stopping distance

[bork 0]

Should good brakes be able to lock up tire & skid?

[Kelly 1,028]

I'm happy if they slow me down good

[Indy w h 4]

I would say that your brakes are a little tight R they locking up with the

pedal all the way down or half way? I don't know what horse you have

but you can loosen the brake rod and un screw it 1 turn. Or you can loosen

the nut under your brake band. You want your brakes tight but not that

tight.

Indy

[Docwheelhorse 2,560]

I'm very happy with the 60 mph to zero stopping rate of 300' for my 'Horse!! :scratchead:

[jtmoyer 1]

brakes? brakes? we don't need no stinking brakes. i don't think i have ever used them on the hydros, even busted the parking brake. i do know that when the tiller pops up on top of the grass i can stand on the brake and i cant stop the thing. i still need to fix that.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

If your brake band is not dragging and the brake band can stop your tractor and even lock up the wheels - that sounds like perfection - its doing everything you could expect from it.

compare it to the expectations you make on your car's brake system - free-wheeling when it should be - able to lock the wheels up when need be.

perfect :scratchead:

[W9JAB 156]

:hide: I guess it would depend on the model, After a lot of adjusting I 'm able to stop and set the parking break. And it now actually stops the tractor at any speed. I did need however to add some washers under the break rod nut to get to that point. :scratchead:

[bork 0]

(Model 1057)I just did'nt know how much to expect if all parts are in good condition & adjusted properly. Right now its NOT very good. So I need to inspect , clean & adjust. Maybe get a new band. I want to be able to move my utilty trailer , without getting run over.

[Coadster32 793]

If it grabs enough to lock up, but doesn't drag when not engaged, I wouldn't think you'd need a new band. If there's no adjustment on it, perhaps persuading the radius of the band itself. I'll state the obvious, and say these tractors weren't made to shift like cars. IE-upshifting through the gears to go faster.

[Don1977 604]

How heavy is your utility trailer, and is the area your moving it on level. My drive way is level and my Wheel Horse does great on that. My back yard has a lot of slope and I have had the tractor drug backwards when I tried to stop behind my dog lot. My trailer

weights around 1400 lbs. empty. My Wheel Horse will pull the trailer anywhere on my lot but some places you can't stop.

[bork 0]

Don, I do have a slope, The pulling doesn't seem to be the problem. I am worried about the stopping or getting run over. I think the trailer is approx 1000-1500lbs. I'll probably have two people walk on both sides of trailer with wheel chocks if needed. Weeeeeee

[hodge 6]

Don, I do have a slope, The pulling doesn't seem to be the problem. I am worried about the stopping or getting run over. I think the trailer is approx 1000-1500lbs. I'll probably have two people walk on both sides of trailer with wheel chocks if needed. Weeeeeee

With that much weight, the braking power isn't the only issue- the weight being pulled is greater than the pulling machine, and in this case, the stopping machine. Regardless of how good your brakes are, if you can't maintain traction, none of it matters. Be careful.

[MikesRJ 552]

FWIW: This is a quote from the 10HP-8 Speed manual;

### START QUOTE ###

BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

The brake band, located on the left side of the transmission, brakes the transmission shafts and, in turn, brakes the rear wheels.

To adjust the brakes, depress the clutch/brake pedal and move the parking brake lever forward into the engaged position. Tighten the nut on the brake rod until both rear wheels skid when the tractor is pushed with parking brake engaged. Then tighten the nut another 1/2 turn. The brake and parking brake are now properly adjusted.

The clutch/brake rod may be adjusted to set pedal height and travel to suit the operator. To adjust pedal height, remove the cotter pin from the pedal end of the clutch/brake rod and turn the rod in or out until the pedal is in the desired position.

### END QUOTE ###

[W9JAB 156]

Tighten the nut on the brake rod until both rear wheels skid when the tractor is pushed with parking brake engaged.

O.K. but on what surface! :scratchead:

[MikesRJ 552]

Grass, Cement floor, paved driveway, all the above; the point is if you can push the tractor and the rear wheels don't turn you're good enough. If the rear tires move on ANY surface when pushed, even the roughest surface, they are not set tight enough.

Another way to look at it is this way;

1) Lock the E-Brake.

2) Loosen the lock nut(s) off the brake band so they do not touch the band.

3) Tighten the first nut till it just draws the entire band around the brake drum (i.e. all of the brake shoe is now touching the drum).

4) Turn first nut one full turn more (if you only have a single lock-nut, ignore #5).

5) Snug the second nut to the first.

6) You're done with Brake Adjust, now go set pedal height if needed.

[bork 0]

Thank YOU!!! Mike!