Best brakes on a 2WD tractor

[Paddington]

Which 2WD tractor has the best foot/handbrake ? My IH 574 when new could be parked on a 1 in 6 hill according to the manufacturer, which never sounded much to me as our drive is steeper than that.............

 

[David1968]

Old David Browns had the best hand brake. You could rack up some pressure on it by bracing your feet against the pedals. Then, no matter how tight you had it, it was just twist and drop to release.

 

[clbarclay]

At Harper they had a plywood slope that could be adjusted for angle. A matchbox size model tractor was placed facing down the slope with bluetac used to "handbrake" the rear wheels. The plywood was then raised to steepen the slope. When the slope was steep enough the tractor would slip. Every time as the tractor slipped, it would spin around and end up going backwards down the slope.

The free rolling front wheels had more drag than the skidding rear wheels and did more braking.

Switch the bluetac to the front wheels and the model nolonger spun around when it slipped.

No matter how good the brakes are, rear wheel only brakes are poor. Cars have better brakes on the front than the rear for several reasons.


I always left our or old tractors in gear if I had to park them on a slope, not trusting any of the handbrakes. The newer ones all have park locks on the transmission and the newest one doesn't even have a handbrake that can stay on when you let go of it.

The best brakes where the ones that were the smoothest to operate and weren't all out nothing.

 

[spark plug]

The handbrakes in old international and case tractors that used the brake band around the diff pinion where more of a token novelty rather than a functional device.

 

[Oliveau]

Ford 5000/7000

 

[Paddington]

Any idea of the cost of replacing the handbrake ? Footbrake is equally shot, needs bleeding, but I can't get the bleed nipples loosened, probably haven't been touched in 50 years.

 

[ford 7810]

Our 165 had dry brakes they were crap since then MF and ford with wet brakes have been very good and never been inside any of them

 

[betweenthelines]

I learn't to drive on an MF 65-as above brakes were "optional" but you sure as hell learnt to drive sensibly.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Ford 5000/7000

But you really need a buzzer or light to remind you that you have pulled that little short lever up or they soon don’t like it!
SS

 

[Cocomac]

Any idea of the cost of replacing the handbrake ? Footbrake is equally shot, needs bleeding, but I can't get the bleed nipples loosened, probably haven't been touched in 50 years.

The band its self isn’t that expensive but I’ve a notion changing it would involve take the fuel tank off and top cover or half axle? I did look into it for my 674 but decided using a brick was easier. As for nipples get a socket on them and they should come out ok, plenty wd 40 and persistence may be required

 

[Mur Huwcun]

The band its self isn’t that expensive but I’ve a notion changing it would involve take the fuel tank off and top cover or half axle? I did look into it for my 674 but decided using a brick was easier. As for nipples get a socket on them and they should come out ok, plenty wd 40 and persistence may be required

They can be done through the side, especially if it’s been done before. It’s the original split pin in the band that’s the issue to remove. You need to feed a slim wire rope through the eye and back out then use every imaginable technique and tool to force the pin out. New band can go in place with a much nicer softer pin!!!

 

[Paddington]

I've never seen one of these bands, but it sounds like the wheel brake on a 18th century cart I saw in a museum. So the braking effect is steel on steel ?

 

[Cocomac]

They can be done through the side, especially if it’s been done before. It’s the original split pin in the band that’s the issue to remove. You need to feed a slim wire rope through the eye and back out then use every imaginable technique and tool to force the pin out. New band can go in place with a much nicer softer pin!!!

Might have to look into doing it then! Do you go in through the same cover you’d use to get to the pto pack? The one with the filter on it.

 

[Sharpy]

Dunno about you lot but the handbrake on a John deere 1130 was a revelation after massey and IH. It worked properly. You could trust it on hills! Footbrakes were good too, but they were good on 54/74 series IH too.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Might have to look into doing it then! Do you go in through the same cover you’d use to get to the pto pack? The one with the filter on it.

There’s a really good write up here. I was only the apprentice when doing one and still haven’t had a go myself yet!!

IH Handbrake 574, 84, 85 etc Series

I had posted this on another forum but because I've joined here thought I would transfer it here too. Had a go at doing our 574 handbrake through the side. Read up what I could find on the net, so thought I would do some notes for next time and maybe help someone else. Quite a bit of what I...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[Fendt516profi]

Old David Browns had the best hand brake. You could rack up some pressure on it by bracing your feet against the pedals. Then, no matter how tight you had it, it was just twist and drop to release.

They'd have to have a good hand brake would be no good coming back to find it had rolled to bottom of the hill it was parked on and you had no way of starting it

 

[Mur Huwcun]

They'd have to have a good hand brake would be no good coming back to find it had rolled to bottom of the hill it was parked on and you had no way of starting it

To be fair considering how drum brakes were on tractors the David Brown inboard ones were the best. Apart from the shaft becoming stiff they were not too bad and can be set up and balanced fairy well. Now Fergie and Ford 3000s, Dexta etc are diabolical!!!

 

[David1968]

They'd have to have a good hand brake would be no good coming back to find it had rolled to bottom of the hill it was parked on and you had no way of starting it

Had a black and white 990 for many years, back in the day. On a loader as well.
Don't recollect the brakes ever being touched. Don't recollect them ever not working.

Hardly the tractors fault if you couldn't afford to put a battery on it

 

[Paddington]

A chap on YouTube said that leaks from the loader could cause air getting into the system and making the brakes spongy. Well my loader leaks, as does the steering box, as well as under the rear axle...

 

[Handy Andy]

Might have to look into doing it then! Do you go in through the same cover you’d use to get to the pto pack? The one with the filter on it.

If you do have a go, could you post an up-date on how you get on please? I've got one to do as well and knowledge is power and all that.