Trailer brake controller on tractor ?

[Anonymous Poster]

I believe I am going to put a trailer brake controller on my tractor. I move good sized trailers around the property and think it will be safer than relying on the tractor brakes. Has anyone done this ?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

slowrev - Never done it, but it sounds like an interesting and good idea to me. I get nervous myself when I'm moving even modestly loaded wagons up and down hills with a small tractor. (Come to think of it, I get nervous when moving wagons up and down hills with a BIG tractor.) Anyway, the only rule of thumb I've ever read concerning towing farm wagons (in a JD manual, and I think I'm remembering it correctly) is that for safety, a tractor should never be hitched to a wagon weighing more than four times the weight of the tractor. When I think about it, this seems like alot of weight compared to the weight of the tractor. I don't know if I would want trust a 3,000 lb. compact tractor to try and stop both itself and a 12,000 lb. wagon when they're going downhill. I'll try an find those safety factor figures again, just for reference. In the meantime, good luck with the brake controller idea.
Bernie

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Just for reference, it's pretty common around these parts to tow a pair of 600 bu wagons with a tractor around here. (soybeans ar 60# a bushel, or 72,000# plus the weight of the wagons). Also see pickups pulling 400 bu wagons. _many_ have some brakes, but a lot do not.......

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've had one on my tractor for 15 years, manually operated controller, and it works very well.
As long as you're putting on a controller, you might as well install a complete trailer connection, cause it comes in handy for testing trailer lighting systems.
REMEMBER, electric brakes don't work well in reverse, so don't count on them when backing down hills.

 

[BubbaJr]

That sounds like a great idea. Last fall I was sitting at a stop light when I heard this squalling noise like tires sliding on pavement, only it was unlike anything I had ever heard before. The light turned green, and just as I was getting ready to go, I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and as I looked I saw a large John Deere with his dual rear wheels locked up, smoke rising, and the noise level increasing. As he kept coming and got past the building that was blocking my veiw, I saw the reason he was sliding. He had 3 large metal grain wagons pushing him through the intersection. He was going much too fast for the load he was towing, and he was lucky no one else come into the intersection. Trailer brakes are a good thing!! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for the responses. Now I just have to figure out where to mount it so that it is out of the way and still convenient. hmmm

 

[Soundguy]

Don't make it too out of the way.. unless your tractor has brake lights to tie into for sensing, you will probably be operating the brakes manually.... Think of emergency situations, and mount the controller in the best position for that... perhaps put it on the same side as the hand you use for the lift? ( right side? ).. You like many of us might be used to driving with the left and running the lift with the right anyway...

good luck!

Soundguy

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Yeah I was thinking of on the fender by the lift/draft controls. I plan on mounting/wiring a switch to the brakes, probably the left one as that seems to be the one I use the most if I don't have the pedals locked.