The brake on my BX works well. I rolled backwards on a slope once when I first got the tractor. It had been parked and I got on and put it in neutral to start it, and started rolling. The brake stopped it fine.
Remember these are not vacuum power dry friction brakes like your car it is a manual wet friction brake. Similar to an automatic transmission friction disk and steel, and submerged in UDT. You need to push harder than you do in your car.
I rarely use the brake any way usually only when running the Post Hole Digger. The tooth bar stuck in the ground is a great parking brake, and you won't forget to release it before you drive off.
I can't figure out how the tractor stalled on a hill. I have been up steep slopes with a full bucket and just motored right up. I can't stop and start again on the hill with the hydro in high, I need to shift to low. Even when the tractor will not climb the hill in high range the engine doesn't stall. the relief just lifts.
The only thing I can think of is that you must be in low range with the motor lugged way down (not good). These engines are impressive but they are only 22 hp and have a tiny displacement. Asking it to pull a 2500# tractor + a load up a hill at idle is asking alot. My 300 hp pickup won't pull up a hill at idle speed.
