Adjusting brakes on a Ford 800 series tractor.

This is a ford 800 series... 850 specifically. I've never messed with the brakes on this tractor, but i have replaced drum brakes on a truck before.

The problem is that the brakes dont work on the tractor... when i press the brake pedals they just go down to the floorboard and dont slow anything down (or if they do i dont notice it). Do you think adjusting them might get them to work?

It usually takes me a long time to do anything like this, so i just was curious if devoting the time to jacking the back tires up (at least the manual says i have to jack them up) and figuring out how to adjust them would possibly solve the issue.

If it sounds like the tires will need removed and the drum assembly messed with, then i might leave it for another time.

Thanks for any advice.

 

I moved your thread to the farming machinery forum.

An 850...... an oldie but goodie. That tractor uses individual foot brakes. There should be visible adjustments on the connecting rods. With an older tractor like that it won't be easy to service the brakes behind the drums.

I can't offer you much help on the internal brake workings but I'm sure someone here can.

 

850, that's newer than my NAA

As Pete said, there are adjustments on the pedal linkage but if that doesn't help you'll need to pull the wheel If there is fluid in the back tires they will be extra heavy! I roll them over to something they can lean against. If you lay them down you'd want 2 mules and an army to stand them back up. The brakes are very similar to automotive drum brakes. Look for worn out shoes and or gear oil on them from a bad seal.

If you don't already have it, I'd suggest getting the IT manual that covers your tractor. Mine has come in handy more than once.

 

I'm thinking that you have adjusting screws behind the axle on each side, and yes, you would jack the rear wheels up so that you can turn them, and then run those screws in to tighten and and back out to get them where you want them. Once you have the shoes adjusted, I'm thinking that the right side has one long actuator arm with the pedal on one end, and the left side has a pedal connected to a shaft, and that you have a yoke in there someplace that can be adjusted to get your pedals lined up.

 

I have the manual covering from 600 up and the brake adjustments are made via a slot, just like on a car with drum brakes. I know my older 9n had manual external adjustments just like the others describe. If anyone knows how to copy and paste from a PDF format, let me know, and I will share the pages showing the adjustment procedure. The manual is over 400 pages, so I need to narrow it down to two pages only.

 

In Gimp (IIRC) you can import a PDF than export individual pages as a JPG. I don't use PhotoShop but I'd guess you can do the same in PhtoShop if you have it.

 

Does Windows 10 have the snipping tool, that would work?

 

Thanks everyone. Chandler, i already have the manual, but thanks a lot for the offer! I'll let you guys know if just adjusting them helped any. Sure would like to stop smashing into my fence because i thought i had it in reverse, haha.

 

I doubled checked the brake set up on my NAA when I pulled it out this afternoon and I mis remembered There is an adjustment on the pedal linkage for the left side brake but not for the right side. You adjust the shoes just like you would on a car/truck.

There has been a time or two that while lifting the bucket, lowering the blade - I forgot to change gears. It does get your attention when you let out the clutch and go the opposite direction you were planning on

 

Well i went out, jacked it up, and adjusted them.

The left side adjustment thing had no resistance at all when i turned it, and the brake does nothing, so it seems like that tire will need the wheel taken off to check things out inside the drum.

The right side had resistance when i turned the adjuster, and i turned it a good bit to try and get it to work better.

Here's the weird thing... on that right tire when i am moving forward and apply the brake (with the clutch in, of course), it really doesn't do anything and the pedal goes down to the floorboard with no resistance... but if i am in reverse, it stops the tractor like it should.

I repeated this many times and it was always the same thing... if the tire was moving forward (even just coasting in neutral) the brake did nothing... but if the tire was moving in reverse, the brake worked like it should. I could coast up in neutral on a slight incline and the brake wouldnt work at all, but the instant it rolled to a stop and started rolling backwards the brake would instantly work.

Any ideas as to why the brake will work in reverse, but not in forward drive?

 

Either the shoes are on backwards or they are misaligned to the point where they won't work in forward. You may be relegated to pulling the wheel to inspect the workings. Not fun, but necessary.

 

Ok thanks chandler, i'll set aside some time to take the tires off and see what's going on.

 

If they have not been off since 1962, it will be a bear. I had to borrow a 3/4" impact wrench from my diesel mechanic to get the nuts broke the first time. Due diligence in lubricating them when I put them back on will ensure smooth removal, I hope.