2wd

[oldphil]

I'm looking at an almost new MX5100 which seems to be reasonable priced. It is 2WD. I have a small acreage and will use the tractor for rotary mowing and moving snow off the driveway. I would welcome any comments about 2WD versus 4WD. 4WD are prices $5,000 - $6,000 higher. I'm wondering if it's worth it.

Thanks

 

[Eric McCarthy]

If all your doing is just mowing and snow removal then 2wd will do just fine. That large of a tractor which would take quite a but to get is stuck. And as large as it is 4wd might not be enough to get unstick, still may end up haveing to get a wrecker to pull you out in the event you sink that bad. If the price is right I'd get the 2wd. All I've ever had is 2wd and have yet really had any problems.

 

[stuart]

A good loader with enough reach to get the front wheels a few inches off the ground is much more effective at getting unstuck than the 4wd.
The method is simple - bucket in 'dump' position, loader all the way down so front wheels are off the ground, then move the bucket to the 'load' position and you will move backwards pretty much regardless of how you got into the mess. Repeat as necessary.
Now, the 4wd may help prevent getting stuck in the snow, and if you have a front blade rather than a loader, the 2wd may be limiting. You just have to take it a bit easier.
The other thing to have handy is a portable 12volt winch and a tree.
If you are really stuck, as in slid into the ditch, maybe a snatch block to give more pull.
Back on track again, I find my tractor is in 2wd probably 90% of the time. I wanted 4wd and the only units available at the time were 4wd, but in hindsight I don't really 'need' it.

 

[Bulldog]

My opinion is that 4WD is worth it's weight in gold. I have use my 4WD while bushhogging more than any other task I do. I don't know how many times I have went to cut across a ditch that looked okay and the bottom fall out. Or go cross ways thru a ditch and the cutter drag just enough to make the tires spin out. It's a good feeling to be able to push the lever down on my M 9000 and roll right out. The only time I have ever used the interlock was when I was cutting. I had to use both the front and rear interlock to get out. To me as far as unexpected things happening while on a tractor rotary cutting is the most hazzardous task out there. Eric said in his comment that a tractor that big would take quite a bit to get stuck. In most cases this is true. But when you get it stuck, it's stuck bad. A big 4 wheeler will give enough pull to get a small tractor out of the mud in most cases but it's bad feeling when your big tractor goes down. I don't plan to ever have another tractor that doesn't have 4WD. To each their own though.

 

[Will In Tx]

My opinion is that 4WD is worth it's weight in gold. I have use my 4WD while bushhogging more than any other task I do. I don't know how many times I have went to cut across a ditch that looked okay and the bottom fall out. Or go cross ways thru a ditch and the cutter drag just enough to make the tires spin out. It's a good feeling to be able to push the lever down on my M 9000 and roll right out. The only time I have ever used the interlock was when I was cutting. I had to use both the front and rear interlock to get out. To me as far as unexpected things happening while on a tractor rotary cutting is the most hazzardous task out there. Eric said in his comment that a tractor that big would take quite a bit to get stuck. In most cases this is true. But when you get it stuck, it's stuck bad. A big 4 wheeler will give enough pull to get a small tractor out of the mud in most cases but it's bad feeling when your big tractor goes down. I don't plan to ever have another tractor that doesn't have 4WD. To each their own though.

Have to say he is right, good as gold, because I get stuck much at what I do I even use the FEL to push, as I am backing out or pull me out. Ag tires is what I have and I would not have traded for any other.
You have to think about even more of what your going to do with it.

 

[JWB]

Oldphil,
I gotta agree with bulldog. Fwd is the way to go. Two wd is very hard to get stuck, however I was moving heavy stuff the other day with my M6040 and the back tires started to spin in soft ground. Fwd got the job done. I realized a little while later that the back tires were lifting in the air because of the heavy weight up front. Just my $.02 but fwd and a FEL is worth its weight in gold.
JWB

 

[Bulldog]

This is something I learned the hard way. It's much cheaper to get the tractor you need the first time instead of just settling on one that doesn't have the options you want. I bought a rops model M 9000 DT in 02 but really wanted a cab model instead. I was bushhogging one night and while going slow thru some rough ground ran over a bumble bee nest. I was stung 17 times before I could get the lights cut off and escape the painful attack. Then adding insult to injury in the confusion I ran thru a barb wire fence. What a night. I went the next week and ordered a cab tractor. I was lucky and only lost $900 dollars in the trade. That still was money that could have been used else where though and saved me alot of pain to boot. I second JWB on the fel. Any tractor that has a fel needs 4WD just for the added safety if nothing else. A heavy load on the front can get you in trouble very quick.

 

[Foisy]

I don't have much experience yet but my one early job I did this year was re-leveling my driveway from winter. At no time was I getting stuck doing this and had it in 2wd, but then I spun my back tire unexpectedly and had a new hole to fix. Putting it in 4wd alleviated this and made it easier to "groom" my driveway with spinning out. Not a big deal, but made it easier.

 

[traildust]

Most tractors that are 2wd normally have filled rear tires or wheel weights. A tractor that size with weighted wheels is going to do very well.

Oldphil, the only concern I have is you mentioned the tractor will be used on "small acreage". Depending on how small and what type of land, then that tractor may be way too big. That is a very big tractor.


Scott

 

[daniel.ray77]

The 4WD on my L225DT was broken all my years growing up and there was many a time when 4WD would have made things a lot more efficient. Because it was nonoperational, while clearing snow down our lane, i had to build up speed and hope my momentum would carry me thru. Consequently, i had to ram the snow at times just to keep things moving which was very hard on the tractor. Now that i have the 4WD fixed, i can "walk" into situations and have complete confidence that it will keep on moving. You never know how priceless 4WD is until that defining moment when you look down at your front tires and think, "Man, if only i had 4WD".

 

[Bulldog]

The 4WD on my L225DT was broken all my years growing up and there was many a time when 4WD would have made things a lot more efficient. Because it was nonoperational, while clearing snow down our lane, i had to build up speed and hope my momentum would carry me thru. Consequently, i had to ram the snow at times just to keep things moving which was very hard on the tractor. Now that i have the 4WD fixed, i can "walk" into situations and have complete confidence that it will keep on moving. You never know how priceless 4WD is until that defining moment when you look down at your front tires and think, "Man, if only i had 4WD".

I agree, 4WD is priceless when you need it. One thing for sure, it doesn't have to be used when it's not required but you can't use it if you don't have it. I have always been told that 4WD adds 50% more pulling power to a tractor. When I bought my L 3000 DT the dealer said that my 31 hp with 4WD engaged was equal to a 45-50 hp 2WD machine. I believe every word of that after seeing what can be accomplished with these tractors. If you really think about that scale look how much more work/play can be done with a small tractor. I have a 13 shank Rhino chissle plow that we formerly pulled with a 100 hp IH 806. This was a long wheel base 2WD unit that weighed over 10,000 lbs. My M 9000 DTC only weighs around 7000 lbs. I barely could drop it in the ground in 2WD but I can put it to the beams in 4WD. Unless you get a large frame tractor now it just can't stand up to the tractors of the past when it comes to traction. I use my 4WD a lot of the time just to keep from slipping the rears on regular dirt. It gets used on my L 3000 when I'm cutting grass all the time just to keep from tearing up the yard and to get the much needed extra traction on steep banks. Tires cost to much to replace just to let them burn the tread off for no reason. If you factor in tire wear, fuel effiiency due to traction gain, unwanted ground disturbance and just simply being able to get out of a sticky situation the 4WD will more than pay for itself.

 

[KubotaTech]

the 4wd really makes a difference when using the tractors on hills and soft ground. While mowing, it makes the tractor a bit more stable and helps keep the tractor from sliding when trying to drive slowly down hills. Of course it does help in snow as well, if you get a lot of snow it may be worth it. This tractor has a similar drivetrain as a L-series tractor, which doesnt have a ton of ground clearance as compared to larger M series tractors. Be sure to get some rear ballast, especially if you get a loader on this tractor.

 

[avi8tor]

I haven't had a situation that I wished I didn't have 4wd or a FEL.

 

[Bulldog]

I think 4WD should be the standard on smaller tractors. If I use my L 3000 to do any work at all chances are at some point in time it will be in 4WD at least once. One big plus to me is the fact that with 4WD engaged it gives you front brakes so to speak. How many times have you gone down a hill in 2WD with one tire sliding as you pick up speed instead of slowing down. It sure makes me feel alot better when my wife or my son is in the seat. If they are going to be around any type of hill at all I make them use 4WD just for my piece of mind. A good PM program is our way of trying to prevent breakdown. 4WD can be looked at as a safety feature to help us out of tuff spots. If having 4WD on my tractor helps to keep my family from getting hurt just once it just became a priceless feature.

 

[KubotaTech]

Good point about the front braking. On the newer Case IH tractors, they actually engage their 4wd when you brake. It makes a huge difference, especially in less than ideal traction conditions.

 

[Bulldog]

I have a few spots that I mowe that is impossible to get thru without 4WD. It is to steep to climb so I have no choice but to go down hill on them and without the frontend to help maintain control is would be a runaway situation for sure. One place using the seatbelt is the only way to stay in the seat and it's very controllable as long as the 4WD is engaged. I never really thought about the frontend acting like a break until I read the manual on my Honda 4 wheeler and it warned riders about the use of either break would make both the front and rear tires slow together because of 4WD. It makes sense but is a fact that is easily overlooked. To me any option that allows you to do a job safer is money well spent. Equipment and property can be fixed or repaired be a life can't be replaced.

 

[tkiranch]

I have a MX5100 2wd. I have gotten the tractor stuck, but backed out with the bucket. I have plowed snow with it, dug holes, and have not had any trouble with it. I do keep a ballast box on the back when I am doing a lot of bucket work, but that is all.
I think that if I had 4wd, I would get in a lot more trouble with it than it is worth. Most people use 4wd to go forward till you get really stuck. On a tractor it is good for doing bucket work, or pushing. With some ballast in back, diff lock, I can do almost anything I want. It is a great tractor, remember I can always do smaller work with a big tractor, but I cannot do bigger work with a small tractor, so if the price is right and you decide you are ok with 2wd, then get the tractor, you wont be disapointed if it is in decent shape.

 

[Joe460]

Hi there. New to the Forum.

I read the first page of posts here and was a little concerned about what I think is the most important feature of having 4WD. I found the feature mentioned on page 2, and that is the safety factor of having braking action going down a hill.

I have an L275 2WD with a loader, and let me tell you on my hilly property I have to plan nearly every move. Most of the plans involve keeping the rear wheels on the downside of the hill so that tractor weight is biased there.

I've never run a 4WD tractor, but have been tempted to innumerous times. I kinda instinctively know how much more of a safety advantage that would be, but I also know once I had a little seat time on a 4WD that would be all she wrote. I cannot afford the switch to 4WD at this time. However, I'm seriously converting the L275 using salvaged parts if this is at all possible.

Nice Forum. I'm at heart an International Harvester guy and hang out at the Red Power Forum a lot. I find it interesting the tractor pic at the top of this Forum Page is a 66 series IH.

 

[stuart]

I'm going to correct my earlier post here. With the great bunch of people here I don't mind being proven wrong and admitting it.
For snow removal and lawn care, you might be fine with 2wd.
But for work with a loader, 4wd is essential.
My little B7001 moved 10 yards of gravel today for a patio/deck area. I have a blade on the back, but not weighted tires. The ground where we were working was soft, and the ground where the load was dumped was softer. Backing out with a full bucket load was impossible in 2wd - I tried a few times to make sure it was not just my inexperience. The back tires just bounced too much. In 4wd it was totally painless. Same thing getting in to the work area. It was a minor nuisance shifting in and out of 4wd, as the transit was partly over pavement, but that was a small price to pay.

Same effect Wednesday when we were removing the turf.

With weighted tires, or a heavier counterweight, or a much bigger tractor we would have been sinking in the soft dirt.

 

[traildust]

Look at the upside, with 4wd you get to make twice as many ruts while trying to dig the fel into the ground