Noob question 4 wheel drive

[ptsg]

On sandy soil, it's not going to make that much difference. Plus, it's not like the OP is running the tractor 8 to 10 hours a day, all week long.

On hard surfaces, yes, you'll destroy the front tires in no time with the 4WD engaged. Not on loose dirt or even packed dirt.

It the OP's case, and as someone said before, just leave it in 4WD and forget about it.

 

[Hay Dude]

On sandy soil, it's not going to make that much difference. Plus, it's not like the OP is running the tractor 8 to 10 hours a day, all week long.

On hard surfaces, yes, you'll destroy the front tires in no time with the 4WD engaged. Not on loose dirt or even packed dirt.

It the OP's case, and as someone said before, just leave it in 4WD and forget about it.

Keep that locked in for a real long time, and that lever might be stuck in 4wd forever.
Tires DO wear faster in 4wd, even off pavement on loose or packed dirt. As one drives in 4wd with the front tires spinning faster, the front tires spin across rocks acting like an abrasive, causing faster wear. If the tires were free wheeling, this would not happen as much.

 

[ptsg]

Keep that locked in for a real long time, and that lever might be stuck in 4wd forever.
Tires DO wear faster in 4wd, even off pavement on loose or packed dirt. As one drives in 4wd with the front tires spinning faster, the front tires spin across rocks, big and small, act like an abrasive, causing faster wear. If the tires were free wheeling, this would not happen as much.

Still, not something I would even bother in this case.

I would rather keep it in 4WD to prevent the front tires from digging and plowing when turning with a load on the loader.

 

[5030]

No joke, you have told that story 10 times in the past year.
WE KNOW!!!! Lol

Running all the time in 4wd also causes front tires to wear more rapidly, since they spin at a slightly different speed. Tires ARE expensive and front tires wear out faster than rears on 4wd tractors.
Why accelerate the wear by running in 4wd all the time when it’s not needed?

Just following your lead boss....

 

[k0ua]

I run in 4 wheel all the time, unless I am on the asphalt or concrete portions of my drive. The gravel portion requires 4 wheel. Else you won't pull the hills, depending on how wet the gravel is and if you are attempting to use any kind of ground engaging implement. You could use the blade going down hill in 2wd, but you will never make it back uphill. Most of my yard and woods areas are so steep you need 4wd to do anything including saving itself from a run away from being in 2wd. So experience has taught me to keep the rig in 4wd almost all of the time. I don't think there is any hard and fast rule, because every tractor and every users ground is different. As for me I know it must be in 4 wheel or the tractor will be at the bottom of one my steep hills, and there it would stay. A 2 wheel drive tractor here would be totally useless.

 

[Jstpssng]

Another point; unlike an auto your tractor has square* gears. Once you start sliding down a hill you're committed, there's no shifting it into 4WD when you need it.

*Terminology, meaning they aren't syncroed.

 

[Hay Dude]

Would never advocate driving up/down a hill or in mushy or loose ground in 2wd, then switching 4wd.
Id want to be in 4wd before all those situations, but Im not locking a tractor in 4wd and ripping the knob off, either.
There's a sensible middle ground, where you look at the task and the ground conditions and pick 2 or 4 wheel drive.
Its not an all or nothing scenario.
Thats why they make the 2wd/4wd lever, so you can use it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Would never advocate driving up/down a hill or in mushy or loose ground in 2wd, then switching 4wd.
Id want to be in 4wd in all those situations, but Im not locking a tractor in 4wd and ripping the knob off, either.
There's a sensible middle ground, where you look at the task and the ground conditions and pick 2 or 4 wheel drive.
Its not an all or nothing scenario.
Thats why they make the 2wd/4wd lever, so you can use it.

Exactly. In 28 years ive never been stuck wishing I was in 4x4. I know enough beforehand to be set where I need to be. Also, no hills here so I’m lucky.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I would say I use 4x4 about 50% of the time. Definitely when doing loader work or pulling a heavy box blade.

 

[5030]

Well this thread shows everyone figures out what works best for their own situation. Whatever else you do, if you're going up/down slopes, engage the 4wd since these tractors only have brakes on the rear axle. That gives braking to all 4 wheels!

Well, 2 wheels unless you have the diff locks engaged. Tractors have open differentials with manual lockup, just like a 4x4 truck or AWD car. Only 2 wheels get power.

 

[PILOON]

I'll add one more 'must do' for 4 wheel drive.

That's going downhill as you only have rear wheel brakes and when you apply braking the rears will skip and slide.

In 4 wd you have engine compression working for you.
Your ride will get wilder if you happen to have a loaded bucket!

 

[bartjoebob]

For me, RWD useful when on hard surfaces or mowing. 4WD tears turf around tight turns mowing and I can also feel it bind when turning on hard surfaces. Also check the recommended operating RPM for your machine. If just doing somerhing quick or not too taxing, 1800-2000 RPM is probably ok. But if you are using PTO or working the machine hard or for an extended period you really should be running at recommended RPM. The RPM controls your cooling fan speed and fluid pumps, those are designed to run at that RPM to provide correct cooling.

 

[bggraham83]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

I'd say just run in 4 wheel all the time. Really though, just get some wheel weights for the back maybe 100 pounds each side. weights are expensive around a dollar a pound. Something you will probably have to not buy on ebay. Wheel weights is the way people did it for the past 60 years. I got a similar 8N Fordson around 25hp and it has a bucket. Wheel weights solved our problem.

 

[William Bransford]

Keep in mind , like any machinery, it good to engage the 4 wheel to keep the parts lubricated and moving occasionally.

 

[tjus77]

Off road I am in 4 wheel drive unless I’m mowing. Brake turns are better without front wheels engaged. FEL work always in 4x4

 

[DieselBound]

If OP is mostly in SAND then stay in 4wd. (manuals usually tell you how to operate 4wd)

4wd also for when doing loader work (on pretty much flat ground!) and needing to keep the front end tracking.

For me I run in 2wd until needed. I suppose I have enough of a feel of what it is like just before getting stuck that I am able to shift into 4wd and get out of the situation. One usually goes from fimer ground to softer ground. RARELY will you not be able to back out in 4wd from whence you came: if you can't, then you don't have a good grasp of your land's characteristics.

 

[CoyPatton]

This is the second post through pages of comments 1 outright stating 4x4 gives 4 wheel braking and this post implying that error.
since braking is a mechanical function on the tractor, you can not gain front brakes by being in 4x4. It is a physical impossibility! If your tractor does a nose dive, you will not have brakes! You can stop the rear wheels/tires from spinning, but has they have no traction, you have no brakes for slowing the tractor!
Now in fairness to this discussion, being in 4x4 if you lose rear traction does allow you to have some speed control as opposed to free spinning front wheels/tires as in 2x4 mode. No brakes but speed control/driven traction. What this may allow is more reaction time to deal will a potentially dangerous situation.
If you have HST, get it to slower speed of travel with the pedal. Do not ho to the neutral setting of the pedal. Do not go to reverse as you probably will loose traction and limited control. If you have a loader, making an assumption that you do with a nose dive, drop the loader to the ground (ok it is on the ground with the nose dive, still drop it, it should reduce the nose dive, bring the rear to contact the ground and provide some brake function.
Now if you have figured it yet, you need ballast or more ballast to avoid this nose dive. While filled tires is one type of ballast, you need weight behind the rear axle to offset the weight in front of the front axle. Your mfg should provide this info in your tractor manual or your loader manual.

 

[sallyb]

Hi everyone! First time tractor owner here and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. I have a 25hp Branson and live in Florida. I’m using the tractor for mostly bucket and grapple work. My land is pretty sandy but not enough softness that I get stuck in. i do feel the tractor bog down frequently. I run my RPMs 15-1800 when working the two implements. Is this the sweet spot to run RPMs and also should I be running it in 4x4 mode all the time or stick with 2 wheel until I get stuck? Thanks for any help! Mike

My 2910i Branson back wheels in air .I was scooping mud , kept sliding and overloaded bucket. I should have used 4 wheel. I don’t use 4 wheel very much, hard River bottom land. You will find this forum very helpful. Oh, I agree with Jeff.

 

[ptsg]

This is the second post through pages of comments 1 outright stating 4x4 gives 4 wheel braking and this post implying that error.
since braking is a mechanical function on the tractor, you can not gain front brakes by being in 4x4. It is a physical impossibility! If your tractor does a nose dive, you will not have brakes! You can stop the rear wheels/tires from spinning, but has they have no traction, you have no brakes for slowing the tractor!
Now in fairness to this discussion, being in 4x4 if you lose rear traction does allow you to have some speed control as opposed to free spinning front wheels/tires as in 2x4 mode. No brakes but speed control/driven traction. What this may allow is more reaction time to deal will a potentially dangerous situation.
If you have HST, get it to slower speed of travel with the pedal. Do not ho to the neutral setting of the pedal. Do not go to reverse as you probably will loose traction and limited control. If you have a loader, making an assumption that you do with a nose dive, drop the loader to the ground (ok it is on the ground with the nose dive, still drop it, it should reduce the nose dive, bring the rear to contact the ground and provide some brake function.
Now if you have figured it yet, you need ballast or more ballast to avoid this nose dive. While filled tires is one type of ballast, you need weight behind the rear axle to offset the weight in front of the front axle. Your mfg should provide this info in your tractor manual or your loader manual.

I've seen you mention this a couple times over time on this forum and you've been corrected before, yet you keep claiming that the brakes won't apply to the front axle in 4WD.

Can you explain why you think that way?

 

[sallyb]

Sorry pictures didn’t load first time.