REAL Brakes For Your PT-425

MossRoad · Mar 24, 2005

Hee hee. Yep. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've driven Kubotas with the heel/toe pedal and I don't like it. As I recall, the brakes were on the same side as the forward/reverse pedal. You can't brake and go at the same time because your left foot can't reach that far. So, the brakes were just plain useless and were never used. That was just weird.

Our International has the forward and reverse pedals on the left side of the tranny tunnel and the left and right brake pedals on the right side of the tranny tunnel. That setup was OK, but your right foot got a little bored as you never used the brakes except for close positioning on a slope. There is a foot throttle that can be operated by the right foot, along with a differential lock operated by the right heel, so it wasn't as bored as on the Kubota.

SnowRidge · Mar 24, 2005

I've driven Kubotas with the heel/toe pedal and I don't like it. As I recall, the brakes were on the same side as the forward/reverse pedal. You can't brake and go at the same time because your left foot can't reach that far. So, the brakes were just plain useless and were never used. That was just weird. 

A friend of mine has one of those. It even has split brakes, so the operator can lock a rear wheel and make a sharp pivoting turn--just as long as he has an extra right foot. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

When he found out I was going to buy a tractor, he extolled the virtue of the machine, which had a horribly jerky hydro, and insisted I drive it to see what "a real tractor" was like. I hated it because of the lousy hydro and the bad (for me) pedal ergonomics. He insisted it was one of the best tractors made, so I asked him just how he used those split brakes. That was almost four years ago. He hasn't answered me yet. : /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

pequeajim · Mar 24, 2005

( I've driven Kubotas with the heel/toe pedal and I don't like it. )

I agree. My shoe is a size 14 and I can never get the right feel with that type of pedal. I really liked by JD 445 that had a Forward and then reverse pedal on the same sid and the brake on the other. In fact, my Massey was that way too, very nice.

I don't mind the way PT does it, but to be able to operate the F & R with one foot and the brake with another would be better. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

MossRoad · Mar 24, 2005

Ever watch someone play the organ? Hands and feet making beautiful music... that's the way I feel on my PT425 /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Clarke · Mar 24, 2005

It might be possible to use the existing cables on the parking brake and connect it to the mechanism to actuate the drum brake. You would end up with a parking brake run away brake. It looks like you could remove the existing hub from the existing wheel motor and attach the drum brake assembly.
Looks to be just a mechanical actuator. Maybe a heavy spring, hydraulic cylinder, solenoid and panic switch. Would work something like this. Start the machine hydraulic cylinder disengages brakes, shutting the machine off or moving the panic switch engages brakes.

SnowRidge · Mar 24, 2005

It looks like you could remove the existing hub from the existing wheel motor and attach the drum brake assembly. 

The brake backing plate has to mount to something. The current motors with the W31 housings do not accept the brake. The K31 housings do. I don't know if it is something as simple as tapped holes, or if there are new mounting bosses. Whatever it is, the housings are different.

Rip · Mar 24, 2005

In an ideal world, one would have emergency service brakes on all four wheels (like my 1845 has), however CUTs, cars and most trucks just have them on the rear anyway.

But if retrofiting is to be practical, the rear is still better than the existing set-up. Since the drum brakes would also function as a parking brake, you would have a pretty good set-up. One could cut off or modify the front motor brackets and mount them in that position as well as or instead of the rear.

I also have a NH TC-30 hydro with the heel/toe pedal on the right (which is fine by me), but also has the split brakes on the right as well which makes them pretty much impossible to use in split mode. I would much prefer the brakes on the left, but the clutch is there even though you only have to use it for engaging the PTO and sometimes for changing gear ranges.

While I have no problem with the left/right pedal arrangement of the PT now, I would have no problem with a heel/toe set-up on the right side either.

BobRip · Mar 24, 2005

To me the biggest problem with the parking brake is disengaging it. You have to turn the wheel so that the pins on both wheels are not hung up in the disc holes. If there were two separate levers, one for each side, then only one pin at a time would have to be free. Another possibility would be to put a spring on one side to allow movement when the other side is free. Has anyone tried any of this or have the same issue?

The second problem is that the tension on the handle has to be tight enough so the brake does not accidentially self engage. Then it is too hard to move. An arm that would lock the lever off would allow this bolt to be loosened a little.

Obviously this would still not be a brake that could be used to stop a moving vehicle.

Bob Rip

Clarke · Mar 24, 2005

Maybe someone in need of brakes will experiment. I think an enterprising individual could stabilize the backing plate.

sg

RegL · Mar 24, 2005

Do we know for sure that these pin type brakes won't opperate on a rolling tractor. I don't recall reading if anyone has actually tried it. I know I haven't and I don't think I will because if they did work, it would probably feel about the same as running headon into a tree. I was thinking if you made one slot on each wheel wider , it might give the pin enough time to slip in in an emergency situation. Maybe even grind out the material between two adjacent slots.