Dose 4wd make a difference???

GAfarmer16 · Dec 19, 2008

im looking at buying a 684,784, or 884 international tractor. and im wodering if 4wd real makes a difference. ill mainly be bottom plowing and harrowing with the tractor. but does 4wd let you pull 1 more bottom plow or anything like that or is just a thing that cost alot of money and dont really help you that much. thanks for any help

omahagreg · Dec 19, 2008

Don't know anything about those particular tractors, but I know a guy who said his no till drill was less bouncy on a FWA tractor. Tire size would also be a factor in that. Greg

davpal · Dec 19, 2008

Doesn't make any difference on a properly ballasted machine in dry or normal conditions. It will help if the conditions get slippery though. Pull another plow bottom because it has 4wd? No way. Plow on a day when the 2wd is in the barn because its too wet? Defenitely.

John B. · Dec 19, 2008

Four wheel drive does make a difference. If you have an electrically operated 4x4 tractor you can feel the tractor pick up a little when switching into 4 wheel drive while under a pull such as discing or pulling a harrow. Your tractor is only going to have so much power though, 4 wheel drive only gives you more traction.

I would really justify it before I bought a four wheel drive tractor. It is nice to have it if you have a front end loader and going to be using it as a loader tractor every day.

It's actually up to the individual, but the things I mentioned above are the things I've experienced.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 19, 2008

For us it helps in all conditions.On a field cultivator or on a plow, in any field condition, hit the FWA button and the rear wheel slipage is reduced. I would not be with out it.

RodinNS · Dec 19, 2008

Yes, MFWD makes a difference. A big difference. I wouldn't think of buying a tractor without it.
While some will argue that you can set up and ballast a 2 wheel drive to pull just as effectively as a MFWD, the simple fact is that most people don't.
MFWD covers a lot of situations without the constant need to change ballast. Mabey one should change the ballast... but the fact is, most don't.
I think you'll also find that when you load a tractor down to it's limit and add all the rear ballast that's practical on a 2 wheeler you'll find that a MFWD similarly ballasted will pull it's socks off. Been doing it for years here. That's when you throw more weight on the front of the MFWD and keep going.
There is a reason why I get away with pulling 4/12-20"s with a 70 hp MFWD. Big front tires and 11500# dead weight.
A two wheel won't because it doesn't have the rubber without going to some ungodly tire...
The other factor is wet ground, and like it or not, we've had a lot of it here this year. I perish the thought of even trying to get anything done here with a 2 wheel drive. The MFWD's got through. They left some bad ruts in places. A big mess for next year... but we got mostly done. Without it we'd have got nothing done.

Rod

Traditional Farmer · Dec 19, 2008

I'd rather get a larger 2 wheel drive to get the job done.When 4WD is added you're putting a lot more strain on the lighter drive train than if you went to a bigger 2WD plus the front ends on 4WD is going to usually require right much upkeep if used heavily

Anonymous-0 · Dec 19, 2008

I agree with RodInNS, yes it makes a big difference. A 2 wheel drive tractor in soft and or rough soil uses lots of HP almost having to push the front wheels. The front wheels roll, but they take lots of energy and kind of want to sink into the soil. With the front wheels helping to pull, they greatly increase your tractor and efficiency of HP. Tom

buickanddeere · Dec 19, 2008

4WD or nothing.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 19, 2008

Don't know about pulling another bottom or not but I can tell you it sure is nice with a front loader putting out hay in the mud.Also super when you hit a wet spot in the field with the discs or the culti-mulcher.You can feel the front wheels pull you through.Saves chaining two tractors together picking corn too.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 19, 2008

I see you have now decided you don't need a rototiller and will settle for even a 684. 4wd is wonderful, it makes a world of difference in soft going, however it makes the tractor a lot more expensive to buy. For the price you will spend on a 4wd utility tractor you could buy a big monster for less money like a 1566, or even get an articulator. All depends upon what you need, but if you want to pull 6 bottoms or something, you need to buy something larger than a utility tractor.

flying belgian · Dec 19, 2008

I was always a nay sayer on fwa thinking I could ballast 2wd to pull the same. But last summer I bought a fwa and I am a true believer now. There is no comparison.

RodinNS · Dec 19, 2008

You've just added to my belief that 99% of the naysayers have either never operated a MFWD tractor, or at least never operated a good one...

Rod

Anonymous-0 · Dec 20, 2008

With four wheel drive you can get stuck in exciting new places.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 20, 2008

With a 2wd you got to be careful where you drive it, but with a 4wd you can pretty much drive anywhere just as long as you don't high center the tractor. 4wds are awesome for sure, especially a big 4wd with duals, then it feels unstoppable.

RAB · Dec 20, 2008

I once had a sticker in my landy. Iread (aproximately) "wear wool, 34 milion sheep can't all be wrong!"

Same answer here, really.

RAB

Anonymous-0 · Dec 20, 2008

Just got my first 4wd this past summer. I use a pull type spreader and the fields are hilly here. Some of those fields I wouldn't go on with a 2wd tractor. The spreader would push to hard on the hills. I can spread them all now. The tractor I got is a Deutz Fahr Agroplus 87 and also has 4 wheel braking. Very nice feature for pulling a spreader on hilly ground.

I just finished subsoiling some pasture and we've been in drought here the last 8 out of 10 years. Last time these pasture fields were worked up was in 1968 so the soil was very hard. I used 4wd on all of it. I started out in 2 wd but before I went 50 ft. I switched on the 4wd. Went from 2mph in 2wd to 4.5 in 4wd.

I think the 4 wd rides better too. In fields and roads. This tractor will run 30mph on the highway and rides far better than all the 2wd tractors I've had.

Walt Davies · Dec 20, 2008

I have two L series Kubotas one two wheel the other is Four, YES it really makes a difference.
Walt

Chris in SK · Dec 20, 2008

I ran a Ford TW25 with MFWD and duals on the rear. Pulling heavy discs on ploughed ground was no problem for it, but if you knocked it out of FWD, it would virtually stop and dig a hole with the rear duals. Those smaller driven front wheels made a huge difference on that tracor.
Chris

GAfarmer16 · Dec 20, 2008

thank yall for all the answers to my question. ill probably end up getting 4wd. but is there any kind of maintenance i need to do to 4wd?

Anonymous-0 · Dec 20, 2008

Don't know about other brands so can only speak for what I have. I change the oil (same as what's in the hydraulics and transmission) each year and grease the fittings. Each hub has a drain plug and one for the axle.

jhilyer · Dec 20, 2008

I bought a 2WD JD 5303 this summer, brand new. Wonderful tractor - Since I would be using it mostly for my haying operation, I went with more PTO horsepower vs. 4WD. If I had had $4000 extra, I would have got the 4WD version.

I see that when doing loader work, it would be nice to have 4WD, but this tractor also has a lockable rear differential, and that helps a lot.

Little story: The one farm I make hay on is owned by a guy who only comes down on weekends. He never owned a tractor, but this smmer, he got a good used HUGE Kubota with 4WD. The day after he got it, here he comes to me (I"m baling in the field with my Farmall 460) to ask if my son (18 years old) can bring the JD to pull him out of the swamp he was stuck in! He was sunk to the frame. So yes, 4WD can help you go places you should never go!

By the way, the guy paid my son $250 for helping him for an hour. Two hundred and fifty dollars! I told my son this was "hush money" so he wouldn"t tell anyone how this guy got stuck! Some people have too much money.

gregk · Dec 21, 2008

When dad got his first 4wd it was a white 2-85 with a loader. He was hauling a round bale on the front end and backing up a hill that was fairly steep and the rearend which was uphill came off of the ground, but the front wheels kept turning and bringing the back end up higher. he says it was a pretty exciting moment. Hit the clutch and everything went back like it was supposed to

Dose 4wd make a difference???

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