Brakes on Super C

The brakes on this tractor work some and are fairly even with limited pedle travel. I have never worked on Farmall brakes before, particulerly Super C.

At this point they are not safe, not very effective. I will be backing tractor up often near a ditch and want to pull a wagon with people on it occasionally.

Are they strong and easy to operate when correct?
What are the main issues to watch for?

I have the manuals but want to control my budget.

Thanks to any who can help with some insight !!

They are not like the brakes on a car, and need to be used carefully. They will usually hold on an incline, but you need to be careful. If you don't have excess play in the pedals, the disks need to be replaced or at least sanded to roughen them up. Or they could have oil on them. The IH disk brakes are not the worlds best, the preceding band brakes are better. The disks need to be used. I have seen mine lose their effectiveness just sitting there for several months. If pulling a wagon with people on it, don't use 4th even if it will pull it, slow down well in advance of a stop, and avoid emergency stops. The main thing is the same as driving a car or truck. You have to be experienced with the vehicle, whatever it is. You need to be aware of your capabilities and the capabilities of the vehicle. This is not bragging, but I have never had an accident on a tractor or car or truck in 60 something years of driving, except when I was going 5-10 mph in my pickup and the idiot ahead of me stopped.

Asssuming you have the disc brakes like other post said you can rough them up with a disc sander then turn them around so they run backward make sure the balls are good also. Then you can adjust so both work together.

Thank you: I was mostly concerned about downhill grades.

I dont ride a motercycle becouse I dont trust myself. Same with tractor. Cant be to carefull.

Is it hard to keep the self actuating part working or is it mostly the disk.

Both, in other words the brakes require maintenance to continue to work properly.

I nearly had a major accident when unloading a SC from a slant trailer. I had just bought the SC and trusted that the brakes worked correctly. They didn't. They locked, nearly throwing the whole tractor off the side of the trailer. By "locking" it means that the ball bearings were forced, by the actuator, into the grooves, applying pressure on the pads, but when pressure was released from the actuator the three ball bearings did not retract in the grooves and release pressure on the pads. Repairing them is easy. If I can do it, anyone can. Within the brake assembly you'll find three ball bearings in a grooved raceway. If the balls are pitted with rust, buy three new balls, or six if the other side shows rust as well. Surface rust can be sanded off the balls but not pits. Sand & polish the grooves until slick. As already stated, sand the brake pads or buy new ones if badly worn. If pads have oil/grease on them, buy new ones. Lube the balls & groove prior to reassembly. Do this for both sides of tractor. Adjust brakes of each side of tractor until they are equal in braking for the depth of the pedal-push. (Jack up both back tires, at the same time, while testing and adjusting.) This is important as it will allow locking the brake pedals together with the flop-over lever on the brake pedals. In a panic, a person will always push down on one lever, not both, making the tractor swerve to left or right. Locking the brakes together, provided the brakes have been equally adjusted, will mean the tractor stops without swerving to the left or to the right.