4WD: Advantages/disadvantages

[SkyPup]

The biggest advantage 4WD has over 2WD is when 2WD doesn't cut it, you simply shift to 4WD.

With only a 2WD only tractor, that is not an option and therefore a distinct disadvantage.

 

[3RRL]

Yup,
That is basically what I said in post #21.

 

[Soundguy]

The biggest advantage 4WD has over 2WD is when 2WD doesn't cut it, you simply shift to 4WD.

With only a 2WD only tractor, that is not an option and therefore a distinct disadvantage.

Flip it around.

The biggest advantage a 2wd has over a 4wd, when 4wd apps are not needed or wanted, is price. With a 4wd tractor, there is no lever to switch out that puts a couple thousand dollars back in your bank.

It's all application specific...

It really sounds like the 4wd owners just want a hard and fast concrete justification for having 4wd.. In reality.. you don't need any justification other than you wanted it.. So.. quit putting down a 2wd tractor.. There are many valid applications where 2wd is fine.. and not a 'con'.

Soundguy

 

[SkyPup]

That's what I mean, a 2WD is specific for 2WD situations, while a 4WD is specific for both 2WD and 4WD situtations, well worth the cost to double or quadruple the situtations when the tractor can be fully utilized.

 

[Soundguy]

well worth the cost to double or quadruple the situtations when the tractor can be fully utilized.

That's an incredibly subjective statement... to the point of being almost incorrect.

It could be argued that a tractor performing up to 100% of it's intended task could be considered to be fully utilized.

Thus an old 2wd tractor could be setting there with flat tires with a belt pulley running a thresher or binder or drill, or some other stationary powered device. This tractor could be replaced with a big shiny new 4wd unit with equal pto hp.. and quite a huge price tag. Looking at income produced.. i don't see the 4wd unit doing any more binding thatn the 2wd unit.. just for the sake of having a front driveline...

Financial reasons can make big differences. Take for example a situation in which a job bid is placed. A few thousand dollars can make the difference in getting a contract or not.

Case and point.. A friend bought a mowing rig after bidding on quite a bit of county mowing... all flat.

His bid beat another fellow by a margin of less than 1000$.. both were buying from the dealer we buy our equipment from.... the salesman said the other fellow specced a 4wd tractor...


I see this sort of thing all the time.. there are simply situations where 4wd is not part of the equation.. like for temporary stationary power... in that situation.. the extra cost of 4wd is straight waster.

Lots farmers down here buy big 2wd tractors that set on sites for a few seasons to run power or water.. then they drive them to other locations. The GC i work for does similar. In some cases the price of a large 4wd machine to do the same job as the 2wd would be 25% more money.. paying for that huge 100hp front driveline that will never get shifted into gear..

Personal justification is fine...

You guys need to realize that -your- tractor uses do not comprises 100% of the uses that another person might buy a tractor for.

Lets get objective.... the subjective stuff doesn't fly.

No one has said that a 4wd doesn't have more value, or open up a wider range of uses.. that point is not in contention.. however.. when viewed within a realistic narrowed scope.. it's easy to see some situations wehre having 4wd is just another part to maintain.. and more money to buy.. with little working value.

My ex-NH 1920 was such a case... the 4wd didn't benefit me in use/application... had I not traded it.. the extra price of the 4wd would have literally been waste to me.

Soundguy

 

[SkyPup]

I agree wholeheartedly, there are numerous instances where a 2WD is totally adequate, like when you're mowing a golf course lawn with turf tires and wish to leave a minimal footprint or your tractor is primarily utilized on paved asphalt surfaces.

 

[BTDT]

If you can afford a big enough 2wd, a 2wd is fine. If not, and your limited around your property (trees, small gates, etc.) then a 4wd makes sense, more pulling power in a small unit.

 

[Soundguy]

Thus.. it is application specific...

Soundguy

 

[BTDT]

What's the difference in someone spending a little extra money for an extra drive axle that they can have on demand, and someone with 9 other tractors sitting in their yard when they can only drive 1 at a time (Soundguy, see his profile)?


BTW, the original poster said he "wanted" 4wd, so this whole thread seams kind of useless.

 

[3RRL]

Thus.. it is application specific...

Soundguy

No doubt you are correct Chris, it's application specific. The thread was worded 4WD: Advantages/disadvantages so conditionally speaking, one advantage of having 4wd is you can use it when you need it if you have it. Nothing against 2wd machines.

 

[Dargo]

Sorry, but I'm just not buying, so to speak, the price issue for 4wd. It costs more upfront, but anymore trying to sell a 2wd tractor later will give you a far, far smaller audience. So, not only will you get your money back in the end, but it will make selling it quite a bit easier since you'd be selling to such a larger audience. It's sort of like 30 years ago people saying that A/C just adds cost to a car and you don't need it. Um, hmm, just try selling that puppy. You better be buying it for life. And, this thread seems to show that huge disparity in the number of people who rather strongly prefer a 4wd tractor. Let's face it, it will do absolutely everything a 2wd will do plus a huge amount more. Yes, a 2wd tractor would be considered application specific; you'd have to have a single application only in mind to specifically buy a 2wd tractor. With everything I use a tractor for, I would never consider a 2wd tractor no matter how much cheaper it may be.

 

[Blksim]

No one has really touched on steering and turning radius. It may be because it's not really an issue. But I know when I have my Dodge Ram in 4WD the steering "feel" is much different. Is this true with tractors? Is it enough of a negative factor to consider not getting 4WD?

The M5040 - M7040 are listed with a difference in turning radius of just over 7" between 2wd & 4wd. The 8540 is listed at just over 20" between 2wd & 4wd.

 

[_RaT_]

Sorry, but I'm just not buying, so to speak, the price issue for 4wd. It costs more upfront, but anymore trying to sell a 2wd tractor later will give you a far, far smaller audience. So, not only will you get your money back in the end, but it will make selling it quite a bit easier since you'd be selling to such a larger audience. It's sort of like 30 years ago people saying that A/C just adds cost to a car and you don't need it. Um, hmm, just try selling that puppy. You better be buying it for life. And, this thread seems to show that huge disparity in the number of people who rather strongly prefer a 4wd tractor. Let's face it, it will do absolutely everything a 2wd will do plus a huge amount more. Yes, a 2wd tractor would be considered application specific; you'd have to have a single application only in mind to specifically buy a 2wd tractor. With everything I use a tractor for, I would never consider a 2wd tractor no matter how much cheaper it may be.

I'm with you Dargo. The price thing seems insignificant on a tractor especially one you intend to keep for many years. I don't buy the "price" argument either. Spread out the few extra thousand dollars for 4WD and your talking a few bucks each year. Even if you should never use 4WD, you also have not only better resale but a much bigger market wanting your tractor. 2WD is a dying breed. There is not a single 2WD Kubota on my dealers lot. Same goes for my local NH and Deere dealer. It may all boil down to the well known "application specific" mantra we keep hearing, but that implies your applications never change. I have yet to limit myself to only specific tasks, it changes from month to month and day to day, its more fun that way! I don't always know when I will need 4WD, but its there. I know better though then to go driving off in 2WD in a swamp thinking 4WD will bail me out. I have yet to get "more stuck" because I have 4WD thinking it could do it all. Not saying it can't happen, but I have enough experience to help guide me.

PS: I have yet to see a 4WD tractor that can't be switched to 2WD. Works well on dry, hard surfaces.

 

[Soundguy]

It's obvious we are not talking about me, re: this specific issue.

What's the difference in someone spending a little extra money for an extra drive axle that they can have on demand, and someone with 9 other tractors sitting in their yard when they can only drive 1 at a time (Soundguy, see his profile)?.

BTW, the original poster said he "wanted" 4wd, so this whole thread seams kind of useless.

"wanting' 4wd is one of the top 2 reasons to have it... 'needing' it is the other. It's all the justification you need. Other discussioons on pro/con's are academic at that point. I made that point in a previous post.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

And similarly speaking.. if you did not -ever- need it.. price could be considered a disadvantage of the 4wd, again.. given that it would never be used. This is of course a 1 sided disad.. that is.. on the purchases side. If you did intend to re-sell the tractor.. assumable you could recoup some / all of the initial investment inthe 4wd making it a wash... again.. if you are selling the tractor.

Soundguy

No doubt you are correct Chris, it's application specific. The thread was worded 4WD: Advantages/disadvantages so conditionally speaking, one advantage of having 4wd is you can use it when you need it if you have it. Nothing against 2wd machines.

 

[Soundguy]

Selling a tractor.. ewwwwe. I guess that is one distinction that needs to be factored in. I don't treat tractor like auto's..and sell them off ever few years... Probably the prime difference between a person that owns a tractor for multi-use utility or work.. and a person who collects tractors... I'm not interested in selling my tractors.. thus ideas of resale are usually not on the bargening table when i go to purchase one.

trying to sell a 2wd tractor later will give you a far, far smaller audience. So, not only will you get your money back in the end, but it will make selling it quite a bit easier since you'd be selling to such a larger audience. .

Let's face it, it will do absolutely everything a 2wd will do plus a huge amount more. Yes, a 2wd tractor would be considered application specific; you'd have to have a single application only in mind to specifically buy a 2wd tractor. With everything I use a tractor for, I would never consider a 2wd tractor no matter how much cheaper it may be.

Unfortunately.. some farm chores can be quite adequately performed with a 2wd tractor, without a need for 4wd. So far.. lets see... I mow alot.. and I stab a few pales of hay... and i occasionally pull a trailer... non of those are 4wd only applications. For my limited use.. 4wd is just an extra expense.

Since I'm more of a collector that say.. a land clearing swamp mudding , mountain climbing loader toting monster.. my views are particularly skewed to the older units. Quite a huge bit of farm production was carried on a single drive axle thru the decades. No question.. 4wd was an advancement and an upgrade... however.. 2wd has lots of good uses.

Now... show me a ford with a nice rare elenco conversion... and I'll specifically buy it because of the 4wd...

It still all boils down to variables.... ( application, intended lifespan, terain, future uses, and retirement method ). With the near infinite possibilities of those combinations, 2wd could simply be all that was needed. True that a 2wd/4wd would do the same.. however at an added cost. it then boils down to cost/return justification to see if the extra cost of the unused 4wd makes a difference to the bottom line. Lifespan and retirement method then come into that calculation... if the unit is not to be sold or traded.. that 4wd argument for better resales kinda takes a capitol hit...

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I'm outta here.

There are too few open minded persons to even hold a good debate. The 4wd crowd is absolutely opposed to considering the fact that there may be 2wd applications where price is a discerning factor. The stale old argument keeps getting thrown back.. 4wd does it all.. and price is no option.

Price is deffinately a concern for many people..

later... no point in debating if there is no debate...

(P.S. On the other hand.. I agree with all the reasons =for= having 4wd, or 'pro's .. etc. It's those that can't see the other side of the coin that are perplexing me... )

 

[Glowplug]

HEY THANKS GUYS!!
I've now made up my mind after all this bantering back and forth with redundantly repetitive arguments!
It's now as clear as Eddie's lake!!
I'm going to get two tractors for different specific applications!
I'll get a big ol' 2WD Ford to park and run a PTO generator and occassionally pull a trailer across the street and I'll also get a 4WD Kubota for absolutely everything else!

(I wanna see Soundguy stay away from replying to that one!)

Seriously though, this thread has gotten way too entertaining. I'm loving reading it. I have compiled all the posts into a single Word document and I'm sure my father-in-law will enjoy reading them too! Keep it up!

 

[_RaT_]

I'm outta here.

There are too few open minded persons to even hold a good debate. The 4wd crowd is absolutely opposed to considering the fact that there may be 2wd applications where price is a discerning factor. The stale old argument keeps getting thrown back.. 4wd does it all.. and price is no option.

Price is deffinately a concern for many people..

later... no point in debating if there is no debate...

(P.S. On the other hand.. I agree with all the reasons =for= having 4wd, or 'pro's .. etc. It's those that can't see the other side of the coin that are perplexing me... )

Your right Chris, its time to call in the dogs on this one, the fires been out for some time. Chuck didn't really need convincing so much as confirmation. The open minded comment works both ways. I know folks so open minded, all common sense fell out, they will argue a point just to hear the sound of thier voice. In your case, you definitely found a tractor that works well for you and your limited applications, thats great. There are a lot of 2WD tractors out there at bargain prices that will definitely do the job.

 

[john_bud]

Hey, did anybody think that the choice of drive may depend on what you are going to use the tractor for?




(sorry - couldn't resist! he he he)

jb