please help me hjelp my mom - need brake information

hi, im trying to help my mom find some information on her 1955 300 utility tractor. she has no brakes at the moment. does anyone have a link or information on how to take these brakes apart. she is going to need to use again day after Christmas. thank you all.

Your going to want to find the service manual. You could order one online from binder books.

The disk brakes are easy enough to work with. take the pin out of the linkage and take the 5 bolts out of the housing and slide them off. You can clean them up with brake cleaner and inspect the disks. They can be a pain to slide back on the splines. When they are back on reattach the pin and adjust so there is some free play (inch or two) before the pedal engages the brakes then adjust so the pedals engage at the same time (so they are even).

Here is a basic overview and repair steps. The brakes are designed to self energize. when the disk expander is moved by the linkages, the motion of the disks helps drag the plates farther apart. This assists in braking effort with less pedal pressure. If the balls are rusty, or the ramps they run in have grooves, or the friction material is too thin, or there is sticky grease or glaze on the disks, the problem will occur. the critical dimension for success is the amount of clearance in the internal plates and the expander compared to the distance between the friction surface on the tractor housing and the brake housing/cover.
The total stack height clearance should be about .030 to .050" measuring the disks and plate, then comparing that total to the housing space between the tractor friction surface, and the housing surface. (and adjusters on the rod not pre pulling the expander) another way to check this clearance is to put all the components into the housing and measure up to the mating surface (where the housing would bolt to the tractor) this needs to meet the above specification. If the disks are worn thin, they can be replaced. if they are 5/16" or so thick and the specification is still too wide, the housing must be machined at that mating surface to tighten it up. Even new friction disks may not provide this reduced clearance due to wear on the housing and plates and brake cover. (Worn steel surfaces)

If this is the case, the housing can be machined (machine shop) thinner at its inner contact surface to bring the stack into proximity.

Non-directional sanding of components with 250 grit paper will help when putting them together.

A skiff of silver anti-seize compound on the balls and ramps works for me. Others believe they should be dry, others use a bit of graphite and a tiny bit of grease to hold the graphite on the balls and ramps. Do not lube them liberally.

Leaky shaft seals are also a problem, and if leaking must be replaced.

The measurement from the mating surface of the housing casting (where it attaches to the tractor) to friction surface down in its depths is important. so do not skip this step. The pulling forces on the two link bars is only advantageous when the clearance is correct. Adjust the pedal (bolt through spring) so it starts feeling hard to push at about 1.5 inches from all the way up.

Ask us about that if the seals leak. leak. Jim

Try this link for the parts breakdown.
Sometimes slow loading.
Parts manual

I think you'll find this a pretty easy job. Mine were rusted solid, but I was still able to save all the parts except the springs. I did buy new discs because they were inexpensive. The springs, though, are ridiculously priced -- so save the old ones if you can.

One thing -- while you're at it, be sure to unplug the 1/4" or so drain holes (one in the bottom of each housing).

Mark W. in MI

There's nothing very complicated about the brakes. You just need to get under there, take them apart, see what's wrong, and fix it.

Just cleaning them up probably won't fix the problem. Either the pinion seals are leaking badly and the brakes are all slicked up with oil, or the brake disks are worn out.

There is no way to know until you get in there and look.

Either way you're going to need parts to fix the problem, and unless you have a CaseIH dealer nearby, there is no way you will have the parts in hand to fix the problem by the day after Christmas.

New brake disks and a cleaning should give her SOME brakes, but they may not work well even then. It may be necessary to machine down the brake covers.

She has been getting along without brakes for how long now? She can live one more day without them. Either that or park the tractor and find some other way to get the job done until you can get the parts.

Do you have this measurement for all makes and models when brand new?
I could never find it so I take 0.125 off all of them. That is SH, SM,300-450

no I just know that with this amount on SH,300,350, they do not heat and get grabby, or drag. I like .050 to .080 on SM to 450. I do not know any recommendations for Big frame, or boosted system disk brakes. Jim