4WD or 2WD?
- Thread starter Brian_D
- Start date
- Views: 10779
SteveM
Gold Member
The only reason to get a 2wd drive compact is if your are buying a lower priced used. In that case, you save lots of money since most folks like 4wd. Case in point, in the northeast you can often find 80s vintage compacts 2wd for around 5 grand, sometimes less. Finding a clean one takes some patience, but they are out there. When comparing 5 grand for one of these to a large garden tractor, you are way ahead. Diesel, 3pt, diff lock, lots of attachments, etc. But if you are buying new, you will never find a 2wd available.
Dave___in___CT
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2003
- Messages
- 481
- Location
- West-Central CT
- Tractor
- Kubota L3130, LA723 Loader, BH90 Backhoe, Curtis Cab, || '82 Gravely 8199KT garden tractor
I'll take the middle of the road on this topic...
3-wheel drive... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Dave...
3-wheel drive... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Dave...
Old_Hickory
Platinum Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There are just some things that either a 2wd or a 4wd will do better )</font>
Yes but a 4wd drive the same size of the 2wd will do everything and more.
Yes but a 4wd drive the same size of the 2wd will do everything and more.
_RaT_
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2000
- Messages
- 5,855
- Location
- Peoples Republic of Northern CA.
- Tractor
- Kioti 3510-SE HST
ns_in_tex
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2002
- Messages
- 924
- Location
- East Texas
- Tractor
- Kubota L4610 HSTC, International 2400, Hesston 1280,
Egon
Epic Contributor
Go for the 12 wheel drive. You can make more dust.
Egon
Egon
slowrev
Elite Member
Just get something with tracks on it. Great traction, works good on soft ground, and no flats /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Hi Brian,
I can appreciate your dilemma. It is very difficult to know which tractor is best for you when you do not have a good frame of reference.
A few years ago I bought my first tractor. I was really trying to get into something for the lowest price possible. I ended up picking up an older International Harvester 28 HP 2WD tractor. It worked well for some things, but I was forever getting it stuck in the mud on my land here in NH (while box blading). Snow removal was not very much fun with it either.
After struggling with it for about a year, I decided to sell it and rented equipment for a little while (mostly bobcats). I figured that I might save money by renting instead of owning - but this turned out to not be true since I needed to rent often - and would usually find an excuse to not do some of the work that I needed to because I didn't want to pay for a rental.
Well during the last few months I decided that I was ready to make another tractor purchase. This time I promised myself that I would get the right size tractor for my needs (lots of landscaping / skidding some logs / brush cutting/ snow removal on 20 acres of New Hampshire land). I still was not sure exactly what I needed.
I looked around at many different dealers comparing prices and trying to figure out which models would fit my needs. The best deal I found (which includes the nicest staff, great owner, and excellent deal on tractor/implements/service) was at Northwood Power Equipment in Northwood NH. They are an Agco / Massey dealer.
If it wasn't for them I would have definitely purchased the wrong sized tractor. They were more than willing to loan me 4 tractors on my land to see which suited my needs the best. When I started out, I was looking at a 4WD 28 HP tractor with a backhoe. Then I moved up to the Massey 1440 tractor to backhoe. When it was all said and done, I decided on the Massey Ferguson 1445 (which actually weighs almost 1,000 pounds more than the 1440 40 HP tractor). I didn't get a backhoe because Northwood Power Equipment has a special rental deal going for compact tractor owners who puchase from them - and let me tell you an excavator rental will do a lot more work than a CUT backhoe!
Some of the incentives that they offered besides good pricing was:
Free pickup and delivery for the lifetime of the tractor
Free 50 hour service ($350 value)
Free 4 year warranty for the tractor
I can't say enough how much I really enjoyed doing business with them. My brother in-law and I just picked up a couple of Stihl chainsaws from them also (I'm kind of addicted to going in there now).
Sorry that this was so long - all I am trying to say is try to find a dealer who is going to work with you and HELP you, instead of trying to just SELL you. You should really work with someone who is willing to send demos down to your land so that you could put it through the paces and see what you really need (and avoid making a costly mistake of buying too small).
The lessons learned from my first tractor that influenced my purchase decision for my new tractor was:
1. 4WD is definitely beneficial when working with a front loader or on snow - my 2WD would just push the front end when I was trying to take turns in the mud.
2. Weight is more important than Horsepower for my uses. I never had a problem with my old tractor due to lack of power (even though it was 28 hp). My biggest problem was the the tractor was too light to put the power to use. My new tractor is 2000 lbs heavier (2000 lbs vs. 4000 lbs) and has 17 hp more (and I would even trade in some of the HP for more weight!!).
3. Service / Support / Parts - I bought my '77 International Harvester used from someone way up in Vermont. I had several problems with getting promised work done and had trouble finding some parts. I realized that I didn't own a tractor to tinker with, but needed something that would be reliable and ready to work when I needed it. Massey is very reputable (and for some reason most of the farms here have newer Masseys), and the dealer is very support/service conscious.
4. Hydro vs. Gear - I was leaning towards gear again when I first started looking. But when Northwood Power Equipment sent me two identical tractors (at the same time), one gear and one hydro - I saw and amazing difference when putting them through their paces. Loader work took almost half the time with the hydro, and I found the hydro much safer when traveling down hills. It was a litte nerve racking filling a huge sink hole that was on a steep hill with the gear tractor, with the hydro it was a no brainer.
I hope that helps a little.
I can appreciate your dilemma. It is very difficult to know which tractor is best for you when you do not have a good frame of reference.
A few years ago I bought my first tractor. I was really trying to get into something for the lowest price possible. I ended up picking up an older International Harvester 28 HP 2WD tractor. It worked well for some things, but I was forever getting it stuck in the mud on my land here in NH (while box blading). Snow removal was not very much fun with it either.
After struggling with it for about a year, I decided to sell it and rented equipment for a little while (mostly bobcats). I figured that I might save money by renting instead of owning - but this turned out to not be true since I needed to rent often - and would usually find an excuse to not do some of the work that I needed to because I didn't want to pay for a rental.
Well during the last few months I decided that I was ready to make another tractor purchase. This time I promised myself that I would get the right size tractor for my needs (lots of landscaping / skidding some logs / brush cutting/ snow removal on 20 acres of New Hampshire land). I still was not sure exactly what I needed.
I looked around at many different dealers comparing prices and trying to figure out which models would fit my needs. The best deal I found (which includes the nicest staff, great owner, and excellent deal on tractor/implements/service) was at Northwood Power Equipment in Northwood NH. They are an Agco / Massey dealer.
If it wasn't for them I would have definitely purchased the wrong sized tractor. They were more than willing to loan me 4 tractors on my land to see which suited my needs the best. When I started out, I was looking at a 4WD 28 HP tractor with a backhoe. Then I moved up to the Massey 1440 tractor to backhoe. When it was all said and done, I decided on the Massey Ferguson 1445 (which actually weighs almost 1,000 pounds more than the 1440 40 HP tractor). I didn't get a backhoe because Northwood Power Equipment has a special rental deal going for compact tractor owners who puchase from them - and let me tell you an excavator rental will do a lot more work than a CUT backhoe!
Some of the incentives that they offered besides good pricing was:
Free pickup and delivery for the lifetime of the tractor
Free 50 hour service ($350 value)
Free 4 year warranty for the tractor
I can't say enough how much I really enjoyed doing business with them. My brother in-law and I just picked up a couple of Stihl chainsaws from them also (I'm kind of addicted to going in there now).
Sorry that this was so long - all I am trying to say is try to find a dealer who is going to work with you and HELP you, instead of trying to just SELL you. You should really work with someone who is willing to send demos down to your land so that you could put it through the paces and see what you really need (and avoid making a costly mistake of buying too small).
The lessons learned from my first tractor that influenced my purchase decision for my new tractor was:
1. 4WD is definitely beneficial when working with a front loader or on snow - my 2WD would just push the front end when I was trying to take turns in the mud.
2. Weight is more important than Horsepower for my uses. I never had a problem with my old tractor due to lack of power (even though it was 28 hp). My biggest problem was the the tractor was too light to put the power to use. My new tractor is 2000 lbs heavier (2000 lbs vs. 4000 lbs) and has 17 hp more (and I would even trade in some of the HP for more weight!!).
3. Service / Support / Parts - I bought my '77 International Harvester used from someone way up in Vermont. I had several problems with getting promised work done and had trouble finding some parts. I realized that I didn't own a tractor to tinker with, but needed something that would be reliable and ready to work when I needed it. Massey is very reputable (and for some reason most of the farms here have newer Masseys), and the dealer is very support/service conscious.
4. Hydro vs. Gear - I was leaning towards gear again when I first started looking. But when Northwood Power Equipment sent me two identical tractors (at the same time), one gear and one hydro - I saw and amazing difference when putting them through their paces. Loader work took almost half the time with the hydro, and I found the hydro much safer when traveling down hills. It was a litte nerve racking filling a huge sink hole that was on a steep hill with the gear tractor, with the hydro it was a no brainer.
I hope that helps a little.
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 52,424
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( so lightly loaded they wouldn't even steer the tractor. In those cases, 4WD doesn't add much. Put any weight on the front, however, )</font>
Well said!
Soundguy
Well said!
Soundguy
rockyridgefarm
Elite Member
Excellant post, Wolfman!
Egon
Epic Contributor
Fellows:
If you think those old two wheel drive tractors were lightly loaded on the front you should spend a day or two driving one without power steering.
Egon
If you think those old two wheel drive tractors were lightly loaded on the front you should spend a day or two driving one without power steering.
Egon
DK35vince
Super Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I drove them for weeks on end without power steering. Not all that hard, we are just spoiled in this country anymore, everything has to be real easy. )</font>
Well I have 2 tractors.One with power steering and one without.
The one without rarely gets used anymore, huge differance.
Spoiled? Maybe.
But the tractor with power steering does not try to break my thumb from a spinning steering wheel when I hit a ground hog hole.
Can't say the same for the other tractor.
Well I have 2 tractors.One with power steering and one without.
The one without rarely gets used anymore, huge differance.
Spoiled? Maybe.
But the tractor with power steering does not try to break my thumb from a spinning steering wheel when I hit a ground hog hole.
Can't say the same for the other tractor.
_RaT_
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2000
- Messages
- 5,855
- Location
- Peoples Republic of Northern CA.
- Tractor
- Kioti 3510-SE HST
I imagine that when the tractor came along folks with picks, shovels, wheelbarrows and horses thought the tractor folks were spoiled too. It's not as much spoiled as it is smarter when what we have available to us is utilized. We definitely don't endure the physical hardships folks of the past did, but we could if we had a commitment to do so. The brain oddly enough figures these things out. I recall digging all my irrigation trenches by hand, putting screws in with a screwdriver and hammering all my plywood on by hand. Today it's trenchers, battery screw guns and air nailers. Spoiled or smart? Rat...
Egon
Epic Contributor
What size were you driving for weeks on end?
Egon
Egon
Old_Hickory
Platinum Member
Farmall Cub maybe ?? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Simplicity,Gravely/Bolens? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Simplicity,Gravely/Bolens? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
It was many years ago, most of the time it was a Massey pulling a 2 bottom plow. Not the 3 point type but the one with wheels, and a lever to drop it down and then pick it up. But other bigger ones at times to disk and what ever, was working for a big wheat farmer.
stvman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2000
- Messages
- 252
- Location
- NewHampshire
- Tractor
- A very tired Case 580 (looking to downsize)
Pruntic, You are absolutely correct! I will trade you a pick and shovel for your tractor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Would it be safe to assume that you dont have a Hummer in your driveway. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Would it be safe to assume that you dont have a Hummer in your driveway. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
