John Smith8N
Member
I've answered a few email questions lately about ill fitting 8N brake shoe anchors and spring binding problems when installing new brake shoes and springs. So I've taken a couple pictures and will post the info here, just FYI for anyone else who has run into that.
The first half of 8N tractors built (to serial 248839) came with a brake shoe that had a single thickness web. After that serial number all came with a double thickness reinforced web. All new brake shoes made since have been the double thickness and the old singles are pretty much non existant today. Here's a picture of the two.
The extra thickness of the newer shoe web requires a longer version of the 8N2027(A) spring anchor. The longer version is 8N2027B. Here's a picture of the two.
The early anchor is about 1-3/4" long and the later replacement is nearly 2" long. The extra length is on the inside end for the double thickness on the shoe web. If the early short anchor is used with the double thickness shoes (which is all we have today) it gets stuck at an angle in the shoe and the spring is pulled closer to center and can bind on the bolt heads. It also makes it a lot harder to install the springs. This picture shows the short anchor in a double shoe (L) and the correct "B" longer anchor (R) which fits correctly.
If you're having problems getting the anchors to fit the shoe correctly, measure them. You probably have the early anchors and you need the later ones. Half the 8Ns sold had the short anchors, so many of them have never been upgraded. I've also been told some new replacements being sold aftermarket are the old short versions and are not the (B) length that they should be. I've never bought any so I can't confirm that. Here's a section of a 1950 dealer service bulletin that notified the dealers of the change.
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The first half of 8N tractors built (to serial 248839) came with a brake shoe that had a single thickness web. After that serial number all came with a double thickness reinforced web. All new brake shoes made since have been the double thickness and the old singles are pretty much non existant today. Here's a picture of the two.
The extra thickness of the newer shoe web requires a longer version of the 8N2027(A) spring anchor. The longer version is 8N2027B. Here's a picture of the two.
The early anchor is about 1-3/4" long and the later replacement is nearly 2" long. The extra length is on the inside end for the double thickness on the shoe web. If the early short anchor is used with the double thickness shoes (which is all we have today) it gets stuck at an angle in the shoe and the spring is pulled closer to center and can bind on the bolt heads. It also makes it a lot harder to install the springs. This picture shows the short anchor in a double shoe (L) and the correct "B" longer anchor (R) which fits correctly.
If you're having problems getting the anchors to fit the shoe correctly, measure them. You probably have the early anchors and you need the later ones. Half the 8Ns sold had the short anchors, so many of them have never been upgraded. I've also been told some new replacements being sold aftermarket are the old short versions and are not the (B) length that they should be. I've never bought any so I can't confirm that. Here's a section of a 1950 dealer service bulletin that notified the dealers of the change.
.