4WD: Advantages/disadvantages

[Glowplug]

I am looking to purchase a new moderate-sized agricultural tractor very soon. Probably a Kubota M8540 w/ 4WD and hydraulic shuttle transmission. My father-in-law keeps telling me not to get 4WD. He says that's only for loggers. They're hard to maneuver. Now, he's an old school country boy. He probably equates an AG tractor with a JD model A or 1940s Farmall to give some perspective. The tractor would be used mostly for bush-hoggin', heavy FEL work, some agricutural, a little snow plowing, landscaping (with a 1500# hydraulic box blade), some plowing and disking, and various other fun tasks. I have only sixteen acres, hopefully soon to be 28 acres, of mostly flat pasture. The 4WD, or front wheel assist, whatever you want to call it, on the Kubota M8540 is intermittent. In other words, it is manually engaged only when you need it.

Any insight into the advantages/disadvantages and indications for 4WD would be most appreciated.

BTW, I WANT 4WD. You can never have too much power options!!

Oh, and I may use the tractor some at my in-laws as well for land clearing and bush-hogging. That is 50 acres of very hilly largely wooded land.

 

[AndyMA]

I have been on tractors, both 4WD and 2WD for over 40 years. I would never buy a 2WD tractor unless about all I wanted to do was pull wagons on dry ground. The number of times I use 4WD on my tractors is probably 60-80% of all the time I use them. Many times I get stuckk in 2WD and need to engage 4WD. loading is a area when 4WD is particularly helpful In 4WD I routinely fill buckets, whereas in 2WD I find it very difficult to get a decent bite. Also once I have a bucket full, it is quite often imposible to back out of the pile in 2WD.

Downsides, operationally virtually none, higher cost and a little higher maintaince.

Andy

 

[Glowplug]

That's the answer I was hoping for. I am looking for info to use as ammo against his argument. From reading other threads, sounds like heavy FEL work is a definite indication for 4WD.

 

[ridgerunnerinwv]

I hate to say it,but your father in law is WRONG. I have been operating tractors for 40 years and 4wd is the way to go. All of the old farmers in my area when they get a new tractor they upgrade to 4wd.You get more power to the ground and you get better traction in pulling and going down steep hills, the tractor is safer providing it is in 4wd,big loads are not as likely to send you skidding down hill and the tractor itself not pulling a load will go down a steep hill a lot more safer.

 

[RalphVa]

I know of NO disadvantages of 4wd on a tractor. It knocks fuel economy on cars, SUVs and pickups about 15% due to the weight of the 4wd gear and a little more friction resistance. This doesn't come into play much on a tractor (the little extra weight), because fuel use is mainly a function of how hard you run them.

My 4wd tractor is VERY maneuverable. Can't imagine using a 2wd tractor unless you're only on fairly level ground and near dry all the time. I ALWAYS run it in 4wd except for long distances on pavement.

Ralph

 

[AndyMA]

Actually according to New Holland, 4WD is more fuel efficient than 2, due to less power being wasted.

Andy

 

[_RaT_]

I have been on tractors, bot 4WD and 2WD sor over 40 years. I would nevr buy a 2WD tractor unless about all I wanted to do was pull wagons on dry ground. The number of times I use 4WD on my tractors is probably 60-80% of all the time I use them. Many times I get stuckk in 2WD and need to engage 4WD. loading is a area when 4WD is particularly helpful In 4WD I routinely fill buckets, whereas in 2WD I find it very difficult to get a decent bite. Also once I have a bucket full, it is quite often imposible to back out of the pile in 2WD.

Downsides, operationally virtually none, higher cost and a little higher maintaince.

Andy

Ditto what Andy said. When I think of 2WD anymore its for pulling wagons around at pumpkin farms. I know thats not all 2WD can do, but the advantage of 4WD is not even arguable in my book. The higher initial cost can easily be made up in the sale of the tractor. Maintaining 4WD is an oil change every now and then.

 

[thcri]

You'll be sorry if you get 2wd and what about re-sale?


murph

 

[Toolguy]

Your Father-in-Law is giving you good advice. Except he is mistaken by what you mean by 4WD. He is thinking, like a lot of old farmers do, that 4WD tractors have front tires that are the same size as the rear. When 4WD tractors first came out that is the way they were. When they started making 4WD tractors that had smaller tires on the front than on the rear they were called Front Wheel Assist. As time went on the younger generation started calling them all 4WD. My father, who is 86 and still farms, pointed that out to me when I told him I bought a 4WD Kubota. He told me it was not 4WD but, Front Wheel Assist. In your Father-in-Laws mind a 4WD tractor is big and clumsy and only good for heavy, ground engaging work. An example is logging, as he mentioned. In reality we are wrong in the way we identify our 4WD tractors and the old guys are correct. Their way makes the distinction between the two different types of tractors. The old guys are not so dumb after all, I guess.

 

[DrewL]

In my 20 years of tractoring I have NEVER wished I owned a 2WD over a 4WD, not once. I have owned both and cussed that 2WD every time I slipped and slid which was often with that machine. There is simply no comparison between the two. Ask the percentage of 2WD's manufactured of that model vs 4WD. That should be very telling. As stated in earlier posts, if the machine is going to be used for several different tasks and not just the one that you "don't need 4WD" for, that should answer the question. Nothing wrong with old school as they are usually pretty good guys. Tractors have evolved into being able to do so much more than ever before with the help of 4WD

 

[Doc_Bob]

Any insight into the advantages/disadvantages and indications for 4WD would be most appreciated.

When you lose traction with 2WD,, all you do is slip into 4WD and traction restored. Today, I was moving buckest full of rotten horse manure. The stuff was heavy and very slippery. I guess I had 800# of manure in the bucket. The area I was working in was on a slight slope and wet. I went into the pile with 2WD, but after the bukcet was full, I could not leave in 2WD, as I was now backing up a slight hill. No problem, slipped into 4WD and traction restored.

I was bush hogging next to my wetlands. In 2WD, just humming along. Then, the tires got moist (too close to wetlands) 2wd lost traction. Slipped into 4WD and backed out. Then, resumed in 2WD. If I start to slip while working in 4wd, I don't have any more traction to call on.

I love 4WD and would never buy a tractor with just 2WD.
Bob

 

[_RaT_]

You'll be sorry if you get 2wd and what about re-sale?


murph

What, murph, your alive!? Re-sale, I found that is important.

 

[johnk]

I can't see any disadvantage to 4wd except the extra cost. The pleasure of having it as an option far outweighs the price paid for it.

 

[deereguy]

You mentioned 3-4 good reasons when you would use 4WD (front wheel assist) on a tractor (plowing, disking, LOADER work, and snow removal). Did I mention loader work??

I bet when you get a 4WD, he won't stay off of it!!

 

[wolc123]

A 4wd is much more efficient at putting power to the ground than a 2wd. This means less fuel and less horsepower are required to do the same work as a 2wd. 100 % of the tractor weight, and any additional weight placed anywhere on a 4wd will contribute to traction and pulling ability, while any weight forward of the center of gravity on a 2wd will decrease these important attributes. With todays fuel prices, it makes little sense to use a 2wd for tillage or loader work. For pto work on hard ground, the 2wd still has a place due to its lower cost. For most of the uses you list, 4wd wins by a wide margin.

 

[Soundguy]

If you have hilly land.. I don't see how 4wd would be a disadvantage except only inthe terms of price.. I.E. it's not a functional disadvantage..e tc.

Soundguy

I am looking to purchase a new moderate-sized agricultural tractor very soon. Probably a Kubota M8540 w/ 4WD and hydraulic shuttle transmission. My father-in-law keeps telling me not to get 4WD. He says that's only for loggers. They're hard to maneuver. Now, he's an old school country boy. He probably equates an AG tractor with a JD model A or 1940s Farmall to give some perspective. The tractor would be used mostly for bush-hoggin', heavy FEL work, some agricutural, a little snow plowing, landscaping (with a 1500# hydraulic box blade), some plowing and disking, and various other fun tasks. I have only sixteen acres, hopefully soon to be 28 acres, of mostly flat pasture. The 4WD, or front wheel assist, whatever you want to call it, on the Kubota M8540 is intermittent. In other words, it is manually engaged only when you need it.

Any insight into the advantages/disadvantages and indications for 4WD would be most appreciated.

BTW, I WANT 4WD. You can never have too much power options!!

Oh, and I may use the tractor some at my in-laws as well for land clearing and bush-hogging. That is 50 acres of very hilly largely wooded land.

 

[jcmseven]

I was thinking of trading my MFWD tractor for a non-MFWD tractor, because I would like to spend more time on my tractor and being less efficient is a good way to do this. Part of the preceding statement is true and part is a joke, can we decide together which one is which?

John M

 

[Soundguy]

Alot of the advantage that a 4wd has over a 2wd will be dependent on use and land type. I actually traded my 4wd tractor for a more capable 2wd tractor. In 3ys of ownership.. I only used the 4wd 2 times. one to disc my pasture, and the other when crossing a mostly 'dry' lake bed that I ended up getting burried to my floorboards in. Had I not had 4wd.. I would not have got stuck.. as I would not have tried to cross it in 2wd.

So far.. I've never been stuck on the 2wd unit... Though i routinely drive down some dirt roads that strand 2wd cars and trucks every day.. ( big tires can have nearly as much to do with not geting stuck, as having 4wd.. etc.. )

Soundguy

 

[Glowplug]

Thanks for all the good advice. I know I was looking for ammo to use for the argument to get 4WD but I didn't expect it to be so one-sided! That helps me not feel too guilty about getting 4WD. I was kinda feeling that it may be overkill. But from the statements here I think it would definitely be worth the extra cost.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Alot of the advantage that a 4wd has over a 2wd will be dependent on use and land type. I actually traded my 4wd tractor for a more capable 2wd tractor. Soundguy

Good points. I assume that since you live in Central Florida, you have flat land? My land is sloped and lot's of heavy soil, making 4WD a very nice addition. I run AG tires.
Bob