John Deere parking brake stuck

[footy3]

Don't know if anyone can help me, I am away from my tractor, JD 870, and trying to guide someone over the phone. The parking brake, operated by a small red handle, seems to be stuck. I am travelling and trying to help someone who needs to use the tractor. Personally, I think the parking brake setup is losuy to begin with, and find it hard to disengage, but usually apply light pressure to the foot brake while trying to move the red lever, and it usually disengages. I have told the operator to try this, but he says it's no luck. ANy other suggestions of thinsg to try? Thanks.

 

[tonycrow]

I own a Kioti with what sounds like the same set-up. It may take more than just a gentle push on the foot brake as with mine, a significant push is required.

 

[footy3]

I own a Kioti with what sounds like the same set-up. It may take more than just a gentle push on the foot brake as with mine, a significant push is required.

I am afraid to tell him to really push on the brake, I thnk he probably has already. In the past, I have stepped down hard on the brake, and felt it "click" before the lever disengaged, and that just made it more difficult to disengage. The tractor is new to me, and I've not had much time on it, but it feels like a mechanical system and it feels as if it ratchets tighter when you step down on it. I'm thnking he mashed down on the brake so hard that now the pressure on the ratcheting mechanism is so great that it made it very hard to move the stubby little lever.

 

[tonycrow]

Can he try to drive either forward or backwards just an inch or two...if on a slope to release pressure?

 

[JD5210]

Do NOT press harder on the brake pedal that only makes it worse. This comes from the voice of experience from using my neighbors 870. If you go to jdparts.com and look at the brake pedal for will see how it works. It is been awhile since I got the brake stuck, but I believe my neighbor hit with a hammer (not all that hard) the park lock to release it. This is shown in jdparts.com. Do this with the tractor off and in gear. My neighbor said he had to do this before and the tractor almost ran him over, since you need to be a under the tractor.

 

[TerryR]

Can he try to drive either forward or backwards just an inch or two...if on a slope to release pressure?

Moving the tractor doesn't help - there is a pawl that engages a toothed "gear" attached to the break pedal. You have to get that pawl released from the toothed gear.

Do NOT press harder on the brake pedal that only makes it worse.

Not if you push down on the parking brake lever as you push on the pedal. You have to get enough pressure off the pawl for it to release, and the way to do that is to press hard on the pedal. But if you aren't pushing on the parking brake lever as you push the pedal, then yes, pushing the foot pedal does make it tighter.

If you go to jdparts.com and look at the brake pedal for will see how it works.

The mechanism is really very simple. You don't need a manual - just climb under the tractor in the area of the brake pedals and take a look.

The parking brake engages only left brake pedal. If the two pedals are locked together, unlock them. That makes it easier to push the left pedal far enough to release the parking brake.

Terry

 

[scollins]

Not sure about a JD870, but I know up here in the cold, emergency brakes on the vehicles frequently will not dis-engage. Is the tractor outside?

SC

 

[footy3]

Moving the tractor doesn't help - there is a pawl that engages a toothed "gear" attached to the break pedal. You have to get that pawl released from the toothed gear.

Not if you push down on the parking brake lever as you push on the pedal. You have to get enough pressure off the pawl for it to release, and the way to do that is to press hard on the pedal. But if you aren't pushing on the parking brake lever as you push the pedal, then yes, pushing the foot pedal does make it tighter.

The mechanism is really very simple. You don't need a manual - just climb under the tractor in the area of the brake pedals and take a look.

The parking brake engages only left brake pedal. If the two pedals are locked together, unlock them. That makes it easier to push the left pedal far enough to release the parking brake.

Terry

Thanks for the input, it's kind of what I figured. I have told him to just leave it alone until I can get back there on Saturday. I will unlock the brake pedals, imo they should always be unlocked, I've never had a problem on any tractor stepping on both pedals at once, but quite often need to use them independently. Great forum, great help, thanks again.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have to comment that if a person is not competent enough to know how to release the brake locks, do you really want them operating your tractor?
The brake pedals should only be locked together when you are roading the tractor and even then, it is pretty easy to put you foot in the middle to use both brakes without them locked together. There have been instances many years back when I lived on a farm and drove big ag tractors that being able to use the steering brakes saved me from skidding off the muddy dirt road. I almost never lock my brakes together unless it is for parking on a hill and then I lock them and apply the brake lock. My normal parking routine(on flat ground) is to lower the FEL and shift everything into neutral on my gear tractor, on the Hydrastatic I just lower the FEL as it still cranks in gear as long as the foot pedal is neutral. One neutral is enough for me, I dont need redundancy safety features.

 

[footy3]

I have to comment that if a person is not competent enough to know how to release the brake locks, do you really want them operating your tractor?
The brake pedals should only be locked together when you are roading the tractor and even then, it is pretty easy to put you foot in the middle to use both brakes without them locked together. There have been instances many years back when I lived on a farm and drove big ag tractors that being able to use the steering brakes saved me from skidding off the muddy dirt road. I almost never lock my brakes together unless it is for parking on a hill and then I lock them and apply the brake lock. My normal parking routine(on flat ground) is to lower the FEL and shift everything into neutral on my gear tractor, on the Hydrastatic I just lower the FEL as it still cranks in gear as long as the foot pedal is neutral. One neutral is enough for me, I dont need redundancy safety features.

Fair comment, however this guy has been running a tractor for a long time, mostly york raking his riding arena, which is what he's tryig to do now. As I said the machine is new to me and I think the issue is he's more afraid to break somethng than anything else. I'm sure if ti was urgent, or his own machine, he would have it sorted out already. Totally agree on the idea of brake pedals being locked together....