Better parking brake warning needed.

[2manyrocks]

Or wire in that pesky buzzer that could be located about anywhere, and perhaps the further away from the operator station, the better.

 

[Oaktree]

After looking at the photos for awhile I gradually came to realize that what I was looking at was an afterthought - almost certainly added sometime after the basic tractor was designed. Whatever box it checked wasn't one concerned with function.

All in all, the hand brake is more of a curiosity than a concern. If I want this tractor to stay put, I just put the bucket edge down firmly.

Wow! I would not want a tractor with a brake setup like this. Looking for a larger tractor, I will be checking this out on the TYM and Kioti I am looking at.

Mine also looks like an afterthought, maybe added on to meet U.S. safety requirements? I does leave a lot to be desired, but at this point I'm used to it. Someday when I have nothing else to do I may see if I can come up with a better solution.

 

[Jstpssng]

Most parking brakes will stop an idle tractor from rolling, but will still allow the machine to move if power is applied. That’s the basis for this problem.

Mine might, but it doesn't like to. You know from the hydro squeal that the brake is set, and it doesn't go very far.
My brother sets it on the family L2800 so that you don't even know that it's on. I've learned to check, and when I park it after use the brake is SET, or not at all. I think he's starting to figure it out. I don't know why he set's the brake anyways, on the level barn floor with the loader and implement down.

 

[Smokeydog]

The trailer marker light I used was bright. 3/4” hole. Rubber grommet. Purple for Park.

Some models have better parking brakes, better holding, better indicators etc.

1980s Kubota model M5030DT hand parking brake and warning light worked great for over 30 years.
1990s Kubota B20 parking brake simply sucked.

Never appreciate the seat presence switch that killed the engine when you stood up. Could easily use for a parking brake indicator to kill engine when attempting to move with parking brake applied.

 

[Jstpssng]

Never appreciate the seat presence switch that killed the engine when you stood up. Could easily use for a parking brake indicator to kill engine when attempting to move with parking brake applied.

Mine didn't work for a long time... then the piece of wire holding it down must have fallen off. It's a real pain to turn in the seat to check while mowing or tilling... only to have the engine cut out.

 

[ulflyer]

I've run my Kioti CK30 so much with brakes on that they now barely hold the tractor, but not on a hill or grade. It has a red light on the dash, but its fairly weak, and dust/dirt pretty well hid it.

 

[Bushbunnie]

A better parking brake warning is needed. The MX52 will walk away with the parking brakes on without braking a sweat. Happened twice now...
I'm thinking about adding a big flashing light. The tiny indicator in the cluster is nearly useless.
I'm wondering if anyone has made an improvement in this area.

I've joined the club also. Those brakes get mighty hot.

 

[scootr]

More usless Junk to Break. No Flashing lights, No freeking alarm bells,

Just don't be stupid. if you run over your foot you wont do it again.

Just make sure your shifter is in Neutral and put on the parking break.

Never needed any of these crazy saftey switches on Machines, Trucks, all my life and Im still alive.

they are all Goverment ******* conspericys to make things more expensive and complex. First thig I do is rip them all out. I dont need a Beeper, Flashing light to tell me I dont have a seat beat on. Most of my trucks never came with seat beats in the first place.

Go to a dealer and test drive a HST tractor. Then put it in neutral before you get off.

 

[Cycledude]

Many years ago one of my uncles owned a international tractor that if the parking brake was set you could not shift the manual transmission into gear, that was a very nice feature !
I’m very satisfied with the brake warning system on my new LS it has red warning light on dash and a annoying Beeper if you try driving with the parking brake, it is surprising how often I forget to set or release the parking brake.

 

[Om37]

Rather it's my dozer, grader or tractor I just drop the blade or bucket to the ground.
That works for me and they didn't have parking brakes on machines back when I learned to drive tractors in 56.
AT least I don't remember them having parking brakes.

 

[LouNY]

I don't recall any tractors that didn't have some type of parking brake,
I know the Allis Chalmers WD had one and the various Farmalls 400, H's M's did.
Not many of those had blades or buckets to drop.

 

[Cycledude]

I have never seen any brand of tractor that wasn’t equipped with some kind of parking brake.

 

[Black Dog 2]

A better parking brake warning is needed. The MX52 will walk away with the parking brakes on without braking a sweat. Happened twice now...
I'm thinking about adding a big flashing light. The tiny indicator in the cluster is nearly useless.
I'm wondering if anyone has made an improvement in this area.

My L6060 has the small parking brake light, but if you continue driving mine has a much bigger flashing light warning that will come on. This happened a few times when I first got it but now I always check the dash for the smaller light.

 

[Bentrim]

Years ago working for a MF dealer we had many farmers that would lightly step on the parking brake of the 300, 410, and 510 combines. Usually they remembered when they smelled something hot, even had some that put out the fire from an overheated brake. Then they would call to have the brake repaired be cause of the overheating.
Often when I found a farmer attempting to pull away with the brake on I would advise him to step on the brake like a man or as if he was mad at it. Since the brake was on the left wheel now if they tried to pull away without releasing it the combine made an immediate left turn. Then they stomped the normal brake pedals which released the parking brake.
So my advise would be to apply the brake like you are mad at it, so the tractor won't move until it is released. If that is not possible visit an automotive or truck parts store and get a buzz light. If no switch is installed get a switch that breaks contact when depressed and install in on the brake lever and the buzz light in the dash.

 

[garc]

A better parking brake warning is needed. The tiny indicator in the cluster is nearly useless.
I'm wondering if anyone has made an improvement in this area.

I had the same problem with my 2005 Kubota B3030 HST so I put a switch on the brake pedal assembly and a light on the top of the dash but that still escaped my attention.
So, I added a single high tone car horn along with a second switch (in series) on the HST linkage. Now when the brake warning light is ON and I apply the HST pedal the horn sounds, scares the crap out of me and I release the brake, every time!
My HST has a complicated linkage under the floor and one of those little levers moves in only one direction regardless of pedal movement for forward or reverse. That's the one I used to activate the micro switch.
I used micro switches with the thin blade attached that presses on the tiny button. This made switch location and movement range easy to set up.

 

[scootr]

I had the same problem with my 2005 Kubota B3030 HST so I put a switch on the brake pedal assembly and a light on the top of the dash but that still escaped my attention.
So, I added a single high tone car horn along with a second switch (in series) on the HST linkage. Now when the brake warning light is ON and I apply the HST pedal the horn sounds, scares the crap out of me and I release the brake, every time!
My HST has a complicated linkage under the floor and one of those little levers moves in only one direction regardless of pedal movement for forward or reverse. That's the one I used to activate the micro switch.
I used micro switches with the thin blade attached that presses on the tiny button. This made switch location and movement range easy to set up.

I'm super impressed. I've known all along that is what is really needed but didn't have the guts to try it

 

[garc]

Took these shots lying under the tractor tonight
The one with the arrows shows the extension I welded to the one of the pedal levers and the point of contact with the switch lever.
Two holes were drilled and tapped into the frame for the machine screws to hold the switch.
The other photo shows the tab welded to the brake lever so it will actuate the switch lever.
Two holes drilled through the floor tab to mount the brake switch.
You might be asking yourself what happened to the pedal end of the foot brake lever .
Well, it's been moved over to the left side of the tractor to make more room around the GO-pedal on the right side. The second brake pedal has gone AWOL and the independent L & R braking welded together. In 18 years I have never had need to make a brake U-turn (nor have I tried) and those two brake pedals hovering over the GO-pedal were a PITA .

 

[scootr]

That is a proper fix. I salute your tenacity in making that work. Modifying these little tractors for personal use can be great fun and a reward with each use. Thanks for sharing.

 

[scootr]

Years ago working for a MF dealer we had many farmers that would lightly step on the parking brake of the 300, 410, and 510 combines. Usually they remembered when they smelled something hot, even had some that put out the fire from an overheated brake. Then they would call to have the brake repaired be cause of the overheating.
Often when I found a farmer attempting to pull away with the brake on I would advise him to step on the brake like a man or as if he was mad at it. Since the brake was on the left wheel now if they tried to pull away without releasing it the combine made an immediate left turn. Then they stomped the normal brake pedals which released the parking brake.
So my advise would be to apply the brake like you are mad at it, so the tractor won't move until it is released. If that is not possible visit an automotive or truck parts store and get a buzz light. If no switch is installed get a switch that breaks contact when depressed and install in on the brake lever and the buzz light in the dash.

I'm guilty of lightly setting the brake and driving until I smell the brakes burning . That was the impetus for this thread... since then I found there are 2 brake settings.
Notch 1 = light braking allows normal operation with brakes applied.
Notch 2 = hard to engage. darn near stalls engine when attempting to take off

Now I'm using notch 2 and I just want to extend the set/release lever to a reasonable height above the pedals.

 

[Jstpssng]

Tonight I used my tractor to lift the back of my sled up so that I could check the suspension, which was making not-funny noises. I tried to spin the track but it wouldn't move. I started it up and revved the engine, only to be rewarded with the smell of my drive belt burning. At least it quit in the back of the truck, not 10 miles out in the woods.
I pulled one side cover off, then started to take the other off- You dumb A$$, the brake was set.
When I went to move the tractor I noticed it has a nice red light telling me that the brake is set.

I still don't know what the noise is in my suspension. Hopefully it's nothing. If it is, I hope it won't give out tomorrow when I'm going to be 10 miles from the truck.