Were parts taken off it? The thing was made with band style brakes. I don't recall aftermarket brakes for a garden tractor. Replacement parts are likely available. You can buy several brake kits for go carts. That would be interesting. Is it maybe the wrong vehicle for the terrain/ load?

if you go to the sears parts webpage and enter your model number, you'll be able to find the parts for your tractor.

Select the bubble for "view parts list" or "view diagram" for ground drive. The brake band is item 11 (part number 101122M) and is $41.67 before tax and shipping.

As an alternative, you can search m-and-d.com and enter that same part number and you'll get this result

As a side note, I wouldn't put too much faith in the brakes on a garden tractor. They are meant for parking and even then, I would park sideways on hills just to make sure, especially if you're towing a trailer full of wood.

machiem is right, and any farmer would tell you that you never depend on a tractor's brakes to hold you back going down a slope, especially while towing a load: tractor brakes were just not designed to do that. You put it in the lowest gear (before you start down the slope) and let the engine do the braking.

Is it a hydro transmission? They depend on the transmission internals for brakes. The others are right, that is not the best machine for your intended purpose.

Thank you everyone for your quick answers...I do use the tractor in the lowest gear and let it idle down the hill, the path is sloped but at an angle. In one spot for only a few feet the slope is too much and the transmission won't hold it back. I never haul wood down, only up the hill. The tractor has plenty of power for that, but just a little light and sometimes the wheels spin for lack of weight. It was really a trial, got an exceptionally good deal on it so figured I would give it a try. If nothing else it's sure fun to drive...

How much weight are you hauling? I have a 95 22hp Craftsman I use for much the same as you. It's a six speed with HI-LO range. In Lo range I can haul some pretty heavy weight down hill. The same weight in Hi range and the tractor has a mind of its own on the same hill.

Your machine should have a brake, but it won't help more than the tranny if one of your tires are slipping. The brake on most garden tractors is attached to the trans and works through it not on the axles individually. In other words one wheel can spin backswards and the other forword and the brake is locked on. I'd fix the brake but you need to fill the rear tires with fluid. Night and day difference in traction, loss of traction is why the tranny is not holding the load in the one spot you mentioned.

MARKMGM, mine has 18 h.p. and I am hauling only a few hundred lbs. right now, I notice the engine doesn't even seem to know there's a load on it at all. There's no doubt that it can handle a lot more. It's also a six-speed, same as yours, I believe the thing could climb a tree if it could get good traction. BUTCHS HOBBY, fill tires with fluid?...Interesting, I've never even heard of that, I can see how it would ad to the weight and traction. How exactly do you fill the tire with fluid and have enough pressure for inflation?...I've read that you can also get tire weights. I did use a tie-down and put a log, approximetly 80 lbs or so on the hitch and it climbed up the hill a lot easier, so that tells me it's the weight distribution that's the biggest problem. The clutch pedal also says brake, but push it all the way down and it's like putting it in what I used to refer to as "Angel Gear" or, neutral, it's just cut loose. It seems all I can do is keep it in low gear, at the lowest idle and says a few prayers. Thank you guys for your help, you're all great!

elkhorn88, click on link below

Here is a link that might be useful: filling tires

If you want more, just click this

Here is a link that might be useful: fluid tire gauge ??

"The clutch pedal also says brake, but push it all the way down and it's like putting it in what I used to refer to as "Angel Gear" or, neutral, it's just cut loose."

That's exctly the problem with Garden tractor brakes - and why they are no good at all for using on a hill. As you said, pushing the brake takes it out of gear, and if you have a load pushing you, and, depending how big the load is, and how steep the hill is, one can wind up in a heap of trouble.

put it in a low gear at the top of the hill and ease it down, shouldnt need to use the brakes.

Elkhorn88, our shop push tractor is a 1450MF with 10.50x23x12 rear tires. When we first started useing it(pushing disabled vehicles) it would spin the rear tires easy, filled them with fluid and no problems since, pushs 1 ton duallys withoput spinning! I bought the adopter to put fluid in the tires at TSC. Most any implement dealer or farm type store would probably have it. Depends on your weather but down here I just put in plain water. My 1855MF is going on 12 yrs with water in the rear ags.