steering brake

[mike sacc]

i have a L2850 .can any one tell me why the steering brakes are on the same side as the throttle. to me this is a useless feature unless you use the hand throttle. thanks.

 

[TripleR]

That is an often debated issue on which no one can seem to agree. I personally like the brakes on the right as that is where they are on all of our tractors with the exception of the John Deere and I rarely use it.

I use the cruise control on our L5030 when I need steering brakes which is not often and my son just reaches over with his left foot, not a big deal.

Speculation is often put forth that it is cost as they don't have to make separate controls and slots for geared and HST.

Now if anyone can figure out why they still put clutches on HST tractors...

 

[smog]

Now if anyone can figure out why they still put clutches on HST tractors...

to shift the gear box from low to high and to stop the direct-drive PTO

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Generally if you hit either break right or left without much throttle the tractor will bog down and shut off. Therefore you have to throttle up the tractors RPM's with the hand lever.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

I tend to believe that right sided brake pedals became the "industry standard" when hand clutches fell out of favor. The manufacturers who had adopted foot clutches used right side ( a couple used center mount locations but were still intended for right foot use) steering brake pedals for the obvious reason that you need to be able to use the brakes and the clutch at the same time. The practice of using that location has just "stuck" ever since except for on certain earth moving and excavation equipment.
Hand clutches died because operators soon found out that they needed both hands in the course of operating a tractor, and you generally had a foot just hanging around not doing anything that could operate the clutch if needed.
The hand clutches were just holdovers from companies that had first built tractors with "stand-up" operator stations where a seat was just a place to occasionally rest your bottom whilst getting from one place to another (like the Waterloo Boy or Rumley Oil Pull).

 

[Orange Tractors]

First off, I am not familiar with your tractor, but am guessing it is an HST?

The brakes are on the right because the clutch (on just about every tractor I can think of)is on the left. Trust me, you do not want to try to hit a left brake and clutch at the same time with the same foot. I backed into my Uncle's pickup by doing that on a 9N Ford in about 1976, they had left brake and clutch on the left and the right brake on the right.

Just advance the hand throttle before you want to turn with the brakes. With my old Allis Chalmers WD I can turn around (either direction) and run the rear tire tracks over the old tracks. It has a hand throttle only. It also has an actual hand clutch for the transmission; allowing the PTO and hydraulics to continue operating, very handy for operating a rotobaler I am told. Its not quite independant hydraulics and PTO but it works pretty good for being designed in the 1940's.

Hope this made sense,

Robert

 

[GWD]

Here is another theory. With the brakes on the same side as the throttle control the operator needs to let up on the fuel to apply the brakes.

When I first got into tractoring (with a A/C WD45) I was shocked at how stomping on one brake pedal caused the tractor to accelerate with the tire opposite the braked tire. It was a quick spin-around.

If this is done with the single front tire (or two fronts together) it would easily cause the tractor to tip over.

That is one reason the ATVs with a single front tire are no longer made. They didn't have separate brakes but the idea is the same.

 

[mike sacc]

just curious ,i run backhoes and the throttle is on the right and the brakes are usually left of center.using one brake or the other and the foot throttle you can do some serious material moving with much more control without the steering wheel. just wish it was a better set up.

 

[MagKarl]

Usually when I need to use the brakes to steer I'm in a tight spot and at idle in a low gear. With an open differential stomping one brake won't kill the tractor, the other wheel keeps right on working, spinning the tractor around. I guess I don't see the issue with using the hand throttle if idle isn't fast enough for you.

 

[TripleR]

to shift the gear box from low to high and to stop the direct-drive PTO

Other manufacturers have eliminated the clutch on their HST tractors, so I don't see why Kubota hasn't. My BX2660 is an HST with no clutch.

The PTO on my Kubota 5030 is independent, not live, so no need for a clutch on that.

My Operator Manual does indicate to use the clutch when shifting between ranges, but I have found it is as easy to do without using the clutch and the majority of Kubota HST owner with whom I have spoken do the same which is how my dealer told me they use them.

I grew up farming and used the steering brakes on my geared tractors and occasionally use them on our M8540 in tight spaces due to its size, so I am familiar with their use and concept.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

just curious ,i run backhoes and the throttle is on the right and the brakes are usually left of center.using one brake or the other and the foot throttle you can do some serious material moving with much more control without the steering wheel. just wish it was a better set up.

Your comparing apples to oranges here, all full size backhoes have a shuttle shift transmission. And yes some Kubota models have shuttle shift tranny's as well, and in fact some Kubota models are set up just like full size backhoes with both break pedals on the right side. The L2850 you have is an older model Kubota with a gear tranny.

 

[mike sacc]

my tractor is fairly old L2850 1989. not knocking it by any means , still in great shape . only 932 hrs.