Noob question 4 wheel drive

[grsthegreat]

We used to do that on our trucks running in the sand dunes. Made all the difference when we dropped tire pressures.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Funny how we managed farming for years without a 4WD tractor and now it's needed/used all the time.

As for the 4WD braking issue which I know nothing about other than how my tractor works, I would think if a tractor is in 4WD and the brakes are depressed they would almost have to affect the front wheels along with the rears. I know nothing about how other tractors operate but when my 5090 is in 4WD both front wheels spin if I'm bogging.

Funny how we managed farming for years (centuries!)without tractors.

Take advantage of technological advances. GPS, turbos, even 4wd.
Most TBN users are probably like me with CUT/SCUT and not full time farmers. My needs are not to run long distances in a straight line with ground engaging implements over relatively flat surfaces that have been used for the same purposes for generations. Even something as simple as mowing heavy grass in a heavy spring dew benefits greatly from 4wd.

 

[Beeenvenue]

NO

YES

at least for my kioti ck3510. Per the service manual the fronts rotate 3.4% faster than rears.

 

[Ebbtide33]

Thank you for all your help everyone

 

[workinonit]

Funny how we managed farming for years (centuries!)without tractors.

Take advantage of technological advances. GPS, turbos, even 4wd.
Most TBN users are probably like me with CUT/SCUT and not full time farmers. My needs are not to run long distances in a straight line with ground engaging implements over relatively flat surfaces that have been used for the same purposes for generations. Even something as simple as mowing heavy grass in a heavy spring dew benefits greatly from 4wd.

I just find 4WD cumbersom if it's not needed. It impedes the ability to make short radius turns and affects right and left braking while making turns. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't own a tractor without 4WD or economy PTO at this point in my life. I just don't use it unless I need it. And that is not very often unless we have had lots of rain or if I'm pulling the correct implement.

 

[Hay Dude]

I just find 4WD cumbersom if it's not needed. It impedes the ability to make short radius turns and affects right and left braking while making turns. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't own a tractor without 4WD or economy PTO at this point in my life. I just don't use it unless I need it. And that is not very often unless we have had lots of rain or if I'm pulling the correct implement.

On many Kubota tractors, the opposite is true. Both of mine are equipped with “Bi-speed turn” feature.
When you make a tight turn in 4WD, it actually pulls you through the turn. It activates one tire to spin faster than the other, which tightens your tuning radius.
Its a Kubota exclusive often overlooked by the average buyer. Its amazing how well it works.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I used to use unlocked brakes all the time to turn my old Ford 1700 (no power steering) but hardly ever use them now with power steering. Unlocked brakes were useless on older Kubota HST CUTs since the brake pedals are right above the HST rocker - quite a contortion act to get one foot on an unlocked brake and the other on the HST pedal. Lately Kubota has eliminated the clutch pedal on the left and moved the brakes over to that side. So my B2610 starts like a car and drives like a car. I really don't spin it much with a brake on though, that tears up the ground too much.

BTW I never take my tractors out of 4WD except when I drive them on pavement. These tractors were designed and optimized to operate in 4wd. They can break down, but I've never heard of a four wheel drive linkage failing from overuse before something else totals it out. Nor have I ever encountered in my forty years of experience any off-road operation that is safer in two wheel drive. If anyone can think of such, please post it.

 

[SmallChange]

There is a thread about front differential locks here:

Traction - Locking front differential?

My M5030DT is built like a tank. Has front autolocking differential. With hilly East Tennessee makes a huge difference. Hillside mowing, turning uphill and loader operations are greatly enhanced and unnoticed until you try the same with a tractor without it. L3800 and M59 don’t have it. Not...

www.tractorbynet.com

I haven't had the pleasure of driving anything with a locking front differential yet but it sounds like a nice option.

Just curious -- for machines that hinge in the middle of the frame for turning, such as dedicated loaders, what is the deal with 2WD, 4WD, and differential locking? Since the hinge can be halfway between axles, there wouldn't be any front/rear difference in wheel travel in a turn, and they tend to have four identical wheels and tires, so little harm in 4WD full time. I guess they could have a single differential lock control that activates both differentials?

 

[RalphVa]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

Fully agree with Jeff. Run in 4wd ALL the time unless on paved surfaces for a period of time. In 2WD, you only have 2 wheel brakes. VERY dangerous if you do down any slope at all in 2WD.

 

[Jstpssng]

For what it's worth, when I bought my 35hp Branson the dealer told me I should run in 2wd unless I actually needed 4wd because of stresses on the various parts. When I plow I use 4wd.
I also agree with grsthegreat about using 2wd until starting to get stuck and I apply the same principle to my truck as well: When you get stuck in 2wd you can shift into 4wd and probably get out, but when you're already in 4wd when you get stuck you're screwed.

Yours is an age old argument. Often if you wait to shift until you need 4WD, it's too late as. Learn the limitations of your vehicle and driving ability and don't exceed them.

 

[Handloader109]

Small scutt, I'm in 4wd about 75% of the time. I've got hills, nothing really soft, but 4wd is 100 times safer. and how the heck much do you guys use a TRACTOR on pavement? I've never plowed my driveway. Wear in the front tires is INSIGNIFICANT on pavement vs dirt unless you are on pavement all the time. If sandy soils 4wd. and forget about it

 

[Wagtail]

Small scutt, I'm in 4wd about 75% of the time. I've got hills, nothing really soft, but 4wd is 100 times safer. and how the heck much do you guys use a TRACTOR on pavement? I've never plowed my driveway. Wear in the front tires is INSIGNIFICANT on pavement vs dirt unless you are on pavement all the time. If sandy soils 4wd. and forget about it

Every now & then when I use my tractor for a job that's not on my property.
Just this past calendar year I've tilled the 'Community Garden', 5km away via public road. 3 acre slashing job (twice), 3km away via public road. Two different location round bale hay loading jobs, 6km & 10km away (the 10km, I needed to transit through town) and a slashing/chain-harrowing job at the local pistol/rifle range 15km away.
Sometimes, when I'm helping out during haying season, I'll need to transit 10km of 100kph Highway to access a different paddock.

Anything further than 15km away from my property, I'll have the tractor transported.

Hey, it's all "tractor FUN!"

 

[BBHomestead]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

As to the rpm it depends on what improvements you use if a improvement uses PTO then needs to be at right speed! If you lug the engine too much by trying to keep rpm low it may cause it to overheat! On some tractors they have warnings in owners manual about not using 4x4 all the time I think it depends on your tractor some can get unnecessary wear and shorten lifespan of the front wheel assist! I have a older mitsubishi 26hp that I have had in 4x4 since I bought it unless I happen to drive on roadway so 10 years and 1500 hrs its still working fine! But its a 45+ year old tractor they built them different back then!

 

[Hay Dude]

Small scutt, I'm in 4wd about 75% of the time. I've got hills, nothing really soft, but 4wd is 100 times safer. and how the heck much do you guys use a TRACTOR on pavement? I've never plowed my driveway. Wear in the front tires is INSIGNIFICANT on pavement vs dirt unless you are on pavement all the time. If sandy soils 4wd. and forget about it

Oh Lord, a LOT!
I road (4) tractors from one farm to the other by road. Sometimes my tractors feel as much like a truck as they do a tractor.
You are so very wrong when you say “wear in the front tires is insignificant on pavement vs dirt unless you are on pavement all the time”. If one drives a mere 20 feet on lighter colored pavement and make a light turn, it leaves rubber tire residue all over the pavement. You can SEE the rubber left behind.
Pavement is what eats tires and I believe is the main reason for R-4s. They have a more blunt, shallow bar design which helps reduce wear on pavement compared to R-1s.

 

[Williy]

You can ask 10 people about 4X4 how to use and will
get 10 different answers because of the type of their property, some have small hills others have larger hills,
then there are different soil types and wet marshy soil
or wet lands etc.

willy

 

[5030]

Pavement is what eats tires and I believe is the main reason for R-4s. They have a more blunt, shallow bar design which helps reduce wear on pavement compared to R-1s.

You might include that Radial R1's wear a bit better than bias. I tend to replace my front's at a 1.5 ratio

 

[CobyRupert]

I’ve been driving tractors for 40 years (since about age 12) and I can’t think of one time I’ve ever felt the need to lock the brake pedals together. Just press both pedals together unless you’re trying to turn.
How else do you test that your differential lock is unlocked?

 

[5030]

I'm just the opposite. Mine stay interlocked all the time. I rarely use ground engagement implements so brake steer is basically non-existent for me. Far as locking the differentials, All I have to do is observe tire rotation though it's rare for me to use it anyway and both my units have front and rear lockers.

 

[Jstpssng]

I’ve been driving tractors for 40 years (since about age 12) and I can’t think of one time I’ve ever felt the need to lock the brake pedals together. Just press both pedals together unless you’re trying to turn.
How else do you test that your differential lock is unlocked?

I can usually tell the first time that I attempt a turn.

 

[TerryR]

I’ve been driving tractors for 40 years (since about age 12) and I can’t think of one time I’ve ever felt the need to lock the brake pedals together. Just press both pedals together unless you’re trying to turn.

Ditto, except in my case it's 70 years.

The only time I lock the brakes together is to set the parking brake, which on my tractor only holds one pedal unless I lock them together.