4 X 4 Question

[MArvane]

I would appreciate your comments on this as I am about to make my first tractor purchase and have no practical experience.

I have pretty much decided on a Mahindra 4500-5500-6000 series with a FEL. The question is how valuable is 4 X 4 and in particular with a FEL; it adds a good chunk of change to the purchase price and I am also concerned about future reliability and maintenance. I've also noted in past posts that the FEL/4 X 4 combo makes access to some maintenance points difficult.

Where we are the land is fairly level and the soil is sandy loam. I intend to do a significant amount of driveway maintenance and dirt work in general. Can you achieve nearly the same results with weights? Does buying a few extra horsepower offset the advantage of 4 X 4?

I would appreciate your comments; thanks in advance.

Michael A
Cypress, Texas

 

[DavesTractor]

The 4500 - 6500 Mahindras are nice and heavy, so even with only 2wd they do fairly well with a loader. Having said that, I'd go with the 4wd. It is incredible what a machine like this in 4wd can do. You'll probably keep this tractor for decades. You'll soon forget the extra expense, and you'll have no regrets.

 

[dduff]

I have a 6000 4X4 and just finished moving forty round bails and putting them in the barn. We have had snow and rain in the last few weeks and the ground when not frozen is very soft. A friend that was helping me has about a 45 HP Ford with two wheel drive. He started spinning an mired it up to the axel and he had a bush-hog on the back for ballast. The Mahindra not only loaded, unloaded, moved and stacked the bails in the barn but pulled his tractor out and the tires are not loaded or weighted. I too wondered if I really needed 4X4 when I bought the 6000. I can tell you now it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I will never own another 2X tractor in this size range again.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

I don't have the experience of others on this board but that has never stopped me from giving an opinion.

The only use I would consider buying a 2 wheel drive tractor for is field mowing. And then it would still be usefull. Any loader or ground work benifets from all whells being driven.

 

[Chet]

Horsepower will not compensate for lack of 4WD. Get the 4WD you will not regret it, you also get the shuttle shift and independant PTO when you go with the 4WD version of these models, plus wet disc brakes, all handy items. I have the 4500 4WD and although some things are not easy too get too, by no means is it a hard tractor to work on. ( I worked on F-4's in the AF, now that presented some real difficulties) As far as reliability, it is a fairly new design, I have 70 hours on mine ( that is not much in the grand scheme of things) and it has performed flawlessly. Plus these come with a 3 year warranty. Chet

 

[Makers_Mark]

I have a 2810 with 4x4. I wouldn't even consider a 2x2 tractor. I rarely take it out of 4x4 - even in the summer. This winter was a real test. We have been covered in snow and ice the entire winter. The tractor doesn't budge if it's not in 4x4.

 

[RanchMan]

This question comes up from time to time, and there are a few folks who don't want 4wd on their tractor - but those people are few and far between.

There are significant advantages to 4wd - especially with an FEL. If someone can do everything they want to with a 2wd tractor, that's great - but simple fact of the matter is that you can do a lot more with a 4wd tractor than with an equivalent size/hp 2wd one.

Don't worry about maintenance. This is essentially a non-issue.

Get yourself a 4wd and if you STILL want to run a 2wd tractor, just reach down and flip the lever. (can't do that with a "2wd" tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

 

[cjw]

Buy the 4x4 you wont be disappointed. The only time mine is not in 4x4 is when i hit asphalt.

 

[MArvane]

Thanks everyone---I suppose that it is unanimous.

Chet, the closest to flying that I have come is owning a Porsche. I had a complete set of inspection mirrors, some custom made tools and seriously considered grafting a second set of hands to my arms. There were a couple of times when dropping the engine was the easiest route to maintenance. Hope that this doesn't occur with the Mahindra.

Duff, you struck a responsive chord. We just went through a solid week of rain down here and I imagined if I had to slog my way through some of the bogs what would happen. Hoping my neighbor has a 4wd with enough ponies was not on the list of practical options.

Thanks again everyone,

Michael
Cypress, Texas

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Hey MArvane, just noticed you are from Cypress. I live near Cypress-Rosehill off K-Z Rd. How about you?

 

[Chet]

Well it probably won't be as bad as your Porsche, certainly not as fast /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. The worst thing I ran into on the 45004WD was trying to get to the aft fuel bowl 10mm release bolt. It is on top of the fuel filter assembly and right below the starter. The FEL mounting prevents access from the side, so I had to use an obstruction wrench and could only make 1/8th turn at a time. Since then I have acquired a 10mm crows foot, so it should not be a problem next time I change the fuel filters. The shroud over the front axle drive shaft is in the way of the oil drain plug, but only had to remove four bolts to take it out of the way, no biggie. When you go shopping you can scope these things out and see what I mean. I do not think you will be disappointed with these tractors. Chet
PS - 4WD means you can get farther out in the mud before you get stuck, they are not invincible /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[MArvane]

Chet, I think I read a past post on the topic of access to this filter (probably your post). The first thing I did was go check my toolbox; naturally my Snap On crows foot jumps from 9mm to 11mm with no 10mm. I'll start looking......

Charlie, is yours one of the Harley's parked in front of that beer joint on Grant and Cypress-Rosehill? I live on Fritsche Cemetery just off Grant between Cypress-Rosehill and Telge. Small world, eh?

Michael A

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Yes it is a small world. Do you know David Supak?

Not my Harley, too many kids (a 3yr old and the wife is pregnant with twins) for transportation with 2 seats. I did go there once when I was building my house in'99, I had too many teeth, they thru me out. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif They did want to hire my wife as a bar maid though.

 

[MArvane]

Charlie, I haven't met Supak yet; we moved in the house in November, about the time everyone started "cocooning" for winter. He's about half a mile or so up the road toward Grant; we're down toward the creek. There was a ruckus at his joint a couple of weeks ago; seemed they were practicing for the rodeo and you could hear Supak barking marching orders for miles away. I know that Dave and Steve Malek at Brookside (local JD dealer guys) are running buds; Malek told me how happy Supak is with the JD that Steve sold him. My wife is a Strnadel; between the Supaks, Maleks, Janeks and others I guess I'd better dust off my Czech and learn to drink "real" beer without falling off my tractor.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

My families been dealing with Steve for years. JD750, JD6100, coutless riding mowers and pushers. He loaned me a JD2210 to see if I liked it.