Bob_Young
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2002
- Messages
- 1,244
- Location
- North of the Fingerlakes - NY
- Tractor
- Ford 4000; Ford 2000(both 3cyl.);JD40; 2004 Kubota L4300; 2006 Kubota B7610; new 2007 Kubota MX5000
There's always a weak link somewhere, Tim. Plus, we're not just talking about liesurely turns on pavement or level dry ground.
2WD get's its tight turning capability through application of differential braking. Sometimes it's needed to get the beasts to turn at all. I've done many a brake dance on muddy hillsides when steering had virtually no effect. It works and can be quite precise....but takes a toll on the brakes and won't work at all if the brakes don't. So there's your weak link with 2WD turning.
Even if your brakes work perfectly, the klutz behind the wheel has to keep the brake pedals straight in the heat of a tight, fast and possibly dangerous turn. Again, another weak link.
So I've found 4WD to be a huge plus when turning in sloppy conditions. It does a lot of the work that you'd normally have to do with brakes thereby saving the brakes for when they're really needed. Saves some mistakes too. Admittedly, hard differential braking combined with 4WD doesn't seem to let you turn "on a dime" like a hard braked turn in 2WD will do; but how often can you do that anyway? If you're pulling a drawbar implement, it'll be into the rear tire if you try it....PTO won't like it either. If the implement's hanging on the 3PH, there will be a heckuva side load if you don't raise it.
About the only time I've found diff. braking needed with 4WD is when the fronts are loosing traction due to mud or snow. Just a touch of braking will do alot to help them along.
FWIW
Bob (the ersatz Gomer: I'm not him, I just feel like him
)
2WD get's its tight turning capability through application of differential braking. Sometimes it's needed to get the beasts to turn at all. I've done many a brake dance on muddy hillsides when steering had virtually no effect. It works and can be quite precise....but takes a toll on the brakes and won't work at all if the brakes don't. So there's your weak link with 2WD turning.
Even if your brakes work perfectly, the klutz behind the wheel has to keep the brake pedals straight in the heat of a tight, fast and possibly dangerous turn. Again, another weak link.
So I've found 4WD to be a huge plus when turning in sloppy conditions. It does a lot of the work that you'd normally have to do with brakes thereby saving the brakes for when they're really needed. Saves some mistakes too. Admittedly, hard differential braking combined with 4WD doesn't seem to let you turn "on a dime" like a hard braked turn in 2WD will do; but how often can you do that anyway? If you're pulling a drawbar implement, it'll be into the rear tire if you try it....PTO won't like it either. If the implement's hanging on the 3PH, there will be a heckuva side load if you don't raise it.
About the only time I've found diff. braking needed with 4WD is when the fronts are loosing traction due to mud or snow. Just a touch of braking will do alot to help them along.
FWIW
Bob (the ersatz Gomer: I'm not him, I just feel like him
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