Most commonly there is - 2WD, 4WD & all wheel drive( full time 4WD, AWD ). There are multiple names for each of these systems. It's all in the way a company chooses to advertise their product. Likewise - there are multiple methods to activate/deactivate the 4WD & AWD systems. Likewise - there are multiple way to control the 4WD & AWD system. When you put the advertising design person together with the sales manager, the corporate management staff and the production engineer - you end up with some really strange concepts and language.
Tractors are either 4WD or FWA.
That's four wheel drive.
That's front wheel assist.
4WD tractors are traditionally used in broad acre farming. They are traditionally 150hp+. The key is that all wheels on a true 4WD tractor are the same diameter. These tractors are used in pulling rather than for their 3PL capability. In most instances these 4WD tractors run duals - that's 8 wheels in groups of two.
A tractor like you are looking at (and like I own) have a smaller diameter front wheel. The front wheels can be driven. These tractors with a smaller diameter front wheel are FWA - that's front wheel assist. The manual on my tractor states that I can engage the mechanical four wheel drive. The manual is incorrect. My tractor is front wheel assist. I have a smaller diameter front wheel than on the rear.
I may upset a few members here, but FWA is probably the most misused, as well as the most misunderstood technology. The easiest way to understand if the operator doesn't understand FWA, is to examine the front tyres of his FWA tractor. The front tyres will wear incredibly if the FWA has been improperly used.
FWA is fabulous for engine braking on steeper ground. It's also fabulous for pulling, and for thrusting a bucket into a pile of dirt.
Apart from that - it doesn't have to be engaged.
The smaller front wheels must rotate at the same speed as the larger rears when FWA is engaged. Consequently the front wheels will always scrub. That causes the excessive wear. I see so many operators who have 4WA engaged all of the time - even when on hard surfaces or on the road.
The wear that the transmission must cope with is incredible if FWA is engaged on a hard surface with the bucket of a FEL full. It's a real credit to the engineers who design these things.
The FWA controller is probably the most used item on my tractor.
FWA is fabulous. If you need it, then engage it. Otherwise don't have it engaged. My property is steep so I couldn't do without it. I would never, ever, ever have the fronts engaged whilst on a sealed road or a hard surface, and I would never engage the fronts after filling a bucket on my FEL.
Manufactures are tending to call FWA Four Wheel Assist. I guess I can live with this. It's still front wheel assist but what it isn't is four wheel drive.
There are front wheel assist tractors at the higher end of the market that can self-manage engaging the front wheels into drive mode. Sensors and computer technology manage the front wheel engagement if the rear wheels are sensed slipping. This changes nothing, as despite these tractors being over 100hp, the front wheels are still a smaller diameter than the rear wheels. It reinforces what I am saying - only engage the front wheels if required.
Our local tractor mechanic has repaired a multitude of the cheaper Chinese front wheel assist tractors. When the front wheel assist is mis-managed on these cheaper units, something breaks. I have seen broken planetary drives in the front wheels, broken drive shafts and twisted and broken transmission shafts. The best was a clutch that had completely failed on a cheaper branded tractor. The unit was purchased new and had done 8 hours.
Hope this helps.
