Meh! Independent Steering Brakes ARE FOR LOSERS! Compact Tractor BEGINNER LESSON!

Many compact tractors have independent steering brakes but when should they be used? Tractor Time with Tim explains why these two brakes are useful for certain situations when using your tractor.
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[@mikeramsey52]

My Grandfather told me that the bar linking the two brake pedals was for driving on the road. If you're at high speed, you don't want to apply just one brake. He sold John Deere's in the 60's and I grew up sitting on the fender of his JD while he plowed his 60 acres.

[@RedCowsGreenFields]

Yep, also what I was taught

[@Chris-tb1er]

That’s absolutely correct ! But you also want the brake linkage adjusted so the pedals are even when pressure is applied

[@randallthomas5207]

Grandpa, Dad, and my FFA leader all taught me the same thing.

[@rinardman]

Exactly. I'm surprised Tim didn't know that, too. He may be too young to have been around when that was common knowledge on the farm. I always locked the brakes together when on the road.

[@racoming1035]

Old farmer told me the same.

[@Kcolby47]

Back in the “old” days when I started driving 2WD tractors with tricycle front wheels, (especially doing field work) you learned very quickly if you wanted to turn, you use the brakes. Blessings.

[@d6joe]

Lock brake pedals together for road travel. I think It's even in the book!

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Don’t care. I don’t do it. What if brakes are adjusted slightly differently…which they are almost always!

[@bajaDave]

Tim, that would be a maintenance issue. That is something you are supposed to inspect for per the operator’s manual on a regular basis. On pavement especially, if you are roading at top speed, and something happens where you need to stop quickly, if you hit one pedal harder than the other, it will swerve violently. Best advice is lock the pedals when in high range for transportation, and unlock when working.

[@Drew-in-NoDak]

The lock brake is for going down the road, trust me in a big farm tractor or combine, when you step on the wrong brake pedal going 25 miles an hour it gets really scary really fast.

[@kdeckster]

The parking brake mechanism only engages one of the pedals, so locking them together ensures BOTH rear brakes are applied for parking. Just an FYI...otherwise I agree with you and leave mine unlocked.

[@tonypeden8092]

I never wanted to find out what would happen if I somehow only hit one pedal during a panic stop from road speeds; I could only imagine that scenario ending badly. So to me it's good to have the option of locking the pedals together.

[@janskoropinski10]

I would guess that the main reason to keep the brakes locked together is the when you set the parking lock it only licks one brake. On mine it is the right brake.

[@rwalkenhorst]

Airplanes have separate brakes too for the left and right main gear. The brakes are actuated by rocking the rudder pedals forward (called toe brakes). When turning an airliner with underslung engines, you can also use asymmetrical thrust (leave the inside engine at idle and spool up the outside one). This is helpful when you have to spin the aircraft around 180 degrees at a small airport to backtrack up the runway to a taxiway after landing.

[@StumpkillerCP]

Airplanes also don't have power to the wheels, so they are basically castering to what the engines are whipping up with the propellors/jets. You have to lock the inside wheel and up-throttle the outside engine(s), or goose the single engine, to turn that direction.

[@dougzachary5645]

My trusty old JD755 has independent brakes! I love that feature.

[@ProductiveRecreation]

Great overview of split brakes use! I wouldn’t buy a tractor without them. I lock the pedals together on the road, or when I work on my steepest hill for safety. On the hill, if I missed one pedal by accident that could be a rollover if the tractor turned side to the hill.

[@kevingebert4316]

That was a great refresher video on the correct way to maximize steering and turning on a dime radius when the balance point favors the rear. So much easier to learn when given a demonstration.

[@shanesherwood343]

Good morning Tim great video I remember watching a farmer I worked for get his Minneapolis moline tractor unstuck using the breaks that stuck with me as a kid 20 + years later finding them on the 3R tractor was a big selling point to me and they have come in handy

[@earlyriser8998]

I thought of that situation when I was recently stuck and could have used this. Instead I went diff lock.

[@RyanDoesAll]

Learning how to use the brakes to transfer power to the other tire when stuck was a game changer on my old 318. Chains, wheel weights and my “poor mans posi” made that little tractor a monster on hills and trails.

[@MikeD1199]

Reminds of when I was shoppjng tractors . Made the comment at Kubota that the steering brakes on one model were difficult to use while non-existant on another . The salesman point blank said what do you need steering brakes for ? Ended up 3R over E because I didn't want another machine without steering brakes .

[@MusicandMachines]

I pushed one of my front tires off the bead on a small pine tree once when I was about a mile from my truck. It was 100° outside. I picked the front wheels up with the bucket and went in reverse all the way back using just brakes to steer. Saved my rear that day.

[@edwinlikeshistractor8521]

Wow, great idea. I could have used it 2 weeks ago.

[@404nouserinformationfound]

Should have picked up the front and wedged the front end to only load the good tire

[@photocontrol]

I find the independent turn brake peddles handy for sure in tight turning spaces.

[@s1283]

Old 318 garden tractor I grew up on had the wheel brakes and I tell ya, when using a front plow, or blower, or in snow. Using an individual wheel brake helped to steer, but most importantly bc the 318 doesn’t have a locking diff, works great as manual traction control. Just slow the spinning wheel and force the power to the traction wheel. So if they can put individual wheel brakes on a 318 garden tractor… the 1 series isn’t a far reach on space. But price… yes price would be the only reason to not add them to the 1025/23

[@bwlyon]

I remember as a kid mowing hay with a 730 and a number 5 mower hammering the right brake at every corner to spin the tractor 90 degrees. Timing was important to get a clean cut on each corner. Great video.

[@louismarchaland8939]

I almost never use the brake lock on most tractors, I do use it on the 71 and 72 series CIH Magnums when road traveling. Something about how I sit those and the placement of the brake pedals I have only gotten one pedal a few times when I needed both. The only ones so far in a lot of years.

[@mi2tn]

On a 1 series tractor (1023/1025/1026) independent rear brakes would be nice when mowing sideways on a hill and wanting to turn uphill. Front tires like to plow some even with weights on the front and/or in 4-wheel drive. Steeper the hill the more it does this. I lock in the rear diff. at times when this happens to keep the front and rear from spinning so much.

[@stephengmeiner3264]

I had individual brakes on my Kubota L3301. I liked that I had them but honestly never really needed them. Used them a few times when stuck and I needed the power sent to the spinning wheel.

[@joelhenderson5404]

Your doing it right Tim. People would learn if they ever cultivated corn with a A or B John Deere tractor.

[@philsmock4943]

Growing up on a farm, we only used the brake locking bar while driving fast on the road. In a panic situation, both brakes would be applied equally. But as soon as we got off the road, we flipped the locking bar off. Thanks for sharing.

[@watershedoverlook]

I use the split breaks on my LX when using my loader...specifically when I'm using it to dig out potholes on our hard-packed dirt/gravel road at the Overlook. Invariably, the front wheels are lifted off the ground, and the breaks allow be to stay pointed in the direction I want to go. I hadn't even considered the alternative scenario of the tractor being heavy in the rear! Really good info, Tim. Thanks, Chris.

[@jollyg83]

I did the same when I had my B2650 TLB. I’ve since gotten a BX23s and the jury is still out on if I’m missing the steering brakes.

[@wickedcoyote271]

on the tractors Ive run that have independent brakes, Ive used them mostly for traction control when 1 tire starts spinning. the X-series and 1-series have diff lock for that. Im rarely in need of a tighter turning radius on my x595.

[@ltg72260]

Grew up on an Allis Chalmers WD45 with tricycle frontend. The use of split brakes was necessary else you may not end up where you want to. Can't count how many times I plowed from end to end with front end floating about 12 inches off the ground.

[@dougvazquez6571]

When I was a kid on my grandfather's farm, while mowing hay with the 6' Bush Hog mower with hay blades and the side panel removed, the Massey Ferguson 35 was really light at the front end. Especially going uphill in the ridge country of SW Pennsylvania. The brakes made it possible to mow on those steep hills. Also, turning the baler around at the end of the field on a steep side hill. We would back up the baler, turning it to be downhill from the tractor, until the baler/tractor combination were nearly jack knifed, with the tractor facing downhill and the baler tongue pointing uphill. Then we would pull forward, turning hard with the uphill brake. Before the baler weight could push the tractor to the hollow, the tractor was already facing level to the contour. Just had to continue forward and the baler followed. We found it was the safest way to make the turnaround on those steep hillsides.

[@randallthomas5207]

Going forward, I can work either pedal independently. But when twisted around to hook up the three point, my old left leg just can’t hit only one pedal. So I tend to interlock the pedals.

[@Firestang89]

I was looking forward to this episode!

[@NYTROeast]

I wished all tractors had them and on some of these subcompacts it is crazy that they only put a single pedal on the left above the forward and reverse pedals

[@andrewdonohue1853]

i had a 1948 farmall cub, it had differential brakes but it was 2wd. my kubota BX does not have differential brakes. when you have a 2wd tractor it is the old tool available to get you out of a sticky situation. i liked my farmall, it still had some useful utility, but it cannot do nearly what the kubota can do. it was admittedly a nice little antique. i ended up parting ways when it needed a clutch and needed an engine overhaul. it was great because it was was an actual tractor when i was nearly broke and had no budget.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

My dad bought a 52 (I think) cub. We overhauled it and used it for years to mow the yard…like you, when we were broke!

[@Lackieestatesfarm]

I’ve got 5 tractors here, ranging from the old massey Ferguson 12 lawn tractors (60s), Massey Ferguson 135, ford 4600 and a kubota bx2680. I’ve never once missed the split brakes on the bx. Honestly I think it turns almost as sharp as you’d want as it is, and 4wd makes the split brakes almost unnecessary in most cases these days. I also think that stability may be an issue with split brakes on a sub compact. As for the locking lever on the pedal, if I’m on the road I always lock the pedals together. Or if someone else is going to drive my tractor I lock them. Very easy to get in a mess if you forget to hit both pedals in an emergency situation or if you are an inexperienced operator. Just my .02

[@charlesclack5026]

I use individual brakes at slow speeds and when needing to help steer, the bar help make it safer when at higher speeds to keep the tractor going straight so it doesn't verge one way or the other

[@happyrocklawncareandsnowre2141]

My 1992 john deere 332 (the largest of the 300 series) garden tractor(diesel engine) has independent breaks. With the 48" hydraulic tiller attached, the front end is light, and ive have had to use them in tight spots.

[@geraldhaury4199]

My uncle taught me to use the independent brakes when I was 13 years old and using his 730 John Deere to disk wheat stubble when preparing the ground for later planting. I am glad my 2032R has the capability even though I haven't needed it yet. Thanks for your videos. I usually watch them on my TV anymore, so it hard to comment.

[@davidbalvin8112]

Always enjoy your videos. The lock the brake pedals together when on the road advice goes back to farm tractor use as most pulled heavy implements with the drawbar rather than a 3 point system. The implements did not have brakes and the momentum would push against the tractor when slowing down. If a turning brake was applied at speed the tractor would try to turn and the implement would jackknife similar to a semi, sometimes flipping the tractor and coming over the top of it.

[@paulmartin8212]

My dad's 54 VAC Case had a safety sticker that said, always lock brake pedals together when traveling in high gear.

[@TallTexasGMan]

Independent brakes have their use, but there are many times wear applying both together is more beneficial. A great example is connecting implements with someone else on the ground. You need to maintain that safety stopping factor. I would actually say that in all my experience operating a dual brake tractor (Allis Chamlers B to newer machines). I have only had occasions to use independent brakes a few times. Even operating construction equipment, the machines that had them rarely had need.

[@richardpickersgill3434]

My daedong ck22 hst has the brakes on the rhs so I can't use the brakes to steer unless the cruise control is engaged. So I have the interlock on and basically only have brakes for handbrake. I'm reluctant to use the brakes to turn sharp anyway as it's hydro not geared. Just a thing with me. But to turn on a dime does save a lot of time for furrow work, but I haven't done that since I was a teen.

[@StumpkillerCP]

I had a Ford 640 (1956) and sometimes I miss the dual brakes. Mostly handy when I was abusing my tractor to shag firewood and weaving between trees on uneven ground where I shouldn't have been, anyway. But, I wouldn't go back now that I have 4WD, heel-fired differential lock, Hydro-static transmission and power-steering. I miss the nostalgia of my old 640 . . . but I sure like the safety features and "luxury" of my JD 1025R. PTO shrouds - what a novel concept. I "fixed" my neighbor's older gear-drive Kubota (2850?) by freeing up that coupling toggle that locks the brake-pads together. He had no idea.

[@ElkCreekAcres]

I’m going to agree with you Tim, I have never understood why people would keep the brake pedals locked. I’m a huge fan of steering brakes, and use them frequently.

[@ShaneZettelmier]

I like the way you explained it and showed it. I’ve seen other people explain it by talking about the back wheels, but not really saying much about the weight off of the front wheels. I can definitely see out in the fields where this would make a huge difference. On my little Lawn Mower that wasn’t a zero turn, I would spend a lot of miles and time looping around Remo and grass. I’d already mowed just to put the mower in the right position again. If you were out, going back-and-forth and fields all day long Plowing or doing whatever pivoting on that turn that tight could save you a huge amount of time by the end of the day. I know when I would mow a couple of acres just having a tractor that would turn tight could save me a good amount of time it would take me, a couple of hours at least at the grass was even at all wet or thick. It might take me three hours on my little John Deere lawn tractor and I spent a big amount of that time looping around and recovering ground. I had already covered just to get turned around and positioned over the grass that needed cut. With my zero turn mower which goes three times as fast that 2 1/2 or even three hours turns into 20 or 30 minutes because I’m pretty much mowing the whole time and everywhere I go is someplace that needs mowed. I’m not out there doing big loops trying to get back to the uncut grass so I can definitely see where working in a field going from end end Doing row after row after row where this could save you a ton of time. I can definitely see this as an advantage for getting unstuck too. When one will get stuck in the mud and you have an open differential all the power goes to that wheel and your other wheel has no power to get you out of the hole or to assist in getting you out that one wheel just buries itself. If you can put the brake on that wheel, you put the power to your other wheel And you can move forward a little and hopefully get traction again and not have to tow yourself out. Even on my zero, turn with the individual wheel control I get out of a lot of those situations to wear with my little tractor I can’t do it because once that wheel starts spinning, it just sinks right in and I’m not going anywhere, especially if you have a quill Drive tractor with no differential lock I think that would make a big difference

[@georgecostanza9387]

Most modern tractors the brakes are on the inside of the axle just outside of the differential typically if the axle has a trumpet shape too it the brake discs are in there

[@jhcrc1050]

I use the brakes on 4052R with and without the lock depending on what I am doing. I use them a lot when I am plowing snow to assist my steering. However when I am using my 3pt snow blower I lock the pedals because I can’t keep my foot on the middle of the brake pedal. When I am roading my tractor I lock the pedals together because if I have to panic stop I want to stop straight and not twist. It all depends on what job I am doing. Thank you for the great videos!!!

[@ricktieken7025]

Individual brakes are locked together for road speed driving and then unlocked for general use. When I first got my 1025R, I did miss the individual brake, but have learned to work around it. Yes, at times, it would be handy!

[@SpartanZapp]

Steering brakes are something I use constantly. Especially in the tractors I have without loaders I never noticed myself using them with the loader tractor but i keep 280 lbs on the 4610 and still need the steering brakes quite often.

[@gordenbest2950]

Interesting and informative. I have a 1 series and 3R but have run used the core aerator only with the 1 series and hard to turn. I knew about the turn braking and I do not have the brakes locked together, lol but will definitely use the 3R with the aerator next time to achieve a better turning experience . Thanks Tim...

[@RobertBrothersJr-dc7nr]

Excellent video Tim, many tractor owners today don’t have the experience with tractors and don’t know the proper use of the two wheel brakes versus the individual wheel brakes. Thanks

[@kyledally8410]

Another use for the brake lock bar is for the parking brake. My tractor parking brake only applies to 1 side so you have to use the bar to apply the second side

[@scotthooper1928]

Great informational video. I have multiple old garden tractors ( 60’s and 70’s ). Only one has independent wheel brakes. It does all the heavy pulling.

[@utubota5522]

the brake steer is a useful option, which I have on my 2501, and had on my old Yanmar. When I needed them, I disconnected the interlock and when I did not need them, I connected to equalize braking authority. I would really miss this option if I did not have it.

[@jccorder1]

I mainly use my steering brake when back dragging and my front wheels are off the ground.

[@malcolmlinch9681]

Say if your plowing the front end goes a little left or right you tap the brake to get the tractor straight again.

[@jamesstuder5045]

I find that for turning I use the brakes. However, for a spinning wheel I use the diff lock.

[@jdfleetguy28]

Great video Tim ! We used 4440s and 4650, 4755s in the field with a lot of 3pt tillage equipment. Was so much fun and fond memories especially the turn around with the steering brakes. All but my X758 have steering brakes today, and I use them. I recently used them a lot on the 4075R when I was aerating my lawn. Only thing I did not like about it on the E-hydro system is I use the cruise control buttons to set my working speed, and you can only use 1 steering brake and turn one direction, the other shuts the cruise off and stops the tractor. I sure wish there was a way turn that cruise brake shutoff off for certain applications where steering brakes are needed.

[@jimschmitz6192]

Even with a stack of weights on front the JD 2510, I grew up with, the weight of a fully mounted 4-16” bottom plow the front end would come off the ground. The only way to get lined up with the furrow at the beginning of the field was to use the brakes. Yeah, miss that on my 1025R.

[@insatiate76]

Individual brakes are great for making the spinning wheel with no traction, force power onto the wheel that isn't spinning, helping you get unstuck.

[@williambartholomew5680]

Independent brakes are darn near mandatory with icy driveways, otherwise you plow forward exactly as Tim showed in the gravel. Otherwise it's extremely rare I use them un-joined unless my drives are struggling for traction. Independent brakes should really be joined until they're needed separately, "panic stops" are far more frequent with normal clutch+gear-shift transmissions so you do actually end up pressing one before both - between my manual tractors and the manual forklifts at work their brakes hooked to the inner pedals are all more worn than the outer pedal's brakes lol Also lot of tractors (no matter the transmission or age) have the parking brake as a pawl running off the inner most pedal so if they're unjoined that inner most pedal is getting more wear (causing play) in all the joints and any movement while locked/locking wears down that side's brake shoes too. I think why the 1025R doesn't have Independent brakes is due to space and how tight they turn as is, Independent brakes would barely make them turn any tighter than the already do with the diff unlocked.

[@kevinmontgomery4180]

Steering brakes are great and often with the old John Deere tricycle frontend tractors it was about the only way to steer. The Farmall Super A that I grew up with they came in handy on as well. Good video Tim.

[@lawsonlawnandfarm8073]

I’m just like you I never run that lever locking both breaks together. I don’t use the steer breaks near as much on my lx2610 as I do my utility tractors. I use them all the time on my utility tractors though. It’s very steep terrain around here and I even use them to help keep my tractors pointing straight across a hill instead of trying to nose dive down the hill because it’s so steep. But more so when plowing or cultivating so I can spin around and go right back down the next row

[@Miniscapes515]

I like using independent brakes to help steer in the winter when using our snow pusher.

[@jollyg83]

Deere 3E series doesn’t have steering brakes. Whats more, they incorporated the differential lock into the brake pedal. It’s a two stage pedal. You apply the brake in the first stage and if you keep pressing the pedal you’ve engaged the differential lock.

[@bucklinoutdoorpowerequipme3846]

I would like to see this on the 1025R. I have them on my 316, 317 and 318 garden tractors. Why not the 1025R.

[@kencotton4645]

Growing up on a farm in NC in the 50’s, I would regularly use the brakes to make tight turns at the end of the row while cultivating. While I appreciate the ease of operating a hydrostatic tractor these days, I miss having two brakes on my compact John Deere. I agree with your opinion on the pedal lock. The only time we used the pedal lock was when we were using the tractor to tow trailers and wanted to be sure that we were applying the brakes equally when around other folks. You probably gnored it for the purposes of the video, but the diff lock was my preferred method to stop a spinning wheel.

[@mikegraziano1562]

The older ver of the 2025R, the 2320 has these brakes & the bar to connect them. I've never had the need nor was I sure how to use them over the past 6 yrs of owning it. Thanks for showing us how they are used and I'll now try them out! Would they work in the snow?

[@user-ff5ut5xm2z]

Hey Tim great video, I grew up on A John Deere with individual brake pedals one on each side of the operator’s platform they worked great. To this day I never use the pedal lock, that might not be for everyone but it works for me. I do have a little JD 2720 and it has individual brake pedals. 👍🏻

[@TheCarpitect]

I use them all the time when plowing (chains on). When I get to the end of my stretch on a narrow road I swing around and it works fantastic. No damage to the road since it’s usually frozen and got hard pack. Gravel road anyway.

[@bradbruggeman6745]

I don't use them much on my 3039r. Occasionally, I do and I am glad I have them. Growing up on farm tractors,they work great in loose ground as in plowing. Also helps if you loose traction with a tractor that ha no differential lock.

[@garywaxler7866]

Individual brakes are essential for raking hay. It's important though to lock them together if you're going down the road @ "high speed", especially for a new operator. If you hit a single brake in an emergency, you have the possibility of spinning/jack-knifing/rolling the tractor & injuring yourself or others. I don't lock my brakes together normally since I'm an experienced operator & don't travel on busy roads. The only tractor I do lock them together on is the Allis Chalmers 175 with a loader. The left brake will not hold the tractor in place stopped by itself.

[@Lilfarmrboy]

One of my biggest concerns when selling my Deere 2032R and getting my new Kioti CK2620se cab was no independent rear brakes. Thankfully it hasn’t been an issue yet but the Kioti has a really good turning radius compared to the Deere so that helps.

[@rb2530]

(Tractor Noob here) I like that feature. Definitely something to get on my next tractor. I currently have a sub compact tractor. When I am pushing a load of wet snow, the front tires do not have much steering. Having that independent braking would help a lot. My land is hilly and sometimes, pulling a load down hill gets the blood moving. The rear wheels keep turning showing me something just isn't kosher. All those features on the bigger tractor far out weigh the cost increase in my opinion. Buyers remorse I guess. Is a shame I did not find this or Mike's channel before purchasing the tractor.

[@Freecan67]

Thanks for Sharing Tim.

[@richklauka6882]

I have a john deere 4110 hydrostatic transmission and it has individual brakes i like having that feature.

[@kramsey253]

Tim we bought a 2023 3025E I was very surprised and disappointed when I got it home to discover it did not have independent rear brakes. It was something I never even gave a thought about it as I thought all tractors had this feature.

[@earlyriser8998]

I know about them but have never tried to use them. I will give these a try next time I have a large rear implement.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Well you need to give em a try!

[@tractorboy31]

On my 520 i find myself using the clutchbrake when roading ( not good) with the 2 bangers the brakes were on oppisite sides of platform so its hard basically impossible to apply together so i lightly used left brake on road ( not good) and out in field i use left brake to swing around as that pedal is easier for me to get foot up

[@clayseale]

Love my steering brakes. Use my tractor like a skidsteer for moving dirt. I can get into incredibly tight spaces with the brakes.

[@thunderpuppyxyz]

Tim, I take issue with your comment on the brake pedal locking mechanism. Can you imagine the outcome if you’re roading that outfit, ( or one with not quite so extreme a rear weight bias) and you need to panic stop? I wager that most people, in a panic situation, will not apply even brake pressure, and will steer into a dangerous situation. This not a nanny safety feature that gets in the way of being productive. This is more like a switch to put your tractor into ”road mode”. Many of your viewers come here for education as they are new to small tractors and may not have the benefit of having grown up using independent brakes on tractors. Please provide an update for your viewers indicating the importance of locking those brakes pedals together in certain conditions. I’ve learned lots on your channel, and will continue to watch and recommend this to others. Thanks.

[@homesculptor]

Yeah, that happened to me. I never leave it open. if you miss one of the brake pedals that one brake does nothing going downhill. I moved toward a gate downhill with my lever up, and went through the gate smashing the one side as I missed it. Totally shocked me and caught me off guard. Bad advice to leave them open. Better safe than sorry. I can bend down and unlock it on the fly.

[@sewerman911]

First generation Bobcats had split brakes, but it was on the same side as the treadle pedal. Unless you have two right feet it's completely useless. Clutch is on the left.

[@georgecostanza9387]

Lock the pedals when loading on trailer at least for inexperienced operators. If your rolling off the trailer and panic and jab the brakes if you only hit one side the tractor could pivot and fall off. More of an issue for gear drive transmissions

[@scottlevely1530]

I’ve found the independent brakes work well when using the loader. Helps steer when scooping up material and bucket is in the ground.

[@karldawnlang8936]

Was always taught, lock the pedals for road and loading/unloading.

[@pacoal]

Good points Tim. Individual brakes, use them all the time and wouldn't want to be without them.

[@greenwoodsbushhogging6704]

I hardly ever use them. 4x4 and a loader usually make it easy enough. They definitely do help on keeping the front end turned up the slopes on side hills, I typically "steer" with the brakes and use the front tires more like sleds. They also help turn up steep slopes that you have to come up at an angle to start up. My kubota usually does a great job turning on itself if I'm tilling of cutting in 2wd, but they certainly help in the tight spots for sure.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

You should think about them more often. Using the brakes assists in turning almost all the time.

[@greenwoodsbushhogging6704]

@@TractorTimewithTim I hardly ever think to use them. Seeing Kubota hydro pedals and the brake pedals are on the same side, it's rather annoying to use them. I used the heck out of them on my old 2wd Deere 650. They definitely work for sure!

[@TractorTimewithTim]

@@greenwoodsbushhogging6704oh yes. Impossible to use!

[@rwalkenhorst]

In my CNC machining business I had an employee who did a little groundskeeping for a neighbor on weekends using the landowner's tractor and 3-point mower. One day he was complaining that the tractor plowed straight ahead when he tried to turn around on the hilly ground. I asked him if he was using the brakes to help the tractor turn and he looked at me like I had an eggplant growing out of my forehead. I explained how to do it, and the next Monday morning he was one happy camper.

[@danandfaith]

We keep the brakes locked on my Kubota LX unless we’re doing work that needs the independent brakes. For us, that’s plowing snow or working some loader tasks.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Consider unlocking and using for most purposes. Improves turning radius, and overall, allows the tractor to perform better if done right.

[@stevencatlin]

Split brakes is one reason I bought a 3R instead of a 3E. If you need the brakes to steer that much though, your ballast is wrong. For as much as I watch TTWT videos about needing rear ballast when using a loader, it should have been mentioned here that you need front ballast when carrying a lot of weight on the rear. Brake steer should be an addition to the front tires steering, not the primary or only means of steering. I have a 10 place weight rack on my 3039R. I run 4-42 pound weights on my front when I have almost any attachment, more for bigger attachments. If turning radius is an issue, you are better off with weights on the front of your tractor than a loader because they don't hang out nearly as far.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Ah come on! Let me have a little fun! There was no danger in running light on the front. …and hopefully it is obvious to folks that a bit more weight would have made the tractor handle more easily.

[@dougspaulding3240]

I have that on my tractor but have never used the function.

[@btb6011]

That might get me dead before I get use to it. My land is very uneven and hilly, steep at time. Yikes!!!! Seems like my 1025r feels more tippy now. Not sure if it's my imagination or I'm just not as careful as I once was??? Can something wear out to make it lean more? I don't know. I've been wanting a aerator for a while now.

[@floydferguson5366]

Great video!

[@richarddubord3978]

Good info as always

[@GrampysTractor]

Growing up with an AC the turning brakes sped up most functions like cultivating so you didn't spend half the day turning around. You left out the Number 1use for the turning brakes and that is for Tractor Square Dances.... Doe See Doe...

[@dave.lawrence.3894]

GREAT Video... 🙂😃. This is nice to know....😮😅. Have a GREAT day...

[@stephenjones6446]

Hey Tim, I noticed during the video your tilt cylinder was drifting down. Does that cylinder have a check/holding valve? If not installing one might make a good video. Thanks for videos.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

It does have a check valve

[@Gnomoleon]

I wish greenparts store would ship to canada 🇨🇦 . Having to deal with dealership is very frustrating and in my case about an hour away ....

[@dalewallace3812]

My Kubota L5740 has the dual brakes but Kubota did them backwards it is a hydrostat but the brakes are on the right side same as the hydrostat pedal and the clutch is on the left and all the clutch pedal is for starting to tractor and with the brakes on the right side with the hydrostat pedal makes it hard or almost impossible to steer with the individual brake pedals I just use them to set the brake when leaving the operators seat to chain something to the loader or tractor and when cutting logs on my pallet forks

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Stupid design. They did this for 30 years!!!

[@dalewallace3812]

@@TractorTimewithTim yes it is a bad design but I bought the tractor off of a guy I know that trades every so many years and he sold it to me for what the dealer ship was going to give him for trade in and got a deal I saved a little over 8,000 on what I could have bought it from a dealership for

[@andysmith5220]

These brakes are way more important on horse barns and corrals. And work really good on larger series 9r

[@terryluebbe2560]

I would love to have "split" brakes on my 1025R. My driveway has a rather high crown on the last 15 feet. While pushing snow with the loader down, my tractor slides towards the ditch unless I lift the loader to put more weight back on the front wheels. I think I could use a steering brake to keep the tractor moving straight with the bucket down. BTW, my neighbor's JD 318 garden tractor does have split brakes.

[@alh9338]

Going to overload the rear and do wheelies next time a friend comes over 😅 🍻

[@homesculptor]

I used to leave my lever up until I was going downhill toward a closed gate. I pushed the brake, and nothing, because I missed both of them and only had the front brake. Lucky it was a metal gat, and not latched. I banged it open, and a tiny scratch was all. But now I always keep them latched when I don't need them. I have a larger m7060, and it will get away from you in neutral and if you have to stop fast and miss both brakes. So, for me "holding it upon," is bad advice.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Fair enough.

[@homesculptor]

@@TractorTimewithTim Get in a heavier tractor going down hill and emergency stop, but only hit one peddle. You'll see very quickly. Love your vids, thanks for them.