Brake replacement on Farmall A, 2nd installment

Well, got the drive housing off the tranny case. No problem. Cribbed the rear end totally off the ground, and used a chain hoist on a trolly. took me about 30 mins total, and that included building the cribbing. Used the chain hoist to lift the whole rear end of the tractor, so no jack involved.

Now, I see nothing wrong with the brake band, however, the brake drum is VERy loose, and when I got the final drive off, the brake band fell out.....seems like maybe the anchor pin worked loose, as that would explain why the brake quit working, and also why the band rod would not allow the pedal to go all the way "home" when you took your foot off of it.

Also, how much side-to-side play should there be in the short shaft in the drive housing? Seems a bit sloppy to me, but I will also take the bearings out and have a look since I got it this far. I will also replace the seal since I have her open......

More to come......

Sort of strange that the pin fell out maybe it wasnt put together long ago. There are two seals one in the tranny and the other in the final drive. While its apart get the clevis loose on the brake rod so in the future the brake can be adjusted. I like putting the drum in the lathe then using a sharp point on the cutting tool it leaves a nice grouved surface on the drum then talk about good brakes wow.

Thanks for the update, Tom. Sounds like you're making a good job of it.

I agree with Gene. From your description of the band, pin and all falling right off, it sounds like somebody's been in there lately. It's far more common for one end of that pin to stick, and the band stick to it, so that the band stays on the pin, whether it stays stuck in the tranny or stays on the drum and comes away with the final drive.

I'd look that anchor pin over closely. It should be long enough to seat in the transmission case and, with the band slipped over it, have enough length protruding to seat in the hole in the final. Your description of how it was behaving sounds as if either the pin was broken, or somebody replaced it with something too short. If you do have to replace it, measure carefully so as not to get it too long so that it would keep things from fitting back together.

How loose was the drum? Just slid right off or was it wobbly? There is a set screw with jam nut that sits at a little bit of an angle to the drum and can be a bear to get to that should keep it in place. Sounds like it might not have been tightened down properly. The bottom of the set screw bites into a #22 woodruff key fitted into the differential shaft, so make sure that's there, too.

The aha! forehead smacking question (the one I always hate to ask but comes humbly from the experience of the wrench wrangler who works in my garage) -- is the return spring for the pedal under the seat platform in place?

Good on ya for looking after the bearings and seals while you're in this far. Some of the others recommended it in your last post. I think you've found that pulling the final is not really a bad job, but not something you want to have to do often. There should be very very little wobble if any when the shaft is riding in that outer bearing.

Ok, got things apart, and there are multiple issues. Pin is fine length wise, however, seems to be the wrong diameter. Next, at some point in time, the woodruff key sheared, and the tractor was run with the brake hub just spinning on the shaft. Both brake hub and shaft are seriously scored......probably both will have to be replaced. Now, the teeth on the pinion shaft are sharp, and are chewed up. Bull gear appears to be ok. The bull grear oil pan is bent and spluge weld repaired, but not leaking. The bearing is ok, but both seals are shot. someone bent the retainers on both of them, which cut through part of the rubber. Ham handed Hank musta been in a hurry when he put the final drive back on after replacing the woodruff key.........and jambed the dickens out of the inner and outer seal.

So, I will need a pinion shaft, 2 seals, and brake hub to make it right.....looks like this old girl won't be ready for the tractor parade this weekend unless I decide to put it back together for now, and get the parts for future repair. I am not sure I can find and have the parts shipped in time to get them installed before the parade this weekend. I would guess 2 hours work to replace those parts, and put the final drive back on.



Oh well, what one finds opening up old "wounds". I guess since this is going to basically be a show queen, the old pinion may work, but I sure wouldn't want to work this old girl hard for any period of time.

Oh, MY!

All is not lost for the weekend, maybe. Go ahead and get your parts search going, but if you can size up that pin . . . that round stock you get at the hardware might work for the short term, but something stronger is more desirable. You might be able to find a long, partially threaded bolt of the right diameter and cut the head and threads off, size it for length and bevel the ends a little.

Are the shaft and drum so buggered up that it's not even worth trying a new key? When locked on they dont' turn against each other so they don't have to be smooth. A little beat up and ugly shouldn't hurt. The key, pardon my punnery, is the keyway. If it's good, I'd try it, at least for the show, and see how it works.

It always pays to be careful, but be extra careful with that brake moving the tractor on and off the trailer and around the show grounds.

There's a lot of parts As out there. A shaft, drum and pan hadn't ought to be hard to find. Classifieds here, maybe at ATIS, Red Power. Bates Eqpt. might have what you need as well.