For normal farm usage are there any disadvantages to only having a 4wd tractor? We only have one tractor and it is used for everything from mowing, hay baling and raking to feeeding hay. All this mud this year has me looking for a used tractor.
dun":3mxlk30k said:The single biggest con is the cubic dollars price difference
DiamondSCattleCo":hv7rsiio said:The biggest con to an older FWA or MFWD tractor (versus 2WD) is the front diffs. They were often lighter duty than the rear diffs, and if you spend alot of time spinning, it can wear on them quickly. Heavy loads will also tend to wear the front end components worse than a similar 2WD.
BTW, not to be a nitpicker, but the term 4WD tractor is generally only used when referring to a full 4WD field tractor with equal torque to all axles and equal size tires front and rear. You may confused a salesman if you ask for a 4WD when you really want a front wheel assist.
Rod
TexasBred":2u00vt07 said:Can only speak for my area but one "con" is spending all that extra $$$ for 4 wd and using it maybe 10% of the time and the rest of the time it's disengaged...course you can never put a price on convenience..
DiamondSCattleCo":1m6zv334 said:TexasBred":1m6zv334 said:Can only speak for my area but one "con" is spending all that extra $$$ for 4 wd and using it maybe 10% of the time and the rest of the time it's disengaged...course you can never put a price on convenience..
<chuckle> I think I wanna live where you live. I don't think they put disengage buttons on the FWAs in this area. If they do, I don't think anyone knows you can actually turn it off. :lol: :lol2: ;-)
Rod
tom4018":14jrbj9o said:Thanks for the input. So sick of all this mud, got stuck again yesterday and had to go get a neighbors tractors to pull it out. Be glad when hay feeding is over. The biggest hurdle to a fwa/4wd tractor is the costs. If it were not so muddy I might just load all the cows up and sell them. This stuff is has me ready to give up. :frowns:
Caustic Burno":2646v9oc said:The scariest one I drove was a New Holland had a steering set up that gave it a much tighter turning radius.
Caustic Burno":1vs83zs4 said:The problem I have with all the newer tractors are they are so short coupled and sit as high or higher than the old ones. They have chopped the length to fit shipping containers, it cost the same to ship one or ten in a container. I have a lot of hills and these things are plum scary on the side of a hill. The scariest one I drove was a New Holland had a steering set up that gave it a much tighter turning radius.