Need a Primer on Tractor brake lock

[beowulf]

I have a Kubota L3410. We live on 90 acres in the foothills of Central California. The 'hills' part is what presents the issue. Very frequently, including today and yesterday, I am in the hills with the tractor and need at times to stop and get off. Today it was to use a chainsaw on some trees that fell over a fence line I am redoing. Often I am on a 'road' I have pushed through to the place I need to be. Anyway, when I have to park on inclines I lower the box blade (and use TnT to bite if possible), lower the FEL, keep it in low gear, engage the brake, and shut down the engine. But, it seems that in most of these parking scenarios the brake does not quite hold and there is a very slow creep - very slow - typically backwards as I am usually going up hill when I need to stop. I have sometimes built up a mound behind the box blade to stop the creep - not that successful - at times if there is a small tree nearby I will maneauver the edge of the bucket so it catches on the tree. If I see a rock nearby I will sometimes get off and put that under a rear tire (the creep is very, very slow). I try to find the least steep place to 'park', and sometimes can park horizontal to the incline a bit, but usually where I am working there are not a lot of choices - and trying to get horizontal when I am otherwise going up hill, presents more serious issues. I also try to really engage the brake, i.e., push down as far as possible when engaging it. I have thought about keeping a pair of wheel chocks on the tractor but the ones I have seen look a bit small for that. I know you will want to know the degree of the inclines - I am 'guessing' maybe 10-20 degrees - but actually I am not certain - next time I will try to ascertain the incline. If it is too steep I don't even try to park.

So, do I have a brake issue? Is this to be expected? Is there an adjustment I can make on the brakes, or a repair? Chocks? Other suggestions? I am guessing that others here have experienced some of this at times. Thanks for reading this.

 

[Cycledude]

I suspect u might not be operating the parking brake properly. I had pretty much the same issue when I first got my LS XR 4155. I mistakenly thought all I had to do was pull the parking brake lever to lock it but that’s not how it’s designed to work, the brakes only held a little like that u have to first step firmly on the brake pedal then pull and set the lock lever. It took me a few days to figure that out but the parking brake has been working perfectly ever since. Once the brakes are properly locked the rear wheels definitely will not creep.

 

[beowulf]

u have to first step firmly on the brake pedal then pull and set the lock lever. It took me a few days to figure that out but the parking brake has been working perfectly ever since. Once the brakes are properly locked the rear wheels definitely will not creep.

Cycledude, thanks for responding. However, that is what I am doing - I am depressing the brake pedals with as much force as I can and then setting the lock lever. Then I wait and watch and there is a very slow creep down if I am on an incline. If you are correct and it is not supposed to move in that circumstance, then I suspect the issue is mechanical. The brakes work fine when used otherwise.

 

[Cycledude]

Cycledude, thanks for responding. However, that is what I am doing - I am depressing the brake pedals with as much force as I can and then setting the lock lever. Then I wait and watch and there is a very slow creep down if I am on an incline. If you are correct and it is not supposed to move in that circumstance, then I suspect the issue is mechanical. The brakes work fine when used otherwise.

There definitely must be something wrong somewhere, those wheels should absolutely not be able to creep once the brakes are properly locked. Hopefully a Kubota owner will be able to tell you whats wrong.

 

[beowulf]

There definitely must be something wrong somewhere, those wheels should absolutely not be able to creep once the brakes are properly locked. Hopefully a Kubota owner will be able to tell you whats wrong.

Tractor is an HST - not sure if that would be a factor. I did a brief Internet search (after I posted here) and see that others have had this issue - creeping after setting the brake.

 

[Smokeydog]

The free play of the brakes have to be adjusted properly for the parking brake to work. Check your owners manual.

The parking brake handle on the B26 wasn’t very ergonomically designed and no warning light. The operation was also opposite of my other tractor. Strange how little things matter.

Extended the parking brake level and added a brake “on” light.

 

[Cycledude]

Tractor is an HST - not sure if that would be a factor. I did a brief Internet search (after I posted here) and see that others have had this issue - creeping after setting the brake.

My LS is also HST, your definitely supposed to put the transmission in neutral before getting off the seat, mine has a very annoying beeper that goes off if you attempt to get out of the seat with the engine running and in gear. I actually like having that feature, it’s a good promote safety thing.

 

[Eagle1]

My LS only beeps if the parking break is not set when you get out of the seat or turn the tractor off. No warning about Neutral. Works well for me.
When parking any of the tractors on a hill I drop into Low 4x4 (max resistance by the HST), parking brake and dig the FEL bucket into the ground. Also drop any 3 point implement on the ground if possible

 

[rScotty]

I've fought with the same problem and I'm not sure if there is a solution. Anymore I just don't get into trying to park in that situation. It isn't worth it.

If I was going to work on the problem of locking the brakes to park when going uphill, the first thing I would do is look at the parts book and figure out the braking geometry to see if the brakes even have the ability to work in reverse. If they are dual shoe brakes, some of those were designed to work going forward (dual leading shoe geometry) and that type just doesn't have much in the way of leverage or friction in reverse. And it's not something you can change easily.

On our M59 Kubota the parking brake lever is way too short and so is the cable, so I also have a "cheater" pipe that I slip over the parking brake lever to pull on it - knowing that someday that will break it. A chore on my list for "someday" is to hook up my dashboard warning light to tell me when the parking brake is on. Kubota's OEM side-display parking brake "on" warning is pathetic.

Best choice: just don't try to park on a slope. Inexpensive home-owner type wheeled tractors aren't designed to park on slopes. If they were, then for starters they would have serious electric over hydraulic brakes like commercial TLBs do, and hopefully on all 4 wheels.

rScotty

 

[beowulf]

I've fought with the same problem and I'm not sure if there is a solution. Anymore I just don't get into trying to park in that situation. It isn't worth it.

Best choice: just don't try to park on a slope. Inexpensive home-owner type wheeled tractors aren't designed to park on slopes. If they were, then for starters they would have serious electric over hydraulic brakes like commercial TLBs do, and hopefully on all 4 wheels.

rScotty

Thanks rScotty, it is reassuring in a way to hear that others have had the same experience. As for not parking on a slope at all - I have to agree - but not always an option as I will haul up my gear (tools, saws, wire, post hole pounder, T-posts, and more) to where I need to work, and then, I need to park, get off and get to work, and there is not always an option to park on level ground. I have managed to do this with some effort and some concern but it is a bit annoying to have the creep. I may build me an effective 'chock' that I can hang on the box blade whenever I am going to need to park on an incline and put that under a rear wheel when necessary. Large rocks, when they are availble to me where I am working have worked well - but not the easiest solution. The 'creep' is very slight, very slow, but uncomfortable.

And I am heading up the hill again to day to finish my fence work.