8000 series FWA overkill?

Any 40 yr old FWA axle will be an extra expense to maintain. Just the tires alone cost way more than 2WD tires. If you don't need FWA, I wouldn't invest in one. If something bad happens, 8 to 10K is a pretty common repair bill from a Deere dealer.

Also consider if you need a 540 pto, may make your decision different.

I pull a 12 row White planter with an Allis 8010 FWA and it pulls it fine without duals.  Also use it for a 5x6 rd baler and 60'pull type sprayer.  We use a 6080 FWA to pull a 10' discbine, it's lighter and seems to turn shorter.

Dayton, OH, I lived there for a year, as I recall pretty darn flat for the most part. Is that so on your acreage, and do you have any drainage issues at all?

If you ALWAYS have great conditions, and ALL your equipment is "relatively" small for your tractor and easy pulling, 2wd will suit you OK.

But overall, I tend to agree with Mr. Victory, get the FWA. You pull better in all conditions, and can do things and go places a 2wd wouldn't dare. Yes, tires are more, and maintenance and repairs more, BUT, you should be able to make more money with it at all times to offset.

Going to sound harsh, sorry Allis guys, but if you're concerned about parts availability, look for a FWA tractor from a company still in business.

We'll Never buy another 2wd tractor for use on farm or other work. Have sold and used FWA for years! A smaller FWA will do work of a larger 2wd in most conditions. Unless you needed X amount of horse power.  But your budget won't buy newer FWA that would be lower hours & lots more dependable than old ones. Good Luck

Well, I've never driven one, a 8000 series anything that is. But I used to plant with a 4 row. Nothing I had would U turn 10 ft center to center. Big deal, so you "bulb shape" your turn a little. Never crossed my mind as even an annoyance. So a 8000 FWA can't U-turn a 30 ft pass to pass? If so, big deal, plant 2 headland rounds, and bulb shape your turns. Would still much much prefer what a FWA can do!

DrAllis wrote: A 12 row/30 inch corn planter doesn't work for sour apple shi++ with an 8000 series FWA. Can't turn short when setup for 30 inch rows.

I call bull

My soybean planter is a 13 row - 18 inch center planter. Most amazing thing ever I can turn with it on the ends. I make 3 passes (60 foot total headland) and with a slightly pear shaped turn it easily is lined up for the next pass. Since my planter is 3pt having the heavier front end really helps keep the nose down and tire scuffing down. Same 60 foot headlands I can make it back down with my 15 foot 750 no till drill. Works here with my 8030 just fine. If both 8000 series were down I’d probably rent a mfwd tractor before putting the 7000 back on the planter.

Edited by victoryallis - 22 Jan 2021 at 3:55pm

Really ??? First off, with the front wheels set on 30 inch rows the FWA doesn't turn very short at all. Secondly, I have customers who don't want to fish hook on the fields end and sometimes only want 24 end rows.  Thirdly, what wheel tread are you on with 18 inch rows ??? 72 inch ?? Sure, it will turn pretty darned good at 72 inch spacing, but not at true 60 inch.

DrAllis wrote: Really ??? First off, with the front wheels set on 30 inch rows the FWA doesn't turn very short at all. Secondly, I have customers who don't want to fish hook on the fields end and sometimes only want 24 end rows.  Thirdly, what wheel tread are you on with 18 inch rows ??? 72 inch ?? Sure, it will turn pretty darned good at 72 inch spacing, but not at true 60 inch.

I love the 8000 series but the OP is only talking about 75 acres and MAYBE more. Seems like a lot of overhead to me???

Last year i planted two passes on headlands with an 8010 FWA pulling a 12 row 30" White pull type planter.  Yeah it was a little tight on turns in fields that aren't square.  But I never used the brake to turn, sometimes I just turned off the FWA to make the turn and flipped it back on when I was straight with the rows.  I'm not sure what the problem is for people who don't want to do bulb style turns during planting, spraying sure, but not planting.

PaulB wrote: Sounds like those that think they "need" 4WD are working ground that isn't fit to be worked, unless that are pulling super wide implements. As I was growing up, I was taught to say away for wet spots.    The so called farmer that farms the ground around me waits until enough rain has fallen to thoroughly turn everything into mud before he'll show up with a planter behind a big articulated 4WD with duals or a combine, then the ruts become misquito ponds in the summer.  My parents, grandparents and so on are probably rolling in their graves the way so called farmers abuse the land these days.

It’s not nearly so dramatic.

First off, pull into a field, drop your implement, take off. Ya think, “man, seems like the tractor is bogged down, lugging...oh yeah! Forgot to turn the front wheels on!” And just like that, tractor perks up, rides higher in the soil, turns BETTER. It just pulls better in ALL conditions.

Secondly, yes, there are times when the soil is wet. There’s also a time where you MUST get done. You can go out with something like a field cultivator or in the old days I used a drag and you scratch the dirt up a little bit and gain DAYS of drying.

Loader work it pushes difficult material into the bucket better. Climbing the silage pile to pack. So many benefits.

Maybe your parents and such roll in their grave. But it’s probably more pleasant to picture grandpa with a satisfied grin on his face operating a tractor that can do so much so nicely!

Tbone

Can you imagine PaulB with a twd loader tractor putting a silage bale out a muddy pasture? Or is it oops ground ain’t fit can’t feed cows today or in that case till April or May. It’s kinda like 4wd in a pickup you only use it 5-10% of the time but when you do your great full it’s there.

Comparing loader work to field work is apples to oranges.  Doing field work in conditions too wet and rutting up drains is doing your land more damage than getting the job done. Many time it takes years if not decades to repair damage done in just one season with a "got to get it done attitude". There are true farmers out the that respect the land they farm and others that just rape the land they rent. My predecessors lived through the depression and never wanted to waste anything especially the money to buy and un-necessarily large tractor to pull implements that a smaller tractor could do more efficiently and would grumble and point out how wasteful people of today are. 

As for the OP, yeah it might be overkill. The conversation kind of evolved from there, sorry. But, I don’t know your whole situation, good off farm job, etc, but it sure is nice to have a tractor that’s versatile, reliable, does it’s required work easily, and is a joy to operate. Good luck to you.