How many operate the left/right brake pedals independantly?

2549 · Jul 9, 2012

I do. Split for bush hogging on my little 790.

scrappy isb67 · Jul 9, 2012

Piston said:
That's funny, I'm just the opposite, I've almost never latched the brake pedals!

On my kubota, its a lot harder to use the brakes independently because they are on the same side as the hst. I have to either use the cruise function so i can use my right foot for braking, or swing my left leg over which is what i do more often.

When stopping (although rare that I use my brakes to stop even though that sounds strange) I just have my foot in the middle of the two pedals, it's the same as having them linked.

I do link the brakes when I use the parking brake though.

I used to use the separate brake all the time for turning tightly until I got my current tractor. You can turn much faster with using the separate brakes. Also when one tire is slipping you can tap the brake on that tire to get the one with traction to turn.
In the snow it's helpful to use the brakes to help steer when your turning, or to keep you straight when you don't want to turn!

I love operating the 410 backhoe in tight quarters because it has the split brakes on the left (thank you Deere) and its amazing at how maneuverable that larger equipment is when using the brakes. Without split brakes-no way!

I too never lock my individual brakes. with my rfm and a full set of frontend weights the individual brakes get used alot! any heavy rear mounted attachment makes the individual brakes necessary

kco · Jul 9, 2012

I don't use them often but they are a great help under certain conditions. I use them most clearing snow in the winter where braking one chained wheel can significantly assist in turns.

Piston · Jul 10, 2012

joshuabardwell said:
.....And even if you were using cruise control, as soon as you hit the brakes, it pops off. So I don't see how you could really manage it, unless you put both feet on the same side, which would just be silly. Rule number one of tractoring is always look cool doing it.

I can use cruise control and still turn using the individual split breaks, it works well, but isn't as convenient. I really do wish my brakes were on the other side so I wouldn't have to break rule 1 all the time :laughing: Between my personal dislike of the Kubota pedal design, and the fact that they put the brakes on the right, I won't own another kubota HST. Now, get me up to an M series and darn right I could own another kubota :laughing:

It has never occurred to me that it wasn't standard operating procedure for all tractor operators until I read the replies here.

Me neither, I'm quite surprised.

Saskfarmhand · Jul 10, 2012

Spliting the pedals is something thats always done on my tractors. In hilly areas while bailing it helps to control the tractor by pulling it sideways. Also while in mud sometimes u cant steer but the brakes will pull u around. Also while pulling lots of weight the front becomes light and bouncy independant brakes work very well to steer.

MHarryE · Jul 10, 2012

Out of curiosity today when moving bales I tried turning brakes. Licking the right rear completely it scribed a 3 foot diameter circle. Unlocked the right rear scribed a 5 foot diameter circle. Not a lot of difference and I understand better why I never missed them after having grown up using them. Also I can't remember using them on our John Deere 7730 probably because you don't need a short turning radius with a 23' to 30' implement. I do know, however, that it would be confusing as can be to have turning brakes on one side on a small tractor and the other on the big tractors. In fact my Kubota for doing odd jobs seems to be a pretty good match for the controls on our ag John Deeres, if only the Kubota had some of the electro hydraulic controls and the rocker switch for MFWD - off, on, or auto.

boggen · Jul 11, 2012

MHarryE said:
Like several have said back in the old days with our narrow front Farmall Hs and Ms turning brakes were a must. Even our wide front Super A needed a lot of turning brake with the weight of the New Holland side delivery rake on the drawbar. Our Allis-Chalmers B was even worse because there was little weight on the front when the rake was attached so I needed turn brake for any kind of a sharp turn. All those tractors were equipped with pathetic band brakes so you had to literally stand on the brake to get enough braking. Then it was on to self-propelled grain combines where turn brakes are a necessity on the end rows. Now back on the farm I find my CUT L5740 with mfwd turns so short I never find a need for turn brakes. Same thing with our large tractors - equipment is so much larger now than back in the old days that I never use the turn brakes on them. If I get stuck, I find the diff lock is better than turn brakes like I needed to use on the old Farmalls.

MHarryE said:
Out of curiosity today when moving bales I tried turning brakes. Licking the right rear completely it scribed a 3 foot diameter circle. Unlocked the right rear scribed a 5 foot diameter circle. Not a lot of difference and I understand better why I never missed them after having grown up using them. Also I can't remember using them on our John Deere 7730 probably because you don't need a short turning radius with a 23' to 30' implement. I do know, however, that it would be confusing as can be to have turning brakes on one side on a small tractor and the other on the big tractors. In fact my Kubota for doing odd jobs seems to be a pretty good match for the controls on our ag John Deeres, if only the Kubota had some of the electro hydraulic controls and the rocker switch for MFWD - off, on, or auto.

always been able to keep left or right tire in one spot and tire locked up solid so it will not roll and do 360 degree turn. and the given tire never leaves the spot it started on. from old allis ca with various implements on it or with nothing on it, to the new holland TLB 60hp tractor, fully loaded backhoe bucket and FEL or both empty. with new R3s on back, and turf on front. the other rear tire just drives the entire tractor right around. and the front wheels tend to want to pull the one locked up tire some pending if front tires dig in / get some traction. other wise that one tire stands stills and never leaves it spot.

did a brake test and adjusted the old allis chalmers ca tractor today, that has the old band brakes, that were replaced a year or 2 ago. before i adjust them, i really had to push down pretty hard on brake pedal. before adjustment, now, i just barely tap left or right brake pedal to get brakes to work. and if i press all the way down it will lock the tire up solid without much pressure to push down doing about 15 to 20 MPH tire just skidded across the gravel and/or dirt. and same thing for the other rear tire. the TLB does same thing. perhaps brakes on the tractor need to be checked and adjusted? to lock the tire up solid?

mjncad · Jul 11, 2012

Once in a blue moon when I need a tighter turning radius.

TripleR · Jul 11, 2012

MHarryE said:
Out of curiosity today when moving bales I tried turning brakes. Licking the right rear completely it scribed a 3 foot diameter circle. Unlocked the right rear scribed a 5 foot diameter circle. Not a lot of difference and I understand better why I never missed them after having grown up using them. Also I can't remember using them on our John Deere 7730 probably because you don't need a short turning radius with a 23' to 30' implement. I do know, however, that it would be confusing as can be to have turning brakes on one side on a small tractor and the other on the big tractors. In fact my Kubota for doing odd jobs seems to be a pretty good match for the controls on our ag John Deeres, if only the Kubota had some of the electro hydraulic controls and the rocker switch for MFWD - off, on, or auto.

Pretty much the same results for me on our 5740 and several other tractors we have owned or own. I have also related concerns about those "oh shoot" moments when we instinctively hit the brake without thinking. I had one a couple of years ago working on repairing a washout along one of our ponds when hitting the "right" brake kept me out of the pond. I don't know how it would of turned out as I often go from one tractor to another, GL HST and M8540 Hydro Shuttle, and if one had brakes on the left and one had them on the left.