Mfwd or 4wd

JayinNY · May 15, 2013

Just thought I'd ask, why is it called mfwd, rather than four wheel drive? I see alot of tractors for sale and the add says mfwd? Why not just call it 4 wheel drive? Are my trucks mfwd?? They all say 4x4 on the back?? Not mfwd. Just a thought! Lol what do you call it!

Bkpigs · May 15, 2013

We call mfwd, front wheel assist. Four wheel drive tractors are continuously four wheel drive.

IaGary · May 15, 2013

When 4 wd was just coming in back in the 70"s and 80"s a lot of guys were adding front ends made by other companies to their existing tractors. Some were not so good and consider bad as compared to Manufacturer Front Wheel Drive so the manufacturers started labeling theirs as MFWD.

The name stuck and is still used today.

Gary

tjdub · May 15, 2013

Usually the difference just means with MFWD you can turn it off if you want. For example a lot of Ford tractors are often advertised as 4WD because (I think) it's all the time engaged even though they're comparable to MFWD tractors otherwise. It seems these days 4WD generally means large articulating tillage tractors, though.

The manual for my JD 2950 says it's designed to have the front axle engaged all the time, but you should turn it off when on hard surfaced roads. Really, it should say that it should be turned off when you're driving on the lawn or cutting hay too because it sure rips the sod up when you turn on damp ground.

farmer boy · May 15, 2013

MFWD is a regular tractor with smaller front wheels than rear wheels. The front axle is assisting the rear. 4wd is an articulating tractor. Both axles are basically doing an even amount of work. A front axle on a truck will have more traction than the rear in an no/light load situation, simply because of how it's ballasted.

Bob M · May 15, 2013

Perhaps to distinguish from FWA (hydraulic front wheel assist)?

Both MFWD and FWA are "4WD". But they are quite different in design/operation, each with advantages and disadvantages.

Also isn't convention that 4WD implies all 4 wheels are the same size - like in your 4x4 trucks or an articulated tractor? Just my guess however...

Bob M · May 15, 2013

Gary - Actually MFWD = Mechanical (gear driven) Front Wheel Drive.

This is to distinguish it from FWA (Front Wheel Assist) which typically hydraulically driven.

mkirsch · May 16, 2013

Generally speaking...

Trucks are 4x4.

Articulated tractors are 4WD.

Conventional tractors are MFWD, though I've also seen MFWA.

Seriously though there isn't a "standard" for this stuff... Can you imagine trying to get all the tractor manufacturers to agree on a common set of terms??? HA! Like herding cats!

RodinNS · May 16, 2013

MFWD is used to distinguish it from the hydraulic front wheel assist that Deere used in the earlier years that they called FWD... Today MFWD is probably used more as a distinction between utility frame tractors with mechanical front wheel assist and large frame, articulated, equal wheel four wheel drives.

Rod

wolfman · May 16, 2013

There was (is) a company called FWD that made the big four-wheel drive trucks used for snow removal. They have the rights to the FWD name. To avoid legal issues, other companies have used names like front wheel assist and mechanical..., etc.

Mfwd or 4wd

JayinNY

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Bkpigs

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IaGary

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tjdub

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farmer boy

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Bob M

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Bob M

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mkirsch

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RodinNS

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wolfman

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