LX series parking brake

[manysek]

I have a new LX4900 operating it in a terrain with rather steep hills while mostly alone. I am finding that my parking brake is not holding too well. I am assuming that the lever located on the steering column somehow interacts with the split brake pedals that control the wet brake. After stepping on the brake pedals and moving the parking brake lever up (ON position) the light comes on, but the tractor keeps moving. I am assuming the lever is only a mechanical latch for the hydraulic cylinder that applies the pressure to the calipers. Yanmar manual doesn't have much useful information on how to adjust this. Has anyone out there run into the same problem or is it just me? I would hate to see that tractor racing down the hill without anyone in the driver seat one day.

 

[Katahdin]

Welcome to TBN.

Yes, I caused my problem by forgetting to release the parking brake when I first got the tractor, I've mostly kicked that bad habit. :ashamed:

You can adjust the brakes by shortening the linkages just behind the brake pedals. It just takes a few turns of a wrench, I can post pictures later if you don't see what I'm talking about.

 

[Raised on a Deere]

Welcome to TBN.

Yes, I caused my problem by forgetting to release the parking brake when I first got the tractor, I've mostly kicked that bad habit. :ashamed:

You can adjust the brakes by shortening the linkages just behind the brake pedals. It just takes a few turns of a wrench, I can post pictures later if you don't see what I'm talking about.

I solved my habit of driving off with brake on by unlinking the two pedals and making sure Depress the left brake real hard to set. When I drive off it is immediately noticeable that the tractor is pulling to the left. Dont like the pedals linked any way. They work just as well unlinked and you can do turns easier. Key is to know that only left pedal locks when unlinked

 

[Katahdin]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that overlooks the bright-red idiot light on the dashboard that lets you know the parking brake is set. :laughing:

 

[manysek]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that overlooks the bright-red idiot light on the dashboard that lets you know the parking brake is set. :laughing:

Thanks for advice. I will follow it. I will also try the other advice about unlocking brake pedals and using the left one for parking.

M

 

[scoutcub]

Manysek -

Welcome to TBN, and congrats on the LX!!

I also have driven around with the PB on.....surely weakened the resistance, and told myself I would have to adjust it. So now I know the procedure, thanks again to Kata and Deere for the good idea on non-recurrence.....

 

[Raised on a Deere]

Manysek -

Welcome to TBN, and congrats on the LX!!

I also have driven around with the PB on.....surely weakened the resistance, and told myself I would have to adjust it. So now I know the procedure, thanks again to Kata and Deere for the good idea on non-recurrence.....

While we are at it; --- I have tried to understand why tractor companies and dealers promote having the pedals locked together. With good brakes, which most tractors now days seem to have, the pedals stay evenly matched pretty well (Just my limited experience on a few newer tractors) and it is very easy to use both simultaneously. But invariably I wind up in a situation where I want to use one or the other. Just the other day going down a hill somewhat at an angle the upper rear tire wanted to start slipping and let the tractor run away. A light application of the uphill brake controlled it in just the needed amount. Various turns go smoother with the inside of the turn brake applied slightly. I realize part of my driving habits were formed on the John Deere "A" tricycle which you practically steered with the brakes because of the light front end. You steered to the right with the right foot and to the left with the left foot.

Any way just don't see much use for them to be locked together. One thing that is weird on the compact tractors is that you do not see the rear tires very easily and so you are not well aware of how much slippage is going on. On the Branson I thought it was because of the cab environment but on the Yanmar with the flat floor board and the fenders like they are I have to bend over a bit to see if the reason I am not moving is the tire slipping.

Another weirder one. I was backing dragging a pile of brush to a pickup pile with a chain hooked to the loader hooks (first mod) and, to get the brush where I wanted it, I had to back the tractor across a slight dip of a drainage area and at a diagonal and the tractor just stopped moving and I thought it was because the uphill wheel was spinning but when I moved over to look it was not moving. Now how could the tractor be stopped and the uphill wheel not be spinning? I bent over to see that the down hill wheel was spinning. How could that be? Well because the down hill front was on a high spot. A little pressure on the down hill brake and I was moving again which some of you probably would just use the differential lock but not a good thing to do while the tire is spinning. The brake was much smoother and quicker.

Just a different driving experience. Very hard to control slippage with the brake when you can barely see the tire and not see the ground contact at all. Anyway just wondering. Why lock um together unless you are on a hill where one tire would not hold the tractor still in place?

 

[manysek]

Hello Katahdin,
I was looking at the linkages this weekend and could clearly see the vertical threaded rods on both sides but I dont understand why adjusting the brakes can fix the parking brake. I see that parking brake is kind of a notched bar running horizontally that engages the brake shaft tooth in the position after releasing the pressure on the brake pedals. Can you please elaborate why adjusting the linkages should improve this function? Perhaps the picture may help, too.
Thanks for working with me on this.

 

[Katahdin]

You kinda had this covered in your first post--the parking lever interacts with the wet brakes. What I suspect is your wet brakes are worn, or the linkages out of adjustment, to the point where the lever is not holding the entire range of movement you put down on the brake pedals with your left foot. After you shorten the linkages less foot or pedal movement will be required to engage the brakes, and the parking brake lever will be able to hold that range of movement. Clear as mud?

Note, you'll want to adjust each linkage individually. I did this by unlocking the left/right brakes so each brake can be applied independently to hold the tractor at a stop on an incline. Once either brake pedal can hold the tractor on the incline you should be good. Your brake pedal height should be close after your brakes are adjusted (with a few millimeters), this is important so that the brakes wear evenly when the pedals are locked and used together.

 

[NHSawyer]

I have also driven off with the parking brake on more times than I would like to admit. I am getting better about it though.