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2wd vs 4wd

10K views 25 replies 17 participants last post by  steddy 
#1 ·
I'm wondering how useful it is to have a 4wd option vs just having 2wd. I presume this question depends on what I'm planning on doing with the machine, so here's my list. Light tillage (garden, food plots), firewood collection, moving heavy objects such as 55gal drums full of liquid, general landscaping (FEL), and possibly some bush hogging. Seems like the added traction of 4wd would be useful for skidding logs, which I don't do much of, but other than that it wouldn't gain me much.

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
It sounds to me like 4 wheel drive would help you in just about all of the subjects you mentioned. Can they be done without it? Probably. But not as quickly or as efficiently. As a comparison, I only drive trucks (not cars), and to me, I wouldn't even consider buying a 2 wheel drive truck. Just not as versatile. If I'm buying a "tool" (whichever type of tool that happens to be), I buy the one that's most versatile, and that I can get the most use out of.
 
#3 ·
Two wheel drive is fine until it isn't.
 
#8 ·
Given equal weight, a 2wd with chains will often outperform a 4wd without chains.

4wd will get you stuck just a tad more effectively than 2wd. I've never had my 2wd GT with FEL stuck in snow so bad that it had to be pulled out by another vehicle. I can't say the same for my 4wd SCUT with diff lock.

There are times when having 4wd is a great asset . . . as long as you don't get excessively aggressive. I like the speed and fuel economy of my 4wd SCUT for snow removal, but I really like the power of my 2wd GT with chains that can move more snow with each pass. The two tractors are within 150 lb of the same weight with the GT being the lighter.

For the tasks listed, a properly ballasted 2wd heavy GT with chains is adequate.
 
#9 ·
I can certainly see where an FEL would take a lot of weight off the rear end making a 4wd more effective.

Owning and actually using a 4x4 diesel truck, I can also agree with that comparison, but I will say that there is a noticeable difference. Unloaded, the rear end of a pick up truck is extremely light making it difficult to get good traction. Most of the time, when using a tractor, the chore itself puts MORE of the load on the rear end. The comparison is valid though. As Tudor alludes, the operator has to understand the limitations of the equipment AND the environment. I've had 2wd trucks stuck more than once, but it's always been pretty simple to retrieve them. Take a 7,400 lb truck, load 5K in the bed, and then burry to the axles. Now that's STUCK. Even after unloading the bed, we stood an 8N on end repeatedly trying to yank it out. When I get that truck stuck, I always know it's going to be a real job getting it out.

So it sounds like both will do the job, but the 4wd can be pushed farther at the risk of a major OS moment if you exceed it's threshold. 2wd can be modded (Ballast, chains) to increase its performance, and under some circumstances this increased performance will exceed what a stock 4wd will do. 4wd can also be modded in the same way, but often times the increase performance will only get you a LOT more stuck.

I've been looking at tractors for YEARS now, and would LOVE to get into a 20 to 25 hp 4wd machine with a FEL. Problem is that the absolute bottom end on price for a used one is in the mid $6K range. I occasionally see one for a little less, but not very often, and usually they are in the $7K and up range. Conversely, 2wd models seem to be almost half the cost. 2wd machines with a FEL in this size range seem to sell for less than $4k. Even seen some go for noticeably less. So the root of my question is really trying to understand what I'm getting for the extra money spent. If I had some acreage, I would think that a 25hp 4wd would be bare minimum. I'm on 1.5 acres, and I use a ZTR for mowing it. I use my ATV to deal with snow, and I may end up with a plow on my truck at some point. I'm repairing its replacement now, but I'll be keeping it for "farm" duty. I have a close friend who lives about 7 miles away and he has a nice skid steer, so if I NEED to do heavy work with a loader, "I know a guy". Most of my uses involve my garden, getting a machine into a location that I can't get a truck, or provide a more effective means of lifting/moving heavy objects. While I really, really, really want a 4wd machine, I'm still not convinced that the benefit is worth the substantial increase in cost. Seems like a properly equipped 2wd could fit my needs with room to spare.
 
#10 ·
My philosophy... Bought my 4x4 x748 in 2014..... Bought my 4x4 1445 this past summer..... Never again will I buy something that is not equipped with 4wd unless I am buying to collect. If that helps any.......
 
#11 ·
I've plowed with a 2wd vs a 4wd.. Huge difference, in some conditions. 4wd was the only one to get enough traction. Only way around it, is find more weight to add on the rear. But eventually you run out of room to add more weight. To much weight and now you can't steer.
 
#15 ·
Sorry, thought I mentioned that. I'm looking at something in the 20-25 hp range, and I would prefer something that's in the 48" wide x 100" long range. A little more either way is okay since I don't need to fit it in a truck bed, but it gets to be more difficult fitting it into a storage spot.

The reason I'm really questioning 4wd is this. On the few tractors that I've used, when I've dug with a FEL, I'm generally lifting the front end off the ground. When I pull a plow/cultivator the tractor will lift the front end off the ground before loosing traction. In other words, most of the time when I would really want/need the extra traction, the task I'm performing would significantly reduce or even eliminate any usefulness that 4wd could offer. Plowing snow and going up hills would be some pretty obvious exceptions, especially if I'm trying to drag something up a hill. I have other tools for dealing with what little snow we get in central Indiana, but the ability to pull/drag up hill more effectively COULD be useful. Jury is still out on how useful that would be. The work I would be doing around the house would be done on mostly level ground.

Several have made the statement that they've been able to work with their 4wd that they couldn't have otherwise done with a 2wd. I'd love to hear about those chores and how 4wd made the difference. That's the piece of the puzzle that I'm having a hard timing figuring out.

Thanks for all the input.
Mark
 
#14 ·
I use my 4wd a lot; I wasn't shopping for a 4wd tractor but that was what I found on my budget with a fel when I was hunting.

I do a lot of work with my tractor that I probably simply wouldn't if I didn't have it. Yes, I've been stuck a few times, but I suspect it's a few times less than I would have been without the 4wd.

Particularly when digging with the FEL bucket; lifting on it gives great traction to the front while relieving the rear.

Whether it's worth the extra money is a great mystery that likely has no answer. But given the choice of 2wd or 4wd tractors, I definitely would choose 4wd again.
 
#16 ·
75% of this video would have not been possible in 2wd...


The FEL on my X748 4wd makes moving stuff much safer for slow deliberate and continuous movements over rough ground. In 2wd even with a light load on the forks the front tires can be stopped by something as small as the lip of a garage.
 
#17 ·
On the few tractors that I've used, when I've dug with a FEL, I'm generally lifting the front end off the ground.
yes, pushing down with the loader to dig will raise the front, but when you lift a full load of dirt and try to drive around with it to move it somewhere else, that extra weight on the front will lessen the down force on the rear tires, possibly reducing traction to where the rear tires could slip.

When I pull a plow/cultivator the tractor will lift the front end off the ground before loosing traction.
Sounds like you've not had things hooked up correctly. Anytime that a tractor is pulling something and the front wheels come off of the ground, that is a potential rollover waiting to happen, and things can go from a "little wheelie" to a full rollover faster than you can react sometimes. Rear implements should always be hitched so that they are pulling rearward on the tractor below the center line of the rear axle. That way, if drag from the implement keeps the tractor from moving forward, the drag will be causing a rotational force on the rear axle that keeps the front wheels down on the ground with no possibility of a rollover. The lower arms of a 3 point lift system that do the actual pulling are always connected to the rear axle below the center of the axle, and factory drawbars are always mounted below the rear axle as well.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Pulling out tree stumps.

When digging with the FEL I'll often put some lift on the bucket to gain traction, while still digging in.

Backing out of deep holes with a full FEL bucket.

Working in mud / slime

When I drove into a hidden hole while mowing

Pulling a loaded truck out of a hole

Pushing the FEL bucket through thick brush

Steering with a lot of weight on the rear
 
#19 ·
Great answers!!! Thanks! I think that when the front wheels came up, we didn't have plow set up right. It was wanting to dig deeper than we were dropping it. Ground was wet, so we didn't drop it all the way, but we failed to adjust the angle on the 2 bottom plow. The soft ground allowed the loaded tires to bite well, but also allowed the plow to bite a lot better. It sank to the depth that the angle allowed, causing the front of the tractor to lift a few inches. Makes more sense now that you pointed it out.

That snow looked like a lot of fun. When I first started looking at tractors, snow removal was one of the tasks. I would certainly want 4wd for that. I use a 4wd ATV now. While the frame isn't nearly as strong, it has held up well, and I believe its better suited for most of what we get around here. Its rare that we get over 8", and its rare that the snow hangs around long enough to have to deal with multiple snowfalls. That being the case, the faster ground speed on the ATV lets me get more done quicker than what I could do with most tractors. I've come to the conclusion that in order for me to use a tractor on snow and have it be noticeably better than my ATV, it would have to be a 4wd with chains on the rear, and it would have to have a HST transmission, and it would have to be capable of running a 72" blade without a problem, and it would be nice if it could reach speeds of 12 to 15mph. All that together pushes the price so high that I can't justify it. Those add on's total up to be more than what I would have in a plow for the truck :(

Mark - That was a great list! Exactly the kind of thing that I'm looking for. Most of them don't apply to me, but its still a good list. Pulling a truck out of a hole is an interesting one since I've had my truck loaded and buried more than once. It's amazing how fast 12K pounds sinks.... This issue of dealing with the brush is one that really catches my eye. I've used both 2wd and 4wd machines to do that on a limited amount, and you're right. The 4wd machine was a lot more capable. Forgot all about that. Still not sure it makes it worth it for me, but it gives me more to think about.

Thanks again,
Mark
 
#21 ·
I have a 1025r.

I borrowed a neighbor's 7' rake and was raking/grading my driveway. The gravel/dirt was wet, so I figured it was a good day to do it with a rake (I was right).

As soon as the rake loaded up, the tractor slowed and then stopped moving. I hit the diff lock and it went a few more feet then stopped, wheels spinning.

I thought, "Hmm, maybe the 1025r can't handle a 7' rake in wet conditions." Then I realized that I was an idiot and forgot to put it in 4WD (used to my x758, which was always in 4).

As soon as I engaged the 4WD, the tractor started moving as though nothing had happened. And it never came close to slowing again, no matter how loaded the rake was.

So yes, get 4WD.
 
#22 ·
I'm still kicking this around, but I think you guys are right. This machine is really a want for me, not a need. The list of things that I would WANT to do with it are things that would increase my work load, and its questionable as to whether I have time to take on those additional projects. However, if I am going to take on more work, it would make sense to buy a machine that minimizes the time required to do that work. While I COULD do most of it with a 2wd, a 4wd would do it better, faster, and safer. I've also spoken with a few people who bought 2wd machines years ago and have been stuck with that choice ever since. They generally wish they had gone with a 4wd machine instead. I don't know that I've heard anyone who wished they had a 2wd instead. Looks like I'll have to keep saving my pennies.
 
#24 ·
I once read somewhere that you'll run out of traction before you run out of power with these tractors before I bought one. After getting it, that quote rings through my head quite often! Between pushing snow, pulling a tiller through already soft soil for a second pass (or to mix in extra organic material), scooping dirt, or just forgetting to put enough ballast on the rear I've found the rear wheels spinning or speed slowing and realized the front wheels weren't doing anything. I've never once wished I had a 2wd because that's just a lever pull away for sharper turns. I know people they never take theirs out of 4wd, but I prefer to leave it off until needed. Like with my truck if I get stuck in 4wd I don't have many other options. If I do it in 2wd, 4wd usually gets me out.
 
#23 ·
I have steep slopes. With that said, 4WD is much more important coming downhill than going up hill. When it gets dry it is very easy for the rear end to just slide. Having 4WD engaged also stop from tearing up grass, just don't turn short with it.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I pulled a big enough lawn roller last weekend that 4wd came into play on flat ground. The loader's weight was needed for weight on the steer tires, which took enough weight off the rear tires that they'd just spin when I tried to turn or go up even the slightest incline, or take off from a stopped position. I had several options - wait until the turf dried a little, change to meatier R4/ag/HDAP tires, add ballast, or click into 4wd. Guess which option I chose because it didn't require me to stop working or even get off the tractor.

That being said, as Tudor eluded to above, a 2wd tractor can be made to work just as well as 4wd in most if not all cases, which normally ends up being the cheaper option. Tires and ballast go a long way. My preference is a lighter machine that will do all the work I need done. I don't really want to mow my nicely manicured lawn with a 2wd loader tractor that has 500 lbs of ballast hanging off the back and inside the wheels... That tends to leave ruts.
 
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