Newbie brake question.

[dberry]

My tractor has split break pedals. (one for left and right). I've got them locked into one pedal right now but was wondering when/why you would want to split them. I'm thinking if you wanted to turn a super tight circle they could maybe be useful. Any other use for them?

Thanks!

 

[Diesel-ME]

My tractor has split break pedals. (one for left and right). I've got them locked into one pedal right now but was wondering when/why you would want to split them. I'm thinking if you wanted to turn a super tight circle they could maybe be useful. Any other use for them?

Thanks!

You got it... plus you can steer by using one brake under poor traction conditions (e.g. turning in snow) . Just don't use only one brake at "high" speeds.

~paul

 

[MadDogDriver]

Yep, definately keep them locked together when on the road or at high speed.

Split them to help with steering, like when your FEL has the front wheels lifted off the ground when back filling.

 

[Bird]

Right now, I can't recall ever operating a tractor that did not have the two separate pedals. I think just a few John Deere models, and maybe some others, have both the separate pedals and a single pedal. The only other use I can think of, than those already mentioned, are to get unstuck if you don't have a separate differential lock. If one wheel is spinning in mud, you can apply the brake for that wheel to get the wheel to turn, and hope that it has more traction.

 

[VABlue]

Having liberally used brake steering on a friends JD 4x00 many times, I wish my little 2305 had it. Oh well... Apparently, I didn't use it enough to make it a requirement for my own toy!

 

[Farwell]

I had a lot of juvenile fun as a kid on an Oliver 55. I would get the tractor going at a relatively high speed in the snow and slam on one of the wheel breaks, turn the wheel and spin brodies. The young and foolish live like there is no tomorrow no matter how stupid and dangerous it is.
My JD 2010 has separate breaks that I frequently use to turn sharp turns. I get in such a habit of using the break that I sometimes try to turn my Kubota lawn tractor with the breaks only to find that there is only one pedal.

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

I had a lot of juvenile fun as a kid on an Oliver 55. I would get the tractor going at a relatively high speed in the snow and slam on one of the wheel breaks, turn the wheel and spin brodies. The young and foolish live like there is no tomorrow no matter how stupid and dangerous it is.

Yep, did the same thing in a 9N. Lots of fun, and probably not super dangerous, since the 9N was built low to the ground compared to a lot of tractors. That's my story anyway. Luckily, I never had to try to explain that to my dad.

Tom

 

[RalphVa]

Using a single brake for turning is useful at the end of garden rows to spin the tractor around to get to the next row; have used mine for this and did so when I was a kid driving my Dad's tractor (very fast action on the 3ph to raise the implement helps during this maneuver; my 4010 is much faster at this than the old tractors were). Also, useful for when pushing snow with front wheels losing traction. Otherwise, leave them locked together.

Ralph

 

[dberry]

Thanks for the tips! I definately will remember next snow fall. My efforts at moving snow this last year involved me pushing in a straight line (mostly) on a curved road... back up, get straight again and press on.