Do you trust your parking brakes? I don't...

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

Trev,

I could be totally wrong here...but did you used to have a picture accompanying your posts?

Funny how we learn to identify members here...now maybe that wasn't you...I mean maybe you aren't the guy I am thinking of...

Can you imagine if Bird's picture suddenly wasn't there anymore??? Just wouldn't feel like he was the same ol' bird... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Trev]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I could be totally wrong here...but did you used to have a picture accompanying your posts? )</font>

Yeah, I did.. but I never liked it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I'll try to get my wife to take a better one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[tdenny]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

OkieG,

The parking brake actually works fine when I actually get enough force to set it properly and like yours it can be a bear to release. My tractor is also young (1996, engine hours at just over 400). I just believe that there has to be a simpler solution for that feature. I usually don't use it too much (unless I'm actually on a hill) as the FEL works pretty well.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

I agree..up to a point. When I first got my 2910, I found I could drive off with the parking brake engaged, and it seemed that I had to push it nearly all the way down to get any braking at all. I crawled underneath and checked it out, and found the problem. The tab that is supposed to engage the teeth was bent to the side, and just rubbing the teeth instead of engaging them. I took a big pair of channellocks, and bent the tab mechanism outward to fully engage the teeth,, and I have all sorts of brake now. I can barely move the tractor in low range, and will kill the engine in Mid or hi range if I try to drive off with the brake engaged. Now, I only have to push the brake pedals down about an inch to get full lock. Check it out..I bet you have the same trouble I found.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

deminin,

Thanks for that pointer. I will check that when the weather get warmer and I can enjoy laying on the ground! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I guess maybe I just got this hang up with a design that releases the parking brake when the brake pedal is pushed... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[buck1]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

I certainly don't trust mine. I use the FEL with cutting edge slightly dug in and make sure I park where this is effective (i.e., FEL on down hill side). I had the bad habit of running the tractor with the parking brake set because I'd forget and the PB lamp is just too dim in the sunlight.

 

[chico922]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

I have a John deere 755 It is the same way. I dont trust it either. It already has failed once on me /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. (lucky i was still on it and not on a hill) I do agreea with you there should be a better system.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

The NH TC18 works the same way - step on the brake, pull up a lever under the seat. A light comes on in the dash to indicate that it's set. Step on the pedal to release.

I have no hills or slopes, so I don't really need it with the hydro. But, it is interlocked to the seat, along with the neutral/high range/low range selctor, so the only way to get off the tractor with the engine running is to set the brake and select neutral. Because I believe that stopping and restarting a diesel is harder on the engine than letting it idle, I use it a lot, and have gotten in the habit of using it always.

The one difference is that I know that mine works -- and holds -- unless released. You see, I haven't gotten the habit of stepping on the pedal to release it before I step on the hydro treadle - and the tractor will not move. To much "oomph" and it will stall. I suppose that's because I have to really apply full brake before it will lock.

I can see where you're coming from on the accidental release, but I can't think of anything I might have in the vicinity of the pedal that might fall on it...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

You know...I was just thinking today...for some reason I am starting to trust that parking brake mechanism more these days. Much more.

Not sure why...probably because it seems to lock in and I use it so much that I am getting comfortable with it.

The parking brake on my Kubota B2910 is not strong enough to keep the tractor in place if I forget it though. The tractor will move with the parking brake set, but it takes more power to make that happen, and you can pickup the sound difference.

Now one negative I have found with the push the brake to release situation, is that once in a while for some reason I push the hydro pedal rather than the brake pedal. And since the brake requires a bit of a push to release...well when the hydro pedal is pushed with the same force, the tractor tends to jump a little.

Not sure how to reprogram myself to correct this problem... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

In the end I guess I still would prefer a parking brake that I set and released with my hand, letting the feet do the other things they are used to doing...

 

[frank_f15]

Re: Do you trust your parking brakes? I don\'t...

i rely on the parking brake only so far, i also don't leave the tractor with out putting it in netural and setting the brake, i have this fear of getting off the tractor to go in and get a coffee or something and the hydro starts to creep. and there goes the garage, or the tractor is in the road. this has never happened and would probably never happen BUT that is the way i am. takes about 5 sec. to take it out of gear and set the brake.