Disc Brakes

Anonymous-0 · Oct 28, 2012

I have a 1954 Farmall Super C tractor, and the right disk brake quit working. I went on eBay and bought a whole brake assembly for $20. I took off the whole brake assembly off the right side of the tractor, did not see anything wrong, and when I looked at the three balls they had cupped washers in each of them. The other brake assembly that I bought on eBay did not have the cup washers, and the parts manual does not show cup washers either. Has anybody else have seen this in the past?

The Red · Oct 28, 2012

Check your other brake and see how it is set up.

CNKS · Oct 28, 2012

I don't think the washers are supposed to be there, my SH,SM,460 do not have them. If the parts book doesn't have them they are not supposed to be there. Apparantly the previous owner was trying to fix the brakes. Very likely the balls did not roll as they were supposed to.

the tractor vet · Oct 28, 2012

In all the Disc brakes i have ever been in i have never seen CUPPED WASHERS . as to why yours stopped working ???? you would have to see if the brake disc's are plum wore out- are the balls all rusty and rough - are the ramps all rusty and pitted - are the separator plates woredown that they are coming to the end of the ramps before the disc's make contact with the drum and housing - is the linkage frozen up due to rust ???. Before i would buy off Flea Bay i would see what i needed then i would get either NEW parts or go bone yard hopping for good used parts.

BoonvilleKid · Oct 28, 2012

After nearly turning my SC over on its side coming off a tiltled trailer due to a grabbing brake, I decided to determine why the brake was grabbing. The discs were alright, but the ball bearing races were rusty and the ball bearings were rusted and slightly pitted. I placed the ball bearings in a rock-polisher unit. After three days they looked like new. You can do the same polishing by hand, but it will take a LONG time. Or, just buy new ones. I cleaned and polished the races with power-driven wirewheel. After re-assembly, it worked perfectly. There can be other causes, as pointed out above, but this solved my problem.

Bohn Super C · Oct 28, 2012

Thanks for the comments, this is the first time for me on this website. I try to post a picture of the cup washer but apparently it didn't take, not sure what I'm doing wrong. As far as the brakes I could see nothing worn-out, the balls weren't rusty or pitted, and the grooves where the ball sit in look good, and everything free. When I went to pry the disk actuating assembly apart, that is when the ball and the washer fill out. When I put the ball in washer back in where I thought they should go, and reassembled it on the tractor the brakes was locked up, so I tore it apart again and put the one I bought off from eBay on the tractor and brakes work good. I'll try to send a picture again, hope it takes this time.

the tractor vet · Oct 28, 2012

Oh don't feel bad about not getting pictures to opst it took me 9 years to figure that out NOW i am dangerous as i can do it now.

PUTTER · Oct 28, 2012

I believe there is a waiting period of 2 or 3 days before new members can post pictures, I don't know why.

Bohn Super C · Oct 28, 2012

Thanks, Good to Know!
I appreciate all the input from everybody.
Getting ready to watch the Detroit Lions.

Janicholson · Oct 28, 2012

I imagine the cupped washers were put in place to increase the thickness of the expander by a previous owner with no understanding of how the device works. The idea of making the expander thicker is reasonable, but not easily accomplished. The balls and tracks are not shimable. The common method of making the brakes work well is to assure that the total stacked thickness of the disks and expander (when collapsed flat) are .040 to .060" less than the space they are located in. This is made smaller by machining the cover where it touches the trans case/pinion carrier. The geometry of the diagonal lever/links that pull the expander open gets progressively less effective as the disks and cover,and carrier wear. Jim

mkirsch · Oct 29, 2012

I've found that a simple clean-up and new brake disks work wonders in most cases. No lube. The lube just gathers dust and gums everything up.

rustyfarmall · Oct 29, 2012

(quoted from post at 05:48:42 10/29/12) I've found that a simple clean-up and new brake disks work wonders in most cases. No lube. The lube just gathers dust and gums everything up.

A leaky bull pinion oil seal will mess up those disc brakes real quick.

scotc · Oct 30, 2012

High-temp (copper-based) anti-sleeze. Tore my SM brakes apart once each spring to smear some new on the ramps before haying season. I used that tractor every chance I got, even pulled the Miller 18 foot tandem silage boxes with it for a few days. Of course when I got to the bunk, I had a chain hung under the tractor, hooked to the drawbar. I just ran the PTO as the 2+2 pulled me over the pile.

Disc Brakes

Anonymous-0

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The Red

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CNKS

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the tractor vet

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BoonvilleKid

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Bohn Super C

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the tractor vet

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PUTTER

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Bohn Super C

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Janicholson

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mkirsch

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rustyfarmall

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scotc

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