450B track brakes

Steven36

New User
I have a early 70's 450B dozer, dry steering clutches and track brakes. The steering clutches work fine but the track brakes are coated with oil and don't work well at all unless it's really cold outside. We used it this past winter dragging out some logs and it worked pretty well, certainly usable. Now that it's warm outside, the track brakes don't hold. I can see that the brake bands are oil soaked. I could try to fill that cavity with with a degreaser and try to wash the oil off the brake bands, just not sure how well that will work. My question is, can anyone tell me if the brake bands can be replaced without tearing the whole thing apart? Can they be replaced through the top covers? I'd rather not tear the whole final drive assembly apart till I need to.
Thanks
for the help.
Steven
 
At my place when machines came in with your problem we done what you said wash out the housing with the hot power washer using the normal TFR ( traffic film remover) detergent,a strong dose of that will shift any oil off the bands,loosen off the adjustment first,then remove the drain plugs and wash out the heavy gung that will be in there,when the water comes out clean turn off the detergent and rinse out the compartments,leave the drain plugs out so the oil can't build up in future,check the oil levels and keep an eye on the levels to see which compartment is going low,sometimes the leak is only slight but it can build up over time and get thrown on to the brakes,there is additives you can put in the oil that swells the oil seals and stops the leak,but that is only a temporary measure.
AJ
 
The brakes can be changed through the top.
The top shaft has to be removed from the
final drive (through small cover by
sprocket) and the drum and brake removed
together. IIRC you have to take the whole
seat/fuel tank assembly off for room to
work.
 
(quoted from post at 09:35:45 06/04/18) The brakes can be changed through the top.
The top shaft has to be removed from the
final drive (through small cover by
sprocket) and the drum and brake removed
together. IIRC you have to take the whole
seat/fuel tank assembly off for room to
work.

That will make things much easier. Next question...Where is the best place to buy parts?
Thanks
Steven
 
There is a place in Duluth Mn. that will redo the pads for about 250.00 I had mine done last yr. I could find out the name of the place. they are about 1200.00 from deere
 
Thanks to all for the replies. I found a site, tractorparts.com that list brake band sets for the JD 450B for $145 each side and is the best price that II have seen so far. After I pull the top off I'm going to see if I can change just the brake bands but if I have to pull the steering clutch/brake assembly out together, I think that I will make a tool to release the clutch pack so that I can wash the steering disks and make sure that they are completely dry and oil free as well as replacing anything else that needs to be while I'm in there. The machine drives just fine so hope that the clutches both look good.
Steven
 
no mechanics I know of can get the oil out of the discs. Some tried to let the discs set out in the weather for several years & got by for a while with them. Oil soaks into the disc & cleaning off the outer part just lets the oil migrate from inside the disc back to the surface, meaning in no time your right back where you started. Suggest you buy new.
 
(quoted from post at 02:39:06 06/10/18) no mechanics I know of can get the oil out of the discs. Some tried to let the discs set out in the weather for several years & got by for a while with them. Oil soaks into the disc & cleaning off the outer part just lets the oil migrate from inside the disc back to the surface, meaning in no time your right back where you started. Suggest you buy new.

X2
 
No point at all in changing the brake bands unless the oil leaks have been fixed,you either go for the full duck and replace the oil seals or settle for a leg and wash out the housing get the brake biting again and you will get another while out of them,eventually you will have to replace the leaking seals if the leak gets worse and the oil gets into the clutches and they start to slip.
AJ
 

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