mfwd

[roger landers]

hi to all.

When did John Deere change from the hydraulic front wheel drive to mechanical front wheel drive.
talking the 4x30,4x40,4x50 series tractors

regards
roger

 

[Anonymous-0]

Because the HFWD wasn't very good .
It used the main hydraulic pump to keep the front wheels turning , rather than delivering any appreciable torque . It would have some benefit in that it would stop the front wheels from bulldozing in loose soil , and of course didn't require any really expensive changes to the driveline of the tractor , but it simply was less efficient and effective as driving the front wheels with a shaft from the transmission .
It did have a good steering lock , which couldn't be achieved with the early fwd axles .
Here in Europe , it wasn't popular as we tend to pull hard and slow , ploughing which didn't suit the system , and didn't provide any braking effect , important over here on our hills and roads .
Any models fitted with HFWD tend to be cheaper than 2wd models , that's how well thought of the system is .

 

[JMS/.MN]

30 series was hyd. I have a 4450 MFWD. I think my cousin"s 4240 was MFWD, unless it was a 4250! But the 30 hyd was crap.

 

[Brendon-KS]

I'm pretty sure the mechanical system didn't come around until the 4x50 series in 1983. I believe Deere did have MFWD utility tractors prior to this date, though.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 07:46:20 11/19/11) I'm pretty sure the mechanical system didn't come around until the 4x50 series in 1983. I believe Deere did have MFWD utility tractors prior to this date, though.

Brendon
You're correct 40 series were PFWD(hyd) and 50/55 series were MFWD

 

[Farnorth]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong but the JD 2940 was Mechanical. Also Deere made some 4240S and 4440S models for export that were mechanical and these models show up occasionally in the US.

But as a general rule, the 50 series tractors were considered the first complete model line with MFWD.

 

[Tom OConnor]

The hydraulic front wheel drive that many talk about really was a good drive but the real problem was the tractor didn't have enough hydraulic pump capacity. Massey bought this same drive from John Deere and used it on the rear of the 860 combines and they worked with the best of them mainly because of the large hydro-static drive pump. The only reason I know this is I had a 4630 and a 860 Massey combine and the drives were an exact match with John Deere's JD logo on all the combine parts.

 

[tim s]

I didn't know Massey used them but you are right on the low pressure and flow of the tractor versions. Our dealership sold 2 4430's and one 4630 no one was happy with them, they did not live up to the Deere advertising.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 08:04:49 11/19/11) Someone please correct me if I am wrong but the JD 2940 was Mechanical. Also Deere made some 4240S and 4440S models for export that were mechanical and these models show up occasionally in the US.

But as a general rule, the 50 series tractors were considered the first complete model line with MFWD.

The poster posed this question: when MFWD started on these models (talking the 4x30,4x40,4x50 series tractors). The 2940 is a utility style not rowcrop tractor. Yes they were MFWD but in a different class and built in a totally different factory as the rowcrops.

4040 S & 4240S were MFWD but not built for sales in North America