2WD vs. 4WD

[quailman115]

I have a 2WD ym 2010 and I am dying to add an FEL. How much of a disadvantage will I be at, if any, using the FEL with a 2WD vs. a 4WD? I have heard that you really need 4WD when using an FEL, which means I'll have to upgrade, which is fast becoming less than popular with the wife. Another tractor, she screams!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EFC]

2wd carry more weight in the front than a 4wd (I can build you a front axel for a 2wd but I can’t easily fix a broken 4wd housing). But you need a good amount of weight in the rear to offset the loader. And just like Roger said in an earlier post when you go downhill with weight in the bucket your rear wheels can loose traction and slide. As for general loader use when I am digging the front tires are off the ground most of the time anyway. A 2010 is a sweet tractor and if your comfortabe with it put a loader on and enjoy.

 

[roger_scotty]

Side by side, a 4wd will ultimately do more than a 2wd....no doubt about it. But the 2wd will do plenty of quality FEL work for you. Its definitely worth putting a loader on your tractor. Half the time you don't wouldn't use 4wd if you had it, and half the rest of the time your front wheels are up in the air and 4wd isn't doing anything for you.
With a couple of tricks, you can work right with the 4wd lads....One is to put use a reasonable size front bucket. I'd say on your tractor 48" width is max. Next is to put a "tooth bar" on that bucket. That one will amaze you what it will do. And finally, I'd put a 4 to 5 foot wide box blade on her and clap an additional 400 lbs on that box. Now those rear tires are really going to dig in.

So keep the bucket width under 48", put quick detatchable teeth on the cutting edge, and add a small 3pt implement with a LOT of extra weight. Now if I had a 2wd tractor with those things it would work with any 4wd without them. In fact it would even do better than most.

And after you've done all that and are enjoying the way that loader is working you are now ready for the "final touch"....the "coupe de grass" if you will.........That's then you add the giant killer: power steering! I've heard that there are still some aftermarket power steering kits out there. Adding them is more than a bolt on, but worth the trouble because I guarantee you that at that point you would have a 2wd that you would not swap for a 4wd. And for less money, too.

 

[snooks]

I went through the same debate just days ago. Finally purchased a YM2500 (2wd) with front loader. Used it all day today doing landscape work and love it. Had the tiller on for counter weight and worked fine. Had a mild slope to the ground I was working. I originally believed 4wd was a must, but now I know that is hog wash. I've attached a photo of my new toy. I purchase from Hal Livengood at Livengood Equipment in Villa Grove IL. He has real nice tractors and is a great guy to do business with.

 

[kbarrett]

That's a beautiful setup! If memory serves me correct, folks have been using FELs with 2WD for many years.

Thank you for that post. Opens up a few more options for
me.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

It's all a matter of weight. Weight enough to keep the drive wheels from spinning means all the fuel going into the engine is becoming work. Insufficient weight means fuel is going to waste. The Case 380 backhoe loader was only 2 wheel drive, and even bad operators had a he!! of a time spinning wheels because of the hoe putting all that weight on the drive tires.
A machine that weighs 2000# trying to work a FEL will need an extra 1000# of rear weight to really work the loader and maintain safety. My 240D rarely runs in 4wd, unless I'm working the loader. 4wd improves the steering, powered front wheels turn easier than unpowered front wheels with a full bucket. Additionally, powered front wheels will make a turn where unpowered wheels will skid sideways. 4wd also improves digging ability with a FEL.

 

[Thomas]

I very seldom use 4wd when there fel work to be done..except snow removal..just some counter balance plus tire chains for the rear turf tires.

Hope you have power steering,if not have a good grip on the steering wheeling. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[snooks]

I'm not saying 4wd isn't handy at times. I did drop the front wheels off in a small creek and maybe 4wd would have got me back out. Used loader to get out instead. I happen to believe 4wd is overrated, especially if the tractor has proper weight on the back. Like several of the other post, when digging my front wheels are off the ground. I also can say that I used a blade on my 8N to move snow, and never needed chains. Of coarse they were not large snow storms either. Again weight is the key. I've seen post that say a 2wd with loader is "worthless". I can not imagine someone that has ever had one setup right saying this. Living in farm country I will say that if I had a livestock lot that gets muddy often, I would want 4wd. For what I do (mowing, lanscape work, removing sod for concrete), don't need 4wd.

 

[hosejockey2002]

With my 1401D if I have a load in the bucket I almost have to use 4WD, even with my box scraper on the back. But the 1401D is a small, light machine, and I have a 48" bucket with a fair amount of overhang in the front, which unloads the rear wheels. So I could probably say that my particular setup would be worthless without 4wd. But my dad has a JD850, which I think is about the size of your YM2500. His is 2WD, but has fluid filled tires and 500 lbs on the rear end. About the only time he has trouble is backing up hills with a load. Other than that, his machine will outwork mine by a long shot just because it is bigger and heavier.

 

[snooks]

Yeah, I'm sure you are right. The gentleman that sold me my tractor had a smaller 4wd unit that I was really interested in. He said basically the same thing. He indicated the HP and 4wd wasn't as much an issue as weight. That is one of the reasons I went with the larger 2wd unit. You are also right when you say this is like the JD 850. My dealer had an 850 manual which, for all practical purposes, looks like the same tractor.

 

[crb478]

If the land you will be using the tractor on is relatively flat I would just put a loader on the 2010 and add weight as needed. The only time I really need 4wd is on hills, and would need it less there if I did not have turf tires. Steering is easier with 4wd if the loader is full, but you can steer the tractor with the rear brakes and do fine. Just get a for how they work before you commit to using them with a load. I believe that if the tractor is doing the work you need it to do now without 4wd than it will do it with the loader.

 

[mbrule]

I have a YM135 (small 2wd) that I built a loader for. The bucket is about 34 inches wide, I added a home-made toothbar and about 300lbs on the 3 point. It works great, just finished excavating about 20 yards of rocky gravel to put in a patio, including breaking up old asphaut on top. Entirely with the loader! If my little guy works, I bet your machine will be fine with 2wd.

 

[EdKing]

While 4wd is nice to have, and will get more work out of the available horse power, it is not absolutly required for FEL work. Just make sure your rear tires are loaded, and attach a heavy 3ph implement for traction and counter weight, and you should do fine with 2wd.

 

[Buck]

quailman115,

Sometimes, my FWD plain doesn't work. That's when I use my FEL to get me out.

See the photo in the post:
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=photos&Number=103809&Search=true&Forum=All_Forums&Words=Buck&Match=Username&Searchpage=7&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=103809>Why FEL</A>

Buck

P.S. I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[kbarrett]

Snooks,

I may have overlooked it if you've mentioned it before, but do you have powersteering? If not, do you have difficulty steering with a load in the bucket?

 

[snooks]

I do not have power steering and had some pretty good loads in the bucket today. Sure, it was a little harder to steer but nothing I can't live with. I use to work at a place that had a front loader on an old Ford. With a load in the bucket, you had to stand up and use both hands to turn. So with that experience, I was surprised that I could remain seated and make the turn just fine. I think alot of this has to do with the condition of your front end and how much air is in the tires. I am perfectly happy with mine.

 

[roger_scotty]

My experience without power steering is that narrow tires with lots of pressure are steerable while moving, though with some effort.. With turfs on the front and lower pressures a full bucket requires more force through the steering box than I want to put there - even if I could. With a full bucket and not moving then most tractors can't turn the front wheels. The trick then is to lighten the front end by pressing the bucket on the ground and quickly turn the wheel. You'll get real good at that. In fact, you'll get so good that you will begin to talk wistfully about add-on power steering kits.

 

[snooks]

Good point regarding tire type. I would also think that the more weight you have on the rear will leasen the downward preasure on the front tires. Kinda a lever and fulcrum effect. I guess we keep coming back to the same issue, proper weighting of the tractor for the task at hand.

To sum up what I have learned about FEL: With a two wheel drive and no power steering, weight on the rear is critical. Turf tires are not desirable when doing this type of work. Narrow front tires and proper bucket size is very important as well. Tires need to be properly inflated. Of coarse keep loaded bucket low when moving and be very careful on unlevel ground. Weight can be added to the rear by filling the tires with fluid, wheel weights, hanging a heavy implement on the 3pt hitch or making a 3pt weight box of some kind. I opt not to fill the tires with fluid as I don't want the weight when I mow. Bottom line, a 2wd tractor with FEL is a very useful tool. Sometimes a larger 2wd tractor will out work a smaller 4wd unit simply because of the weight factor.

If I had the 2010, I wouldn't hesitate putting the FEL on it.

 

[Soundguy]

I've seen tons of ford 2 and 3000's, and 8n's with loaders.. ( 8n had no down pressure of the bucket either! )

Just had to know your limitations. Anyone remember the farmall ( 49 h era ) that had a chain drive bucket?

Soundguy

 

[jimstractors]

How about the old D8-D9 Cats with the cable blade? Talk about down pressure...Don't drop that sucker on your toe!