Off Topic. Bleeding brakes on JD 2550

My dad has a JD 2550. I helped him replace the hydraulic fluid and filter. We were having trouble installing the filter canister on right, (it kept blowing off when starting the tractor). There was a hose attached to the canister that I removed, thinking it was causing the canister to go on cocked. Well, we got the canister on with no leaks but had no brakes. I assume somehow air got into the system when that hose was removed. He attempted to bleed the brakes using the bleeder screws on top of the drive housing. (I was not there). He said it did not do any good.

My dad is 70 and I would like to be able to get this running for him. Is there anything I can do to pinpoint the problem? I was thinking of building a vacuum bleeder to bleed the brakes, using a pump sprayer for the canister and connecting my refrigeration vacuum pump. (I will have to fix this by myself as my dad will probably be at work).

This tractor also has a front bucket on it if that makes a difference.

Any help is appreciated!

NOT sure what's going on, seems unlikely to me that a filter change would get air in the brake system.

Does the tractor have a loader? (Typically that would explain the return house to the oil filter cover.)

Has he tried, with the tractor running, to carefully loosen one bleeder at a time while holding the brake pedal for that side depressed? (That's the typical brake bleeding procedure for other DEERE models, NOT absolutely sure of the specifics for a 2550, though.)

Yes, it does have a loader. Would disconnecting this line cause air to get in the system? He said he tried that but I was not there so I cant insure it was done exactly that way. I showed him the bleeder screw on the final drive. I told him to buy some clear hose and terminate it in the hydraulic fluid tank on the tractor and to crack the bleeder screw while pressing the pedal down, all this with the tractor on. He said he did all that but could not get the brakes back to working....

(quoted from post at 14:53:05 07/28/16) Yes, it does have a loader. Would disconnecting this line cause air to get in the system? He said he tried that but I was not there so I cant insure it was done exactly that way. I showed him the bleeder screw on the final drive. I told him to buy some clear hose and terminate it in the hydraulic fluid tank on the tractor and to crack the bleeder screw while pressing the pedal down, all this with the tractor on. He said he did all that but could not get the brakes back to working....

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I don't know about brakes on a JD. But I do know how to bleed brakes on a car. First, put a small section of 1/4" plastic tubing over the bleeder valve. Then fill a small glass jar about half full with clean brake fluid. Hold the jar so the plastic hose is immersed in the fluid. Have someone in the vehicle.

Open the bleeder like a half turn with a wrench. Have that person push the brake pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.

Close the bleeder valve and have them let up on the pedal. Keep that hose immersed in the fluid. Repeat this step over and over and you should start to see air bubbles come out in the glass jar. Do each wheel this way. Start with the furthest wheel from the master cylinder.

I have also done it with a cheap hand held vacuum pump for brake bleeding from Harbor Freight. It also worked well. The plus is that one can do it by them selves. Hook the plastic hose from the bleeder to the pump. crack the bleeder valve and work the vacuum pump. You should see bubbles come out if air is in there. close the bleeder valve before disconnecting the pumps plastic hose.

While bleeding brakes either way, keep an eye on the master cylinder fluid level. You will need to fill it as you remove fluid from the bleeder valves.

Forgot this. Working the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open and the hose not submersed in brake fluid is wrong.

While working the brake pedal up and down you are just sucking air back into the system on the pedal up stroke.

Caryc,

AFAIK, the brake valve ("master cylinder")on his tractor is supplied with oil by the main hydraulic pump at over 2000 PSI, an entirely different scenario than you are thinking of.

(quoted from post at 21:19:04 07/28/16) Caryc,

AFAIK, the brake valve ("master cylinder")on his tractor is supplied with oil by the main hydraulic pump at over 2000 PSI, an entirely different scenario than you are thinking of.

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Told you I didn't know anything about a JD. :mrgreen: