Lack of Differential Lock

[Challenger 27]

I own Wheel Horse tractors as daily workers, not to collect.  I surf a few garden tractor sites.  It seems that there is a line of thinking that the best garden tractors, without regard to brand, have a differential lock system.  Is this overblown?

 

I've never operated a tractor with a differential lock.  I've had various Wheel Horse tractors for 13 years and don't know if the lack of a differential lock has limited the effectiveness of my tractors or not?  What am I missing?  I know a differential lock is not like 4 Wheel Drive.  (With 4 wheel drive I probably would venture into some wetter parts of our property.  Would a diff. lock help there?)

 

Elsewhere I recently read that a combination of improvements to a standard diff. garden tractor can close any gap between it and one with a lock.  Suggestions included:  proper tire tread, chains, significant weight additions with wheel weights PLUS weight boxes PLUS filled tires.

 

I'm not worried about this and I'm not over thinking it, I'm just curious.  I suppose that the lack of a differential lock holds down the pricing of later, "worker" Wheel Horses and I guess as a buyer that's not bad!

 

What do you think???

 

 

[leeave96 487]

I had traction problems with my first Wheelhorse out of the box - very frustrating.  After a set of ag tires and standard weights (nothing excessive - just one weight per wheel), the tractor goes like a Jeep.

 

The diff lock deal IMHO is way overblown.

 

Good luck,

Bill

[puddlejumper 67]

there is little doubt that it is a plus 2tires pulling is better than 1(unless your trying to turn) but where do you quit. Its human nature to take things to the limit so if you had a locking or limited slip diff. then you(some) would push the limits for it and be weighting and chaining that for more traction also. And then some would push that to the point of breaking other parts of the tractor that were not built to handle it. I admit to considering a bolens around here due to the locking option for dragging things around but really if its that big I'll just use my truck or borrow a 4 wheeler if quarters are tight. 

[SousaKerry 501]

Well if you need a dif lock and you cant keep traction then you probobly are doing something you shouldn't. 

 

Wheel horse did make a limited slip 10 pinion dif but it often broke.  The pullers will tell you the an 8 pinion 8 speed is nearly indestructible and  no modifications are needed.  Weight and better tires will definitely help but if you still can't get traction then you need a bigger machine or wait till the ground is dry. 

 

I will admit though that on the farm we never had any tractors with dif lock and didn't need em, if a wheel slipped then you hit the turning break to make the dif switch wheels that worked 98% of the time if it didn't work then we should not have been on the feild.

[Don1977 604]

Low gearing is worth more than a locking differential.  Differential locking is great in certain conditions. If you are really stuck a good neighbor with another tractor and chain is worth more. I've been there a few times. Once in a spring ditch, with differential lock could move 100 ft. in either direction but could not get out.

[Forest Road 594]

Diff lock is priceless in larger machinery. In these little tractors I'd have to agree with better tires and weight. I've gotten myself unstuck many atone with the use of low range and patience. Since switching over to ags and atv tires with wheel weights I've had minimal problems.

Watch some video if guys plowing fields with these lil tractors. Old JD 112, Cubs, WH I've yet to see any of them get stuck.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

I used a medium sized farm tractor with a differential lock. The problem I encountered was when I lost traction (mud and the like) and used the DL, both wheels were locked and turned the same speed, BUT the 1 wheel that lost traction in the 1st place still "slipped" and the one on solid ground would turn the tractor into the mud....or lake...Used a wrecker many time to pull it out of the lake or waste stabilization lagoons!  Peeee-U

[Wheel-N-It 2,968]

Never had the need for a diff lock myself. I agree with the use of AG tires and wheel weights being enough for these machines. More internals to the transmissions is just something else to break IMO and I like the fact that Wheel Horses are so very simple in their design.

[Save Old Iron 1,566]

I use it on the small JD 850 when the ground is still just a wee too wet to be doing anything. If you lock the diff at the beginning of your problem, diff lock will pull you out. If you decide to lock the diff when you're already axle deep in a rut, might be too little too late.

[Jim_M 178]

I have had DL on farm tractors and have it on my compact utility. I never use it. If I need it, it means I've done something wrong and should have stayed in the house to begin with.

 When I ran heavy equipment I saw a guy break the rear end on a self loading pan by using the DL, I learned from his mistake.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Jim_M

[6wheeler 603]

I still help out my family with spring and fall field work and all of the tractors have a DL. But we are talking 250hp farm tractors pulling very large equipment. The DL is priceless on these machines because when we are working these farms, sometimes you will find a wet spot in the field  and you can't go around every one. These spots aren't ponds or anything like that. Just wet spots in the field that have to be worked. So, I use the diff. lock before I go through them so I don't get stuck. I don't think I would ever need one on my GT's because even though I do my garden work with them ie; plowing and discing , I have never gotten stuck or had too much trouble pulling the equipment. I wouldn't mind having left and right turning brakes though. When I am plowing, even with a 50# weight on the front of my 520, the front end can get "light" and swing to the right. I could use the brake to pull it back. But, never  having had one. I don't know if they work all that well on a GT. But I do think I would choose the turning brakes before a diff. lock.