it's safer and prudent to leave it in 4WD and only shift to 2WD when you're sure you won't be needing it throughout the job at hand

Obviously 4wd is not needed on flat even areas but if material is being moved between two different level areas with a steep muddy grade between them...it makes no sense to constantly switch between 2 and 4 WD...

leave it in 4WD and don't worry about forgetting to shift before descending the grade...it is too easy to get absorbed in the task at hand and forget...