Re: [ihc] About those parking brakes .....

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sep 24, 2004, at 12:46 PM, Jim or Ginger Aos wrote:

> John, I'm with Steve in that we all do stupid things some times.  I 
> keep thinking? (hoping) that with age I wll do less of that.  Doesn't 
> seem to happen that way.  I'm glad you came through OK.
>
> This Mico lock? I think there was one of those on the garbage truck 
> that I used when I was a garbage collector.  That was a fair job back 
> in the 60's. It paid $412 / month. and all you could eat. :-)  I've 
> been thinking about using one on the 1310 for when I use the crane for 
> rock setting or whatever else I might use it for.  Any one is welcome 
> to give your opinion. pros and/or cons.
> thanks. Jim A.
Jim,

I'm afraid getting older doesn't do much for reducing stupidity. I'm 
afraid I'm proof of that.

I've had MicoLocks on my IH vehicles practically since the beginning of 
time. The ones I liked best were the ones with a manual handle that 
locked the fluid in the system and then released it with a half turn of 
the handle. However, I don't know if they still make the manual models. 
The one I have on this Terra is electrically operated and controlled 
with a toggle switch.

Ryan's comments are right on, in that one probably shouldn't use the 
MicoLock for long-time locking up of the brakes. This would include, as 
he indicated, leaving it on for long periods when there were 
substantial temperature changes.

These units work very well indeed if the brakes on whichever axle you 
are controlling work well. On my Terra, the MicoLock did not hold well 
on the rear brakes especially in regard to holding the vehicle from 
rolling backwards. However, on the front disks, it holds very well.

I really like these units and have never had a problem with them. There 
used to be stories circulated about hunters leaving their MicoLocks on 
and then having an accident requiring someone to go for help. Most of 
the stories I heard ended the same way, with the guy dying while his 
hunting buddy tried to get the vehicle to move. I know a guy who knows 
a guy, who knows a guy, whose uncle knew a guy with a MicoLock .......

Kind of like the stories that came out of Vietnam early on about enemy 
solders being nicked by a 223 bullet from an M16, and having massive 
fatal wounds just from the nick. I know a guy who knew a guy who 
.......

John

John Hofstetter
Ol' Saline
www.goldrush.com/~hofs