Split brake on B26

jeffreythree · Feb 25, 2011

I thought I would put my 2 cents in as an owner of an old style gear model that rented and borrowed newer HST's before buying. I think the folks are right about Kubota leaving the pedal layout as it was when my B6100 was made. Clutch on left and brakes on right make sense when you have a hand throttle. Foot throttle to the right of the brakes just like a car if you want to go faster than what you set the hand throttle at. Diff lock on the right so you can't use it and the split brakes at the same time (I cringe at what that tight radius would do to a diff). It is a good setup on my tractor to be able to turn on a dime and help my non power steering out when doing some food plots, but when I used the HSTs I wondered why in the world they had it that way since I was not an octopus with extra legs.

dutchman56 · Feb 27, 2011

I have a 2006 GL4630GST and use is for mainly road work and snowblowing. The split brake is good when the blower wants to make tractor go straight and need to make a tight turn. And the diff lock to get out of trouble. Do not use the foot throutle very often to keep feet free for ease of ride while travelling. My HST friends like to brag about the advantage of the HST pedal but maybe it is at the expense of the other pedals?

nspec · Feb 27, 2011

maybe its just me, but I have never found myself wanting to use the breaks to steer. I question why they even split them. The steering angles that they get out of these modern tractors is so good I can't see needing to do it. Now for traction.. that I get... but the diff lock does the same job.

I agree 100%. The little tractors turn ridiculously sharp as it is.

RobertN · Feb 28, 2011

After 12 years of owning a Kubota B series, and accepting the split brakes as not very functional, I got to actually use the ones on my New Holland. Uphill, on hard surface with a lot of sand on it. Little bit of down pressure on the loader, and my steering went away. Reached down to my left, released the lever holding the brakes together, and steered with the brakes.

I was very happy with my old Kubota. But after having occasion to make good use of the split brakes, I can say Kubota's setup is awful. And, I can see where folks are coming from, saying split brakes are useful.

I still like Kubota's. I got my NH because that was what was available on the used market, and it is a nice tractor.

DAY · Feb 28, 2011

nspec said:
I agree 100%. The little tractors turn ridiculously sharp as it is.

Not as sharp as "on a dime" with split brakes!:thumbsup:

Just an observation: "real" tractors have had split brakes for over half a century. There must be a good reason why they are still standard on many tractors. . .