Better parking brake warning needed.

[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.