DPittman

Member
I went all the way back to page 23 trying to find this topic, but couldn't find it. Question is: what do I need to do to keep the brakes on this ZA
from grabbing all at once instead of easy and progressive, i.e. according to brake pedal pressure. It don't matter how slow I push the pedals
down it won't do nothing till a certain point and then a loud bang and tires start trying to slide. Got good shoes and springs, no grooves in the
drums. So possibly adjusted to tight or wrong spring placement? The way they grab so fast and hard just ain't safe. Thanks. DP
 
I will try to help, although I am not familiar with the ZA. I had the same problem with my U, probably similar shoe brake assembly.
Besides adjusting the screw with a brake tool, you also need to center the shoes in the drum with the cam at the top of the assembly. An IT shop manual or the MM owners manual will lead you through this step by step. Once adjusted, they are a smooth and effective brake.
 
Make sure the brake drums are smooth. If it has grooves this will cause the brakes to grab. I use a sanding drum in a drill press to sand the drums smooth smooth.
 
The drums turn backward because they are on the pinion shaft, not the axle. So what is 'front' and what is 'rear' are reversed from what is on a pickup truck or car.

The stronger spring goes on the anchor post last and it hooks to the rear (I know they are angled; so let's say 'upper') shoe. You want the front/lower shoe with the weaker spring to contact the drum first and start dragging before the upper/rear shoe contacts the drum.

These are self energizing brakes, so, moving in forward rotation, the upper shoe will add its force to the rear shoe.

If the upper shoe contacts the drum first, it will slam the lower shoe into the drum, which I think is what you are experiencing.

You adjust the eccentric to hold the upper shoe up near the drum and the spring at the adjuster then can hold the lower shoe away from dragging on the drum.

If your springs are 'tired' you might want to get a maxi-kit with similar springs from NAPA. (If you can. Some NAPAs 'don't do tractors.') That's what I used to do back in the '90s.

That is the way I remember it at least. If I am wrong, someone else will correct us.
 

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