TO30 main brake pedal

Hi all.

Just realized that a question I posted yesterday appeared in the wrong forum, so I am repeating it here:

"Hey Gents.

I posted a while back about lack of brakes on my TO30. I had renewed the brake pads/shoes, and adjusted them within the drums, reconnected the brake rods (adjusting them so the clevis (?) just reached the brake pedal cross shaft hole on each side), but when I took her for a drive, I applied the brake and still had nothing.

A helpful member here told me it was probably the drums themselves, so I had them checked and they are ok.

So, now I have the rear of the tractor up on jacks so I can put her into gear and watch the wheels/brakes, and when I put her into first, if I apply the individual brake pedals on each side, the wheel on that side stops. However, if I apply the main pedal.......nothing.

What am I missing? I have pulled up on the individual brake pedals and the rods do not seem to bend so I do not feel anything is seized. I feel it is probably something real simple and if it is, please forgive my ignorance.

Hoping someone can finally stop me pulling out the remaining few hairs left on my head :/"


A kind member responded within the other forum, but unfortunately the fix they mentioned seems to be for later tractors (?).

Any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott.

If you push down on the main bar, I believe the other two should rise. Do they? No? You bent/broke something.
If thy do rise, did you correctly adjust the brakes?
Bet you didn't.
Raise the back
Bungee cord, tie the main pedal up to the steering wheel. All the way up.
Tighten rear brakes just until they stop turning by hand.
back off 3, maybe 4 clicks.
Now try it.

Bruce,

Thanks for the response.

When pushing down on the main pedal, both individual pedals rise. Also, the rods do not bend, so nothing appears to be seized.

The brakes were originally adjusted in the drums with the rods detached. Tightened the brakes until the wheel could not be turned by hand, then backed off 3 turns. I then attached the rods to the main pedal by securing the main pedal in its highest position (with a bungee cord) and turning the clevis on each rod till it just lined up with the holes on the main brake cross shaft. This is where I feel I may be missing something or doing something wrong. To attach the rods I had to lift the individual pedals (which when disconnected were laying on the side plates) on each side just until they barely touched/engaged the master brake rod that goes to each wheel and then inserted the pin through the clevis/main brake cross shaft holes.

With the rear tires off the ground, engine running, in first gear, the individual pedals worked and stopped their respective wheel, but the master brake pedal barely stopped the right side wheel. Even then, that was only with full pressure applied (standing up on the pedal).

Your (or anyones!) thoughts would be really appreciated.

Scott.

If you reach down to the individual brake pedals and pull up on them, do the brakes come on? Or do you have to lift higher than they go with the dual foot pedal?

Hey Ron,

Thank you for your response.

I just went out and started her up and tried what you suggested. If I pull up on the individual brake pedals one at a time, they stop their respective wheel (with no excessive pulling. If i pull up on them both, nothing.

What do you think?

Scott.

(quoted from post at 07:36:28 09/14/19) Hey Ron,

I just went out and started her up and tried what you suggested. If I pull up on the individual brake pedals one at a time, they stop their respective wheel (with no excessive pulling. If i pull up on them both, nothing.

Click to expand...

When you lift one, take a look at all the linkage as you lift the other one. I just checked mine, and when I lift one, the other comes up too, although the brake comes on harder on the side that is lifted. It sounds like some of the linkage on one of the horizontal axles, that link left and right together, is slipping.

How high do you lift the one? I lifted mine about 2", tops, before the brake was on hard.

Hey Ron,

Sorry for the delay!

When I 'lift' on one of the side pedals, the other comes up just a small amount, as the main pedal drops just a bit as well.

When I lift an individual pedal, I pull it up about the same as you, 2", at which point the brake is on hard!.

Thoughts?

Thanks again.

Scott.

Well, it sounds like you have it about adjusted correctly. When I did my brake job, as you, I dd not have the drums turned. One side stops a wee bit better than the other. One of these days, I might take it apart again and have the drums turned to a rough finish. Rough finish grabs a bit better and at about 6 MPH, that is all you need.
You said your drums "looked fine". So did mine, They just don't grab.
Either live with it or get them turned to a new finish.

hi,

i finally got out to my tractor to look. I think folks gave you good troubleshooting advice so far, but I am interested that you say that standing on the brake pedal only the right stopped.

IIRC, pretty much all these brakes on thes tractors will apply if you life the pedal up or puch it down- the individiual pedals push one way and the main the other. I havent been in a to-30 brakes in a long time but I cant picture installing em upsdie down ( as in right brake on left wheel and vice versa) so that the shoes apply unevenly.

Maybe re-look at the cross shaft and also make sure nothing is obstructing the travel of the actuators.

Bill