Is leaving the mechanical front wheel drive (MFWD) engaged on your tractor all the time a good idea? The answer might surprise you! One of my viewers asked about the long-term effects of continually keeping the front wheel drive engaged. Specifically, they wanted to know if this practice leads to more significant wear and tear on the tractor. After over 30 years in the tractor industry, I’ve got some insights to share.
The common misconception is that continuously engaging FWA causes damage to the driveline. It definitely has an impact, but in my experience, failures in the components that make up the front wheel assist system are relatively rare. What really matters in terms of wear and tear is the effect on tractor tires.
Without front wheel assist engaged, the front tires will be wearing faster than the rears. That's because, since they're smaller, they're making more revolutions. Also, while they're shorter and usually narrower, they also have the weight of the front end loader and anything it picks up on them. Complicating matters is the fact that they have to also turn with weight on them. For these reasons, most of us will be replacing our front tires before the rear ones.
When a tractor is engaged in front wheel drive, that situation is made worse. Because the tires are different circumferences, they're being driven at different speeds. In order for the front wheel assist to work right, the front wheels have to run a bit faster than the rear ones, otherwise, the tractor is working against itself. That's why it's critical that if you replace the tires on a tractor, you go back with exactly the same circumference that came on it. If the front tires are a different size, they could turn slower than the back ones and then the tractor plows when FWA is engaged.
If you leave front wheel assist engaged all of the time, the tire wear is much greater. As the front tires lose tread, they get shorter and that even contributes more to wear because that means they'll be turning even faster.
So here are my best practices for engaging the front wheel assist on your tractor. Disengage MFWD when 1) driving on pavement or hard surfaces, 2) when making tight turns, 3) while working in your yard, and 4) on side hills.
Conversely, keep the FWA engaged for: 1) front end loader work, 2) snowy or icy conditions, 3) uphill and downhill travel, and 4) when using ground-engaging implements. Always disengage the front wheel assist when it’s not needed to reduce unnecessary wear.
Thank you for watching, and see you in the next video!
#TractorMaintenance #FrontWheelAssist #TireWear #FarmingTips #TractorCare #Agriculture #LoaderWork
00:00 Introduction
00:39 Why It's a Bad Idea to Stay in 4wd
01:41 What is the Danger?
03:48 When to Disengage MFWD
05:58 When to Engage MFWD
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